The Snow Monsters of Japan

Do you want to build a snowman? Or so sings the little girl. But up north on a mountain in Japan, nature takes its course and builds snowmen on its own. Well, the Japanese call them "juhyo" or snow monsters.

A specific combination of strong winds, low temperatures and snowfall on evergreen conifer trees is required for snow monsters to form. Juhyo forms at a few other places in Japan, but Mount Zaō is the most accessible and thus the easiest way to experience the snow monsters.

A phenomenon similar to juhyo is observed in Finland at the Riisitunturi National Park. The Finnish call it “tykky”.

(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)