Our focus is on a natural phenomenon known as “Yuki-ekubo” (snow dimples).These dimples begin with tiny particles of dust (impurities) on the snow’s surface or subtle irregularities carved by the wind. Sunlight becomes trapped within these small depressions, reflecting repeatedly—a process called multiple reflection. This concentrated energy causes the snow inside the hollows to melt faster than the surrounding area, deepening the indentations. These are nature’s “dimples” in the snow.

In this project, we are leveraging the high thermal conductivity of metal to concentrate solar heat onto specific points, attempting to “draw” intentional snow dimples across the surface of the snow.

We are taking on two different challenges this time.

Ideally, we want to rely entirely on solar heat. However, to account for unpredictable weather conditions, we have also developed a version that uses heating wires to control the thermal energy, allowing us to conduct a comparative study.

This is only the first step. Natural phenomena still hold many unknowns. We will continue to explore how the synergy between nature’s power and technology can create new forms of cultural and environmental assets.