The southern Niigata town of Tokamachi is little more than two hours on the Shinkansen from Tokyo’s Ueno Station
 Hidden in terraced green valleys and guarded by rugged mountain rivers
here the booming chaos of Tokyo’s garish neons and heavy human traffic seem almost absurd by comparison
The patterns of life in Tokamachi are shaped by snow
 This corner of Japan receives some of the heaviest snowfalls anywhere in the world
 It’s this snow that fuels the rivers
giving them energy to carve out the dramatic landscape
and instilling into the people who live here the kind of resilience and ingenuity required to settle and work such terrain for such a long time
 As with many other rural communities in Japan
 Tokamachi’s population is in decline
with the young people increasingly drawn to the attractions of city life
progressive Tokamachi locals have been calling upon the same resilience and ingenuity to redress this balance
using the region’s amazing landscapes to showcase a world-class arts scene
and a history of human settlement that is among the oldest in Japan
Those who like a rumour may enjoy the one about our ancestors on the hunt being lead from the Korean Peninsula to northern and southern Japan before meeting somewhere around present day Tokamachi
 Before rising waters isolated Japan from mainland Asia
but what remains true is that Tokamachi and its surrounds lend themselves to excavation and preservation
 Rivers in these parts have turned up all manner of archeological finds preserved for millennia by the snow
Exhibits at the Tokamachi City Museum center on themes of the Shinano River
 The proudest of the museum’s collections is its displays of Kaen pottery; earthenware vessels dating back 5000 years to the middle Jōmon period
have been designated National Treasures of Japan
so proud are locals of these stunning pieces
the museum sent a delegate to the 2016 Rio Olympics to propose their Kaen pottery be the basis for Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch designs
As the decorative nature of Kaen pottery shows
the people of Tokamachi have something of the artist in them
they are using this sense of creativity in efforts to regenerate the region
against a background of population decline
and consolidation of rural administrations
 500 homes here are empty and over 20 of the region’s school subject to closure
 In an area encompassing 200 villages
more than 30% of the population is over 65 years of age
and in a spirited effort to reenergize and reunite disparate communities
the people here organized the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale
one of the largest arts festivals in the world
and welcomed half a million visitors from across Japan and around the world
 Initial impressions upon visiting the region make such scale hard to believe
 After closer consideration of the landscape and people however
 The landscapes here lend themselves as a canvas for art and are home to a people that know how to combine the two
 The evidence is in abundance; from the intricate flames on an otherwise practical Kaen vessel
to the precision layers of a mountainside terrace
Some 200 artworks and installations remain in the area after 2015’s Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale
embodying the festival’s efforts to reveal relationships between nature and civilization
 One of the pleasures of a visit here is picking them out from the surrounding fields
Read the full article at <a href="https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/City-Cost/MJmLw-living_food_niigata_tokamachi-shi">www.city-cost.com</a>
To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox
Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription
Please check your inbox for a confirmation email
Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible
The Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel has become a popular destination for photography and social media
the tunnel's endpoint offers a breathtaking view of Kiyotsu Gorge
The gorge is beautifully reflected in the tunnel's water-covered floor
Constructed in 1996 to provide a safe and scenic viewing of the gorge
the tunnel was later transformed into an art piece by the Chinese architectural group MAD Architects during the 2018 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (ETAT) art festival
visitor numbers to the tunnel surged by about 60%
Following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease in May 2023
helping visitor numbers bounce back to pre-pandemic levels
there has been a notable increase in tourists from Taiwan and South Korea
visitor access will be controlled during this year's ETAT
advanced booking is required through platforms like Asoview
I visited the tunnel in late June to avoid the busy season
Despite outdoor temperatures nearing 30°C (about 86°F)
the tunnel's interior remained refreshingly cool
a member of the Tokamachi City Tourism Association
"The temperature inside the tunnel consistently stays around 20°C."
This 750-meter-long tunnel (about 2,461 feet)
is renowned as a prime photography location
Its "panorama station" is particularly popular
visitors encounter a striking metallic structure that turns out to be a restroom
The silver surfaces act as a two-way mirror
providing a unique view from the inside out
walls are adorned with dewdrop-shaped mirrors
located in the deepest part of the public area
offers a stunning view of the emerald-green Kiyotsu River as it meanders through the gorge
expressed her delight on her third visit: "It's refreshing to view such spectacular natural scenery
this place remains enchanting and delightful."
The tunnel is located at 2119-2 Koidemizunoto
take a bus from Echigo-Yuzawa Station toward Mori-Miyanohara Station
Get off at the Kiyotsu Gorge entrance and walk for about 30 minutes
it takes about 20 minutes from the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway via National Route 353
The parking facility accommodates 155 vehicles and is free of charge
Admission fees are ¥1,000 JPY (about $7 USD) for adults and ¥400 JPY for elementary and junior high school students
The tunnel operates from March to November
(Read the article <a href="https://japan-forward.com/japanese/178552/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">in Japanese</a>.)Author: <a href="https://japan-forward.com/author/Kenichi-Honda/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">Kenichi Honda</a>
You must be <a href="https://japan-forward.com/jplogin0211/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fjapan-forward.com%2Fkiyotsu-gorge-tunnel-captivates-visitors-with-stunning-panoramas-and-artwork%2F">logged in</a> to post a comment
' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + '
" + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + "
" + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + "
For anyone deciding to follow in our tire tracks
it can sometimes be easy to forget that Japan is not just an endless metropolis full of bright lights
flashing neon signs and convenience stores
I for one am guilty of getting wrapped up in big city life
Having felt a yearning to get out into the countryside for a change of scenery
My goal was a road trip to the Tunnel of Light
travel companions and the finest road trip snacks that the convenience stores of Japan could provide
The journey took us through picturesque and beautiful scenery
Heading north through Tokyo and up into Saitama Prefecture
the flat rice fields suddenly gave way to a looming range of mountains on the horizon
the edge of the prefecture is in fact home to some spectacular scenery
the Chichibu-Tama National Park which offers visitors some amazing hiking trails and spectacular views of Mount Fuji
my quest to find the Tunnel of Light took us north into Gunma Prefecture
The scenery shifted and suddenly we were driving through the mountains
we stopped at a roadside rest area (Michi no Eki) called Kawaba Denen Plaza
Scenic stops are a great element of any road trip and Japan&#8217;s Michi no Eki rarely disappoint
Kawaba Denen Plaza is more hidden and a true marvel
It has won many awards for best roadside rest area and it&#8217;s obvious why
It&#8217;s located some way from the main expressway that cuts through Gunma but offers an amazing outdoor plaza area with many different shops
There&#8217;s even a farmers market selling local produce
Kawaba Denen Plaza offers activities such a blueberry picking or pottery making among others
We opted for a bakery serving fresh bread and locally made cheese
That was followed by a small restaurant that specialized in smoked meats
If you can&#8217;t get enough from this Michi no Eki
there is a hot spring and accommodation nearby
our road trip to the Tunnel of Light was just starting
The place where we spent the night is a true treasure
Takaragawa Onsen is an old hot spring ryokan in a hidden river valley close to the ski resort of Minakami Kogen
They have several traditional ryokan-style rooms for guests
as well as an outdoor mixed rotenburo bath
Mixed bathing is such a rare opportunity that it is enough of a reason to visit
They serve a kasikeki course dinner of seasonal dishes made with local ingredients
don&#8217;t miss the fantastic vegetable tempura
Takaragawa is not as much of a hidden gem as it once was
Numerous TV appearances have brought it a degree of national and international fame
There has been an increase in visitors as a result
the onsen resort is still a magical and unique place that is worth a visit
Every season offers a different experience
with the changing landscape around the hot spring
it was a two-hour drive through the mountains and into Niigata Prefecture
