Snow country Japan: traditional snow removal

[@akimitussuzukii1834]

In Finland we use many tools that are meant to remove snow on the roofs by operating from the ground. Some local design and products some from other neighbouring countries with similar challenges with the snow. Those tools are working nice with all small houses that have no more than two floors from the groung. No need to climb up there. You should consider such a tools.

[@okkami676]

@akimitussuzukii1834 Could you tell us more about these tools and locally designed snow removal products that you mentioned that are used in Finland? What are they called? I would be interested in such products that don't require one to climb to the roof. Thank you. Particularly interested in the local designs. Thanks much.

[@loudsisi7895]

I had the same thought, but those houses are way taller than ours! And with all that snow on old type of roofs, our tools would be useless! Can you believe they don't even use safety harnesses on the roof?!

[@HelperBot5000_]

@@loudsisi7895 I've definitely seen some long handled scoops and some weird thing with a long plastic tarp, but yeah, Matt's roof might be too far up for those kind of removal tools.

[@loudsisi7895]

It probably depends where you live. Our housing association uses the one you mention, but we've live in one-story rivitalo, so it's easy to get to. The neighbors in the bigger houses don't clean it, though. They don't seem to get as much snow as us, and being detached, it's less of a hazard for people walking by.

[@kitapi1974]

日本には恐らくフィンランドで使われているであろうツールは存在しますが、積雪の多い地域では現実的ではありません。雪を滑らせて落とす為には法律に従った建築方法が予め必要です、日本では。

[@rachelbowman2046]

I felt relaxed when you went in the water lol. Very hard work. Love watching.

[@strumminronin]

Love it. No high vis, no harness, just sensible, knowledgeable, capable people doing their thing, completing the task safely. No fuss, no drama. Everyone goes home happy.

[@bluryeye1]

Your house looks beautiful Matt. Shoveling all that snow is going to keep you in shape. Be careful!

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you! I’m loving it for now but it’s going to be a long winter 😂

[@junyor6367]

Watching you clear the snow off the roof was spine tingling without any fall protection gear. And surprising since you had experience working on painting buildings at elevated heights but relieved to see that you recognize the danger. One accident and you are toast. Stay safe Matt and thanks for sharing your life with us.

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you! I was taught to paint in a way without safety precautions by my dad years ago. He was painting tower cranes in London in the 1970s. One hand holding a paint pail and the other hand was a glove as a paint brush. No safety devices whatsoever. It took me years to recognize dangers and understand safe work practices. But it gave me experience, knowledge and an open mind

[@Rune001]

careful with the work matt, us viewers wouldnt want you getting hurt!

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you! I really carefully assess the situation before making any decisions. I wouldn’t be doing the work and certainly not making the videos if I wasn’t confident and putting my safety at risk :)

[@Twiggy01]

Job well done Matt. I'd be worried about slipping off the roof, but we don't get much snow in australia

[@michelleagnew8780]

This was an amazing video! I live in a tropical climate. So all of this is pure magic! I loved seeing the lesson about snow reading. It’s a whole science! And the hot springs bath house was so relaxing. Thank you so much. I know all the other viewers might feel it’s just everyday occurrence of the snow, but I believe it’s high quality entertainment 😇❤️💙❄️

[@im.mattguy]

Glad you enjoyed it and thank you! Nature is so pretty and it’s so special to experience all the seasons. The hot springs here really make it easy to feel refreshed and they’re very affordable :)

[@Sara-rv7ds]

I can’t even imagine that much snow! It’s beautiful! Stay safe Matt! ❤

[@ZaWyvern]

As someone working in construction it's crazy that you don't have a harness on. For those regions they really need to install a clip off point on the roofs if 雪おろし is a common occurrence.

[@im.mattguy]

I’m also in construction and think it’s wild. My dad is coming up to his 70s now and was a painter working on tower cranes. One hand holding a bucket of paint, one hand with a paint brush glove, arms wrapped around the steel for safety. Times have changed around the world but it’s still very old school in rural Japan. Even the professionals doing this work rarely wear a harness

[@kristiinelson]

Thanks Matt, you're teaching me a lot about snow and the only way to learn more is through our own experience, just like your neighbour said. Loved the Onsen and coffee outing, that sounds like a relaxing morning to me.

