In the midst of lack of snow, the traditional `` Muko throw '' takes place on January 16 at 15:07
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The lack of snow due to the nationwide warm winter also affected traditional events in Niigata Prefecture. Muko Throw, a traditional event in Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture, one of the most heavy snowfall areas in Japan, throwing newly married men on a snowy slope.
"Groom throwing" is a traditional event that has been around in the Matsunoyama area of Tokamachi city for about 300 years.
It is said that local women throw their son-in-law on the snow when a local woman married a man from another district as a son-in-law, which is known as an event unique to heavy snowfall areas . Today, it is held annually to celebrate newlyweds.
However, there was not enough snow to hold it, and according to Niigata Prefecture, the snow on the 15th, which was the date of the event, was less than 10% of the average over the past 25 years, 16 cm, and the event was threatened .
There, locals gathered the remaining snow on the roofs of elementary schools in the district, moved about 100 meters from the usual year, and created a venue about 100 square meters in size and 40 cm in depth of snow. Was.
According to the executive committee, it is the first time that the venue has been changed due to lack of snow.
On the 15th, two couples participated. The son-in-law, carried by locals, was thrown one at a time on a snowy slope from a height of about 5 meters.
His wife, watching below, received his son-in-law rolling down the slope and gently wiped the snow.
Mr. Tomohiro Takahashi, who participated from the local area, said, "I'm happy that everyone was able to finish without any trouble thanks to the maintenance of the venue."
My wife, Arisa, said, "I was worried that it couldn't be held at one time, but it was really nice to be able to hold it thanks to the local people."
What is "Mukoto"
"Muko Toss" is held every year as a celebration of newlyweds in Tokamachi City. A newly-married son-in-law, married in the previous year, is carried by locals and relatives and taken up to a height of about 5 meters, and is thrown out with a shout.
The son-in-law rolls down the snow slope to his wife waiting below. After muco throwing, ash and snow from the burning are mixed together to make a corner, and "stain coating" is applied to the participants' faces, in hopes of a disease-free disaster.
Kotoshi brings in more than 30 tons of snow
The locals serving as the executive committee brought in more than 30 tons of snow to fit the venue. Some people mourn the lack of snow.
The executive committee member Ken Onozuka once had been thrown in a “groom throw” and had a blessed experience, so he was in charge of carrying in the snow import work two days before the actual production and was busy with the maintenance of the venue.
Mr. Onozuka said, "I am glad I could finish safely and connect the traditions. I hope it will snow more next year."
Rain on the day
Matsunoyama area, Tokamachi city, where about one meter of snow can fall overnight.
However, there was no snow on the 15th, and the maximum daytime temperature was 8 degrees Celsius, which was as warm as early to late March. There was a part where the snow melted, but we prepared a 40cm thick snow on a 100m2 slope, and we were able to reach the event.
The amount of snow in the past ...
Matsunoyama, Tokamachi is known as one of the nation's toughest snowfall areas. According to Niigata Prefecture, the snowfall of Matsunoyama in Tokamachi City as of January 15 in the past five years is as follows.
2015 322 cm
2016 81 cm
2017 204 cm
2018 160 cm
2019 139 cm
2020 16 cm
According to the meteorological observatory, the temperature is still high in Niigata Prefecture, and only two of the 16 stations have more than 1 cm of snow on the 15th.
According to the Meteorological Observatory, the trend of less snow will continue in the future.