The Day White Turned to Color

Miko! It’s finally! Here! (>=\=)

…The Snow Festival, nya. I know, nya.

Two days ago I did all the research, yesterday I snuck a peek at the park, and today’s finally the real deal!

…Three days of prep, nya. Like spending three days on mise en place, nya.

But the second I got to Odori Park, it was nothing like yesterday.

People! People everywhere!

…Full house, nya.

Yesterday I basically had the whole park to myself, but today just walking around the venue was a struggle. And the ground was SO slippery, I saw five people fall over.

…Slipping on wet floors is a rookie mistake in the kitchen, nya.

The trick to walking on snow is to waddle like a penguin. Short steps, weight forward, land with your whole sole.

…Did you slip too, nya?

…Just barely once (>_<)

But y’know, because of all those people, I got to see things I couldn’t yesterday.

The Jomon clay figure! Up close it’s ridiculously massive! (>=\=)

…Yesterday you were looking through fences, nya.

Right! Yesterday I was like “wow, it’s big” from far away, but today, standing right in front of it… I had to crane my neck so much it hurt.

…Same dish, but having it made right in front of you at the counter feels completely different from seeing a photo, nya.

And all that stuff I looked up two days ago, “6,000 truckloads of snow” and “only pure snow with no impurities,” it all layered onto what I was seeing.

…Yesterday I said “knowledge is the base seasoning of experience,” nya. Seems to be working, nya.

OK so, Miko. Here’s the big one for today.

…What, nya.

After dark, they started projection mapping on the sculptures.

…Projection mapping? What’s that, nya.

It’s a tech where you project video onto buildings or sculptures. Instead of a flat screen like a movie theater, the images flow along the 3D shape of whatever you’re projecting onto.

Like THIS! (>=\=)

…Nya!? The sculpture has color, nya!

The sculpture that was pure white during the day was glowing in rainbow colors at night.

…Same as plating food on a white dish, nya. White makes the colors pop, nya.

Oh…! You’re right, the snow being white makes it the perfect screen for projection mapping!

…Two days ago you talked about “cosmetic snow” making the surface pure white, nya. That white comes alive at night, nya.

And the one that blew me away the most was Tsuruga Castle. The projection mapping was called “Hoko no Tasuki” and it projected the history of Aizu onto the snow castle, all synced with music.

…”Hoko no Tasuki,” nya?

It means something like “the sash of pride,” passing pride on to the next generation like a relay sash. The music played, the light changed, and the snow castle felt like it was breathing.

…Two days ago you said 3,800 people spent 30 days building it, nya.

Yeah.

…The light and sound elevated those 30 days of work, nya. The people who built it and the people who designed the visuals brought different skills to the same table, nya.

And Miko! Today I saw all five large snow sculptures! (>=\=)

…All of them, nya?

The Jomon clay figure, the Thoroughbred, Furukawa Hall, Tsuruga Castle, and the Mandalorian! Complete set!

Furukawa Hall is a building at Hokkaido University, and this sculpture was for their 150th anniversary. It was originally built in 1909 as a registered tangible cultural property, French Renaissance style, and they recreated it in snow… every single window was carefully carved.

…Paying attention to every detail is basic craftsmanship, nya.

And the Mandalorian! The one I’d been wanting to see this whole time!

…What’s a Mandalorian, nya.

A bounty hunter from Star Wars! He’s got this creed where he never takes his helmet off, and the story is about him and this tiny adorable creature called Grogu.

…Never removing a piece of your uniform is admirable, nya. Miko never takes off her apron either, nya.

That’s kinda a different thing, but… in the sense of never letting go of what defines you, maybe it’s similar.

So I was totally satisfied after seeing all five, and then Miko suddenly stopped walking.

…Nya! Butter, nya!

It’s a sculpture for the 100th anniversary of Yukijirushi Hokkaido Butter. They made the package super-sized.

…We’re almost out of butter at home, nya.

Wait, THAT’s your reaction!?

…100 years is worth celebrating, nya. But inventory management matters more, nya.

And she actually bought butter at the store on the way home.

…The sculpture just reminded me of my shopping list, nya. The festival had nothing to do with it, nya.

Miko, I’ve been thinking about these last three days.

…What, nya.

Two days ago, I read the recipe. 6,000 truckloads, soldiers working for 30 days. Yesterday, I peeked into the kitchen during prep. Saw the back of the sculptures, the scaffolding still up.

And today, the restaurant opened. Customers packed in, lights came on, and the sculptures came alive with projection mapping.

…

Yesterday was amazing too, seeing it all alone. But today I was looking up at them alongside everyone else. A stranger next to me said “wow” and I was thinking “wow” too… seeing the same thing, feeling the same thing.

…Eating alone and eating with a crowd, even if it’s the same dish, the flavor is different, nya.

Yeah…!

…Read the recipe, watched the prep, ate at a packed restaurant. Your three days were a full course meal, nya.

Miko…! (>=\=)

…By the way, Netsuki.

Hm?

Two days ago you said “like 5 minutes,” nya. Yesterday you stayed an hour, nya. Today?

…Three hours (>_<)

…Getting longer every day, nya.

I couldn’t help it, I kept watching the projection mapping over and over… (>_<)

…You’re going again tomorrow, nya.

…Ehehe~♪

…Miko isn’t going, nya. Already got the butter, nya.

Miko, that makes it sound like you only went because of the butter.

…That’s your imagination, nya.