Since winter comes early to Kanazawa, the yukitsuri is put up in November. It starts with the famous Karasaki Pine in Kenrokuen Garden. The trees that are suppported are pines, azaleas, and fruit trees. First a pole is propped up near the trunk of a tree and rope is hung from it and attached to the ground, forming a teepee-like shape. This process is especially important for evergreen trees because they are so delicate. There are three types of yukitsuri. Ringo-tsuri: five ropes attached to one pole are placed close to the trunk of a tree, and a special decorative rope is attached to the top of the pole. Miki-tsuri: used to support young trees such as pine and cherry. The rope is attached directly to the top of a tree and hangs directly into the lower branches of the tree giving it proper support. Shibori: used on shrubs such as bush clovers and azaleas. Rope is used to gather all the branches into a bottle-like shape. This method is used to protect the plants from snow piling up on the ground around them. The most popular method is Ringo-tsuri, and all the famous and older trees in Kenrokuen Garden are supported in this manner. |