News On Japan
Travel | Jan 07

Ski resort prays for snow

HYOGO, Jan 07 (News On Japan) - Kami Town in western Japan held its first 'snow begging' ritual in 23 years as lack of snowfall has forced ski resorts to remain closed.

At Ryugu Shrine, located at the base of Hachibuse Mountain in Hyogo Prefecture, and home to a dragon deity considered a god of water, tourism association members and ski resort representatives performed the snow begging ritual Saturday morning, hoping for snowfall.

The three ski resorts in Kami Town are usually bustling with people around this time each year. However, this season has seen little snowfall, leading all the resorts to suspend operations. Among them, Hachi Kita Ski Resort, which opened on December 23, is reportedly unable to even use machines to artificially create snow.

This snow begging ritual is the first in 23 years, and stakeholders expressed their desire to reopen the ski resorts as soon as possible.

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