![\"IMG_4193\"](\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/740\/2016\/01\/IMG_4193-300x225.jpg\")
s event.<\/p>\nThis is a joint post, authored by Kate and B!<\/p>\n
After arriving in Nikko intending to frolic through the wilderness for our free days, we checked into our hostel, Guesthouse Sumica (10\/10, would recommend). \u00a0After a short moment of confusion involving the workings of the front door — we are not yet completely accustomed to the ubiquity of sliding front doors — we were greeted by our friendly innkeepers. \u00a0Before we could even hop under the kotatsu with our soon-to-be roommates from Portugal and Thailand, the innkeepers asked when we were leaving. Thinking that this was a normal thing for an innkeeper to ask, although an interesting choice for an introductory question, we replied that we had to be on the Shinkansen from Utsunomiya to Nasushiobara by 3:08 pm on Tuesday the 19th.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery good!\u201d our innkeeper exclaimed. As it turns out, we had the most perfectly timed visit to Nikko. \u00a0The details of an upcoming event were limited and quite unclear at this point, but the gist was that there was going to be an ice-harvesting event on the morning of the 19th and we were going. \u00a0The innkeepers had already arranged to drive us to a non-specified location to observe the annual tradition and cheer on the ice cutters. \u00a0So, on the 19th, we woke up, drank our yogurt and ate our dry pastries from 7\/11 under the kotatsu while we waited for a ride to the mysterious event.<\/p>\n
We were\u00a0sipping green tea when the innkeeper’s wife frantically entered the guesthouse, apologizing for being late as a result of a traffic accident. \u00a0She told us not to worry, though, because the accident was her fault, not the cars (obviously, we were still concerned). \u00a0We, along with our Thai roommate, swallowed our fears, piled into her car, and took off towards the event, with directions to remember the route, as we were on our own to get back. \u00a0After a couple twists, turns, and moments of panic before remembering it is correct to drive on the left side of the street, we came upon an ungroomed bridge with piles of snow and trails of ice. The car stopped.\u00a0 It became clear at this point that our innkeeper was not accompanying us to the ice event. \u00a0Her parting words were \u201cWalk up this road, when you see men swinging sticks above their heads, you know you are in the right place\u201d and \u201cLook for man with the hat. \u00a0He is the boss. \u00a0Tell him \u2018yoroshiku onegai shimasu\u2019 (rough translation: I look forward to sharing this experience with you\/nice to meet you) and \u2018gambatte kudasai\u2019\u201d (rough translation: please work hard\/good luck).<\/p>\n
After trekking up the winding snow and ice covered road, we happened upon a crowd of men, all of which were wearing hats. As we approached, we bowed saying \u2018yoroshiku onegai shimasu\u2019 and\u00a0\u2018gambatte kudasai\u2019 to all of the hat-wearing men. ![\"IMG_4194\"](\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/740\/2016\/01\/IMG_4194-300x225.jpg\")
Standing on a platform overlooking the action, surrounded by men with large scythe-like tools, stood a burly man with a black, leather western-style hat embellished with alligator teeth (?). His outlandish hat, in combination with his emanating authority confirmed that we had found the boss. As instructed, we exchanged proper greetings, and then watched in awe as the men clawed large ice blocks out of the concrete retention pond, and slung them down a 50-foot long rickety chute, hand-made out of bamboo. One by one we were handed the scythe and invited to give the blocks a strong heave down the bamboo slide. After two attempts with the masters, we were told to try it by ourselves, likely for the comic relief of those who had been practicing this art for their entire lives. We each successfully propelled a couple blocks down the chute with cheers (and chuckles) from the small crowd.<\/p>\n