All things igloo at Naeba

There is a great deal going on in January around Snow Country with many places choosing to stage their events during this popular month to ski.

Another yearly favorite is the Kamakura Festival at Naeba. A kamakura is a Japanese style igloo, and a whole host of them will be decorating the bottom of the slopes at Naeba for a couple of weeks.

For a house made of snow they get pretty snug and welcoming so it is great to check them out and see what a traditional snow shelter is like. There are also mochi making nights, treasure hunts, a candle night, fireworks, food and drinks in and around the kamakuras. You can even learn how to make one if you are interested.

They are impressive structures so if you are at Naeba (enjoying the free lift tickets for children this year)  pop your skis off to get a closer look.

Kamakura - Japanese Igloos

Living in the snow you soon learn how to make yourself a shelter of some kind and the kamakura is the Japanese version of the igloo.

Many of the festivals you go to will feature kamakura in one way or another and some of them are dedicated solely to these constructions. With a hollowed out inside, once you get a fire going they can get quite cosy, especially as you are sitting in there enjoying some warming winter soup or some hot sake.

Naeba Ski Resort currently have a Kamakura Festival in progress until the end of the month. You can have a crack at making your own or just spend some time chilling out (literally) in one of these shelters.