Fukoji ringing bells Snow Festival Phoenix fireworks
Snow music Festival Expose fine linen snow
Fukoji Bells on New Year's Eve Watch
New Year's Eve is also called "Joya", which means it is the night to remove everything that was bad of the year. "Joya no Kane", the bells of Joya will ring 108 times at Fuko Temple to clean the slate for the coming new year.
An address Urasa 2495, Minamiuonuma-shi, Niigata >>>Mapfan
Access Exit "Muikamachi IC" and take Route 17 towards Koide
TEL
Business 31st December
A parking lot
Remarks
Snow Festival Watch
The Snow Festival is the biggest winter event full of local characteristics. A festival of Ise Shrine and Snow Sculpture Competition joined to give birth to this event. A huge sculpture and stage are created of snow, where perfomances by the local dance groups take place. There will also be snow domes, in which food and drinks will be served.
This festival was formerly known as "Muikamachi Snow Festival", and after the merger with neighbouring towns, it is now called "Minamiuonuma city Snow Festival". It will be the 56th this year.
An address Event Site (East banks of Uono river near Muikamachi Primary School), Minamiuonuma-shi, Niigata >>>Mapfan
Access 10 mins drive from "Muikamachi IC" exit
10 mins walk from "Muikmachi" station
TEL Minamiuonuma City Tourist Office ： 025-772-7171
Business Second Saturday and Sunday of February
A parking lot 400
Remarks
Phoenix fireworks at the Snow Festival Watch
Many suffered in the Chuetsu area from the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake disaster of October, 2004. The disaster brought great loss and financial difficulty to industries and businesses not only to those in the Chuetsu area, but to the whole of Niigata. To cheer those who are fighting to revive businesses and regain life before the quake, magnificient fireworks "Phoenix" was displayed at the Nagaoka Festival, and also at Minamiuonuma city Snow Festival.
An address Event Site (East banks of Uono river near Muikamachi Primary School), Minamiuonuma-shi, Niigata >>>Mapfan
Access 10 mins drive from "Muikamachi IC" exit
10 mins walk from "Muikmachi" station
TEL Minamiuonuma City Tourist Office ： 025-772-7171
Business Second Saturday and Sunday of February
A parking lot 400
Remarks
Seppu (Snow music) Festival Watch
Seppu Festival is held in memory of a writer, Bokushi Suzuki(1770~1842), and in hopes for the development of local crafts (textile industry, life and culture of the snow country) discribed in the author's documents. 1000 candles will be lit, and as the surroundings turn solemn, Kabuki will be performed. Food and drinks are also served, with rather more cheery events for those who enjoy bit more noise!
An address Minamiuonuma city public hall, Shiozawa district building >>>Mapfan
Access 15 mins drive from "Shiozawa-Ishiuchi IC" exit
7 mins walk from "Shiozawa" station
TEL Shiozawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry： 025-782-1206
Business Third Saturday of February
A parking lot parking available
Remarks
Echigo Jofu (hemp fabric for kimono) and Yuki Sarashi (bleaching on the snow) Watch
The history of fine linen "Echigo Jofu" is old. It is preserved in Nara Shoso-in, which indicates that the history of the textile industry in the Shiozawa district goes back at least 1200 years. The making of the fabric is discribed in the documents written by Bokushi Suzuki in the "Hokuetsu Seppu". Currently the production of the raw material "Choma" is very low, and the lack of successors, the fabric may become "extinct".