[@speedmao1]

Thanks! I am not sure I could keep up with the snow removal - it looks like hard work!

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you very much! 🙏 appreciate it! We had a whole lot more today and more tonight. I’m feeling tested 😂

[@Rune001]

i feel like even though its hard work to remove the snow at night, it would kinds feel peaceful like going on a walk or jog, a type of meditation. ik people prefer convinence and that i might now realise how much hard work it takes but im just weird ig. anyway im gonna continue enjoying the vid. as always thankyou for the video Matt

[@im.mattguy]

You’re right, I love it! There’s a big sense of accomplishment that comes with it too :)

[@Rune001]

@@im.mattguy I'm glad we feel the same about it!

[@Lesspassivelife]

Hey Matt, Ive just discovered your channel a few days ago. As someone intolerant of too much cold, I somehow enjoy watching your life in Niigata. Middle of seeing this I was compelled to go to an onsen today. 😊

[@mehaktravel]

Wow zabardast

[@Taz-o7h]

Ah, the price of home ownership...get ER done.👍 Way to go Matt!✨💕

[@eternal_winter8713]

Hey Matt! I'm new to your channel and just wanted to say you have a great attitude and a wonderfully charming home. Love watching your vlogs. It lightens the mood in these dark northern Canadian winters. 🙂 Happy New Year!

[@hanovergreen4091]

Beautiful house and remodel bud. Congratulations. You need one of those long poles with a blade and a roll of plastic wrap. The pole/blade you push up under the snow and shove it up and the snow slides down the unraveled plastic. Ingenious device. I’ve enjoyed your videos and have subscribed. Best Regards and Best Wishes!.

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you and thank you! Loving the winter season here right now and the challenges it brings :) I tried what you’re referring to last year. With the horizontal snow retainers fixed on the roof, it didn’t work well. I would need to remove the horizontal steels. If I do that, I might get unplanned heavy snow dropping and could cause an accident. Plus, the pole was short for the roof. Long term goal might be a heating solution but not for a while

[@hockeymomWA]

That hot spring looks AMAZING

[@im.mattguy]

It’s a complete energy level reset. The solution to life’s problems 😂

[@stangace20]

You should definitely look into a heated roof and snowblower… And maybe a harness and clip point!

[@rickjamieson6605]

Roof angles should be pre-engineered to clear snow by gravity. The cost of building steeper and higher roof angles is obviously higher but the long-term payoff is clear. I am in snow country in another continent but it is code to either support the weight or disperse the snow. I guess you clearly understood the responsibility of your current home owning experience in winter and it is entertaining for viewers. Be safe and enjoy the snow!

[@YuriHavenhurst]

I love Japan, its people and culture. I was lucky to live there as a child but have never managed to make it back. I just found your video, thanks.

[@charleshenk9653]

By the way, I’m in Thailand now enjoying your snow videos

[@im.mattguy]

Enjoy the sunshine! I just got back from Cambodia to get a top up of sunshine before winter ❄️

[@1000Mountains]

You should wear a harness

[@im.mattguy]

That’s the plan. Need something to clip onto first though ;)

[@partyheartyboy]

Hi Matt. Great content. Please be safe while you do the snow removal. Your health is more important than views. Cheers! 😀

[@raveneye12]

This was a real scary one to watch. After the last video where Matt terrified the entire village with his snow shoveling skills I can only imagine the townspeople were staring out their windows ready to call flight for life rescue. Can't he just hire some competent 90 year old to do it and not climb that rickety ladder?

[@keram1233]

Here in Estonia, what we do with snow is we showel in against house foundation, nicely packed and thick coating, snow acts like extra layer of isolation so the heat wouldnt leave the house. If its allowerd to do the same in japan i suggest you doing it for extra warmth for the house :)

[@christopherwestphal7149]

So jealous of your snow. Live in Minnesota, and we got one good snow fall so far this year. It's pretty bad for snowy environments to not get snow (snow insulates, helps regulate temps [resists cold snaps and heat spikes], supports animal hibernation of animals + plants, and is good for keeping invasive species away). Plus all that light being reflected helps making everything a LOT brighter and get your Vitamin D in.

