11:43am UK, Monday February 07, 2011
Visitors have flocked to see giant ice sculptures at a snow festival in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.
An ice sculpture of South Korea's Daejeon city at the 62nd Sapporo snow festival
The annual Sapporo Snow festival, which started in 1950, has over 250 ice sculptures which sit happily outside in the sub-zero temperatures.
But the freezing conditions do not put off the tourists with an estimated 2.4 million flocking to enjoy the winter wonderland sights last year.
Kim Jong-Pil works on his creation during the international snow sculpture contest
The sculptures cover a broad range of subjects from cartoon characters and Japanese sports icons to complex architectural feats.
China's intricately carved Temple of Heaven, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been lovingly recreated in ice.
It took over 6,000 truck-loads of snow to create the sculptures but the temporary art works will only remain on display until Sunday.
A girl speeds down a snow slide at the Sapporo Snow Festival
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