Snow-shovelling tour trend : Why are tours flocking to Japan to clear snow for free? | Trending

As Japan continues to be a top destination for tours, a new winter experience is gaining traction—snow shovelling. What is considered a tedious task locals has now become an unusual but popular attraction for foreign visitors. A tour agency in Hokkaido introduced a snow-shovelling tour as a unique winter activity. (Pixabay) During the Spring Festival holiday in January and February, China recorded 7.7 million entry-exit trips, with Japan emerging as one of the top destinations, according to China’s Xinhua News. While shopping sprees, known as bakugai or “explosive buying,” remain popular, an increasing number of tours are opting for experiential travel. Among these, snow shovelling has surprisingly become a hit, reported the South China Morning Post. A local tour agency in Sapporo, Hokkaido, one of the world’s snowiest cities, introduced a snow-shovelling tour as a unique winter activity. The city, home to two million residents, experiences sub-zero temperatures for a third of the year and sees an average snowfall of five meters every winter. The experience, offered Tobu Top Tours, allows tours to ride in a specialised snow removal vehicle and witness snow being cleared firsthand. The package, priced at 250,000 yen (approximately ₹1.4 lakh) for one to six people, is available from January to early March. Additionally, several Hokkaido homestays have begun offering rides in snow removal trucks to attract guests. Internet reactsReports indicate that many Chinese tours are enjoying the novelty of shovelling snow during their visits. On the social media platform RedNote, travellers have shared their excitement over this hands-on winter activity, reflecting a growing trend among young Chinese visitors who prefer immersive experiences over traditional shopping. The idea has sparked mixed reactions online. One Japanese observer on X praised the concept, saying, “The person who first came up with this idea is a genius.” Another commented, “Experiencing snow shovelling is entirely different from being paid to remove snow, which is a task requiring proper execution.” While some Chinese users found the idea amusing, others saw value in the experience. One commenter noted, “Many people from southern China have hardly seen snow. This experience is refreshing and enjoyable, and it can also serve as a good workout.” Also read: Burglar caught on CCTV after falling for Home Alone-style bucket trap, sentenced to prison