Introduction → Meet the Teams → Race Tracker → Leg 1 → Leg 2 → Leg 3 → Leg 4 → Leg 5 → Leg 6 → Leg 7 → Leg 8 → Leg 9 → Leg 10 → Leg 11 → Leg 12 → Leg 13 → Leg 14 → Leg 15
Leg 23.06 – “Hindi na yan titigas!”
Before this 6th Leg begins, teams will hop back onto the special CebuPacific A330neo flight to take them from Barcelona, Spain to… Sapporo, Japan!
Teams will begin the Leg at Hokkaido Shrine in Maruyama Park with teams departing in pairs every ten minutes starting at 11am. Before starting the Leg, teams must perform the ceremonial purification rite known as temizu or chozu. At the chozuya, teams must use a water ladle to wash their left hand, then right hand and finally their mouth.
Teams must now make their way to Hidamari Glass Pyramid by subway(!) and search the perimeter for the next clue.
That clue tells teams to make their way on foot to Moerenuma Park where they will find a Double Road Block: Supply or By Hand.
For this Double Road Block, teams will take part in the yukigassen (雪合戦), Japan’s annual snowball-fighting tournament. The team member who will Supply must correctly make 200 perfect snowballs using these special crates.
Meanwhile, their teammate will be handling the snowballs By Hand and must maneuver through a field of snowmen representing the remaining teams in the Race. They must target those snowmen within 30 seconds in order to receive the next clue.
After the Double Road Block, teams must head to the Sapporo Beer Museum by bus where they will find the first Yield board of the season! It was activated by the Trigger Point last Leg.
After checking in at the Yield board, teams will open the next clue revealing the Road Block: Who’s feeling bubbly?
For this Road Block, teams will head into the museum to study and memorize the labels of the famous Sapporo Beer. They must then search through beer bottles to collect one of each of the historic Sapporo labels and place them in order they were originally distributed to receive the next clue. Teams are not allowed to take written notes and are also not allowed to help other teams in any way.
This is also the Trigger Point for this Leg of the Race. If any team gets the thumbs up on their 5th attempt, the U-Turn or Yield will be activated on the next Leg.
Teams must now make their way to the Sapporo TV Tower using any mode of transportation or by foot. Here, they will head up to the observation deck and search below for their next clue. That clue is yellow and red-painted snow on the ground located at Odori Park.
And at Odori Park, teams will find the Detour: Kori or Kira. For this Detour, teams will take part in the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.
In Kori (Ice), teams must choose an ice sculpture and properly recreate it using provided tools.
In Kira (Shine), teams must properly set-up the lighting for one of the snow and ice sculptures by replacing bulbs and properly connecting wires.
When teams get their snow and ice displays ready for the show, they will receive the next clue.
And that clue points teams to the Pit Stop at the Mt. Moiwa Viewpoint. Teams must ring the Bell of Happiness before checking-in at the Mat.
The first team to step on the Mat will win P200,000 courtesy of Shell V-Power Nitro+.
The last team to check-in here WILL be eliminated.
^Click here to follow the teams through the Leg!
“Director’s” Commentary
Our time in Europe has come to an end and we fly back east. This time to Japan! So, this season’s route is a bit weird basically because I wanted to find a way to have mid-Race Legs in Japan and Korea. I actually planned on having both, but *spoileralert!* only Japan this time.
For a TARPHDME, Japan and Korea’s proximity to the Philippines of course make it an obvious early or late Leg on any route. And I am of the belief that a Leg and a location can fluctuate in terms of enjoyment and competition based on how many teams are running in that Leg. Like, for example, TARUS has never visited the Philippines or Korea with more than four teams. Both are always Final Four Legs for whatever reason. I still hope for both to appear on early Legs on a westward route someday.
But anyway, Japan has always been at the beginning or end of a TARPHDME route (save for TARPHDME1?). So this time, I wanted to find a way to insert it in the middle. And here we are! Sapporo has long been on my reserves list, so it’s great to finally get it on a route.
So first of all, since Kia does not sell cars in Japan, I originally wanted to find a quirky kind of car for the teams to drive during the Leg. Or maybe have teams drive a Hyundai since it’s Kia’s corporate cousin. Maybe even one of the black taxi cabs. But I thought, whatever, let’s just go back to taxis and public transportation. Teams can wear masks of course. And everyone’s vaccinated, so it should be alright. =) And of any country where it would be safe, it would be Japan.
To start the Leg, a nice quiet moment at the shrine before teams go crazy the rest of the day.
The Hidamari Glass Pyramid should be a nice, picturesque location. And it was close to the location for the Double Road Block. So getting teams to run around is great as well.
I remember taking note of the snowball fight and wanting to have it somehow on TARPHDME. Maybe a Duel? Possibly. But I thought a Double Road Block would be better here. The way they made snowballs was very interesting and could definitely be an exhausting task depending on the number. I think 200 should be okay, especially if some teams have to make some over.
I originally had eliminated teams as the snowmen they needed to target. But I thought that was too mean. So I switched it to remaining teams instead lol
Next, how can you visit Sapporo and not take note of the famous Sapporo beer? I wasn’t sure what kind of task to do though. But Google scouting had me stumble upon the unique, historic beer bottle labels and I thought having a nice thinking task would be good at this point of the Race.
Good spot for the Yield and for the Trigger Point as well.
Next, we have a typical “Look out across the city” task, but merely just something to add and help fill out the Leg.
The final Detour is another fun thing that happens in Sapporo. Lots of snow this Leg! But I think both Detours have their own unique challenges too and will be equally matched.
This Leg is also timed to end after sunset so we get the full, bright kira kira wonder of the Snow Festival and then the Pit Stop at the Mt. Moiwa Viewpoint.
Overall, a great Leg in a great location I think!