[Japan] Sapporo - Odori Park

Whenever I think of my time in Sapporo, one of the places that inevitably conjures up in my mind is Odori Park (大通公園).  It's not like any other parks, it's not simply a big field in the middle of some suburbs like you see here in Sydney.  But rather, its rectangular form is laid out all along one of the main roads in Sapporo, which is incredibly close to town centre.  It's awesome because for someone like me who can get lost easily, it definitely serves as a life-saving landmark, giving me at least some sort of direction!

The famous TV Tower is also situated in Odori Park, great landmark to meet your friends!

In winter (which was when I was there), Odori Park is filled with people at night, because everyone's there to see the Christmas Illuminations which is held every December! For the Japanese, 'illuminiation' is the word they use to describe Christmas lights.  But I totally understand why they wouldn't use the word 'lights', if they did, that would totally undermine the beauty of these decorations in colour, in form and in creativity!

View of Odori Park from above! So vibrant with colours! Definitely a great place for families...

...and couples! Look how the 'Love Tree' transformed over there! I really love that tree <3

Now that's just a big-picture-snapshot of what the park filled with illuminations looks like! Wait till you see the individual illuminations themselves!

Lots of big flowery shapes lighting up the park!

Family time in the snow amongst the lighted up trees! Fun fun! (I really wish I was that kid!)

Though I have to say, my absolute favourite illumination has to be this:

Totally captured by the lights paved water, with the birds resting on it.  PLUS backgrounded with the TV Tower in its mighty colour! WOW! (and of course, the snow did make it look so much more amazing as well!)

Aside from the illuminations, during this festival, there is also a German Village set up, where people can shop for Christmas decorations and eat supposedly 'German' food! Each of the stores are set up like little wooden houses, it was pretty cool! (I don't have photos of this either...yeh pretty fail...>.<)

And for smokers out there, you need not be afraid that your habit would kill the atmosphere! Because in the park near the festivities, you might find something that look like this:

Yes a smoking site! A box where you get to enjoy smoke without troubling others! (Actually, you would find a lot of these around Japan, even in shopping centres!)

Another good thing is that it gets dark pretty early in Japan... I would say it's probably pretty dark around 4:30pm/5:00pm - the sun starts setting around 2:30pm/3:00pm!!! ( It was pretty crazy when that first occurred to me, who thinks daylight saving in winter in Sydney is already taking too much sunlight away!) So, the illuminations start around 4:00pm, which is perfect for if you don't want to stay out too late or if you have other plans during the night as well!

*Sigh* I really wish there was something like this in Hyde Park...could this ever happen in Sydney I wonder?