Photo/Illutration Trucks are stuck on a snow-covered national road in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, on Dec. 20. (Yasuo Tomatsu)

A good number of poems by Shinpei Kusano (1903-1988) appeal to readers’ eyes, so to speak.

A perfect case in point is “Yuki” (Snow), a 92-syllable poem written entirely in hiragana. It goes: “Shin shin shin shin/ Shin shin shin shin/ Shin shin shin shin yuki furi tsumoru/ Shin shin shin shin yuki furi tsumoru/ Shin shin shin shin yuki furi tsumoru/ Shin shin shin shin/ Shin shin shin shin.”

“Shin shin” is a Japanese onomatopoeia for steadily falling snow.

The relentless repetition of “shin shin” evokes images of a completely white landscape blanketed with heavy snow that won’t be letting up anytime soon.

I transliterated the poem in its entirely because an abridgement would not do justice to what I perceive to be the poet’s artistic intent.

The Japan Meteorological Agency is warning the nation of a possible long spell of heavy snow, mainly along the Sea of Japan coast, that will continue past Christmas Day into early next week.

The forecast is depressing as the year-end is always a busy time. The leaden sky must be especially unwelcome for people who are planning family trips.

But in the face of severe winter weather, there is no such thing as being too careful.

I once underwent training for how to camp out in a car in Hokkaido in the dead of winter. The mercury registered minus 14 degrees.

I got into the car without turning on the engine for heat, having been warned that should I fall asleep, the snow could clog the tailpipe while I slept and fill the car with exhaust gas.

I thought I was well bundled up with a wool cap, down coat and tights, but before long, I felt my toes go numb, followed by the rest of my body. It was impossible to sleep.

I recalled that experience when seeing images of stranded trucks and other vehicles in Niigata Prefecture.

As of this writing, the city of Sado was already on its fifth day without power.

I urge everyone to check their disaster preparedness plans.

Just past the winter solstice now, the days will get longer. For the sake of people shivering in the cold in various parts of Japan, I wish the sun would try to work a bit harder.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Dec. 23

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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