We arrived at a parking area at the end of the road with a sheer drop beneath it
A short walk along the riverside led us to an entrance of a tunnel drilled into the side of the mountain
The tunnels were originally dug for tourists to view the gorge safely following a deadly avalanche in the 1980s
by this time the popularity of the area had waned and the crowds had left in favor of some of the bigger and more easily accessible spa towns and resorts nearby
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial purchased the tunnel and set about restoring it
Designed by Chinese architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects
The 750-meter underground tunnel walkway is illuminated by different colored lights
It&#8217;s also serenaded by different sounds as you walk
The exhibits that line the tunnel are true showstoppers
there are several openings that reveal a different art installation
all set against the breathtaking backdrop of the gorge below
The final piece named &#8220;Light Cave&#8221; is where the tunnel opens to a wide atrium with a shallow pool of water
The water is so shallow that you can walk across to the edge and look at the gorge and river below
the installation’s true genius lies on the roof of the atrium above as you walk
The entire roof is covered with an angled mirror that reflects the view of the gorge below
This makes it appear that you are walking across a dream-like landscape
It&#8217;s one of the most breathtaking scenes from the whole Tunnel of Light installation
Our road trip to the Tunnel of Light ended there
but the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial boasts more splendid art
you can stay a few days in the area and visit different spots
We are definitely thinking of going back again
For more travel inspiration in this area check out the following articles:
has seen more snowfall than most other places on Earth
The mountains of northwestern Japan have long received up to 125 feet of snow a year—but that's starting to change
prompting locals to ask how long it will last
Japan — In the kitchen of a traditional wooden Japanese farmhouse
Nils Inugai Hinrichs is drinking a cup of coffee next to a window that is almost completely buried in snow
and a fresh 10 to twelve inches have just fallen
“You came on the right day,” says Hinrichs
A one-foot snowfall is a common occurrence here in Takakura
a tiny mountain village located about 150 miles northwest of Tokyo
The village is a thirty minute drive from Tokamachi
which according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is the snowiest small city in Japan
Tokamachi receives a mind-blowing 460 inches of snow a year
That&#x27;s more than 38 feet—about four times what famously snowy Syracuse
Being 1,500 feet or so higher in elevation than Tokamachi
Takakura receives even more snow—though exactly how much more no one knows
Such epic snowfalls have long shaped the life and culture of this region of Japan
Yet scientists warn that the snows are at risk from warming temperatures—already the totals are decreasing
And that raises big questions about the near future for the people who live there
there are only 14 people in the village of Takakura
They met on the shoot of a music video in Germany and moved to Takakura
and I find it very rejuvenating,” says Adele
who is an artist and together with Nils runs an English language school in Tokamachi
“The silence is great inspiration,” adds Nils
who is using an upstairs room in the farmhouse to produce a hip hop instrumental album
“The earth lay white under the night sky,” Nobel Prize-winning Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata wrote in Snow Country
his famous 1956 novel about traveling through the region
In one town visited by the book’s protagonist
a local conveys to him that ordinarily seven to eight feet of snow blanket the town in winter
and as an experience in Japan,” Merry White
a Boston University anthropologist who has written several books on contemporary Japanese culture told me as I was researching my trip
and ‘alive’ in motion…but even more poetically
Snow often mounds up many feet in northwestern Japan
Snow in Japan may be mystical but the phenomenon behind it is purely meteorological
cold Siberian air streaming south and east across the relatively warm waters of the Sea of Japan generate bands of clouds that dump snow over the mountains on the western part of Japan’s main island of Honshu and its northern island of Hokkaido
The phenomenon is similar to lake effect snow in the U.S
the Sea of Japan stays relative warm all winter long
thanks in part to the warm Tsushima Current
More typical low pressure systems churn through the Sea of Japan too
And the Pacific Ocean spawns nor’easter-like storms that can bury even Tokyo in snow
Are these Japanese towns and cities really the snowiest on Earth? I put that question via email to the World Meteorological Organization. “The WMO does not record snowfall extremes and related events,” Chief WMO Rapporteur of Weather &amp; Climate Extremes Randy Cerveny replied. The reason: techniques for measuring snowfall differ around the world—for example, some places measure while it is still snowing, some wait until the storm has finished.
Either way, when last November Tokyo received a freak early snow storm and the general outlook was for Japan to have a snowy winter, I decided it was time to make my journey to what certainly appears to be the snowiest spot on Earth.
Japanese macaques fall asleep while bathing in a hot spring in Jigokudani.Photograph by Jasper Doest, Nat Geo Image CollectionA Voyage to WhiteoutI began in Kyoto, where nearby Mount Ibuki once received 90.6 inches of snow in just 24 hours, a world record that still stands. A train on the Takayama Line took me along the Kiso River and into the mountains. Quickly the brown rice fields and green woods turned to white.
and took a local train deeper into the snowy peaks
Night fell but I kept my forehead glued to the train window
the snow walls lining the track were soon half as high as the train itself
just beneath the glimmering front of the Japanese Alps
I spoke with snowplow drivers who are responsible for clearing snow in the city of 420,000
and about six times snowier than New York City
The city has 651 pieces of equipment for clearing snow
and 104 small rotary plows for clearing sidewalks
Snowplow drivers work through the night to make sure roads are clear for the morning commute
“This is a job and someone has to do it,” Igarashi Takuma proudly told me
I made a brief stop in Jigokudani Monkey Park
The Japanese macaques likely migrated from mainland Asia and across the Sea of Japan hundreds of thousands of years ago
University of Tokyo biologist and snow monkey expert Takafumi Ishida tells me
He doesn’t think the monkeys appreciate snow in the same way that humans do
looking “with big eyes” into the sky and “playing with the snowflakes.” He was “grabbing up,” said Ishida
<a class="zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE " data-testid="prism-linkbase" href="http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/meditative-snow-monkeys-hang-out-in-hot-springs">The monkeys are also famous for partaking in hot spring baths</a>, at naturally heated pools in the Yokoyu River. They likely learned this practice from watching the local humans, said Ishida.
From Jigokudani I took a series of trains to snowy Tokamachi. The station was a mad house; it happened to be the 68th annual Tokamachi Snow Festival. The town was filled with vendors selling bean curd sweets and soba noodle bowls and was decorated with numerous snow sculptures.
Later that evening I followed festival goers up a hill on the edge of town. A massive temple had been sculpted out of snow and there was a large snow stage and a snow gallery, where we stood and watched a series of performers, including a 10-woman Japanese pop band called NGT48. The night ended with fireworks. Almost on cue, it started snowing.
But according to Hiroaki Kawase, a researcher with the Japan Meteorological Agency, “the total snowfall in central Japan this winter is much less than the usual.” Kawase’s work has shown that under global warming, that trend may continue.
When I told this news to my snowy hosts back in Takakura, they were disappointed. “That’s sad to hear,” said Nils. Adele agreed. But it isn’t all easy life in Snow Country, snow removal can be quite difficult. “It is hard work to live here,” said Adele.
Yasuyuki Takahashi, who uses a hand-pushed rotary snow blower to clear snow off the paths and driveways around the village, agreed. “It’s very hard work to live in snow,” he said. You also have to shovel snow off the roofs, so they don’t collapse, work Takahashi does for many of the residents. And often cars don’t start. Or they get stuck at the bottom of the mountain and the drivers must wait until morning to get back up to the village.
“I spend all day snow-plowing,” said Takahashi, with some frustration, “and then it snows again, and again, and again.”
But less snow would not necessarily be good either. In summer Takahashi farms rice in the village, which has earned the highly lauded Grade A rating from the Japanese government. Less snow means less water for rice, and in years with low snow the crop has indeed done poorly.
It is now the final day of my trip and I am headed north, into the Hakkoda Mountains, to Sukayu Onsen, a traditional Japanese hot spring resort that appears to be the snowiest place on Earth. Sukayu average 700 inches of snow a year, and when I arrive by taxi on a mountain road so bound in by snow it is like a canyon it is indeed snowing. There’s about 11 feet on the ground, and another foot will fall overnight. I head to the onsen to warm up.
