YAMAGATA, Nov 15 (News On Japan) - Zao’s iconic snow monsters, the frost-covered trees known as 'juhyo,' face an existential threat. These towering, snow-laden trees have long been a winter highlight in the region, famously resembling monstrous figures covered in snow. However, their survival is now under severe threat.
A specialist in juhyo, Yamagata University Professor Emeritus Fumitaka Yanagisawa, warns of the impending risk: "If things continue this way, the snow monsters will eventually cease to form."
Comparing the same period in 2012 and 2023, recent juhyo formations appear noticeably thinner. Contrary to what one might expect, the cause is not a lack of snowfall.
Yanagisawa explains, "What we’re seeing is a complete die-off. When the leaves disappear, only the branches are left. Then, as the branches snap off, all that remains is the trunk."
The branches, essential for collecting and retaining snow, have been dying off, rendering them incapable of forming juhyo.
Photographs comparing the same trees from 13 years ago reveal that many of the branches have vanished, leaving only the tree trunks. The culprit behind the die-off appears to be a pest infestation, influenced by climate change.
Yanagisawa notes, "With rising temperatures, insects find it easier to survive and reproduce, likely contributing to what we’re seeing now."
As global warming allows pest populations to thrive, the trees that form juhyo are more vulnerable than ever. Still, Yanagisawa believes that there may be solutions to revive these snow monsters, such as replanting young trees on the mountainside and cultivating seeds to encourage future growth.
Source: ANN
