The Mount Zao Snow Monsters are not real snow monsters. They are an unusual natural phenomenon called juhyo which occurs on Mount Zao in Japan from late December to March. Maries’ Fir trees are evergreen conifer trees indigenous to the central-northern mountain regions of Honshu. They endure blazing summer heat and then bitter winters. Each winter Siberian winds travel across the North Japan Sea and batter the mountain with 6-9 feet of snow which glazes the fir trees with freezing condensation to create these strange creations.

They become a tourist attraction both day via cable car and when illuminated at night.