Tsurara of Ashigakubo
The warmth of the sun is something most of us are more than familiar with here in sunny Singapore, prompting many to escape from the heat by travelling to Japan during the cooler seasons. From beautiful illuminations to mouth-watering food and soothing hot springs, the list of things you can experience in a Japanese winter is limitless! Adding on to that list, I would like to introduce another thrilling winter attraction that is not like any other: the Icicles of Ashigakubo (あしがくぼの氷柱 Ashigakubo no tsurara) in Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県 Saitama-ken).
(Image credit: LERK / CC-BY-SA-3.0)
Located in the town of Yokoze, Chichibu Region in the west of Saitama Prefecture, it is one out of the three icicle landscapes in Saitama Prefecture—the other two being the Misotsuchi Icicles (三十槌の氷柱 Misotsuchi Tsurara) and Onouchi Hundred Icicles (尾ノ内氷柱 Onouchi Tsurara). While they are all worth visiting, I will be talking about the largest and most accessible of the three: the Icicles of Ashigakubo.
It’s easy to get there. Only 1.5 hours from Ikebukuro Station, take the Seibu Limited Express to Hanno Station before changing to the Seibu Ikebukuro/Chichibu Line bound for Ashigakubo Station. From there, it is a 10-minute walk from the station.
(Image credit: JR Times / Julia Yee)
The walk up may be a little steep for some, but is overall manageable. Once you arrive at the entrance, you are required to purchase an admission ticket which costs ¥300. The ticket is good for the whole day, so if you come while the sun is still up, you can go out and return for the illuminations later at night. Once this is done, walk under the train tracks and behold the icy wonderland.
As you marvel at the icicles, you may wonder what strange phenomenon causes these icy giants to form—well, they are man-made! Started by the locals in 2014, water from a stream is sprayed onto the hills and crystalises in the freezing winter weather. This results in wildly shaped ice on the branches of the trees.
(Image credit: photoAC)
Walking through the path offers views into the icicle fields from all angles. Following the natural curvature of the mountains, the winding path leads to a natural platform. This area serves as a rest area with woodfire stoves to provide warmth, restrooms and a couple of food booths. These booths offer warm tea, amazake (甘酒) which is a traditional, sweet fermented Japanese rice drink and suiton (すいとん), a kind of wheat flour dumpling dish served with vegetables—the perfect way to warm yourself up!
(Image credit: photoAC)
From time to time, you might catch sight of a train passing by a nearby tunnel. You will know when the train is coming as many locals ready their cameras to capture this exact moment, as the train makes its grand entrance emerging from the tunnel.
(Image credit: photoAC)
Once the sun sets, that’s when the illuminations begin. Radiant red, green, blue, and purple lights are shown on the icicles, creating a magical yet surreal experience. Visitors of all ages can enjoy the illuminations as the light transitions from one color to another.
In the icy winter, it always warms my heart knowing that the Icicles of Ashigakubo is a community-led initiative that has successfully attracted visitors from all over the world to visit Yokoze Town.
Icicles of Ashigakubo (あしがくぼの氷柱)
Address: Ashigakubo, Yokoze-machi, Chichibu-gun, Saitama, 368-0071
Nearest station: Ashigakubo Station (芦ヶ久保駅)
Dates: Early January to Late February annually
Opening hours: 9am–4pm (Illuminations start from sunset until 8pm on Fridays-Sundays)
Admission fee: ¥300
Tel: +81 0494-25-0450
Header image credit: photoAC
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