Global warming wipes out Japan's 'love path of the gods'

Ice splits and forms mountain-like folds on the surface of Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture, also known as the Omiwatari phenomenon - Photo: Nagano Prefecture/JNTO

In Japan, a special natural phenomenon called "Omiwatari", in which ice forms on the surface of Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture and forms folds resembling mountain ranges, has not appeared for the seventh consecutive winter. The cause is believed to be climate change and global warming .

Historical records from the Muromachi period (1336-1573) show that the number of winters without the Omiwatari phenomenon, or "Ake no umi," has increased significantly since 1951. "Signs of climate change and global warming are becoming apparent on Lake Suwa," said Kiyoshi Miyasaka, 74, chief priest of Yatsurugi Shrine in Suwa City.

According to legend, Omiwatari is the road that the male god Takeminakata of Kamisha Shrine in the Suwa Taisha Shrine complex in Suwa, traveled on his way to visit the goddess Yasakatome of Shimosha Shrine in the neighboring town of Shimosuwa. For that reason, Omiwatari is also known as the "love road of the gods".

According to monk Miyasaka, the Omiwatari phenomenon was first recorded in 1397 in documents left by the Moriya clan, who were the heads of Suwa Taisha's Kamisha Shrine.

The "Ake no umi" phenomenon has occurred 81 times, including 40 times in the 75-year period since 1951. This rate has increased significantly since 2000, when there were 18 years without an Omiwatari phenomenon. Since Japan entered the current Reiwa era in 2019, Omiwatari has not appeared again.

Monk Miyasaka expressed his concern: "The ancient landscape of Lake Suwa is gradually disappearing. There may soon come a time when Omiwatari will only be a legend, an event of the past."

The Lake Suwa area has also been lacking cold days this year. On January 20, which is usually the coldest day of the year in Japan, the air temperature at a weather station south of Lake Suwa was 0 degrees Celsius, while the water temperature was 3.2 degrees Celsius.

Although a cold front on February 9 and 10 caused the temperature to drop to minus 10 degrees Celsius and froze most of the lake's surface, the ice melted after just one day. The area is not expected to receive any more cold fronts, causing this year's winter to be declared "Ake no umi".

The longest period without Omiwatari to date is the eight consecutive winters from 1507 to 1514 during the Sengoku (Warring States) period of the 15th and 16th centuries. The current period is the second longest, followed by the period from 1992 to 1997 with six winters without Omiwatari.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/trai-dat-nong-len-xoa-so-con-duong-tinh-yeu-cua-cac-vi-than-o-nhat-20250317145339151.htm