Snow kept in an icehouse since the winter was taken out of storage in central Japan.

The annual event took place at the Yuwaku onsen hot springs area in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture.

It reenacts the Kaga domain's practice of making snow ice and offering it to shogun families in the summer during the Edo period.

Only one-third of the snow gathered in the icehouse in late January remained.

S/ Child / It's rare to see snow in the summer. 

S/ Child / I thought it's a wonder that they could store this much snow.

S/ Yuwaku onsen tourism association official / About 300 people came for the event. I am very thankful.

Officials said the number of people staying at lodgings in the hot springs area dropped after the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1 but is gradually recovering.

The snow ice will be delivered to places including the Ishikawa prefectural government office, Kanazawa city hall and Tokyo's Itabashi Ward where the Kaga clan's residence was located.