Hokkaido town tests ice carousel in frozen lake
Officials in a town in Hokkaido, northern Japan,
have conducted a demonstration test of an ice carousel, hoping that it will be a new attraction for winter tourism.
An ice carousel,
also called “merry-go-round on ice,” originated in Finland.It is made by cutting a circle out of a frozen lake and the sheet of ice spins in a circular motion with people on it.
The test was conducted
on Kanayama Lake in the town of Minamifurano on Wednesday.It had about 30 participants,
including those from the tourism industry and high school students.The circle,
cut out with a chainsaw,
is about 13 meters in diameter and about 40 centimeters in thickness.Workers rotate the sheet of ice by using their legs.
People on the rotating disk
enjoyed watching the slowly changing scenery of the lake and mountains, some of them lying down on the ice.A high school student said
it would be nice if people can use the carousel as a cafe to enjoy drinks, while viewing the scenery.An official of the local tourism association said visitors can have a wonderful experience when the scenery moves while they stay still.
NHK WORLD-JAPAN News