The 4th Hokuryu Town Ice Candle Festival 2025 will be held! The gentle glow of the ice candles will soothe your soul as they paint the night sky a deep blue.

February 18, 2025
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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

The 4th Hokuryu Town Ice Candle 2025 was held at Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen for two days on February 15th (Sat) and 16th (Sun). Approximately 300 ice candles were lit up, creating a fantastical glow.

table of contents

1 4th Hokuryu Town Ice Candle Festival 2025
2 YouTube videos
3 Other photos
4 Related articles
5 Articles related to Murakami and Sasaki

4th Hokuryu Town Ice Candle Festival 2025

As a first attempt this year, ice sculptures were made by six students from a seminar at Hokkaido University of Education Asahikawa Campus, and a snow sculpture was also unveiled by Sergeant Hoshino Yuki of the Hekisui Police Station (Community Section, Community Affairs Division, Fukagawa Police Station, Asahikawa District, Hokkaido Prefectural Police).

Event Overview

Organizer:Hokuryu Town Ice Candle Executive Committee
plan:Nobuyuki Murakami, a village supporter in Hokuryu Town, and Yui Sasaki, a community revitalization volunteer in Hokuryu Town
Sponsor:Hokuryu Town Sunflower Tourism Association, Hokuryu Town Board of Education, Hokkaido Information University
Ice sculpture production:Associate Professor Keiji Iwanaga, Hokkaido University of Education, Asahikawa Campus, Art Sculpture Seminar
Inquiries:Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen Tel: 0164-34-3321
　
February 15th (Sat) and February 16th (Sun) Store Information (Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen)
Female Farmers Group Subaru - Uzura: Baked sweet potato
Tsubame Kitchen (Kitchen Rurichan, Sunagawa City): Rice flour quiche, rice flour chiffon cake, rice flour muffins, knitted accessories
minamina: Rice crackers, cotton candy, donuts
　
Self-cutting forestry “under nature”: Marshmallows roasted with a Swedish torch (approximately 100 pieces)
　
February 15th (Saturday) only (Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen)
Swallow's Kitchen: Rice flour chiffon

ice sculpture production

This ice sculpture was created by six students from Associate Professor Keiji Iwanaga's art sculpture seminar at the Asahikawa campus of Hokkaido University of Education.
4th grade: Takanuma Miyu, Kusayagi Yunhi 3rd grade: Tateda Rina, Okubo Chiho 2nd grade: Togashi Akira, Kiyosugi Aika

Professor Iwanaga, students from Hokkaido University of Education, and Hokkaido Information University

The design of the ice sculpture depicts a sunflower and a dragon, the symbols of Hokuryu Town. It took two days to carve the ice block according to the design. The most difficult part was the "dragon's horns" made from icicles.
I worked on the project while taking into consideration perspective and adjusting the overall balance.
This is the first time we have attempted a project of this scale!
This is the second ice sculpture created by this group.

Ice sculpture: Dragon and Sunflower Saki

Ice sculptures & snow sculptures & Hokuryumon Dragon

snow statue

Hekisui Police Station, Sergeant Hoshino Yuki (Hokkaido Police Asahikawa Area Fukagawa Police Station, Community Affairs Division, Community Affairs Section)

Hekisui Police Station, Sergeant Hoshino Yuki

"This snow sculpture is designed as Himawari Saki from Hokuryu Town. We received cooperation from the Numata Police Station and it took two days to create. We had a hard time making Himawari Saki's face round. This snow sculpture is filled with the wishes of the people of Hokuryu Town for road safety," said Sergeant Hoshino.

Snow Sculpture: Traffic Safety and Sunflower Saki

A story from the organizer, Nobuyuki Murakami

"This year's event will be unprecedented. We have ice sculptures made by students from Hokkaido University of Education, and a snow sculpture promoting 'traffic safety' created by Constable Hoshino of the Hekisui Police Station.

We also had the cooperation of two students from Hokkaido Information University. The event was more exciting than usual, and we think the townspeople will enjoy it.

Due to the effects of global warming, it has been difficult to make ice candles this year, but there are about 300 snow candles on display, including works by elementary and junior high school students.

"Once lit, it will be a spectacular sight, so please look forward to it!" says Murakami.

Frozen Flower: Original work by Yumi Komatsu

roasted sweet potato

Roasted sweet potatoes grown by the female farming group "Uzura"

Subaru: The concept is for a wide-area group to become one big force!

Tsubame Kitchen (Nakamichi Farm Kitchen Ruri-chan)

Rice flour quiche, rice flour chiffon cake, rice flour muffins

Rice flour quiche, rice flour chiffon cake, rice ball chiffon cake, rice flour muffin

minamina

Rice crackers, cotton candy, donuts

"Swedish Torch" by self-cutting forestry "under natural conditions"

A Swedish torch is a fire that burns logs by standing them upright and cutting a notch into the trunk of the tree!!!
"Roasted marshmallows" roasted over a Swedish torch are very popular!

People gather around the warm fire of a torch

The ever-popular Swedish Torch roasted marshmallows

roasting marshmallows with a Swedish torch

The Uei family, head of the self-cutting forestry business "Shizenshita"

A fantastical landscape of lit ice candles

A glow that lights up the navy blue night sky

The gentle light of the ice candles, which dye the night sky a deep blue, soothes the soul, and is filled with boundless love, gratitude, and prayers...

With gratitude for the warm light that soothes the soul!