snowiest place on earth Archives

Sustainability

This Hobbit-Like Village in Japan Gets the Most Snowfall of Anywhere on Earth

December 21, 2023 Sustainability

We bet you would not have guessed that the place on earth with one of the highest annual snowfall is in an adorable, hobbit-like village in Japan.

Shirakawa-gō, located in northeastern Japan gets an astounding 415 inches (1,054 cm) of snow a year. The ancient farming village dates back to before the 8th century, and is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Because it was located in such a remote and hard to reach part of the country, Shirakawa developed many of it’s own special traditions and cultures, like the distinctive architectural tradition of the Gassho-style farmhouses.

Built to easily shed the massive amount of snow they receive each winter, this village is both rugged, yet also inviting and adorable in nature. It’s almost like a real-life snow globe.

From photos, the snow looks dense and heavy, and we can imagine dealing with over 33 feet of snowfall each year makes these Japanese residents resilient, indeed.

We’ve also included a photo of this special Japanese prefecture in summer, to show the difference a few seasons makes.

Animation

Strange and Impressive Fire Sprinklers of Japan’s Gifu Prefecture

November 11, 2020 Animation

We’ve previously written about the small prefecture in Japan called Gifu, and it’s transformation into a snowy wonderland in the winter. Indeed, this part of Honshu is known as the place with the highest snowfall in the entire world.

We’re revisiting this ancient and beautiful part of Japan to explore another oddity, this time an event called the Water Hose Festival.

As the village of Shirakawa-go is made up of Gassho-style thatched homes dating back to the 11th century, they are particularly prone to fire. Additionally, the historic town is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making protection of the houses very important.

Ingeniously, the town has advanced and substantial fire protection, in the form of disguised water hoses. Hidden within traditional-looking structures, the roofs open up and douse the houses (and potential fire) in water in a moment’s notice. Each year the systems are tested a few times, and those tests have become cultural events.

Leave it to the Japanese to be overly prepared for a fire eventuality, plus elegantly keep the look of the UNESCO site intact. Via Colossal:

Art

The Snowiest Place on Earth

January 19, 2018 Art

We bet you would not have guessed that the place on earth with one of the highest annual snowfalls is in an adorable, hobbit-like village in Japan. Shirakawa-gō, located in northeastern Japan gets an astounding 415 inches (1,054 cm) of snow a year. The ancient farming village dates back to before the 8th century, and is now designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Because it was located in such a remote and hard to reach part of the country, Shirakawa developed many of it’s own special traditions and cultures, like the distinctive architectural tradition of the Gassho-style farmhouses. Built to easily shed the massive amount of snow they receive each winter, this village is both rugged, yet also inviting and adorable in nature. From photos, the snow looks dense and heavy, and we can imagine dealing with over 33 feet of snowfall each year makes these Japanese residents resilient, indeed. We’ve also included a photo of this special Japanese prefecture in summer, to show the difference a few seasons makes.