Overview: Minami-Uonuma, in southern Niigata Prefecture, is one of Japan's snowiest regions. Suzuki Bokushi's Hokuetsu-seppu, which describes people's lives there, was published 180 years ago. The book serves as a guide for Australian Jonathan Senior as he explores traditional weaving of a hemp textile and a wild festival passed down since ancient times, as well as the area's distinctive snow culture.