A lunar New Year event that boasts a tradition of 400 or more years. Kamakura (igloo-like snow domes) were not originally for enjoyment, they were for praying to the water god enshrined within them for the safety of one’s family, prosperity in business, an abundant harvest and so on. About 100 kamakura are built in various locations throughout the city and are lit up, and children use the local dialect to call on passersby to enter the kamakura and pray to the water god, while offering them amazake (warm, sweet nonalcoholic rice wine) and mochi (rice cakes). This snow country winter scene is so full of poetic sentiment that people are mesmerized by it.

Date	Mid February every year (tentative)
Official site	http://www.yokotekamakura.com/01_event/04_winter/pdf/kamakura_inbound.pdf
Location (venue)	Yokote-shi Doro Koen Park (in front of the Yokote City Hall building) / Kamakura-dori Street, Futaba-cho / Bukeyashiki-dori Street, Hagurocho / Yokote Park
Address	8-12 Chuo-machi, Yokote-shi, Akita
Venue website	http://www.yokotekamakura.com/02_kanko/kamakurakan.html
Price	Essentially free admission

Region	Hokkaido Tohoku
Category	Illumination, Nature

Event organizers may change the date and time. Please check the official website.

update: Aug.20.2018