YUKIGATA; YUKI is snow and GATA is shape or figure.
When the snow that covered the mountain surface begins to melt, the contrast between the white of the snow and the blue-black on the mountain surface creates a unique pattern. They can also look like people, animals, or agricultural tools. In the old days when there were no weather forecasts, changes in the shape served as a good guide for farming.
This year again, I went to meet “Sowing man”, one of YUKIGATAs appearing on Mt. JIGATANE (OMACHI City), one of Japan Alps.
Every year, the photo is taken on the 10th, but the weather forecast for the day was rain, so the photo is on the 11th. There were a lot of clouds on this day, but after waiting patiently, the sun came out for only about an hour and the “Sowing man” appeared.
In HAKUBA, work of ploughing and irrigating paddy fields is underway. In SHIOJIRI, rice planting is in full swing. Here (southern part of NAGANO City), making the bank of paddy fields has finally been completed, and waiting for the water to be drained.
