Strategies for Living in the Deep Snow Country (1)
Yuki-kakoi
Photo of a “yuki-kakoi” of a house in Shirakawa-go. This type of “yuki-kakoi”, made of grasses used in the famous gasshou-zukuri thatched roofs are common in the area.
The western coast of Japan is one of the few areas in the world that receive very heavy snowfall. The cold dry air from Siberia picks up moisture from the Sea of Japan and as this air hits the Japanese Alps, it dumps snow and moisture onto the land underneath. This government designated “snow country” area includes the Hida region, where the average annual snow fall is said to be 5 to 8 meters.
Remarkably, the people living in these areas have adapted to this weather pattern as many strategies both old and new have been implemented to cope with the snowfall. One such snow coping strategy is the “yuki-kakoi” which literally means “to surround snow”.
Photo of “yuki-kakoi” of trees in Hida to prevent the tree branches from breaking under the weight of the snow.
Since snow accumulation can easily reach 2 meters in the Hida countryside, the first floor of a building will usually be covered with snow. Without any place to dispose of the snow after shoveling, sometimes the only option is to leave it there. However, this means the snow will be pushed against the sides of the house causing pressure against the walls increasing the possibility of the walls collapsing in from the pressure. In addition, snow would cover the doors and windows of the first floor.
The “yuki-kakoi” technique creates space between the snow and the wall of the house by creating a temporary wall outside the house. This wall creates a small hallway under the eaves of the roof allowing room for people to pass through.
Photo of a typical “yuki-tsuri” commonly used in Kanazawa and Hida.
Currently, most of the “yuki-kakoi” are made of plastic boards propped and secured against wooden poles that are leaned against the house. However, as in the World Heritage Shirakawa-go, some home still use grasses, straw, and other material as they did hundreds of years ago. The beauty of this type of "yuki-kaoi" is that once they are unneeded or damaged beyond repair, they can be fed to livestock or be returned to the soil contributing to the biomass.
“Yuki-kakoi” is also implemented to save the plants and trees from collapsing underneath the weight of the snow accumulating on top of its branches. The most famous technique of preserving the branches is the “yuki-tsuri” in Kanazawa, where the branches are supported by ropes hanging from the top of the tree trunk. Although the “yuki-tsuri” is used in parts of Hida to save some of the bigger more expensive trees, most “yuki-kakoi” for the plants consists of wrapping the plants with straw or supporting the exterior of the plant with a wooden structure.
Above is a view of the old samurai homes in Kanazawa. The “komo-gake” can be seen against the dirt walls to prevent moisture from the wet snow from entering the walls.
Another form of “yuki-kakoi” called “komo-gake” is used in Kanazawa to protect the dirt walls surrounding the old samurai homes. A technique used since the Edo period, this simple veil of straw mats against the walls prevents wet snow from seeping into the dirt walls as the moisture would freeze inside the walls creating cracks and weakening the structure.
In Hida, building the “yuki-kakoi” starts in November before snow starts to fall in December. The heaviest snowfall is typically in January and February and during this time other strategies are implemented to deal with the snow.
Experience this snowfall almost anywhere else and the government is likely to call a “state of emergency” and most city functions would stop. However, the people in the “snow country” move on with their daily life as if nothing special is happening. They just wake up extra early to deal with the snow and make sure everything is prepared during the fall months.
