A Winter Challenge — Building a Kamakura Episode 1

— Notes from the Field in Otaru —

Episode 1 | Breaking the Ice — Where Everything Begins

Episode 1 | Breaking the Ice — Where Everything Begins

When people hear kamakura (a traditional snow igloo), many imagine something simple:Pile up snow, dig it out, and voilà — done.

But the real beginning is far more modest — and a lot more physically demanding.

■ Once Melted, Then Frozen Solid

This winter in Otaru, the snow melted once… and then the cold returned.

The result?The ground turned into something as hard and slippery as an ice rink.

In this condition:

• the frame won’t stabilize

• the work isn’t safe

• and we can’t even pile up snow

A triple problem.

Before anything else, we had to deal with the ice.

氷割り

■ Step One: Break All the Ice

Our first task was to break through the frozen surface completely and level the ground.

Only after creating a flat, solid base can we move on to bringing in the frame and starting construction.

腕がパンパン

■ Today’s Main Character: The Pickaxe

The star of the day wasn’t snow — or even the kamakura itself —but a pickaxe.

A tool people often say, “When do you even use that?”Today, it was absolutely essential.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The ice was far harder than expected, and our arms slowly began to protest.

At one point, someone muttered,“Are we sure this is actually going to break?”

But once the ice started cracking, a rhythm emerged — and the work began to flow.

■ Unflashy, But the Most Important Step

Breaking the ice, smoothing out the surface, and returning the ground to zero.

It’s this unglamorous process that makes everything else possible —bringing in the frame, assembling it, and piling up the snow.

It’s not flashy.It’s not particularly photogenic.

But without this step, there is no kamakura.

This is the foundation.

Coming Up Next

Next time, the frame finally arrives on site.

The moment when the kamakura starts to take shape.

👉 Episode 2 | The Frame Arrives — Stay Tuned.