A massive "Transformer" snow sculpture has been created for the 53rd Annual Asahikawa Winter Festival that will take place in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture, from February 8th to the 12th. Takara Tomy worked with the festival officials to create the giant snow sculpture.
At 130 meters wide, and 20 meters tall, this is one of the largest "Transformers" sculptures ever, and the main attraction of the winter festival.
Asahikawa's famous snow sculptures were originally created to put the large amounts of snow, that were cleared from the roads, to good use. Taking advantage of being the coldest place in Japan, the sculptures are erected without using a single piece of framework.

The organizers wanted something that everyone could enjoy, and chose "Transformers" for this year's theme, as it's a Japanese toy that is popular throughout the world, thanks to the recent Hollywood films.
It took over 70,000 cubic meters of snow to create the main sculpture. Disposed snow was used for the base and covered with blocks of fresh, clean snow.

The motif of the snow sculpture is Optimus Prime and the new JR Asahikawa station building. The sculpture is about 130 meters wide, 40 meters deep, and 20 meters high. A four-story terrace was also created, along with two 100-meter slides created out of ice and snow. Facing the massive snow sculpture is a balcony made of snow (60 meters wide, 10 meters high, and 20 meters deep), with Bumblebee as its motif. A mid-sized sculpture of Bumblebee can also be found in the center of the event square.

The snow sculptures were designed by Kaoru Ootani, a part-time professor at Tokai University, and created, over the period of one month, with the help of 240 members of the Ground Self-Defense Forces 2nd Division.
In addition to the main sculptures, Transformers are hidden in various parts of the event space, and an event called, "Find the Transformers and win a bag of Asahikawa rice!" will be held on the 11th and 12th of February.
A collection of both old and new Transformer toys will be on display at the rest station, "Hotto Lounge", and a sneak preview of the new anime, "Super Robot Life Form: Transformer Prime", which begins airing in April, will be shown at the event.

53rd Asahikawa Winter Festival
Date: February 8th, 2012 (Wednesday) to the 12th (Sunday)
9：00-21：00 (till 20:00 on the last day)
Location: Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Ishikarigawa Asahihashikahan Heiwa-dori Kaimono Koen.

• Asahikawa Winter Festival Official Site
• http://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/files/kankou/awf/