For Today’s Japan Photo, we take another look at the heavy snowfall that is covering Japan in blankets of thick snow.

Many firemen and members of the self-defence force have been deployed to help residents who might have been trapped in their houses under snow just like what we see above.

Image Credit: MSN Sankei

It seems like many different regions in the world have been affected by the extreme cold weather. So have you been caught in the heavy snow too?

For Today’s Japan Photo, we visit the annual Asahikawa Winter Festival in Hokkaido to see this awesome snow statue of Optimus Prime from Transfomers. The snow sculpture is 20 meters tall and is a collaboration with TakaraTomy.

For Today’s Japan Photo, we attend an special promotional event for the Oricon Valentine Festa 2012, which featured “Kyary Pamyu Pamyu” (left) together with actress Yoshitaka Yoriko.

Kinda makes me wonder – would you ask Kyary Pamyu Pamyu out as your date for Valentine’s Day?

For those that are unfamiliar with Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ), she is a model, blogger, and recording artist from the Harajuku district of Tokyo. In July 2011 she began a music career by releasing her first single, “PonPonPon”. The music video, a psychedelic tribute to Kawaisa and Decora culture, was released to YouTube and became a viral hit.

For Today’s Japan Photo, we take a look at this gorgeous and brightly colored manhole cover that is found in the Takamatsu City of Kagawa Prefecture.

The image depicts the heroics of Nasu no Yoichi, a samurai that found bravely alongside the Minamoto clan at the Battle of Yashima in 1184. The enemy Taira placed a fan atop the mast of one of their ships, claiming it protected the ship from arrows, and daring the Minamoto warriors to shoot it off. Sitting atop his mount in the waves, his target atop the ship rocking as well, Nasu managed to shoot the target fan down with just a single shot.

For Today’s Japan Photo, we are going to take about an interesting way to drink sake – using squid bottles called “Ika Tokkuri (イカ徳利)”.

“Ika tokkuri,” sake bottles made of dried squid, are seen being hung to dry at a traditional liquor manufacturer in Yamada, Iwate Prefecture, in this recent photo. The “bottle”-making process begins with cleaning out the cuttlefish’s internal organs, followed by air-stuffing of the skin to form a round shape. The squid are then left to dry before they are shaped into their final form. The bottles are said to make the flavor of sake milder. (Mainichi)

Source: Mainichi Japan Photo Journal

Sanrio is launching a very special one day collaboration with restaurant chain Hooters on Valentine’s Day in Tokyo Japan.

The first 1000 customers that visit the restaurant will be able to get a limited edition Hello Kitty x Hooters Pin Badge. A rather weird collaboration since I thought that Hello Kitty didn’t meet the minimum criteria to work at Hooters XD

Source: Hooters Japan

Typically around this time of the year, the Japanese folks are celebrating Setsubun 節分, which is the day before the beginning of spring in Japan.

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will taking a look at the special bean throwing ritual. People try to catch good-luck beans thrown by apprentice geisha during the Setsubun Festival at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto and it is rather special this year because it is done in the freezing snow because Japan is facing heavy snowfall for the past week.

Image Credit: MSN Sankei

For the past few days, Japan has been experience heavy snowfall and in some areas snow has piled up to be even taller than humans. For Today’s Japan Photo, we take a look at the incredible snowfall that has piled up high on both sides of a road in Iiyama, Nagano Prefecture, where the snow depth reached 176 centimeters.

Image Credit: Asashi (Eijiro Morii)

There are so many theme parks dedicated to popular Japanese pop icons and not one of theme is for Mobile Suit Gundam. Soon all that will change with the opening of a new Gundam theme park in Japan opening on 19 Apr 2012.

“Gundam Front Tokyo” is a small theme park that will open in Odaiba, located near the life-size Gundam statue that has been re-erected. There will be a free exhibition area that includes display of Gunpla and a shop for you to purchase them. In addition, there will be a paid area where visitors would need to pay a small fee to enter and see cool Gundam exhibits that are put on display.

Source: ITmedia