at naturally heated pools in the Yokoyu River
They likely learned this practice from watching the local humans
said Ishida."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html25","cntnt":{"mrkup":"From Jigokudani I took a series of trains to snowy Tokamachi
The station was a mad house; it happened to be the 68th annual Tokamachi Snow Festival
The town was filled with vendors selling bean curd sweets and soba noodle bowls and was decorated with numerous snow sculptures."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html26","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Later that evening I followed festival goers up a hill on the edge of town
A massive temple had been sculpted out of snow and there was a large snow stage and a snow gallery
where we stood and watched a series of performers
including a 10-woman Japanese pop band called NGT48
it started snowing."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html27","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Snow—and a Culture—at Risk From Changing Climate"},"type":"h2","style":{}},{"id":"html28","cntnt":{"mrkup":"But according to Hiroaki Kawase
a researcher with the Japan Meteorological Agency
“the total snowfall in central Japan this winter is much less than the usual.” Kawase’s work has shown that under global warming
that trend may continue."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html29","cntnt":{"mrkup":"In a November 2013 study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research
reported that snowfall should decrease at all elevations
though the impact will be much more pronounced at lower elevations
receives much of its snow with a temperature right around freezing
Warm the weather by a few degrees and snow becomes rain
and it’s easy to see why the city’s snowfall rates could decrease dramatically
but still should stay cold enough for mostly snow
at least in the short term."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html30","cntnt":{"mrkup":"When I told this news to my snowy hosts back in Takakura
But it isn’t all easy life in Snow Country
“It is hard work to live here,” said Adele."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html31","cntnt":{"mrkup":"Yasuyuki Takahashi
who uses a hand-pushed rotary snow blower to clear snow off the paths and driveways around the village
“It’s very hard work to live in snow,” he said
You also have to shovel snow off the roofs
work Takahashi does for many of the residents
Or they get stuck at the bottom of the mountain and the drivers must wait until morning to get back up to the village."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html32","cntnt":{"mrkup":"“I spend all day snow-plowing,” said Takahashi
and again.”"},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html33","cntnt":{"mrkup":"But less snow would not necessarily be good either
In summer Takahashi farms rice in the village
which has earned the highly lauded Grade A rating from the Japanese government
and in years with low snow the crop has indeed done poorly."},"type":"p","style":{}},{"id":"html34","cntnt":{"mrkup":"It is now the final day of my trip and I am headed north
a traditional Japanese hot spring resort that appears to be the snowiest place on Earth
and when I arrive by taxi on a mountain road so bound in by snow it is like a canyon it is indeed snowing
I head to the onsen to warm up."},"type":"p","style":{}}],"cid":"drn:src:natgeo:unison::prod:781d763c-6503-4440-ad2b-d62511ca0a90","cntrbGrp":[{"contributors":[{"displayName":"Justin Nobel"}],"title":"By","rl":"Writer"}],"mode":"richtext","dtln":"Takakura
Japan","dscrptn":"The mountains of northwestern Japan have long received up to 125 feet of snow a year—but that's starting to change
prompting locals to ask how long it will last.","enableAds":true,"endbug":true,"isMetered":false,"isUserAuthed":false,"isTruncated":false,"isEntitled":false,"freemiumContentGatingEnabled":true,"premiumContentGatingEnabled":false,"ldMda":{"cmsType":"image","hasCopyright":true,"id":"d0a2ef3c-00d1-400d-9ec2-011d18b83379","lines":3,"positionMetaBottom":true,"showMore":true,"caption":"This beech forest near Tokamachi
The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2024 is a comprehensive art event where diverse people from the local community
In addition to participating on the day of the event
there will also be pre-event workshops to create the sports festival.*Cancelled in case of stormy weather
The Echigo-Tsumari Asia Forum will be held at the Tokamachi City Library on Friday
makes us think about the world beyond the sea
A theater performance by local children will take place at the Echigo-Tsumari &#8220;Kamigo Clove Theatre&#8221;
Playwright and director Ochi Yoshie will supervise the production
allowing the community&#8217;s unique characteristics to be rediscovered through theater
We will invite social anthropologist Tim Ingold to Akiyamago for a special program of lecture
Ingold sees anthropology as the study and practice of capturing the “ living of all beings”
and he has been breaking new ground in the field of anthropology by establishing &#8220;The 4 As” at the university
a new department that combines the practices of archaeology
A performance will be held at Echigo-Tsumari &#8220;Kamigo Clove Theatre,&#8221; featuring a concert by a orchestra and musicians consisting of local residents
They will breathe new life into old agricultural and folk tools that were once used
Suzuki Fumie and Iguchi Keiko present a performance as an avant-garde dance duo
we can find the light of &#8216;hope&#8217; and move forward even in the face of adversity.&#8221; With this concept in mind
they conceive their work based on the history
and wishes that continue to be passed down in the land of Niigata
Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp
Photo ANZA ï (Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale)
East meets West at Niigata’s House of Light
a singular work of art and lodging all in one
Artist James Turrell united skylights and fiber-optics with Japanese touches like shoji screens and outside porches to create an immersive experience meant to catalyze discussion and meditation amongst guests
The House of Light was featured on the unique stage of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale
The facility caters to both stayover guests and day-trippers
with reservations easily booked online in English
The surrounding city of Tokamachi is worth exploring
with art museums showcasing everything from the most impressive prehistoric pottery collection in Japan to contemporary masterworks
It is home to healing hot spring waters and stunning scenes of nature
and some of Japan’s most beautiful tanada—terraced rice fields
With car-rental agencies and sightseeing taxi services available
why not try some of the best rice in Japan while sipping some of Niigata’s sublime sake
take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Echigo-Yuzawa Station (about one hour 15 minutes)
then transfer to the Hokuhoku Line to Tokamachi Station (about 30 minutes) and take a taxi to the House of Light (about 20 minutes)
<a href="http://hikarinoyakata.com/eng/" target="_blank">http://hikarinoyakata.com/eng/</a>
Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages
What would your town do if it were flooded with snow every year
Tokamachi, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/city-guide-niigata">Niigata</a>, boasts over seventy intricately carved, jaw-dropping snow sculptures of giant prone Buddhas, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/japanese-castles">castles</a>
famous Japanese anime and Disney characters
fantastic figures that residents create across their town
Tokamachi's celebration of winter deserves to be ranked among the best festivals in Japan
Although the city provides <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-travel/japan-transport/japan-buses">buses</a> and tour companies offer guides and small vans
most visitors will enjoy ambling about town to gawk at the sculptures
you get to better feel the vibe of the festival and pause anytime to appreciate many unexpected surprises: live music
The center of action is at the main square in the town center
Long rows of food stalls feed more than three hundred thousand visitors with local and international food over the course of the three-day festival
One stall was simmering beef and vegetable stew in a two-meter-wide frying pan
Others stalls were hawking typical Japanese festival foods such as miso soup
including American style caramel popcorn and Middle Eastern lamb shawarma
volunteers handed out free cups of nonalcoholic amazake
a refreshing hot drink made from fermented rice
Free hot matcha tea is served in a tea garden also sculpted from snow. The experience is worth waiting in line for. After passing through a snow tunnel into a secluded pavilion of white snow, young ladies wearing colorful, elegant kimono appear, carrying bowls of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/food/tea">tea</a> and trays of sweets to guests seated on snow benches
Meanwhile masters of the tea ceremony demonstrate the graceful movements of the traditional tea ceremony in an open tea room in front of the seated guests
The pavilion is surrounded by five-meter-high walls of solid snow
Except for the quiet whispers of tea drinkers and the occasional sound of slurping
there is a shared silence and appreciation of the occasion
just outside and across from the walled-in tea pavilion
children and kids at heart joyfully spin and loudly shriek while sliding down an icy hill on the inflated inner tubes of truck tires
most people start crossing town on foot (cars are not allowed) toward the main event
Creating the stage takes many dozens of workers
and tons and tons of snow delivered by massive trucks
According to Tokamachi Festival organizers
in 1981 the snow stage was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest structure made from only snow
This year's stage was about fifty meters long and as tall as a three-story building
decorated the front of the intricate Disney castle like front of the stage
The three kimono queens of Tokamachi and other models wearing kimonos descended gracefully down the ice staircase and swayed across the stage without slipping or appearing cold in the subzero temperature
