“Pulling the sled” [Sori hiki], c. 1950. Unknown woodblock artist. In the snowy rural districts of northern Japan, traditional children’s winter garb included a hooded cape, baggy trousers, and shin-length boots of straw.
See also:
“Oyatsu” [Afternoon refreshment], c. 1950. Unknown woodblock artist.
Picking persimmons, unknown artist, c. 1960.
“In the northern sections of Japan where the snowfall is heavy and lies deep, travelers have to invent devices for over coming difficulties of locomotion.
“One of the devices used is the sukari which somewhat resembles an Indian snowshoe, being made of bent bamboo across which ropes are wound. Another snowshoe called the kanjiki is much smaller, being shaped something like a heart, the frame of wood and the center of ropes, some thing like a lyre. It does not, like the sukari, extend outside the width of the foot all round, but it is sufficient to keep one from sinking while traveling on the snow.
“The sukari is used simply for walking over the snow, but the kanjiki is worn by those who have to pull loads or go through violent exercise in the snow, for which the big snowshoe would be too awkward.
“There is also another kind specially made for children. It is intended primarily for sliding and is attached to the geta. The Japanese snowshoe proper is made of straw matting, something like a boot in shape.”
– Japanese Winter Sports, by S. Sugiyama, The Japan Magazine, November 1916