新潟の山奥にひっそりと、神秘的な場所があります。日本有数の豪雪地であるこの街には、過酷とも思える生活環境の中、生命が根付き、繁栄しているのです。十日町市へようこそ。

Exploring the city draped in snow – Tokamachi

Hidden away in the mountains of Niigata lies a mystical place.In this town, which is one of the snowiest places in Japan, life has taken root and flourished despite the seemingly harsh living environment. Welcome to the City of Tokamachi.

十日町市博物館

地元では「スノウリッチ」と呼ばれるほど、冬場のこの町は雪に恵まれています。十日町の人々は歴史を通じてこの雪を利用し、この街の文化や発展を形作ってきました。十日町市博物館では、雪に潜る前に、十日町の歴史に触れることができます。十日町市博物館では、十日町のユニークな歴史を伝えるとともに、日本の他の地域では見ることができないような興味深い発掘物を展示しています。十日町で発見された面白いスタイルの土器は（日本の他の地域では縄文時代の土器を見ることができますが）、この特別なスタイルの火焔型土器は十日町やその周辺でしか見ることができないのです。また、冬の間、雪深い中で音もなく静かに布を織ることができる着物作りの歴史にも光を当てています。この産業は、十日町の経済を支え、今日の十日町を形作ってきました。

Tokamachi City Museum

The locals call themselves ”Snow Rich”, as indeed when you look upon this town during the winter months it’s clear that their most abundant resource is the snow itself. Throughout history, the people of Tokamachi have used this snow to their advantage and in many ways, the snow has shaped the culture and development of this city. Before we can dive into the snow, sometimes literally, one must grapple with the unique history of the town and there is no better place than at the Tokamachi City Museum. The museum tells the unique history of Tokamachi and displays interesting artifacts that one can’t see in other areas of Japan, for example, the Flame-style pottery that one can find at the museum. This interesting style of pottery was excavated in Niigata and while in other areas of Japan one can see pottery from the Jōmon period, this special style of flame pottery can only be found in Tokamachi and its surrounding areas. The museum also sheds light on the area’s long history of kimono-making, a skill honed during the winter months as one can quietly weave fabrics in deep snow without sound traveling too far. This industry was the engine of Tokamachi and powered the economy, shaping it into what we see today.

美しい林、美人林

この地域の歴史に触れ、雪がどのように都市や文化を形成してきたかを理解することができます。人々は雪と共存することを学ばなければならなかったし、積もった雪の重みで建物が傷むことを覚悟しなければならなりませんでした。大雪には危険もありますが、本質的な美しさがあり、その美しさは「美人林」ほど真実味を帯びているところはないでしょう。スノーシューを履いて森に入ると、不思議な体験ができます。まるでジブリのワンシーンに入り込んだような感覚です。雪が積もると音が小さくなり、森は不気味なほど静かで、物思いにふけり、自然と再びつながるには最適の場所です。

Bijin Bayashi -The Beauty Forest

After diving into the history of the area one can’t help but gain an appreciation for the snow itself, and how it shaped the city and the culture. The people had to learn to live in harmony with the snow, buildings had to be resigned as the weight of packed snow could cause damage to buildings and even cause some to collapse. While heavy snow does have its dangers, it is still intrinsically beautiful, and nowhere does this beauty hold more true than at the Bijin Bayashi, the Beauty forest. Slipping into snow shoes and walking into the forest is a magical experience. It truly felt like leaving the earthy plane and entering a realm more ethereal – almost like being warped into a scene from Ghibli. The snow dampens all the sound making the forest eerily quiet, a perfect location to get lost in thought and reconnect with nature.

地元の人とクッキング

雪の上を歩くのは本当に疲れるので、十日町の人たちは、雪山で頑張る人たちのために、栄養たっぷりのおいしい食事を作ってきたのです。十日町の人々は、これらのレシピを喜んで教えてくれ、また十日町のユニークな食材がどのように使われているかを教えてくれます。十日町の食文化は、きもの産業の隆盛とともに、より上質な着物を求めて商人が訪れるようになり、街の「おもてなし」も向上していったのでした。そのため、お客様にお出しする料理も洗練されたものになりました。

Cooking With The Locals

Walking on top of snow is truly exhausting, so it’s no surprise that the people of Tokamachi have created delicious hearty meals packed full of nutrients in order to give people the strength they need for a hard day’s work in the snow. These recipes have been passed down for generations but they are by no means kept a secret, the locals are more than willing to share these recipes with you and show how unique ingredients are used in interesting ways in Tokamachi. The food culture in Tokamachi was driven by the booming kimono industry. As the industry grew and merchants came to Tokamachi to seek high-quality Kimono, omotenashi, or hospitality, also needed to become high-quality. This led to more refined food being served to the valued customers of the region.

十日町にいると、「十日町にはまずい店がないから、食べるところに困らないよ」と言われますが、これは街そのものにも言えることで、悪い場所はなく、街には文化があふれ、歴史があり、どこへ行っても楽しいのです。雪の街、十日町でお会いしましょう。

During my time in Tokamachi, I was told “You never have to worry about where to eat in Tokamachi as there are no bad restaurants here” – this can be extended to the city itself, there are no bad locations, the city is overflowing with culture, teeming with history and fun to be had around every corner. I’ll see you there, in the city of snow – Tokamachi.