Visitors take photos with their dogs in front of snow sculptures of dogs and a shrine in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture.

Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival ... The event could usually rely on snow trucked in from Hokkaido’s mountains to build its famous ice sculptures, Watanabe said. But as temperatures rise ...

This year's festival came dangerously close to being cancelled, before it was saved by a last-minute snowfall Japan ... snow trucked in from Hokkaido's mountains to build its famous ice sculptures ...