Living Traditions, Changing Climate

Preserving the wisdom and beauty of Japan’s winter heritage for future generations

Japan’s winter traditions are not relics. They are living culture, passed down from grandparents to children—knowledge that once helped communities survive the harshest winters. They are our identity, our resilience, and what makes us human.

But climate change is rapidly reshaping our winters. Ancient rituals like the 580-year-old Omiwatari ice tradition now face disappearance. If we do nothing, centuries of wisdom and beauty could vanish before today’s children grow old.​

Cultural heritage is rooted in local climate. Just as Japan’s snow country gave rise to winter rituals, every region of the world has traditions born from its seasons—festivals of harvest, rituals of rain, and knowledge of the environment surrounding us. When climate changes, these heritages are at risk everywhere.

That is why we are making a documentary film: to capture Japan’s winter heritage, share it with the world, and unite guardians of cultural traditions in every climate and season to keep them alive.