The village of Taketokoro in Niigata Prefecture receives some of the heaviest snowfall in the world.

This community of Japanese traditional houses - is having a very white Christmas indeed.

Living in this house - called Sokakuan - are Karl Bengs, a German architectural designer, and his wife, Christina.

Tina made this seasonal arrangement, which she placed in a piece of Japanese pottery.

It's like a Christmas tree, yeah?

I was here one day alone because he had to go to Hokkaido.

And then I wondered what I'm going to do.

Oh, yes, I know, I'm going to make a decoration.

And so when I have so much time alone, then I have ideas, really enjoying this day.

It was really an enjoyable day.

Because I don't have to cook.

She says when I'm here, there's always pressure on her.

She's most comfortable when I'm not here.

Kanai Fusa lives in the "Rouge House."

She's put a big Christmas wreath on her terrace.

I get excited because Christmas is an event that's been a part of my childhood.

If I don't celebrate it, I don't feel we'll transition to the next season.

This is the second year in a row that the village has been hit by record-breaking snowfall.

Residents are busy shoveling, but they're still able to enjoy the unique fun of winter.

This is my first time.

This is great.

It's delicious.

Taketokoro is enveloped in a silvery world.

This is the story of what winter life is like here.

November.

The days are getting colder, and every day the signs of winter are growing stronger.

Today, Karl's going to a nearby town to see a vacant house.

The foundation rests on this stone.

Restoring traditional Japanese houses is Karl's life's work.

He collaborates with Onozuka Yoshiyasu, a licensed architect.

The owner of the house contacted Karl, who came to check on its condition.

It was built well over 100 years ago.

The house had been vacant for a year.

The owner asked Karl if he could make use of the pillars and beams.

The first thing that caught Karl's eye was a splendid beam, the likes of which he'd never seen.

This is great.

The width is 42 cm. Amazing, isn't it?

This one and that one over there.

It's about 40 cm.

These large beams over 40 cm wide support the structure of the house on all sides.

This one is pretty thick, too.

Karl checks the second floor.

This one is about 45 cm.

It's even wider.

A large beam over ten meters long forms the backbone of the house.

It may look old and dirty but all the materials are wonderful.

They are really great.

There's nothing like it these days. Today everything has to be straight.

But the old carpenters didn't waste wood.

These traditional houses are packed with treasures.

Karl also found something in the attic.

This is an old-style raincoat.

It was worn like this.

Looks good, eh?

They used to wear these to work outside in the snow.

Look at this.

Is there anyone now who can do such detailed handwork?

We should cherish this.

This too.

Ropes now are all made by machine. In the past, they made everything by hand.

So many great finds here.

I'll bring this back and take care of it.

Karl loves not only buildings but Japanese handicrafts, too.

The house that Karl and Tina live in is 120 years old.

Using the pillars and beams of the original house, they've created a modern living space.

Tina's a good cook, and her neighbors often share fresh vegetables with her.

These mushrooms were picked in the mountains. I don't know the names.

Presents from other people.

Everything is from the area here.

This is pumpkin.

It's my favorite.

Now the mushrooms.

These look delicious.

I have to clean a little bit.

On today's menu is steak with sauteed mushrooms.

This is Karl's.

It's the way he likes it.

Tina mashes up the pumpkin and adds some fresh cream and butter.

Pumpkin is fantastic.

I can eat it every day, pumpkin.

Maybe the presentation isn't so good.

No, it's good.

Bon appetit.

Try this. It's delicious.

Mountain mushrooms have a strong aroma.

It looks like the harvest is small this year.

People are always sharing things.

As Christina is always saying, this place is paradise.

We're very happy living here.

"Ureshii" means "happy?"

"I'm happy."

Me too.

Tina was born in Argentina.

She traveled the world as an airline cabin attendant.

She says there's no better place than Taketokoro.

I've traveled all over the world.

So I knew exactly what I wanted and where I wanted to live.

When I first came to Taketokoro,

I was moved by all the lush greenery and the beautiful plants I'd never seen before.

It was like paradise.