Former <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/film/akb48">AKB48</a> star
Chieko Mizutani; bilingual singer and violinist Sarah Alainn from Australia; and the internationally famous duo known as Puffy
various exciting colors and designs were projected onto the white stage
watching the show through their breaths that turned steamy in the cold
The finale of the festival is the lighting of two thousand fireworks behind the immense snow stage
Sarah Alaiin singing Disney's "Let it Go" heralded the concluding pyrotechnic display
Explosions ripped through the air from behind the stage; powerful fireworks shot like an ascending vertical river of color towards the stars
The sky became a canvas of mushroom-shaped multicolored explosions
sensual ending to a wonderful festival of shared art
Although, this year's festival (2016) has already ended, you can attend the next one, or, better yet, come to Tokamachi in another <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/seasons">season</a> to enjoy its other attractions: terraced rice paddies, beautiful forests, abundant <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-culture/onsen">hot springs</a>
and the world famous Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
You can also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-travel/travel-japan-flights">fly</a> to Niigata city from various Japanese cities and then take a train to Tokamachi after changing at Echigo Yuzawa Station
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-festivals/snowball-festival-koide-niigata">Koide Snowball Festival</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-festivals/festival-sapporo-snow">Sapporo Snow Festival</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.japanvisitor.com/japanese-festivals/wakuwaku-winter-festival">Wakuwaku Winter Festival</a>
       <a id="product-link-id-1258" data-productid="tou-ggt-jiw" data-available="yes" data-categories="tours,group tours" data-productprice="2377" data-title="japan in a week" data-bundle="guided_tour" href="/tours/group/japan-in-a-week" class="je-amplitude-tracking-link vlj-teaser-caption-link vlj-product-link"> Japan In a Week </a> <a href="/tours/group" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-d-inlineBlock"> Group Tours in Japan </a>
       <a id="product-link-id-1084" data-productid="tou-ggt-dij" data-available="yes" data-categories="tours,group tours" data-productprice="3739" data-title="discover japan" data-bundle="guided_tour" href="/tours/group/discover-japan" class="je-amplitude-tracking-link vlj-teaser-caption-link vlj-product-link"> Discover Japan </a> <a href="/tours/group" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-d-inlineBlock"> Group Tours in Japan </a>
       <a id="product-link-id-477" data-productid="tou-ggt-ttr" data-available="no" data-categories="tours,group tours" data-productprice="5214" data-title="the tokaido road" data-bundle="guided_tour" href="/tours/group/the-tokaido-road" class="je-amplitude-tracking-link vlj-teaser-caption-link vlj-product-link"> The Tokaido Road </a> <a href="/tours/group" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-d-inlineBlock"> Group Tours in Japan </a>
       <a id="product-link-id-478" data-productid="tou-ggt-urj" data-available="no" data-categories="tours,group tours" data-productprice="7486" data-title="urban and rural japan" data-bundle="guided_tour" href="/tours/group/urban-and-rural-japan" class="je-amplitude-tracking-link vlj-teaser-caption-link vlj-product-link"> Urban and Rural Japan </a> <a href="/tours/group" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-d-inlineBlock"> Group Tours in Japan </a>
       <a data-nodeid="1764" data-title="the echigo tsumari triennial" data-bundle="article" href="/discover/niigata/events-festivals/triennale-art-echigo-tsumari" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">The Echigo Tsumari Triennial</a>
       <a data-nodeid="7654" data-title="wakuwaku winter festival" data-bundle="article" href="/all-about-japan/niigata/events-festivals/wakuwaku-winter-festival" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Wakuwaku Winter Festival</a>
held in February in Niigata Prefecture features digging snow caves
       <a data-nodeid="8055" data-title="earth celebration sado island" data-bundle="article" href="/all-about-japan/niigata/events-festivals/earth-celebration-sado-island" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Earth Celebration Sado Island</a>
Earth Celebration: read a guide to the Earth Celebration on Sado Island in Japan
an annual international percussion festival organized by the Kodo Drummers
       <a data-nodeid="923" data-title="nightlife in japan: going out, seeing and drinking" data-bundle="theme" href="/decouvrir/sortir-voir-boire" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Nightlife in Japan: Going out, seeing and drinking</a>
       <a data-nodeid="930" data-title="temples and shrines in japan" data-bundle="theme" href="/decouvrir/temples-sanctuaires" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Temples and shrines in Japan</a>
       <a data-nodeid="929" data-title="markets in japan" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/markets" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Markets in Japan</a>
       <a data-nodeid="921" data-title="onsen, hot springs and public baths" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/onsen-public-baths" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Onsen, Hot Springs and Public Baths</a>
       <a data-nodeid="927" data-title="family travel" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/family-travel" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Family Travel</a>
       <a data-nodeid="924" data-title="parks and gardens" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/parks-gardens" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Parks and Gardens</a>
       <a data-nodeid="933" data-title="outdoor activities" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/outdoor-activities" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Outdoor Activities</a>
       <a data-nodeid="925" data-title="museums and galleries" data-bundle="theme" href="/all-about-japan/museums-galleries" class="vlj-teaser-caption-link u-extendedLink je-amplitude-tracking-link">Museums and Galleries</a>
 <a href="/ajax/load-more/theme?p%5Bnid_exclude%5D%5B0%5D=928&amp;p%5Bcity_nid%5D%5B0%5D=969&amp;p%5Bcategory_tid%5D%5B0%5D=1&amp;p%5Bsort%5D%5Bcreated%5D=DESC&amp;p%5Blimit%5D=8&amp;p%5Boffset%5D=8&amp;selector=vlj-cross-themes&amp;link=vlj-cross-themes-link" class="use-ajax vlj-link __seeMore" id="vlj-cross-themes-link">View more</a>
Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers
Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check <a href="/ajw/help/policy.html">the site policy</a> for more information
<a href="/ajw/national_report/">National Report</a>
Niigata Prefecture--An abandoned school here will be reborn as a “glamping” (glamorous camping) site solely for use during winter in an area with some of the heaviest snow in Japan
The idea is to broaden the appeal of the area and draw in prospective residents
Another hope is to encourage young people to love their hometown more
Tokamachi city is extending a helping hand to the private-sector initiative
Kaino Elementary School in Tokamachi’s Motoyashiki district is being redeveloped under the Setsugen Gakusha Project
A company set up by Tokamichi-based general contractor Maruyama Corp
“We will be catering to local expectations to have the school
continue serving as a regional base while attracting people via a fresh approach,” said a Setsugen Gakusha Project representative
The Setsugen Gakusha Project is renting the three-story building and its yard from Tokamachi city
Former classrooms will be renovated into 10 accommodations furnished with tents
a store and a guest lounge are also expected to be created to help visitors enjoy camping with ease
Guests can also set up tents on the snow-covered school yard
A sauna is being considered to allow glampers to warm themselves up before jumping into the snow to cool down
The central area of Tokamachi usually receives more than 2 meters of snow each winter season
Some young individuals leave Tokamachi after tiring of removing so much snow
along with other difficulties in winter life there
To shed negative perceptions of the snowy region
Tokamachi city organized its first contest for residential environment proposals for the town last year
The aim was to create places that younger people would “feel like living at despite the heavy snowfall.”
Maruyama suggested the Setsugen Gakusha Project in the competition
and it won the top award in the life experience facility division
A test was held in February this year where participants stayed in tents pitched in the snow-covered yard of the elementary school
officials started working toward realizing the Setsugen Gakusha Project
Kaino Elementary School had as many as 495 students in 1933 during its peak period
such as eagerly practicing a musical instrument recorder to compete repeatedly in national championships
But school enrollment fell to 27 students three years ago
The glamping facility is slated to open in mid-January
with reservations accepted from early November
Summer-only campground operators and farmers with little to do in winter are expected to help the operations in efforts to mobilize local power in Tokamachi
Tokamachi city has also started a crowdfunding campaign under the “furusato nozei” (hometown tax payment) program to assist in the commercialization of the Setsugen Gakusha Project
The goal is to raise 5 million yen ($33,000) by Dec
For details on the drive, visit the hometown tax donation program website Furusato Choice, in Japanese, at (<a href="https://www.furusato-tax.jp/gcf/2599">https://www.furusato-tax.jp/gcf/2599</a>)
Camping gaining a foothold in Japan through rental offerings 
VOX POPULI: Pandemic gave filmmaker idea to make ode to nature
Craft beer brewers become deep thinkers at Gunma station
Residents turn to balconies for recreation amid long pandemic
Tourists climb aboard to visit scenic unstaffed train stations 
‘Glamping’ site to open in Shiga Prefecture near Lake Biwako
Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions
Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.)
