白良滨：在海滨度假胜地游览原始海滩
Qiyao Wang 作者
Shirara-hama Beach in Shirahama Kaigan Park is a beautiful white sand beach with a gently curving coastline. This is a popular resort area that includes hot springs and the sea.
On a Sunday in late May, lots of people from around the town, neighboring towns, the prefecture, and even from abroad came to this beach. They participated in a Sand Art Contest and the Shirahama Sand Festival. It started 47 years ago and has taken place every year since, much like the famous snow festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The contestants worked very hard for a half day from early morning to noon, and eventually various human faces, animals, buildings, or words appeared on the sand mounds. At 2:00 PM, the winner was announced.
The winning team turned out to be an Indian-Japanese team who shaped a beautiful Buddha and a giant panda (famous mascot of the town), along with their desire for an ongoing and successful friendship between India and Japan.
The leader of the team was Sudam Pradhan, a highly successful Indian sand artist. He expressed his appreciation for receiving the top prize, as well as his hope that the two countries will continue their good relationship forever.
