Beijing: Japanese troops have helped India build a giant snow replica of the Taj Mahal at the world famous international Sapporo Snow Festival 2004 in Japan.

About 500 personnel from Self Defence Forces (SDF) of Japan worked for 20 days to build the Taj's replica, which is 15 metres high and 30 metres wide.

The SDF mobilised 20,000 soldiers to truck 30,000 tonnes of snow from several parts of Sapporo to make the Ice Taj at the initiative of India tourism office in Tokyo.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of India-Japan association, India was selected as the theme country in the snow festival, a release from the tourism office said.

The ice sculpture of Taj Mahal received wide appreciation and was the prime attraction at Japan's biggest snow festival, attended by over two million tourists from around the world, regional director (East Asia), India Tourism, Gopala Krishnan Venkataraman said.

The replica was appreciated by the Mayor of Sapporo city, Fumio Ueda, dignitaries and ambassadors from several countries who attended the opening ceremony.

Venkataraman said India continues to be a very popular destination among the Japanese and there is a substantial increase in the number of tourists to India because of aggressive marketing done through travel agents, tour operators, travel shows and 'Namaste India' campaign.

Air India, Embassy of India and the Taj hotel group cooperated in the venture, the release said.