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors
chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
<a href="/ajw/inhouse_news/">In-house News and Messages</a>
No reproduction or republication without written permission
It seems that the pandemic hasn't really changed marriage traditions across the world
actual wedding dates have had to be postponed; some have been canceled outright
But the traditions that come with marriage are here to stay
It's one of the very few events in Japan that have a fixed date every year
Matsunoyama Mukonage, or Bridegroom Throwing, is a small local festival that takes place every year in Tokamachi, and the quirky tradition <a href="https://snowcountryblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/bridegroom-throwing-in-matsunoyama-onsen/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">dates back 300 years</a>
and is said to 'deepen' new marriages in the town
held up on the shoulders of their male companions and carried up a hill to the Matsunoyama Onsen
But before proceeding to the top of the hill
the husbands have to down a few rounds of sake
It's said that this will help cushion their fall as they hit the snow
The men who toss the groom also have to drink
believing that the sake will give them enough strength to toss the newly-wed husband
Once they reach the hilltop, the grooms are tossed down the snowy hill, and have to roll all the way down to their wives, <a href="https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007072396" rel="noopener" target="_blank">who wait to 'receive' them at the bottom</a>
When everyone has reached the bottom of the hill
the new couple receives a blessing from the priest
everybody mixes the ashes with some snow and rubs it all over each other's faces for good luck
It's said to have started out of a tale of vengeance or jealousy
When a man 'takes away' (marries) one of the daughters of the village (Tokamachi)
the newlywed brides were often too busy during the Lunar New Year period
as they would normally have to spend it with the husband's family somewhere else
The women would normally return to the village on January 15
Going up to the Matsunoyama Onsen for the first time with their new husbands presented a 'great opportunity' for the townsfolk to teach the men a lesson and toss them into the snow
I'm not one for hazing of any kind usually
but if it involves being tossed in snow to be accepted by my (non-existent) wife's townsfolk
<a href="/culture/14060/twitter-users-amused-by-wedding-cakes-that-look-like-private-parts">Twitter users amused by wedding cakes that look like private parts</a>
<a href="/culture/13915/i-cant-handle-this-adorable-black-cat-praying-at-a-japanese-shrine">This black cat 'praying' at a Japanese shrine is too cute to handle</a>
<a href="/culture/13831/say-shibushi-shi-shibushi-cho-shibushi-no-shibushi-shiyakusho-shibushi-shisho-fast">Say 'Shibushi-shi Shibushi-cho Shibushi no Shibushi Shiyakusho Shibushi Shisho' fast</a>
<a href="http://bit.ly/mashableseafbbanner" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" rel="noopener" target="_blank"></a>
Cover image sourced from <a href="https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007072396" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Yomiuri Shimbun</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYQvyneP7rk&amp;feature=emb_title" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Nippon TV News 24 Japan / YouTube</a>
<a href="#main">Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu.</a>
The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20220116/k00/00m/040/054000c">Japanese version</a>
<a href="../../../../../index.html">Public Relations Office, Government of Japan</a>
<a href="https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/index.html">Home</a> &gt; <a href="https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/index.html">Highlighting JAPAN</a> &gt; <a href="https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/20190501.html">Highlighting Japan May 2019</a> &gt; Regional Revitalization
<a class="popup-modal" href="#inline-wrap" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="inline-wrap"></a>
A 2016 survey showed that due to the ongoing depopulation of rural areas
settlements where more than 50% of villagers are aged 65 or older and are therefore at risk of vanishing in the future account for 20.6% (around 15,000 villages) of all hamlets in Japan
Niigata Prefecture is one of these settlements
this village took a major earthquake in 2004 as an opportunity to promote interactions with people from urban areas
and by escaping from the crisis of extinction in this way achieved something more than mere recovery from the quake
No article or any part there of may be reproduced without the express permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries should be made through <a href="https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/mailform/inquiry.html">this form</a>
A regional sake brewer has released a product for an eye-popping 330,000 yen ($2,400) -- a set of two 720-milliliter bottles of sake made from Japan's famed Koshihikari rice cultivated by hand and free of any agricultural chemicals and synthesized fertilizers
The unusually high price tag reflects the commitment of three people from disparate industries who were determined to create through time and effort something of lasting value
especially in an age of mass production and consumption
Rice planting had just been completed when this reporter visited terraced paddy fields located deep in the mountains in Tokamachi
There were no weeds growing between the rice plants
totaling 0.66 hectare in area -- or 6,600 square meters
the 0.66-hectare area is the largest manageable size for rice cultivation by manual work alone
yielding a crop of less than 60 percent of that which can be obtained from a conventional rice paddy of the same size
mixed into the soil to provide nutrients for the newly planted crop
"I only want to use natural things," Tobe said
adding that he does not drain water from the paddy fields so as not to kill the microorganisms
Tobe began a life dedicated to self-sufficiency in a rural village after retiring from an automaker
he moved to his current home in the city of Tokamachi and started chemical-free rice cultivation
Production was poor in the first year due to blight
But Tobe continued with chemical- and fertilizer-free cultivation of rice with human power alone
a rice shop owner took note of Tobe's rice and asked him to ship it to the shop's outlet in a department store in Tokyo
his rice fetched as much as 3,000 yen per kilogram
heard rumors of Tobe's high-end rice and was intrigued
She had been determined for some time to introduce through her editorial work in magazines and mail-order catalogues a product "that is truly high quality and exceptional
not something average that can be found anywhere," she said
Shiba thought of using Tobe's rice to produce quality sake
believing that its attractiveness could be maximized if combined with Japan's highly touted spring water and proposed the idea to Tobe
But the Koshihikari brand of rice is normally not used for sake production
was initially skeptical when approached by Shiba
Ono decided to carefully produce sake under natural temperatures
using a method that does not rely on machines such as air-conditioning
The resulting product tastes quite different from conventional sake made from rice suitable for the beverage
featuring a mild body and elegant sweetness," Ono said
Ono has also begun receiving inquiries about the sake from abroad
Tobe and Shiba say they aim to deliver the rare product to sake lovers around the world
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2022/03/63f7b0560173-feature-master-brewer-teaches-tradition-to-rivals-sake-brewer-heirs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FEATURE: Master brewer teaches tradition to rivals, sake brewer heirs</a>
Staff / From behind the scene of Echigo-Tsumari
Staff / Behind the scene of Echigo-Tsumari
Check reasonable guided bus tours departing from Tokyo
Enjoy as many artworks as possible by exploring the vast area in a day
Niigata Prefecture--This city might be the only municipality that will hear Japanese cheers erupt if Croatia scores against Japan at the World Cup in Qatar
The Japan-Croatia match in the round of 16 will start at midnight Dec
Fans across the country will be staying up late hoping that Japan can pull off another upset against a European power and reach the quarterfinals for the first time
a former official of the Tokamachi municipal government
The city and its residents developed strong ties with Croatia during another World Cup
the 2002 event co-hosted by Japan and South Korea
Tokamachi was picked as the venue for the Croatian team’s training camp before the tournament
Kamimura headed an office managing a training camp promotion committee
and he coordinated exchange opportunities between the Croatian players and Tokamachi’s residents
That was the start of the Tokamachi-Croatia relationship that has remained tight for 20 years
The Croatian players in 2002 happily took part in the exchanges
including giving soccer lessons to local children and holding nine training sessions open to the public
10 soccer jersey to Kamimura before he left the city
“It made me realize that the best soccer players are also the best in manners and consideration for people,” Kamimura said
including during a youth soccer game in Japan
Tokamachi started a now annual soccer competition called the “Croatia Cup.” The European country’s soccer association has provided the trophy for the winning team
The city again hosted a training camp for Croatian athletes before the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics
the owner of an “izakaya” pub called “Davor” in the city
also has a strong connection with Croatian soccer
Kaizawa was working as a chef at a hotel in the city where the Croatian players were staying
He was particularly impressed with one of the players
“He is a great soccer player and a kind man
too,” Kaizawa recalled thinking at the time
Suker won the Golden Boot in the 1998 World Cup in France by scoring six goals in seven matches
more than 100 children and adults asked Suker for his autograph at a local soccer lesson
He never showed reluctance and happily accepted all of the requests
Although he had no concrete plans for the bar
he asked Suker to write texts and draw an illustration on “shikishi” Japanese message cards for use in the sign of the future pub
Suker was happy to oblige and asked Kaizawa
He quit his job and opened the pub a year after meeting Suker
and 20 years quickly passed,” Kaizawa said
“I have been able to keep the bar somehow.”
The match in Qatar will be the third World Cup meeting between Japan and Croatia
Croatia defeated Japan in the 1998 World Cup
The teams played to a draw at the 2006 World Cup in Germany
Their next match will be the first outside of the group stage
A public viewing event will be held in Tokamachi for the game
Organizers of the event are encouraging participants to “support both teams.”
“I could have cheered for both teams in this World Cup if they were not pitted against each other,” Kaizawa said
“But I look forward to seeing how they play the game.”
(This article was written by Shota Tomonaga and Kaho Matsuda.)
Top-down view confirms Japan’s go-ahead goal against Spain 
SOCCER/ Japan summons samurai spirit against Croatia at World Cup
‘Banzai’ cheers unite Samurai Blue fans half a world away
‘Chonmage’ fan thanked for cleaning stands at World Cup 
Asano overcomes heartbreak to become ‘hero’ he aspired to be
Samurai Blue end Moriyasu’s years of ‘tragedy’ in World Cup 
which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2023
is currently holding a spring special exhibition
&#8220;Born and Died -The Story of Life-&#8221; through July 9 (Sun.)