For me, this house is a place where I feel protected the moment I step inside.

November 26.

Taketokoro is receiving its first snow of the season.

The people in the village will be busy preparing for winter.

Kanai Fusa moved here from Tokyo.

This will be her third winter in Taketokoro.

"Hello, good to see you again."

Hello.

Winter's arrived.

"What are you doing now?"

I'm cleaning up the dried grass.

It will be beautiful in the spring when the new buds appear.

See, these are daffodils. They're already budding.

Soon they'll be buried under the snow. But the buds will start to peek out.

They'll stay buried, and then when spring comes, they'll grow.

Fusa's started making a Christmas wreath using branches from a woody vine.

It's become so grand here.

Seems a little too big.

Stopping for a cup of tea and a chat is her neighbor Nakajo.

That's very thick. It's like a sumo wrestler's loincloth.

Nakajo always has something cheeky to say.

You need some green.

I've got some fir branches.

She inserts the fir twigs she pruned for the wreath.

The wreath turned out bigger than she expected.

She decided to display it on her terrace, where it can be seen from a distance.

Christmas is an annual event that comes from other countries.

But I've celebrated it since I was a kid so I get excited about it.

Since it's a seasonal event, if I don't celebrate it,

I don't feel we'll transition to the next season.

Karl is currently restoring a traditional house in Taketokoro.

Today, a ceremony's being held under the newly installed roof to mark the completion of the framework.

To pray for safety during the construction, they mark the floor using a traditional ink brush and pot.

Today is auspicious.

We pound this in celebration.

Be forever happy.

The new owner is Katayama Akiko.

She is a business executive in Tokyo.

She plans to start a new life in Taketokoro, after retiring.

This is her only daughter, Saki.

She says she was surprised when her Tokyo-born and -bred mother decided to move to snow country.

I knew that the pillars were thick,

but looking at them now, they are impressive.

The framework for the house comes from a house built over 100 years ago in a neighboring town.

After the ceremony, they'll scatter rice cakes.

Many people from the village have come.

We'll scatter the rice cakes of happiness.

Sorry. I got you.

Akiko wanted to have a grand ceremony.

Since she's moving to such an unfamiliar place, she wanted to have many opportunities to get to know her neighbors.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

Hopefully done by spring.

Nice to meet you. Give my regards to your grandmother.

Such a solemn feeling to think everyone will be watching to ensure it's finished safely.

- Thank you so much.
- Not at all.

This is Karl's office in a neighboring town.

He and Tina are holding a dinner party to welcome Akiko and her daughter.

How are you?

Thank you for preparing all this.

Tina is going to be my teacher in everything in Taketokoro.

Thank you.

When you come, we can talk a lot of time together.

I'm looking forward to the house's completion next June

and to deepening my friendship with everyone.

Did you hear that? By June.

Can you finish it by June?

Leave it to me.

We all noted it.

Until recently, Akiko and her daughter had a rather rocky relationship.

Saki was aiming to become a biology researcher, but she left graduate school.

She became an artist, carving motifs of living things on erasers.

She left the house where she was living with her mother and got married.

Meanwhile, Akiko decided to move to Taketokoro.

For a long time, the two of us lived together, mother and daughter.

I probably left home a bit earlier than my mother wanted.

She was shocked and like, "Why did you suddenly disappear?"

I was like the main purpose of her life. She probably felt a deep sense of loss.

I think my mother moved to Niigata convinced that she'd live on her own.

My daughter chose a different path than I expected so I was very disappointed.

I was busy working.

I grew up in the older, close-knit part of Tokyo,

but didn't have strong connections with my neighbors.

I was worried about whether I'd be able to get along with the people here.

But today I feel I've gotten close to them.

The party ends with a celebratory song performed by the master carpenter in charge of rebuilding Akiko's house.

"The plum blossoms of Tenjinbayashi..."

It's often sung at weddings and other joyful events in this region.

Thank you very much.

Akiko is eagerly awaiting the day when she can relocate to her new home.

The end of December is approaching.

A lot of snow fell before Christmas.

Taketokoro is covered in a blanket of silver.

