Buzz
When snow falls heavily, numerous areas in Aomori City, Japan, can be submerged in over 8 meters of snow, enough to bury a two-story house.
Aomori, Japan: Embracing Life in One of the World's Snowiest Cities
Every year, Aomori City in Northern Tohoku, Japan, faces significant snowfall and snowstorms. Despite the harsh conditions, this has transformed Aomori—home to 300,000 people—into one of the snowiest cities on the planet, attracting many tourists.
The heaviest snowfall in Aomori occurs as cold Siberian winds sweep into Japan from the Northwest every November. As frigid air sweeps over the warmer waters off the coast of mountainous Japan, it gathers moisture, which then transforms into snow. In the early months of 2019, Aomori City was blanketed in over 3 meters of snow.
Sea-effect Snow Phenomenon
Japan's phenomenon known as the 'sea-effect snow' blankets much of Aomori City and its surrounding suburbs with a thick layer of snow in winter. The ground remains nearly white until April, roofs are tightly covered, sidewalks are congested, and many central city streets freeze over.
Julia Minatoya grew up in the outskirts of Aomori City. The snowdrifts in her backyard are so massive that every winter, her family can hardly use most of the entrances or first-floor windows. 'It's a constant battle for everyone here every day,' she says, holding a snow shovel, undeterred by the fresh snowfall covering the road she just cleared.
Winter Wonderland
Despite continuous snowstorms, Aomori City doesn't shut down in winter. On the contrary, it transforms into a land for snow enthusiasts and tourists seeking snowy adventures.
Many tourists come to savor some of Japan's freshest and finest seafood. It's abundantly sold at Furukawa, the city's central seafood market. The local specialty, nokke don, includes a bowl of rice with various toppings like live tuna, octopus, or sea urchin that diners can choose from different stalls.
'The best time to eat fish in Aomori is winter, especially snowfish. Many species come to these waters for breeding,' says Yone Natsume, a fishmonger at Furukawa.
For thrill-seeking snow enthusiasts, the nearby Hakkoda Mountains offer the world's most 'wild' ski trails. American traveler Tim Roberts recently visited Aomori with a group of friends, spending days carving down the slopes of Hakkoda.
'This place is a bit different because there aren't many groomed runs into the mountains. It's a true adventure of your own, finding your own path,' he told CNN Travel.
After a long day on the mountain slopes, many skiers unwind at one of Hakkoda's renowned spots—the sulfuric hot springs found atop the volcanic peak.
Aomori Airport handles around 20 flights per day. Even in winter, planes can land and take off due to the airport's massive snow-clearing team, White Impulse. A team of 120 members operates dozens of heavy snowplows throughout the day to keep the airport's sole runway from freezing in the worst weather conditions.
In over two decades of operation, no flights have been delayed or canceled due to snow on the runway at Aomori Airport, claimed Daishuke Saito, a snow clearer with White Impulse. 'When I see planes landing and taking off safely because of what we've done, it makes me proud. It's a real sense of accomplishment,' he said.
Of course, clearing snow from the runway and roads around Aomori City only addresses part of the issue. To prevent snow overload, trucks must transport excess snow to the port along the coastline of Aomori's Mutsu Bay. There, the snow is dumped into the sea. Trucks operate all day, every day. This operation is also extremely costly. In the winter of 2018, snow clearing activities in Aomori cost $35 million, according to local officials.
By Phuong Phuong/Legal News
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourMarch 8, 2019
