GLOTAL.COM

10日間？小樽の雪の手づくり的なお祭り。
第13回雪あかりの路・・終わっちゃいました

St. Valentine's Day is supposed to be chocolate-giving day, usually from women to men in Japan.

It is said that this practice originates many years ago from a chocolate company's idea to promote the consumption of chocolate among the Japanese.

Their efforts have borne fruit, and nowadays, St. Valentine's Day is the important day for the
chocolate companies in Japan to　predict their annual amount of sales.

キャシーさんのマンスリーキルト、リバースアップリケのパターンのキルティングが終わりました。

We had a heavy snowfall last night.
The roads that the piled-up snow was　just taken away are right back at it again.

Today is national holiday(National Foundation Day) in Japan, but the people in Otaru could not have a relaxing morning because of the snow to clear away.

The train services between Otaru and Kuchan, another heavy　snowfall town near Niseko well known as a ski resort worldwide were halted this morning.

Snow is rather a nuisance for the locals, but after all, it is the gift from nature.

I guess both sites of the Snow Light Path festival; the Canal and Former Temiya Railway Line must be crowded with people every day.

However, you can come across lovely creations to set off the candle lights in the back streets off the main sites.

Snow Light Path is the event involving whole city of Otaru, you can see candle-lit alleys even in residential areas.

Please try to walk back streets other than main sites. You can find some nice candle ornaments.

小さなレモンスターとバージニアスターのパターンができたので、つなぎ始めました。

Herring is the fish once brought Hokkaido the enormous wealth.

The coastal area of the Sea of Japan used to bustle with herring fishing　in early spring.

However, the thriving herring fishing that began in the middle of 19 century came to an end in 1950s because of the fish's disappearance.

No one can tell the exact reason why the herring disappeared.

The 13th Snow Light Path(I found the title of the festival in English has changed from Snow Gleaming Festival according to their official web site) began from yesterday.

When I took a glance at the Former Temiya Railway Line site around 8 o'clock, many people were enjoying the path lit by the candles.

STUDIO QUILTのマンスリーキルト、ボーダー布も届きました。
いよいよまとめです。

It is quite warm for this time of year in Otaru today.
The highest daytime temperature is predicted to be 5℃.

You have to be watch out for the snow on the roofs of buildings that can melt and slide down on a warm day like this.

You sometimes find the 「頭上落雪注意」 sign to alert the pedestrians for the danger in the street.

However, I don't think you have to watch your head very much in the evening when the temperatures go down rapidly.

The annual Otaru Snow Gleaming Festival begins from tomorrow. The hours of the festival is 17:00-21:00.