Hello from Michi No Eki Aso! It was snowing again here in Aso. I hope you have a good day (*^^*)
Kozumi (小積み) is Aso’s specific way of tight up and stacking grasses. The shape is like small house. One Kozumi need about 500 KG grasses. You can see this only in winter. Because cows are down mountains and stay cowshed. Grazing in grassland from spring to autumn.
People cut grasses in autumn and made Kozumi in grassland. Then they brought it down home whenever they need to feed cows during winter.
Every cow have 5 Kozumi’s grasses in whole winter!
Until the 60’s every family have 2 or 3 cows or horses to carry heavy things. After 70’s cars and tractors are spreading in Aso. Now Kozumi is become old folk culture.
Above of cow had made by kids and the grass cut artist at Aso grassland conservation center’s festival in last autumn. The object was big enough as like as real cow.
They made this only in few hours. Amazing!
If you come Aso in winter, please enjoy landscape with Kozumi! Please keep warm and have a good day.
Thea
