Millions of people visit Niseko on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido every year. Four resorts united on one mountain make for a lot of tourists, and with those tourists comes lots of garbage. Trash bins in public are not a common sight in Japan, and visitors should expect to carry their garbage home with them. Sadly many people choose to dispose of their garbage on the ground instead.
Blaize Kelley, who spends his winter around Niseko, shared footage from the annual cleanup around the Niseko Grand Hirafu. Just before the seasonal crew heads out the community gathers together to cleanup trash in the area, often collecting over 500kg of rubbish each year.
500kg is equivalent to about 1,102 pounds, close to the weight of a typical cow. A lot of the trash Blaize picks up is tossed cigarettes. If you’re headed to Japan, whether you’re a smoker or not, be prepared to carry your trash until you get home at the end of the day.