[@Brittanyblahblah_]

I think next year you should build a covered shelter for your van, it seems like it would be a good addition for you in the winter time. At least you will still have a parking spot and won’t have to rent one

[@im.mattguy]

It would be great but something that needs to be carefully considered is where to put snow on my property. We are responsible for managing the snow that falls on our property boundaries. For now, I can use my yard as snow storage space. It’s good for times when I need to clear the roof. If I make a shelter it would eliminate my snow storage area and means I would rely more on paid services to pick up and take away the snow. It’s an interesting and tricky situation but fun to explore the options

[@jdmspotter]

I'm early! (just finished watching the away 1 week video and meanwhile there's a new video out while I was watching...)

[@jdmspotter]

Self clearing definitely the way to go if you have a choice! Putting heating elements into the roof would probably be worth the cost just to not have to risk your life every week for 6 months a year!

[@im.mattguy]

Definitely great for self clearing if there is land around the property. For my house, it’s positioned right on the street. Most likely melting the snow with heating would be best and probably what I’ll look at doing in the long term

[@t1281]

I love reading the comments from people before they watched the whole video

[@charleshenk9653]

How come they don’t have steep roofs up in northern Japan or electrical tape like we have inTahoe? Thanks I enjoy your videos

[@im.mattguy]

They do exist but there are a lot of older houses which were built during the economic boom in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. They tried to build a more modern design for the time which came with new challenges. They were also build with other infrastructure in mind. Actually there are much older houses that are steep too with some interesting design features for weather-Kominka. I’ll have to cover that soon :)

[@adventuringandy945]

Good to see the Myoko snow! I’ll be there skiing early February.

[@im.mattguy]

Looks like the ski season is setup perfectly

[@YuriHavenhurst]

Pretty good cardio!

[@calamityjane5484]

All this snow would absolutely do my head in not to mention climbing the roof to rid it of snow would be comparable to having a tooth pulled.... and this coming from a Canadian! 😮 Stay safe

[@kan-e7s]

I find your KZbin contents peaceful and warm, pleasant to watch😊 I guess the locals have their own way to do with the roof snow learned from generations after generations through trials and errors, however I hope you’ll gradually find a little safer ways for yourself and people around you😊

[@Khawlalhasan]

I really enjoy your videos. I learned so much from them. I wonder which kind of camera are you using for your videos. I noticed the quality improvment.

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you very much! I just an iPhone 15 pro and previously had the setting on a lower resolution. I try to make the videos 4K now :)

[@brentonbills5946]

The onsen looked amazing after a hard day's work.

[@im.mattguy]

I wouldn’t recover without it 😂

[@bryanhenderson9637]

Great video and I'm exhausted just watching you do all that work. How many times a season do you have to go through this?

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you! 🙏 so far twice this season but looking like I’ll need to do it again soon. We’re getting a lot of snow this year and still a few months of heavy snowfall to go. Last season just 3 times

[@Haddepe]

Like some other comments already said there is tools to remove roof snow from the ground (maybe your house is too tall ?). It's like a rake with a really long handle and there is a plastic ribbon attached to it. You basically slice the snow and it slide on the slippery plastic sheet and fall on the ground.

[@SirMetrowy]

Harness is a good idea. You could clip yourself to the ladder and have point around middle of the roof to clip second line and then unhook from the ladder so you would always be strapped .

[@LLjean-qz7sb]

We call that "snowball snow"..... when it packs together like that! I love the Japanese snow shovel/sled...no lifting!

[@billywong9997]

Great Video Matt .... your vids inspire me to come visit Orija in Dec 2025

[@hockeymomWA]

No.cardio day needed!!! What a.workout!!!

[@im.mattguy]

I need to work on my skills 😂

[@OxfordPark]

I really love your enthusiasm around caring for your home. But I have to ask, how long did it take for you to clear your roof?