At Sokakuan...

The advent candles are on display.

They will be lit in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

We always light one candle on successive Sundays.

We can only light them on Sunday.

They are lit from four weeks before Christ's birthday.

Waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ.

I received this Santa Claus. It's cute, isn't it?

This is silk.

It's probably made from kimono cloth.

It is so beautiful.

Tina has started preparing some traditional Christmas sweets.

What is this one called?

Pfefferkuchen.

Pfeffer means pepper.

But I don't know why. I tried to find out why this is the German name.

It has nothing to do with pepper because it's sweet. It's honey and sugar.

But it's really famous.

In the past, spices like pepper came from places such as India.

They were valued like gold. Maybe that's how the name came about.

In the past, almost every family made it.

This is spices which I prepared by myself.

There are a lot of combinations.

Cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, allspice.

But the mixture has to be right, balanced.

It's a recipe her German grandmother taught her when she was a child growing up in Argentina.

This is the butter.

18 minutes...

The Hansel and Gretel house was made from pfefferkuchen.

Grimm's fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel.

But not only pfefferkuchen. Some sweets also.

Smells wonderful.

Now I make this...

Four hours.

Sorry.

As the sun goes down, we return to Sokakuan.

Tina's pfefferkuchen is ready.

She's spread a layer of chocolate over the spiced cake.

She then decorated it with orange peel and nuts to make a wonderful Christmas treat.

Can you give me some cookies? Which do I want?

The chocolate ones are heart-shaped. There are a lot of other ones.

I'll take one of each.

They're very soft.

Both Tina and Karl still have vivid memories of the Christmases of their youth.

This is Christina and her younger sister.

This is a good one. How old were you?

Maybe 12.

What kind of girl were you?

Quiet and reserved. My sister was very lively.

On the night of the 24th of December, he comes about 8 o'clock.

(knocks) Yes?

Santa Claus is here.

And then it starts... Oh, god, it's dramatic sometimes.

It was also when we were small girls, my grandmother, the German grandmother,

she said, "I have to go out. I have to buy some sweets.

I will be back in one hour because there's a special pastry shop. And then I will be back.

Yes, yes, I will be back when Santa Claus is coming. I will be there."

Of course, she was Santa Claus.

In half an hour she came and she had a big bag with all the presents which we were expecting.

But also, "What did you do? Are you always saying thank you for everything? Good morning, good night every day?"

It was very funny.

Christmas Eve is a special time spent with family.

Karl and Tina are planning to celebrate quietly together.

December 25th.

The snow has continued nonstop.

Neighbors come to pick up a Christmas tree from Kanai Fusa's house.

Is it heavy?

It's pretty heavy so the only way to carry it is like this.

It's lighter than I thought.

Fusa decorated this hiba cypress tree that was broken in her backyard.

They're taking it to the Taketokoro community center.

They're preparing for a children's Christmas party.

All the adults will help set up.

Hang the lights in a zigzag.

That looks good, Fusa.

It's pretty. That's good. I want everyone to enjoy it.

It looks like Christmas. With just this one tree.

Meanwhile, Igarashi prepares a cedar tree to decorate the entrance.

"Where did you cut it down?"

Over there.

I also brought that one, but it's too small.

I want to make the children happy.

It's 6pm, time for the party.

Despite the snow, the children are arriving.

Hey, Koyu. Long time. Hi, Koha.

You've really gotten tall.

Tina and Karl arrive.

What are you doing here?

Good evening.

People usually bring potluck dishes to the party.

This is some special sushi.

That's too much.

Are you only eating chicken wings?

Karl has brought schweinebraten, a German pork roast.

I worked really hard to make this.

Did you? Must've been Tina.

I did. Tina cooked the vegetables.

Call Santa.

It's finally time for Santa to appear.

Santa.

Merry Christmas.

Have you been good children?

Answer or you won't get anything.

- Have you been good at school?
- Yes.

Good for you. I'll give you all a present.

These Christmas parties began when Karl and Tina moved to Taketokoro some 30 years ago.

Their neighbors wanted to welcome them as new residents.

