video transcript

Locals and tourists braved icy temperatures to help kick off the 64th annual Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan. The event is one of the country's biggest attractions, featuring some of the most impressive and intricate ice sculptures that artists have to offer. Japanese landmarks like the Ise Shrine and a replica of Tokyo's soon-to-be-reopened Kabuki Theatre proved to be some of the most popular attractions among visitors. These larger-than-life structures certainly weren't built in a day. Some artists started erecting them in January. The pressure was on this year, when organizers announced that more than two million people would likely attend the festival before its conclusion on February 11.