Craft Balloon Festival

akita-nairiku railway
craft balloon ignition
craft balloon ignition

During craft balloon festival people return from urban to reunite with family. Their wishes drawn on the balloons by themselves will come true with craft balloon lift-up.  People including  tourists participated releasing balloons.  It was a fantastic moment !

craft balloon releasing
craft balloon releasing

 

Many balloons stay in the night sky and eventually disappear into the mountains.
What will happen to the balloon blown away at last ?  “Maybe falling in the deep mountains”, local people said.
*) Caution
It was too cold not to stay venue long time.

balloons stay in the sky
balloons stay in the sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

rough sea
rough sea

Construction of snow house

snow mountain
snow house
snow house

‘Snow house’ named as ‘KAMAKURA’ in Japanese is a famous play spot among children. They enjoy eating something and playing games in the house.  The water God is enshrined inside for wishing coming Spring to bring a lot of water to fields.
Even if not during festival period, we enjoyed a permanent  ‘snow house’ in a huge refrigerator.  Children inside surround fireplace and look warm, but never warm rather cold !

 

Just then, people were constructing snow houses here and there in YOKOTE city.   First making a snow circle mountain by hand, next making a side hole.

snow field
snow field

 

rough sea
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