[@im.mattguy]

About 4 hours. I was also up and down to keep an eye on the road as I dropped the snow. Plus setting up the camera for the video :)

[@bobstanden6788]

Would like to see the clearing of the snow from the streets, what do they use?

[@Rune001]

another video soon pls!

[@im.mattguy]

I’m on it:)

[@Dare_Nano]

is that テムレス gloves? i think テムレス glove is one of the best gloves. and of course i use them too.

[@THORMYN1]

Wow a lot of snow on the roof! Here in Niagara Ontario we were lucky so far. South and North of us plenty of snow ! I used to be a skier back in Germany. In the alps and also here in Ontario up until I turned 60 . I know you love the snow. When does spring start? Happy Nee Year !

[@im.mattguy]

Do you still get out skiing or in the mountains? Spring starts around April to May in the area. Depending on the altitude and proximity to the ocean, some areas get spring a little earlier. That’s when hayfever starts!!

[@someonedoesitbetter3151]

so yes you get a lot of snow but how cold does it get there or at least how cold was it that day? I'm assuming that the snow stacking on the old roofs like that would retain the heat in the house better.

[@soraya6976]

I discovered your show few days ago, and I love it. How to go about buying a house there like you did!?

[@springbay1]

It's a good thing that you enjoy snow

[@justincosplay]

is it possible to retrofit the roof with heaters? how much would that be

[@lillianmvargaso4960]

❤😂Wow very hard work- nice reward- onsen n coffee🎉 be well and stay safe. From Arizona usa- our snow is way up north🏜️

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you!! Enjoy the holiday season! Arizona is beautiful too, will you make it up to the mountains for skiing?

[@lillianmvargaso4960]

@ No I am not too fond of that cold; I am almost 65 yrs :O :) I admire your work.

[@cherrytomato6139]

Fascinating story of your house, thank you! I like how positive and appreciative you are about the new country and it's people. Your snow fights made me question if this would be possible to build a small roofed car port? If you are good with DIY that shouldn't be too expensive and make life a bit easier?

[@lassosello1830]

So, what do you do when the snowing does not stop? Do you still go up there to clean? Let's say after two weeks constant snowing?

[@graywolf2694]

Heated streets is crazy awesome.

[@アキ-u9v3e]

雪国の温泉いいね♨

[@potatoloving_subham]

what if you add an extra metal sheet a few feet higher than your roof and heat it when snowfalls thus making it impossible for snow to accumulate? will that work?

[@geoh7349]

I cant strees this enough we use melt mats in our japan house and our us house. they are absolutely worth the money. i see from your video one of your neighbors is already using them.

[@im.mattguy]

Where do you use them for your house and what are the running costs? How do they perform with an overnight 4ft of snow? My neighbors advised against them because electricity costs in this area and can’t keep up with the snowfall

[@geoh7349]

@@im.mattguy they are cheap to run and you dont run them all the time just when it starts to snow. if you plug it in before the snow there will be no snow in the morning. it also kinda depends on the amount of snow fall. there is also a large 1m by 1m high power melting mat that you pile snow on and let it sit.

[@imark7777777]

The roofs in upstate New York have a higher slope for the snow to come off but they also usually have more room for the snow to go on the ground as they're not usually built to the edge of the property line. I never had shovel my roof until I moved to West Virginia. On top of that the snow actually insulate the roof, and assuming not too much heat loss it won't melt off. And you alluded to it that the layers of the snow show things but it also can show you that the top melted creating a slick layer between soft layers.

[@olivermayer6628]

Are you sure that is a self-clearing roof, or is it a heated roof?