The exhibition features 23 original picture book drawings by Tateno Hiroshi
and introduces the drama of life and death of living creatures in satoyama
as well as the diverse connections among them
to deepen understanding of satoyama biodiversity
Echigo-Matsunoyama Museum of Natural Science “Kyororo”　(Matsunokuchi
The Tokamachi-Takashima-Hachi route will be discontinued at the end of March 2024
the Yoshida route (to the Museum of Picture Book Art) will begin service in April
This wrapped bus is designed with illustrations from the picture book &#8220;Hatakeuta&#8221; (published by Fukuinkan Shoten) by Seizo Tashima
the artist of the Museum of Picture Book Art
We hope you will take this wrapped bus to the museum after the winter closure ends in late April
We introduce five of Japan’s certified “SAVOR JAPAN” farming
and fishing communities and the regional cuisines nurtured there
Changing seasons from autumn to winter is always dramatic &#8211; a brownish mountains and dried field we saw yesterday is completely covered with white blanket of snow
The first snowfall turned into root snow and the amout of snow fallen exceeded two meters in no time
Even local people talked &#8220;we have already got enough snow piled up as much as for one winter&#8221; and &#8220;the way snow falls this year is very abnormal&#8221;
The amount of snow even surprised staff members who are born in Tokamachi
I would like to talk about removing snow of this year and local people who have continued to live through in this region
While a song goes like this &#8211; &#8220;yuki-ya konkon arare-ya konkon&#8221; (meaning &#8220;snow is falling and hail is hitting&#8221;)
Heavy snowfall this winter brought terrible damages which were hard to imagine from little snow last year
including stopping the operation of trains in Niigata
blocking the major road (Kanetsu Jidoshado) which resulted in preventing many cars from moving for 52 hours
In response to such situation we have set up a team-snow-removal to protect artworks in the region
The snow-removal began again from the artwork in an unoccupied house called &#8220;Elixir&#8221; by Janet Laurence this winter
Removing snow from "Elixir" by Janet Laurence
Climbing snow wall with a snow-dump (a tool for snow removal looks like a wheelbarrow or a large spade) on shoulder
Moving ahead farm road burried under the snow which has changed its shape
the pile of the snow on the roof was as high as the height of an adult person
While dumping and removing snow is hard work with some potential risks
leaving unattended every time snow falls would cause damage or collapse of artworks
Most of the artworks in unoccupied houses use old minka houses
While their structure is robust against snow
It is not good for a house neither if snow piling on the ground is connected to snows on the roof as the weight of the snow could damage the roof
There is a battle to win in order to protect artworks in ETAT during winter
it was not easy to work due to the fair amount of snow
While the main job is to dump snow off from the roof
such piles of snow could reach out to the roof if you don&#8217;t think ahead
we rather pile snow from the roof onto the side of the house and that process is called &#8220;makuru&#8221;
 Now this &#8220;makuru&#8221; requires preparation
we first flatten the pile of snow on the roof
It was first time for me to try &#8220;makuru&#8221; approach and I struggled to get used to flatten the snow at the beginning
Removing snow from the roof carries the risk of falling
The snow that overhangs like an eaves outside the edge of the roof is called a &#8220;cornice (seppi in Japanese)&#8221;
You could fall assuming that there is a roof and putting your feet out and therefore the first thing to do is to confirm the edge of the roof by dropping the seppi
what you put on your feet when removing snow is called kanjiki made of bamboo and ropes
While you may not be able to walk on a newly fallen snow if wearing only the pair of rainboots
kanjiki distributes your weight evenly and enables you to walk on snow easily
It is an important tool handed down for long time ever since Jomon era
it may be too slipply with them some occasions and we have to think carefully to avoid any accident
experiencing removing snow for the artwork in the unoccupied house taught me for the first time how to get rid of snow
We had so many local people helped us with removing snow this winter
everyone in Kotani village participated in getting rid of snow for the school building &#8211; which saved us half a day
It is such support from the community which enables us to protect artworks
When local people said to us &#8220;it is so great to have young people here
I felt happy and moved at the same time eating curry together at the canteen in Sansho House after work
While it is hard work and you feel defeted from time to time
working on Sansho House with local people made me think &#8220;we were supported by local people and they trust us
We can work harder&#8221; and encouraged me to continue working on snow removal
On the way back to the office after finishing snow-removal 
I asked history and story about the snow-removal in this region from local people who have managed to live here
The heaviest snowfalls were recorded in 1981 and 1984
The snow piled up almost as high as electric lines and children went to school walking over these lines
snow-removal is called &#8220;digging-out snow&#8221; rather than &#8220;shoveling snow&#8221; as people literally have to dig out house from snow
 In olden days people had to &#8220;pave the way&#8221; by stepping snow by kanjiki when the streets were covered under snow in order to live life as there was no snow blower
Each household was somehow given task to clear snow from one electric pole to the other
people started to quarrel if snow-removal and paving the way were not done properly
But they made up when snow melted as spring approached
Local people call this unique quarrel in the snow country as &#8220;snow-quarrel&#8221;
When there was no means of transportation as snow fell
some people carried and delivered foods and mails on foot and others such as children and elderlies worked on snow-removal in the absence of fathers in the respective family who worked in cities during winter
Although cars were running thanks to the snowplow
the heavy snowfall this winter reminded people of the recorded snow falls of 1981 and 1984 which they struggled to survive
and made them face with snow for the first time in longe time
Photo courtesy from Matsudai History Museum
People carrying foods and other goods from Tokamachi
I believe that &#8220;snow&#8221; gives us joy and bliss and impressse us
we can make snowman and ski while it also creates magnificent landscape that we see in Echigo-Tsumari
we make use of snow-melt water for growing rice which eventually turn into delicious rice
When I was wondering how I should face with snow
I remembered what one of the experienced colleagues of the snow-removal team said to us:
&#8220;What is important is to make friends with snow.&#8221;
Snow-removal team in their uniform - kanjiki and snow-dump
One has to spend long time with snow during winter if you live in Echigo-Tsumari
Most people living here feel depressed &#8220;as the long winter is coming&#8221; prior to the winter approached
I think what is important to live in a snow country is to find a way to &#8220;get along with&#8221; snow
there are a lots of things such as what people wear
eat and inhabit (buildings) that should be handed down for generations in addition to snow
By inheriting means to survive heavy snowfall from ancestors
creating beautiful landscape and producing delicious rice
I would like to pass on the charm of this place to as many people as possible
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20220606/k00/00m/040/228000c">Japanese version</a>
It is only two months to the opening of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022 and we are pleased to announce the details of the festival with the updated list of participating artists including Tanaka Min
Participating artists: 262 individuals and groups of artists from 37 countries and regions (including new artworks created by 94 artists and groups form 13 countries and regions)
Number of artworks: 208 existing artworks plus 114 new artworks (including the pre-released artworks)
The passport which supports the festival is valid for the duration of the festival and gives you an access to see artworks
【The Passport will be sold from】 Thursday 24 March 2022 ※ Early-bird discount price will be applied until Friday 29 July 2022
【Validity】 From 29 April &#8211; Sunday 13 November 2022 
【Where to buy the Passport】 Tokamachi-city Tourist Information Centre
Matsudai &amp; Matsunoyama Onsen Tourist Information Centre
Project Office of the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee (West exit of Tokamachi station)
Free for children age under junior high school 
・The Passport holder will be given special discount and services at designated stores and shops in the Echigo-Tsumari region
・A special discount is applied to the entry fee to Kiyotsukyo Tunnel for the Passport holder ※ Pre-booking is required during certain times throughout the year
・A special discount is applied to tickets to events for the Passport holder 
・Admission to artworks will be a half-price after the second visit by showing the Passport
※ The following facilities can be visited up to three times with the Passport
(The admission for the fourth visit onward will be half-price.)
We are thrilled to announce the new participating artsits including Tanaka Min
The updated list can be found from the following link:
In order to keep everyone safe including visitors
and all the other people engaged with Echigo-Tsumari Art Field in this global pandemic era
we have set up &#8220;Guidelines for COVID-19 Safety Plan&#8221; to run the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022
We will set up the health-check spots across the region during Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022 and check visitors&#8217; body temperature
Wearing a mask will be mandatory and after these checks are done visitors will be given a wristband which will be required to present when entering to artworks
Visitors will be asked to visit one of the health-check spots each day before entering the region for enjoying the festival
(Please note that a person with a body temperature of 37℃ and above will not be allowed into the festival.)
