Igloo Making Experience

Get out of the snow by making a house out of it

Justin Velgus Feb 06, 2014 - 2 min read

<p>The finished igloo. Let's find out how to make this.</p>

<p>To start, mark out the size of the igloo you want and slowly start stacking. </p>

<p>One camper is not so happy as he realizes we won't be done with the igloo in just 15 minutes. </p>

<p>Bricks are made by shoveling snow into this boxes which have one side open. Compact the snow with your foot, slide the brick out, then get stacking!</p>

<p>Lots of staring, but no one working. The igloo is a physical test, but also a mental one to see how strong your friendships can stand others being lazy. </p>

<p>Just past the halfway mark is when you get tired. Work stalls as bricks of snow wait for everyone to get back to work. </p>

<p>Topping off the igloo is the hardest part. Snow often fell inside the structure or was dropped before it could be hoisted into position.</p>

<p>The brave souls standing in the middle will slowly seal themselves in their own icy tomb before they cut their way out and make an entrance. </p>

<p>Our construction project is half way complete. </p>

<p>The brave volunteers are nearly locked inside the soon to be finished igloo. </p>

<p>Our desired dome igloo takes the form of a winter volcano. </p>

<p>Inside our igloo. You can see ours has a few gaps. We were glad we slept inside log houses and not in our own creation that cold night. </p>

<p>Our igloo standing proud against the cold in the distance. </p>

<p>Another picture of the finished igloo. You will want to take many after working so hard. </p>

<p>After the igloo making experience, you can warm up by making your own bread on a stick.</p>

<p>When the bread turns a golden brown, or is burnt black beyond recognition, it is time to eat!</p>

<p>We started slow but eventually got the hang of making and stacking bricks out of snow. The entire process from prep to pictures took about an hour and a half. </p>

Awone Shirakami Jyuniko Resort is a nature lover's resort. Being steps away from Juniko Lakes, the area is known for its mystic and rugged beauty. During the winter months the travel season may be slow, but there are still many unique activities to indulge in, such as awesome snow trekking and of course this article's theme: an igloo experience.

For those of you that don't know, an igloo is a shelter made of snow that was originally created by the Inuit people of the US, Canada, and Greenland. Generally, snow is compacted or cut into large bricks. The bricks are stacked up then in to create a dome shape. These are not to be confused with kamakura, which are made by piling up snow, compacting it, then hollowing it out.

Making an igloo takes a lot of work, but it is very rewarding. And to make one in Japan with good friends or family only makes it feel more special. Do take advantage of it if you stop by the resort.

More info

Find out more about Shirakami-Sanchi.

Justin Velgus @justin.velgus

Justin Velgus (ジャスティンベルガス) is the Miyagi Prefecture expert for Japan Travel and a long-term contributor since 2012 with a focus on the Tohoku region. Justin has written extensively for JT, and other publications such as VisitMiyagi and Sake Today, amassing over 350 published articles...