Every year I come here.

It's lovely to meet everybody.

It's very nice. I like it.

At one time, they have shown up dressed as Santa Claus to surprise everyone.

When my son was small, you dressed up as Santa Claus and brought presents.

He got really excited, and said, "Santa's here."

Yuki, do you remember that?

You do?

When I first came here, everyone was gathered like this,

and I asked, "Can I join you?"

Everyone said, "Welcome, welcome."

As more families move here and the number of children increases,

the Christmas party has become an especially big event for the kids.

What I like about Taketokoro is that the residents communicate well with each other.

We care about one another, and if a problem arises for someone, we help each other.

A place where you want to be is a hometown. For me, Taketokoro is my hometown.

The mood is still festive as the party carries on into the night.

The end of the year has arrived.

Kanai Fusa is busy preparing New Year's dishes.

It was really hard to find this thick burdock root.

I'll cut it.

Walnuts inside.

This is fried tofu.

I cook one square and I roll it while it's hot.

Great, huh?

My mother used to prepare fried tofu like this.

When I was working, I couldn't prepare these things. I'm probably trying to make up for that.

My mother used to make us help out when we were kids.

Before New Year's, everyone would be standing in the kitchen.

She'd tell us how to peel and cut the vegetables, how to cook things.

I remember her instructions for preparing these New Year's dishes.

Surprisingly, Fusa has prepared 23 different New Year's dishes.

Yes, this is slow living.

I spend 8, 10 hours to prepare all this.

Slow living doesn't mean just being relaxed and leisurely.

You're still pretty busy.

But I don't dislike it. I actually enjoy that time.

There goes the snow.

2021 will end quietly.

"Quite a wall of snow, isn't it?"

It really is.

Early in the new year, Japanese traditional snowshoes in hand, Karl sets out for some trekking.

Scrunching on the snow as he walks along is one of Karl's great winter pleasures.

It's a wonderful feeling.

Karl climbs a hill where he can get a panoramic view of the entire village.

From this high ground, he can enjoy an unbroken vista of the place he is so proud of.

These colorful houses...

In the summer, you can't see them because of all the leaves on the trees.

But now the leaves are gone so you can clearly see the colors,

the yellow, the blue...

It's nice, the way they stand out. I really enjoy it here.

Everything is pure white,

but it's wonderful since you can see that people are living in the midst of all that.

Karl has renovated ten traditional houses in Taketokoro.

He's also painted the walls of several sheds in bright colors.

Karl has spent 30 years creating this landscape little by little, working closely with his neighbors.

We've created a paradise with our own hands.

I'm truly grateful to the people of the village for doing this.

We came here as foreigners, as guests so to speak.

But they all welcomed us very warmly.

It's a really quiet and calm place, but you never feel alone.

January 15.

I'm tossing it, right there.

Today is the day of the dondo-yaki, a new year fire festival.

Everyone in the village will carry the kaya grass that was cut in autumn and left to dry in the storehouse.

The people who taught us are all gone. This will get the fire burning quickly.

They're wrapping the grass with tree branches.

Wow. He's brought a really big one.

Karl carries in a bamboo trunk seven meters long.

According to local tradition, one tree cut down after the start of the year is always added to the dondo-yaki fire.

They erect a number of support poles around the bamboo trunk.

These are huge. They'll burn well.

One, two.

The children add their New Year's calligraphy.

They're ready to light the fire.

It's said that if the smoke rises straight up, that year's harvest will be good.

What will happen this year?

Incredible.

This year's completely different.

- Is it always like this?
- Not like this.

- It's like a dragon rising.
- Yes.

A big plume of smoke heads straight up into the sky.

As they look at the burning tower, what wishes are Karl and Tina making?

Good health.

If you're healthy, everything will be better.

What I need?

He should love me, love me more and more.

And stay healthy.

Nice place to stay because it snows, it's very nice.

Healthy, healthy, healthy.

Everybody genki.

Taketokoro settles into its long winter under its snowy blanket.

Life is peaceful in the village as it awaits the arrival of spring, when the cycle of life will begin anew.