▶ Special tours such as one guided by Fram Kitagawa
General Director or ones taking to featuring some artists and areas
▶ Please contact us to organise your own tour for work
We would like to express our gratitude for those who participated in Echigo-Tsumari Snow Fireworks / Gift for Frozen Village 2021
we conducted the event in accordance with health directions and guidelines set out by local
prefectural and state governments as well as other special institutions under our omprehensive COVID-19 Management Plan
We had to ask visitors and other people related to the event to share responsibility and to make the event only to Niigata residents which meant that we had to dissapoint people outside the region
We would like to express our sincere gratitude again for everyone&#8217;s support and cooperation and willigness to adhere the COVID-19 Management Plan
Photo above and cover photo by YAMADA Tsutomu
Visit our Facebook and Instagram to see how the event went on the day with #越後妻有雪花火2021
please post on social media with #越後妻有雪花火2021
Finally we would like to send a big thank you for those who helped deliver the event including supporters
We will share how the event was prepared and delivered with those who looked forward the event but couldn&#8217;t come to the site through posting photos and movie footages from the preparation phase to the actural date of event on our official social media channels (Facebook
supporters on site and visitors keep posting on their personal account with &#8220;#越後妻有雪花火2021&#8221; for sharing
In case you feel unwell or got feaver by Friday 19 March 2021 after the event
please contact the tourism division at Tokamachi City Council by phone (025-757-2637)
From Snowy Wonderland at KINARE to &#8220;The Last Class&#8221; by Christian Boltanski adn Jean Kalman
there is still a lot to enjoy winter of the snow country
Kiyotsukyo Tunnel has re-opened from 1 March
Enjoy artworks in Satoyama in winter with the special ticket
Open till Sunday 14 March 2021 including weekend-only artwork and event such as Chinkoro making workshop and Omochi Bar
&#8220;The Last Class&#8221; by Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman opens only on Saturdays and Sundays till Sunday 14 March 2021
Don&#8217;t miss the opportunity to see this popular work which is usually closed to the public
&#8220;Tunnel of Light&#8221; located in the Kiyotsukyo Tunnel closed due to the heavy snowfall has re-opened from 1 March 2021. It opens from 9:00 to 16:00 (last entry by 15:30) in March. No booking is required including during the weekends untl the end of March.  Please visit <a href="https://nakasato-kiyotsu.com/">the official website</a> for details
Make the best use of the Special Ticket for adult (JPY2000) which comes with JPY1000 worth of coupons when exploring artworks in Satoyama
【Validity】till Sunday 14 March 2021　※ The coupons are valid till Wednesday 31 March 2021
For those who want to see Kiyotsukyo in winter but have no way to access from Echigo-Yuzawa or Tokamachi Stations
3 types of shuttle buses will be available for a limited time only
Please use the shuttle buses according to the destination you want to visit
*Please note that during the winter closure period of the Kiyotsukyo Gorge Tunnel (including &#8220;Tunnel of Light&#8221;)
some shuttle bus routes may be closed or have different schedules
Record-breaking snowfall across Hokkaido and Sea of Japan coastal areas of Honshu on Feb
8 brought traffic and train services to a standstill in many areas as even more snow was forecast for the weekend
The Japan Meteorological Agency urged people in the affected areas to think twice about going anywhere as television footage showed residents struggling to dig out cars buried deep in snow in just hours
Authorities said a man in his 70s from Tokamachi
had died and 26 others in eight prefectures were injured in accidents caused by snow that has piled up since Feb
according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and other government organs
Tokaido Shinkansen trains were forced to travel at lower speeds in Shiga Prefecture due to heavy snow
Difficulties in clearing snow along the Yamagata Shinkansen Line in eastern Japan meant that service between Fukushima and Shinjo will remain suspended for the entire day
Service on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line between Sendai and Morioka was suspended until 7 a.m
or so to allow an inspection of the tracks
The Yamaguchi river and national road office in western Japan said dozens of cars were stuck along a national road in Sanyo-Onoda
A section of the road between Yamaguchi and Shimonoseki cities was closed from 1:30 a.m
A traffic snarl of around five kilometers developed in Sanyo-Onoda
A company contracted by the Yamaguchi office attached chains to stuck cars to pull them out of the jam and spread anti-icing agents on the road
and the order to close the road was lifted 45 minutes later
The JMA said 50 centimeters of snow was recorded in Chuo Ward
The figures for Minakami in Gunma Prefecture and Shobara in Hiroshima Prefecture were 48 cm and 44 cm
the JMA warned of exceedingly heavy snow for Niigata city and its surrounding area as well as the southern Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture
which was devastated by a magnitude-7.6 earthquake on New Year’s Day in 2024
Those two areas were hit by a huge amount of snow within a short time frame
Niigata’s Chuo Ward had a record 50 cm of snow within a 12-hour period until 2 a.m
while Kaga in Ishikawa Prefecture was blanketed with 16 cm of snow in a 3-hour period until 1 a.m
Authorities in those areas warned of major traffic disruptions as heavy snow was forecast to continue over a wide area due to a cold air mass that strengthened from the evening of Feb
More snow was expected along the Sea of Japan coast from the Japan Sea Polar Air Mass Convergence Zone (JPCZ) over the Sea of Japan
As much as 80 cm of snow was forecast in the Kanto-Koshin region for the 24-hour period until 6 a.m
Hokuriku and Kinki regions was 70 cm while the Tokai and Chugoku regions were bracing for 60 cm of snow
More snowfalls forecast after traffic disrupted around Japan
Emergency snow warning for Sea of Japan areas from Dec
Heavy snow to hit eastern and western Japan through Dec
EDITORIAL: Snow forecast gives another reason to take care on holidays
Heavy snow forecast for earthquake-hit Noto Peninsula
<a href="https://epaper.japantimes.co.jp/" title="Today's Print Edition" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Today's print edition</a>
<a href="/sub/print/" title="HOME DELIVERY">Home Delivery</a>
I watch the world transform from gray Tokyo cityscape to blinding-white
snow-covered mountains from my shinkansen window
This Niigata Prefecture scene was once famously described in Yasunari Kawabata's "Snow Country," but I'm not trying to retrace his steps — instead I'm heading to the town of Tokamachi to spend my birthday visiting contemporary artist James Turrell's "Hikari no Yakata" or "House of Light."
Welcome!" a townsman greets my friends and I with a cup of local amazake (a sweet
fermented rice drink) almost immediately upon exiting the train station
which cools before even reaching my mouth.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
The townsman guides us through a small tunnel carved through a pyramidal snow sculpture that opens up into a snow-walled maze
the icy labyrinth leads to a plaza — a winter wonderland complete with giant snow sculptures and a snow stage upon which dancers are throwing packets of rice and sweets to children below
I discover my visit fortuitously coincides with Tokamachi's 69th annual yuki matsuri (snow festival)
In a time of both misinformation and too much information
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing
Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our <a class="info-link" href="https://support.japantimes.co.jp/hc/en-us/sections/900000736826-Commenting-FAQ">FAQ</a>
Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division
Perched in the hills of Niigata prefecture
the Echigo-Matsunoyama Museum of Natural Science is known for its unusual architecture
and the heavy snows that annually engulf it
With an exterior of pre-rusted steel the museum looks more like an industrial relic than a space for science exhibits
Explaining his inspiration for the building
"I wanted to make a building that looks like a ruin."
