Where to see the Snow Monsters of Japan?

Admire snow monsters in the Japanese mountains

The formation of "Snow Monsters" is due to an exceptional climatic phenomenon that occurs only at the peak of certain Japanese mountains. These trees completely covered with a layer of icy snow are as amazing as they are magnificent!

"Snow Monster" in English or "juhyo" in Japanese is the fabulous attraction of winter in the Japanese mountains.

But you still have to know where to go to flush them out! First, you need some very special weather conditions, a mix of cold and wet currents, very strong winds, and temperatures dropping below -10° or even -20° from January. The phenomenon appears above 1300 meters of altitude on a particular variety of trees of the Pinaceae family, the Aomori Todomatsu, which is found in a large part of Tohoku, all the north of the island of Honshu.

All the conditions are met for the glaciation of the trees to appear and for you to lay your eyes on these incredible natural sculptures which take on all the more amazing shapes than the last.

Some will see human forms, a procession of zombies, fantastic animals, monsters from video games, or Japanese "yokai" legends and company.

Les monstres de neige du mont Hakkoda

The Snow Monsters of Mount Hakkoda

Wikimedia Commons

When you are right in front of them, you remain in contemplation as in front of the greatest works of art of the Louvre Museum. Of course, if you are a skier, you can go down the large piste surrounded by snow monsters for an unforgettable experience!

As soon as night falls, the snow monsters near the cable car station are illuminated and you can book a snow groomer for a ride under the stars!.

Snow monsters at Zao ski resort

Contemplate the ice monsters before hitting the slopes!

Jerome Laborde

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