Newfound Appreciation for Modern Amenities in Yukiguni

Yesterday I blogged about my joy that winter was finally over in Yukiguni, and today, I learned just how lucky I am to be living here in this day and age.

I took my children to visit the "Mukashi-ya," a replica of an old-fashioned house in yukiguni that's full of interactive tools, toys, and exhibits.  It's not a big place, but we enjoyed ourselves for quite a while there.  

Some of the things on display are clothing, tools, and instruments used to survive the harsh winters of yukiguni from a bygone era, and let me tell you, it gave me a deep appreciation for all of the things we have today.

For example, I have a nice down jacket with fur-lined hood, warm gloves, thick rubber boots, and plenty of long johns to keep me warm on those winter days.  Here is what people in the past used to wear:

Here are the snow shoes and a drawing of what it looks like put together:

I guess in a place where large animal furs are not readily available (hard to see them stringing together a bunch of tanuki and monkey furs...), straw is the way to go.  The logic behind it was simple enough: wear heavy fabrics and use the straw to keep the snow off of the clothes; that way, the fabric wouldn't get wet and actually provides a sort of insulating effect.  I guess I can buy that, but would I want to test it out myself?  Not really...

And if you think to yourself, Well, things had to have been better after the industrialized era, here's a picture of life in yukiguni from 1945:

Like I said before, I certainly have a newfound appreciation of all of the modern amenities we enjoy today!