And with the extreme environment and weather of Japan's snow country
the building resembles some abstract ruin more each year
burying everything but the building's lookout tower
large pane-less windows allow visitors to see the snow piled up outside and occasionally the life forms that are suspended within it
To withstand the enormous pressure of the snow
the windows are made of three-inch thick composite acrylic
the stress put on the structure is so great that the building can be heard 'groaning' in the winter
While the tower serves as the only prominent landmark in winter's snow-filled landscape
it also offers sweeping views of the surrounding mountains and meadows
Climbing up its dimly lit staircase to the top
visitors are also immersed in a solar-powered light-and-sound art installation
The tower is one example of the husband-and-wife architects Takaharu and Yui Tezuka's attempt to imbue the building with the theme of experiencing cosmic rays
sounds and nature through collaboration with five artists
In addition to the large butterfly collection
a must-see exhibit is "The Amusing Boxes." Contained in around 200 drawers
this display is a collection of "oddments from the nature and culture of Matsunoyama." Among the items found in the exhibit are snakeskins
and objects made at the museum's workshops
World&#39;s largest porcine hairball sits in a collection maintained by Benedictine monks
A wonderful collection of fossilized dinosaurs and other creatures that roamed the landscape millions of years ago
Extensive Orthodox icon collection in Andorra
Museum housed in underground tunnels that date back to Buenos Aires&#39;s earliest settlements
This fairytale house on the shore of a Chilean Lake oozes an eclectic mix of Chilote and German Cultural heritage
In the hinterlands of Serbia&#39;s capital
a giant reflective mushroom houses an aeronautical history of the former Yugoslav republic
They call buildings like this &quot;mimetic architecture,&quot; but nothing has ever mimicked the taste of Moxie
This little barrel-shaped cottage by Lake Superior was once a cartoonist&#39;s summer retreat
Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2024” will begin on July 13
The “ETAT 2024 Passport” which allows you to view more than 300 artworks
will be  on sale and can be purchased online or at local facilities for an advance purchase price of ￥1,000 until July 12
Please purchase your passport as soon as possible
*Free of charge for children under elementary school age
*For details and other sales locations in and outside of the prefecture
Vouchers/online purchases/vouchers will be exchanged for the ETAT 2024 passport at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Information 
Please see below for the exchange locations and periods for each ticket type
Please be sure to stop by the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Information in advance to make an exchange
・Echigo-Matsunoyama “Forest School” Kyororo:　 older than 16  ¥600→¥300
・《JIKU #13 HOKUHOKU-LINE》: 　General ¥700→¥500 / elementary and junior high school students ¥500 + boarding fee → ¥ 300 + boarding fee
Show your passport and receive special discounts and services at stores and hot springs in the Echigo-Tsumari area
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20220609/k00/00m/040/134000c">Japanese version</a>
Corridor space at Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20210117/k00/00m/040/015000c">Japanese version</a>
Museum on Echigo-Tsumari (MonET) will hold a series of special exhibitions as a new initiative starting this fiscal year
2023 will feature four exhibitions with four guest curators
The Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale has been working to revitalize local communities through art
In order to make the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale even more community-based
we will explore new possibilities for the region and art
The Museum on Echigo-Tsumari (MonET) plans to organize and hold a series of long-term exhibitions starting in 2023
Kitagawa Fram  (General Director of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale)
&#8220;twin boat song #39,&#8221; 2023 oil on canvas
This exhibition introduces collaborative artworks created by two painters
“Narabiyuku Kobuneuta(並行小舟唄),” showcased in this exhibition
began collaborating on various projects sporadically in 2017
They would stand on either side of the canvas
or sending artworks to each other&#8217;s locations
They embrace unexpected moves by the other
and sometimes complementing each other&#8217;s work
the &#8220;Narabiyuku Kobuneuta(並行小舟唄)&#8221; project evolves in those interactions
The colors and forms that eventually appear on the canvas are so integrated that they seem to reflect the fusion of the two painters&#8217; memories
This demonstrates the successful dialogue facilitated through their paintbrushes
which evokes the image of two small boats sailing side by side
reflects the idea that despite having different personalities and career paths
there is no hierarchy between the two artists as they face the canvas together
The artworks resulting from this equal collaboration remind us of the joy of creating together
especially in a society where imbalances and inequalities often lurk
a sequel to the &#8220;Narabiyuku Kobuneuta(並行小舟唄) Exhibition&#8221; held in Tokyo in 2020
is primarily composed of new works inspired by the landscapes of Tokamachi
signifies that the rural and mountainous landscapes of Tokamachi transform into vessels that embrace snow in the winter
We invite you to enjoy the expansive collaboration of these painters on display during this occasion
Guest Curator: Mari Tsukamoto (Chief Curator at the Museum of Art
Exhibition Period: November 18 (Sat) &#8211; December 24 (Sun)
closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10:00 &#8211; 17:00 (last admission 16:30)
Admission Fee: Individual tickets (¥1,200 for adults / ¥600 for elementary and junior high school students)
&#8220;twin boat song #42,&#8221; 2023 oil on canvas
&#8220;twin boat song #27,&#8221; 2021 tempera on linen
&#8220;twin boat song #33,&#8221; 2021 oil on cotton
&#8220;twin boat song #37,&#8221; 2023 oil on canvas
Artists Takezaki Kazuyuki and Nishimura Yu will be casually present at the venue
If you have questions about the exhibition or their art-making process
or even just simply wish to have a chat with artists
feel free to drop by MonET during this opportunity
Takezaki Kazuyuki was born in Kochi in 1976 and graduated from the Faculty of Education at Kochi University
Yu Nishimura was born in Kanagawa in 1982 and graduated from the Department of Oil Painting in the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tama Art University
their collaborative journey in painting began when Yu Nishimura participated in the &#8220;現代地方譚5 −想像の葦−&#8221; artist-in-residence project in Kochi
they held the &#8220;並行小舟唄展&#8221; at KAYOKOYUKI in Tokyo
Takezaki Kazuyuki&#8217;s notable solo exhibitions include &#8220;ARTIST FOCUS #01竹﨑和征 雨が降って晴れた日&#8221; (2020
while Nihimura Yu&#8217;s major solo exhibitions include &#8220;Aperto 09 Nihimura Yu paragraph&#8221; (2018
Tsukamoto Mari (Chief Curator at the Musume of Art
she has been working as a curator at the Museum of Art
Some of the notable exhibitions she has curated include &#8220;Hiroki Harada Solo Exhibition &#8211; やっぱり世の中で一ばんえらいのが人間のようでごいす&#8221; (2023
&#8220;Sawako Goda Exhibition &#8211; 帰る途もつもりもない&#8221; (2022
&#8220;ARTIST FOCUS #02 Kota Hirakawa &#8211; 祈りのケイショウ&#8221; (2022
and &#8220;Sora Hokimoto Solo Exhibition &#8211; その次の季節&#8221; (2021
Susaki Street Corner Gallery/ Former Miura Residence
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="ja" href="/en/" title="JP">JP</a>
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="en-US" href="/en/" title="EN">EN</a>
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="/fr/" title="JP">FR</a>
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="zh-CN" href="/zh-CN/" title="简体中文">简体中文</a>
<a rel="alternate" hreflang="zh-TW" href="/zh-TW/" title="繁體中文">繁體中文</a>
Richer living through mindfulness of the traditional Japanese seasons Discovering a richer life in the traditional seasons of Japan
Place × Season × Time=Unforgettable experiencesThrilling experiences born of the right place
Discovering the hidden stories in everyday lifeUntold stories from just around the corner in Japan
Unique brand stories combining tradition with revolutionRevolutionary traditionalism: Brand stories like no other
Interviews with the people of the momentMeetings with the women and men who make Japan tick
Weaving a lifestyle from Japanese sensibilities and aestheticsBring the Japanese sense of beauty into your life
Online salons led by individual hostsThought-provoking discussion led by fascinating figures
<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe79Ame4VRW8HXkraBg2AaiEXXDqjFFga9l9W2G6ZYTRcLqZg/viewform?utm_source=site&amp;utm_medium=banner&amp;utm_campaign=form" class="cmn-link-1 en-1 notranslate" target="_blank">Premium Japan Members</a>
Osaka Municipal Museum of Fine Arts will hold a special exhibition to commemorate the Osaka-Kansai Expo and the renewal of the museum.exhibition"Japanese National Treasures Exhibition" will be held from Saturday
Niigata (Kept at Tokamachi City Museum) Image courtesy of Tokamachi City Museum (Exhibited throughout the year)
National Treasure: Funabashi Maki-e Inkstone Box
This exhibition brings together national treasures from a wide range of eras and genres
National Treasure: Maple Trees by Hasegawa Tohaku
Kyoto (Exhibition period: May 1592th to June 5st)
Paintings on display include Kano Eitoku's "Chinese Lion Screen" (housed at the Imperial Collections Museum of Sannomaru
Imperial Palace) and Hasegawa Tōhaku's "Maple Leaves" (housed at Chishakuin Temple
as well as works by masters of Japanese art such as Sesshu
the oldest example of portrait sculpture and the greatest masterpiece
the Seated Statue of Monk Ganjin from Toshodaiji Temple
which is normally only open to the public for three days before and after the temple's founder's memorial service on June 6th each year
will be open to the public for a limited period of 6 days from May 5th (Tuesday) to 13th (Sunday)
National Treasure Gold Seal "King of Na" Yayoi period
1st century Fukuoka City Museum Collection Image courtesy of Fukuoka City Museum &lt;Exhibition period:April 4th to May 26th&gt;
National Treasure: Portrait of Minamoto no Yoritomo
Kyoto (Exhibition period: June 6rd to June 3th)
there are also national treasures that everyone has seen in textbooks
such as the clay figurine (Venus of the Jomon period)
and the masterpiece of Japanese portraiture "Portrait of Minamoto no Yoritomo"
Since the exhibition period varies depending on the work
you are sure to make a new discovery every time you visit
Why not enjoy viewing some of Japan's greatest masterpieces at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
which has undergone over two years of renovation work to give it a new look
National Treasure: Seated Yakushi Nyorai statue
Photo: Sasaki Kosuke (on display throughout the year)
In addition to informing you of the latest information via newsletter
we also plan to inform you of exclusive events and give away special gifts
and others at the opening ceremony / Photo by Nakamura Osamu)
Kurakake Junichi+ Nihon University College of Art Sculpture Course「Mokuyu: Wood Bathing」（Photo by Nakamura Osamu）
Kasai Yusuke「Thank You For Being Born」（Photo by Nakamura Osamu）
<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20161107/k00/00e/040/216000c">Japanese version</a>