The Yokote Kamakura Festival (横手の雪祭り, Yokote no
Yuki Matsuri) is a tradition that is over 400 years old. The
festival happens in Yokote city that is located in the
southeastern corner of Akita Prefecture. The word
kamakura translates to snow houses, which are a form of
igloos. This festival happens every year on February 15
and 16. There are over 100 kamakura scattered around
the city and most of them are hosted by children. It is
said that the Yokote Kamakura Festival is a result of two
ancient traditions. The first comes from the locals burning
the New Year decorations as a way to return something
to the gods. The second is based on the children who
used to scare away the birds from the crops to prevent
damage. The locals believe that children who become
hosts in the kamakura will please the water deity.
When a kamakura is made they first establish the
perimeter and then they pile up the snow while
compressing it. The height reaches about 2 meters high
and the locals leave them overnight to solidify. The
compacted snow is then hollowed out from the side. As
the kamakura is hollowed out they make sure to carve
out a shrine in the rear. The shrine is built to offer and
pray to the water deity for clean water towards the
harvest. They also place a grass mat on the ground for
people to sit on as well as a charcoal grill will be
available. When entering the kamakura be sure to
remove your shoes. One of the rules of the kamakura is
to not consume meat or alcohol while inside. So instead
they serve grilled mochi (pounded rice) and amazake
(sweet rice drink). As you wait for the mochi and
amazake you can engage in a conversation with the
people inside to pass the time before heading out into the
cold. Even though the amazake does not have alcohol
contents it still warms the body. Once you are treated to
the food and drink, be sure to make an offering to the
water deity as thanks.
During the day the kamakura are empty, but at night each
one is illuminated with a singular light. By the river shores
there are thousands of mini kamakura. Each of the mini
structures has a candle in them, which adds to the
beautiful illumination of Yokote city. You can see the lights
at the top of Yokote Castle that is four stories tall. In the
winter the observation deck is open from 10 am to 9pm
allowing visitors the opportunity to see the city in both the
day and night time. Aside from the snow huts all around
the city there is the festival area, which operates during
the day all the way into the night. You can also learn
about making one of the kamakura through a hands on
session. At Minami Elementary School there is a play
area set up for the kids made out of snow like slides.
When the festival ends the hundreds of kamakura will be
destroyed, but you can still experience one at the
Kamakurakan Hall all year round.
