Nakanosawa Onsen Snow Festival (Snow Woman Procession)

About Nakanosawa Onsen Snow Festival

The "Snow Woman Procession" festival, which is held every year to pray for abundant snow in the Nakanosawa Onsen hot spring resort in Inawashiro Town, Yama District, Fukushima Prefecture, has been moved to the new year this year instead of being an end-of-year event, and has been elevated to the status of the "Nakanosawa Onsen Snow Festival" in conjunction with the regular local event, "Toshi no Kami".

This is a fantastical event where the only snow women in the world who are so beautiful they freeze you to your core gather from all over Japan. Why not become a snow woman and pray for a good snowfall amid the flames spun by the God of the Year?

About Nakanosawa Onsen

It is located in Inawashiro-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, on the road from National Route 115, which leads to Fukushima, to Habonari Pass. It is quiet, the air is so clear that just breathing makes you healthy, and a highly acidic sulfur spring that has been prized as a medicinal bath gushes forth. The amount is 13,400 liters per minute. It is the largest natural spring flow rate from a single outlet in Japan. It is a wonderful hot spring that warms you to the core, while giving you a slight tingling sensation the moment you step in.

schedule

Date: Saturday, January 15, 2022 13:00-20:00

access

The event venue is here

Nakanosawa Onsen "Hot Spring Square"
〒969-2752 Fukushima Prefecture Yama District Inawashiro Town Silkworm Farm Numajiriyama Ko 2855-144

Content

Daytime: Snow Festival 13:00~18:00

13:00 Meet in the lobby of Ogiya Ryokan (explanation and meeting) ※(2855-143, Sanyo Numajiriyama, Inawashiro-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, 969-2752)
13:15 Snow Festival starts at the venue's hot spring square
13:30 Free shooting begins
14:30 Large brush calligraphy (Hot Spring Square)
15:00 Snowball fight (open to the public)
17:00 Free photo shoot ends (please use this as a guideline)
17:30 Procession/Snow-making rehearsal (Snow Woman and Monster Ogiya reassemble)

Evening Session: Yuki-onna Procession & Sai no Kami 18:00~20:00

18:30 Meet at the Tourist Information Center
19:00 Yuki-onna procession starts
19:10 Large torches are lit when the procession arrives
19:15 Prayers and purification rituals
19:20 Snow-making and snow-dancing
19:30 Yokaiya greetings
19:35 Youth Division Greetings
19:40 Large brush calligraphy
20:00 Snow Festival ends
20:00 Launch party (no end time set)

After-party (additional fee: 2,000 yen)

• Light meals, local interaction, etc.

For Yuki-onna and Yokai Participants

• The meeting time will be at 13:00 in the lobby of Ogiya Ryokan. (2855-143, Sanyo Numajiriyama, Inawashiro-machi, Yama-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, 969-2752)
• If you are late, please go to the Ogiya Ryokan and ask for instructions.
• Changing locations will be in your guest room. If you are changing at a location other than Ogiya Ryokan, please just check in and change at the ryokan.
• Participation in the snowball fight is optional. (Your costume may get wet or damaged.)
• There is a simple choreography for the Yuki-Onna dance, "Yuki-gori." It is easy to do with just a quick look at it right before the performance, so please refer to it while you are moving around on the day.
• We will meet everyone who will be taking part in the photo shoot at the first gathering, so please enjoy the photo shoot while talking to each other.
• There will be free photo shooting, but since Yuki-onna will have a rehearsal for the snow-making ritual, please return to Ogiya Ryokan at 5:30pm (please be on time).
• Yokai-san, please meet again at Ogiya Ryokan at 6pm.

For those participating in the photo shoot

• Basically, you will be accompanied by a Yuki-onna or a Yokai and can enjoy taking photos while talking to them at any time.
• For the Yuki-onna procession starting at 7pm, please wait in front of Ogiya Ryokan as this will be the photo spot.
• You are free to take photos of the snow dancing and snow prayers after the Yuki-Onna procession, but please be careful not to obstruct other visitors.
• If you would like to share your photos after the shoot, please send the data to Yokaiya. We will collect the data and send it to you.

Photo spot

Other than the spots below, the Nakanosawa Onsen area is safe, but heavy snow is expected, so please do not enter dangerous areas (snow is too deep, slippery, etc.). Also, it may be snowing when you take photos, so please take measures against snow on your camera (lens cover, etc.).

• Bozu Falls
• Takekoma Inari Shrine
• Nakanosawa Onsen Onsen Shrine
• Ogiya Ryokan
• Nishimuraya Ryokan
• Hinodeya Product Exhibition

What you need to prepare on the day

• Breakfast the day after the event (a limited number of instant curry pouches will be available as event support items) *For those staying at Ogiya Ryokan
• Yuki-onna and yokai costumes (not available for rental)
• Cold weather clothing (assuming temperatures are -10°C, it is best to wear something like heat tech underneath your kimono, and wear boots with heating pads on your feet)
• We have adhesive heat packs available as event support items. If you would like to use one, please ask a staff member after you have changed clothes.
• Nightwear (yukatas etc. are cold and have to be rented, so it is better to bring your own) *For those staying at Ogiya Ryokan

Evacuation shelter

• As this is an outdoor event, bad weather may be expected. It will also be very cold, so please do not overexert yourself and be sure to warm yourself up regularly. In that case, you may use the lobby on the first floor of Ogiya Ryokan as a rest area.

Coronavirus infection prevention measures

• Please take your own temperature starting from 3 days prior (1/12). There is no obligation to report it, but please refrain from participating if you have a sore throat, fever, etc.
• Please wear a mask on the day. Even during the Yuki-onna and Yokai transformation, please wear a mask except when eating or drinking. Please wear a mask as much as possible even when sleeping.
• Please be careful not to come into contact with other customers when taking photos.