[@im.mattguy]

Self clearing. Take a look at the snow splitter-the pointed capping at the top of the roof. Electricity can be expensive in Japan and plus people are careful with how they use resources in general

[@travelandtasmania]

So many questions! Could you fit a hot water sprinkler system on the roof ? Turn on when a forecast of heavy snow. ( you just answered my question!)😀 But running water pipes laterally on the roof hooked up to your hot water system would be DIYable and save lots of time. Many houses in rural Aus have sprinklers on the roof for the opposite reason- bushfires. Are there many injuries with snow giving away under a person on the roof? Your seasons between humid heat and deep snow seems so extreme coming from a year round mild climate like Tassie! I have been in Japan during summer (July this year most recently) and the heat&humidity nearly killed me! You are doing a great job and I take a great pleasure watching you removing snow while I have a coffee and it’s 24 degrees Celsius outside😂😂. Mark from Tassie

[@JL-ml6cy]

even hot water can freeze instantly when you spray it out like that, and even if it didn't it would cause problems below putting a bunch of water that will freeze over on the street. Also have to worry about the pipes bursting open because the water in them freeze.

[@travelandtasmania]

@ cheers. It looks simple from here😂 Armchair experts😀 You are doing a great job there and the house looks fantastic

[@daddygc5814]

Hey matt,did you change your camera,your newer videos are much more darker,than your previous ones.

[@freetravel8472]

Hey ! Do you provide some trip plans for skying in your area ( I mean you organize it ) ?

[@julesphillips1455]

Hey Matt, Cool channel and enjoy your content. What's the rule in Japan regarding the Onsen? I understand that you can't wear swim wear? Is this true?

[@dylano7242]

Why i love having an a-frane roof on my colorado high mountain house. I have never had get on the roof to clear snow , and its very energy efficient retains the heat, very cheap to build.

[@evangelyntan2790]

Where is myoko? How can you buy a house there? Do you have a realtor?

[@seattlemarcia2896]

Snow roof razors or snow peelers don’t work?

[@im.mattguy]

I did try it last year and discovered I would need to remove the horizontal steels to avoid obstruction. If I do that, I risk snow falling unplanned which could cause accidents for people walking and driving by

[@seattlemarcia2896]

And the rakes are too short?

[@im.mattguy]

They have ones that are 6.7 meters. They could trim the front which is useful for maintenance but most people would just leave it alone until the big roof clearing day

[@CarolFA1111]

Are you on a business visa? What type of business is it exactly, if you don’t mind me asking?

[@curiousnomadic]

I bet you could install a motorized panel that would just shove the snow down the roof slope at the push of the button. There are also those tools you operate from the ground that have a long slippery panel like a slip and slide that can get your snow off in a hurry.

[@RikerLovesWorf]

Just an idea but I'd like a video about insulation and cooling in summer

[@pamela6499]

Is the shed wide enough to put your car in there? Just need to change the door.

[@IamTheOppressor]

after watching some of your snow vids i think i'd last about 5 minutes before i went to a shop and bought a 4wheeler for getting around town lol, would fit nicely in your shed i reckon

[@thims1961]

Excellent! This is the tool for the job but I don't see you cutting out blocks like the guys in Life with Snow, Maybe next time. I suspect thats what your neighbor was referring to ;) With the snow falling again can you start moving the snow onto the street or do you have to wait for the plow to arrive

[@im.mattguy]

I’m very amateur level 😂 those guys do a perfect job of slicing the base and keeping it smooth for it to slide off. Impressive skills. My neighbor said not to use physical strength but chikara 力 like the “force” on Star Wars. Feel the flow of energy. We have to wait for the plow before moving snow on the street and that’s usually the 3am job. There are exceptions when we have heavy snowfall and need to prepare on advance-the town has been moving snow out earlier over the last few days. It would be too much to move on arrival of the plow

[@FranzKuster]

how some roofs are compleatly clean?them have roof heating?

[@brtw2]

Hey notigang!

[@Rune001]

ayo

[@danigmamachine9673]

Great! Love the "different world" What do you do in Japan for work Matt? 🇦🇺 Looking for a change myself.

[@Verinty]

Hey Matt, love your videos. Did you ever have a look at a tool called "Avalanche snow roof rake"? Its usually used on smaller buildings with easier access but it might still be worth taking a look at.

[@akimitussuzukii1834]

Yes, we use those in Finland. I also recommend those. Much safer. If not possible in all spots then you must climb but definitely with a harness on and clipped to somewhere safely and you also need to learn, how to use ropes and climbing devices.

