Sapporo’s winter princess Snow Miku will return in February, Crypton Future Media announced on Tuesday.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, the 72nd Sapporo Snow Festival will likely be a smaller affair with no large snow sculptures, according to the snow festival’s website.
However, it seems that the Vocaloid pop star Hatsune Miku will definitely be there one way or another. While not all details are available yet, the Snow Miku website was full of new plans and announcements on Tuesday.
February Event
First of all, Snow Miku events will take place from Feb. 4-11 at the Sapporo Snow Festival Odori venue in Odori Park.
They also introduced the main visual for the Snow Miku festival. Illustrator Necömi drew the visual for 2021, which was based on a design created by Annitu (also known as Annatsu Mikan).
#雪ミク #初音ミク pic.twitter.com/dcG8KYBAB1
— necömi@FANBOX始めました (@necomi_info) October 20, 2020
“I drew it with the feeling that it would be an illustration that would add glamor to the event, so I hope you enjoy it together with the event,” Necömi states on the Snow Miku website.
The design won a Snow Miku & Rabbit Yukine 2021 Outfit Design Poll by Good Smile Company and Piapro earlier this year. The outfit has the theme “Illumination in the Image of Hokkaido Snow.”
According to the Snow Miku website, Heavenz will create the theme song for the event. Heavenz has created and posted Vocaloid songs since 2009.
There will also be a Snow Miku Arts Festival, which will include an illustration contest for local students.
They also plan to have an Official Tour, which will feature the 2021 Nendoroid Snow Miku, and tour-exclusive goods.
Miku Train and More
The colorful, wrapped Hatsune Miku trolley will also return to the streets of Sapporo this winter.
The electric tram is part of the Sapporo Streetcar system. It includes onboard posters and special announcements by Hatsune Miku. (The details change from year to year).
The train will operate from Nov. 21 through March 24, 2021.
Hatsune Miku has been involved with the Sapporo Snow Festival since 2010, the first year that Crypton Future Media sponsored the event. They made a Hatsune Miku snow sculpture, and a Snow Miku festival has been held every year since then.
Crypton Future Media is headquartered in Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido.