Sapporo White Illuminations

クリスマスはもうすぐ。街も段々賑やかになってきました！

先日、仕事帰りにたまたま通った大通公園がとてもきれいにデコレーションされていました。「さっぽろホワイトイルミネーション」です。

お恥ずかしい話ですが、札幌生まれ札幌育ちですがなかなか中心部に足を運ぶ機会が無かったせいか、こんなイベントが毎年行われているとは知りませんでした！とても奇麗に飾られているイルミネーションに思わず立ち止りうっとり。周りを見渡すと、カップルや海外からの観光客たちでいっぱいです。

「そうか、ここは一応観光地か。」
ちょうどその日はお昼休憩に時計台の前を通ったのですが、そこも沢山の観光客がポーズをきめて、時計台と写真をパシャパシャ。

「そうか、ここは一応観光地か。」
お昼にも思ったことを夜にも同じように思いました。

働きながらも、観光地をみて回れるなんて、なんて恵まれた地域に住んでいるのだろう。少し自慢したくなるような気持ちになりました。

大通り会場のイルミネーションは、クリスマスまで行われる予定だそうです。観光でいらしている方々はもちろん、地元の人たちも自分の地域のイベントにどんどん参加してはいかかでしょうか？

ゆきえ

Christmas is just around the corner. People are all excited and the town is getting pretty and decorated with lots of lights and smiling people.

The other day after work, I was going back home walking through Odori Park and I saw many fascinating illuminations. “Sapporo white illumination” had started! Being too oblivious, though I was born and grew up in Sapporo, I had no idea by then that this event takes place every winter! The lights were all gorgeous. I stopped in front of one of them and admired it for a while. Then, I realized there were quite a lot of people around and many of them were couples and foreign tourists.

“Oh, I’m in a sight-seeing spot now.”

On my break that day, I passed by the Tokei-dai to grab some lunch. There were again many people with nice big black cameras taking pictures of the scenery or themselves in front of the building. “Oh, I’m in a sight-seeing spot.” I thought the exactly same thing again.

I’d forgotten that I live in one of the nicest tourism areas in Japan. I felt that this is so special that while at work I get to see two sight-seeing spots without spending any money or taking any time. Not so many people can enjoy this kind of experience. I felt very lucky wandering around the town.

The illuminations in Odori Park will continue until Christmas. I think that not only tourists, but Sapporo residents should attend events like this and make Sapporo a more cheerful and loveable town!

Yukie