[@im.mattguy]

I tried them out last year, on the lower roof it can work but not up the top

[@snoogly]

The Sun screen is out of focus. Could you pls post some specific info about it?

[@user-dr2pg8fk2i]

Instead of calling them flat, the technical term is low pitch or slope. Any roof that wants to retain the snow should also have hooks or bars.

[@thegreenarrow8286]

That would be my life dream place to live all that snow I’d give anything to live there or just visit

[@madsbkgaard9096]

When you slip and fall you can have a channel called I WAS Matt Guy ;) Be safe, cool videos

[@mediocreman2]

I don't understand why the pitch of those roofs is so low in an area prone to lots of snow.

[@im.mattguy]

Because they didn’t use to have the technology to clear the roads. So the houses were built strong to hold as much snow as possible for storing it. That gave the people and town more time for shifting the snow manually in the pre 1970s

[@OldMan_PJ]

For older poorly insulated homes the snow acts as an insulator as well.

[@marski-vv4qb]

Do you have woodstoves in Japan

[@dimmacommunication]

Do you have links with descriptions of these weather maps ? I mean about snow etc... cause I always find hard to get infos about Japan

[@charleshenk9653]

Good answer

[@Peter-lb8pv]

Who won the kimono?

[@im.mattguy]

A person in Singapore

[@Peter-lb8pv]

@im.mattguy cheers for the update.

[@larsbee]

good to see that this video is not titled how I broke my neck clearing my roof off snow... do u have neighbors who have different ways to clear their roofs like hot steam through pipes... I noticed that on some roofs but never really took a closer look...

[@im.mattguy]

Some do but it’s still a bit of an old school way. I think these days there are much better systems but retrofitting them is not so easy. When it gets to that point a lot of people stand back and notice a lot of systems are now outdated and end up rebuilding. A big part of why people don’t bother renovating property in Japan. Technology and methodology has changed so much that retrofitting is expensive to the point where building a new house is very viable

[@larsbee]

@im.mattguy houses in japan r like throw away consumer goods... kinda sad...

[@sylviamatthee8172]

Gosh, Matt, that looks so dangerous. Be careful, please.

[@im.mattguy]

Thank you! I will :)

[@Jude-to7lw]

I can’t even imagine and I am from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and we used to get a lot of snow but nothing like this

[@jordanwest1]

Is the onsen tattoo friendly?.

[@Dstew57A]

Are their people you can hire their that will do shovel the snow off of a person’s roof if the person that lives in the house is not able to physically shovel it them selves anymore?

[@im.mattguy]

There are people doing it and they do it this way-no harness, no safety, this is how it is. There are also government subsidies to help people pay for it when they can’t afford it

[@timheffernan7726]

Hi Matt Tim from Australia Coming to Myoko from Tokyo today… Ha be been watching your videos… trying to buy a car today & hope to buy a house in Myoko… Maybe we can do a few pow runs together over the next 5 days?

[@harmzegt8066]

Next summer attach a cable to the top of the roof. Next winter move the cable from the street from left to right to slice the snow. And it will come down by it self without you getting on a slippery roof without a guard rope

[@georgejones8784]

Yes! But you might need to dig extra ropes to get the ropes back into place for the next snowfall. I wonder how the snow would slide off the roof if it was metal.

[@lenovolaptop-t2e]

Not sure if it would work. Based on the pitch of your roof. But, a Snow peeler on my roof which is pitches hard like that house you showed in your video example. A Snow peeler on Amazon works amazingly. It could work well for you too.

[@elizabethturel78]

I am guessing that you are a man that knows his limitations. Doing snow removal at the proper time, etc. I would say work smarter, not harder❗️ We built a massive addition to our home and also removed the roof on the older section. We used a baked enameled steel roof. The snow does not stay, slides right off! It was more expensive, but the roof has not had to be replaced in 40 years.

[@Chrisb8s]

I can see that you of course are experienced in snow. Sure footed on the roof. It would be nice if it were like mowing a lawn just one pass

[@CandycaneBeyond]

The trees seem to be doing ok.