Nitto is partnering with All Nippon
Airways (ANA) to screen the film "Snow
Dream – Roots of Sapporo Snow Festival" for
the airline's international and domestic
passengers.
Running through February as in-flight
entertainment, the 21-minute documentary
discusses the origins of the festival:
After World War II, the city of Sapporo was
left in ruins and suffering. To lift the
city’s spirit, a group of inexperienced
high school students took it upon
themselves to rebuild the city by using the
local climate and season as inspiration. As
a result, they built the first snow statues
that would eventually become known as the
Sapporo Snow Festival.
For more than 60 years, the event has been
a favorite destination for local Japanese
along with visitors from overseas. It
features intricate and complex snow and ice
sculptures created by local residents,
students and international professional
teams.
Nitto worked with the film makers to
document and interview the festival’s
creators – whom are now in their 90s – to
ensure that the city’s rich history would
be preserved for generations to come,
according to Tomo Mizutani, president of
Nitto Tire USA.
Impressed with the film and its interesting
history, ANA’s Los Angeles general manager,
Hirotaka Hattori, volunteered to feature
the film as part of the airline’s in-flight
entertainment.
“Sapporo is a huge part of Nitto’s culture,
as our winter tire test track, Saroma Tire
Proving Ground has been located in Hokkaido
for 19 years,” Mizutani says. “We are
proud, active members of the community and
wanted to support this film project and
make sure that the city and the unique
history of its local festival will never be
forgotten.”
For more information, visit www.nittotire.com.
