January
Mt. Shari Snowball Fight （Last weekend of January）
There are a junior league and an adult league. Each team is consisting of 7 players, 1 supervisor, and 2 spare players. The games are played best-of-two. Each team starts with 90 snowballs. The first team who captures an enemy’s flag or hits all enemy players with snowballs wins the game.
The adult league’s top team will qualify for Showa-shinzan International Snowball Fight.
Contact information: Kiyosato Town Society of Commerce and Industry. (Winter Festival Executive Committee Office) TEL 0152-25-2628
February ~ March
Kaminoko pond snowshoe walking (3rd Sunday of February and March)
Guided snowshoe tour to walk on a 4-km trail to a fantastic snowbound “Kaminoko Pond.”
Kaminoko Pond covered with white snow shows a different face from summer.
Lunch and a free admission pass for Kiyosato Onsen are provided to all participants.
Contact Information: Kiyosato Town Society of Commerce and Industry. (Winter Festival Executive Committee Office) TEL 0152-25-2628
Shiretoko Fantasia (early February ~ late March)
This is Shiretoko’s winter event to enjoy cold winter and drift ice coming into the Sea of Okhotsk.
“Aurora Fantasy” is the main event of the festival. The event was started to recreate the real Aurora that appeared on a night sky of Shiretoko in 1958. Dynamic music, beams of light and smokes from burning straws create a fantasy world.
Site. Shari Town Utoro Onsen Oronko-iwa special event site [Ryuhyo-shizen-koen]
Period. early February ~ late March. Open daily.
Hours. 20:00 ~ 20:20
May
Shibetsu Scallop Festival
Scallop and surf clam sale, vendors, events, seafood barbecue
Shibetsu Scallop Festival Executive Committee TEL 0153-82-2131
July
Shari Neputa
The Shari Neputa was started to celebrate friendship with Hirosaki City. The event is one of the signature summer events in Shari. During the festival, over 20 large and small paper lanterns, Neputa, march through the town. The festival is held every year.
15 large and small fan-shaped Neputa march through a 2.5-km main street. 8-m tall Neputa, one of the Japan’s largest Neputa, joins the parade.
Period: 4th Friday and Saturday of July. (Cancelled in case of rain)
Shiretoko Shari Tourism Association TEL 0152-22-2125
September
Shibetsu Salmon Festival
Freshly caught salmon sale, free Ikura-don (salmon roe rice bowl), “catch a salmon with bare hands” contest, venders etc.
Shibetsu Town Tourism Association TEL 0153-82-2131