Japanese Snow

Okay look look, I'm tired of this.

In Sapporo, it snows. ALL THE TIME.

I love snow, I love snow a lot. But I have one problem, my fluffy friend.

When you pack that snow down, over and over again by, say, the feet of a thousand rushing around college kids, things tend to become less fluffy and much more... icy.

Normally where I come from, the good ol US of A, this isn't a problem, since we have the beloved idea of shoveling the sidewalk. Then the way is clear, and walking is lovely. Nice, pretty, beautiful tufts of snow on the lawns, the trees, etc.

BUT IN SAPPORO, OH NO NO NO, shoveling the sidewalk DOES NOT EXIST.

I don't really have much to say about this one, except the ice is PACKED on, usually around a foot high at this point. The only time you see cleared sidewalks is when a company pumps hot water underneath the concrete to melt the stuff away via pipes built there, but if people don't have that, then they're just too lazy to clear it, and you get slick icy sidewalks. No salt, no shoveling, nothing.

They barely even clear the streets! I've seen cars skid EVERYWHERE.

The closest remedy you'll see is perhaps, some kind soul will sprinkle charcoal on the ground to embed itself in that caked-on mess of ice, providing a bit of traction.

But that's it.

Blows my mind really. I mean in America there'd be people suing as far as the eye can see with such a situation.

Last year over 1000 people slipped and had to go to the hospital in Sapporo ALONE. And not ONE of them sued?

WHAT A COUNTRY!

Time for some noodles...