Residents of Tomakomai, Japan welcome the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge as the ship moors on Feb.3, for a goodwill port visit.
During the visit, Sailors from Blue Ridge, embarked 7th Fleet staff and Marines from Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team-Pacific (FAST-PAC) plan to interact with local children at the Tomakomai Ice Skating Festival, U.S. Navy said.
The 7th Fleet Band is scheduled to perform at the festival, along with scheduled performances at the 63rd Annual Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival, Chitose Outlet Mall and Aeon Shopping Center.
"Blue Ridge does not get the opportunity to visit this prefecture and specifically Tomakomai very often and it is a great opportunity for our Sailors to get out and meet the wonderful people here, experience all the exceptional cultural opportunities such as the Skate Festival, Sapporo Snow Festival and unique regional cuisine," Blue Ridge Commanding Officer Capt. Daniel Grieco said.
In Hokkaido, the city of Sapporo is the renowned location for the Annual Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival. Beyond the fascination of snow and ice sculptures, which draw tourists from around the world, Sapporo also offers great winter sports activities such as skiing, snowboarding and sledding.
Blue Ridge serves under Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7/Task Force 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force. Blue Ridge is the flagship for Commander, 7th Fleet. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa with an operating detachment in Sasebo.
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