Japan has come up with a much simpler solution to clearing snow from roads that the US could learn from
- Japan is well-versed in creating world-renowned tech
- But this time they’ve gone simple
- This sprinkler system keeps roads safe during 10-ft snowstorms
Published on Mar 22, 2025 at 4:35 AM (UTC+4)
by Jack Marsh
Last updated on Mar 18, 2025 at 4:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The tech-savvy geniuses in Japan have created a simple solution to clearing snow from roads, and the US could take some notes.
Snow can be extremely hazardous for drivers, reducing visibility, creating slippery roads, and increasing the risk of accidents if proper precautions aren’t taken.
But in Japan, people have found an ingenious way to clear snow.
And it could save Americans a lot of time.
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The genius way Japan deals with snowy roads
Japan has some great habits when it comes to cars and travel, having already established incredible parking courtesies. Now, the country is defeating bad weather.
Currently, American methods of dealing with snow are spreading salt, deploying plow trucks, and putting a big fat coat on to get your shovel out.
But Japan has a ‘shosetsu’ system that melts snow on every major road.
First introduced in the 1960s in the city of Nagaoka, the neat little hack involves the implementation of sprinklers on the roads.
These are used to soak the streets and melt the snow.
The sprinklers, either built into the roads or the barriers that dock the streets, have now been employed all over the country.
Considering snowfall can reach 10 feet high, matching that in Minnesota and other northern US states, it’s an incredibly successful technique.
Because of the many hot springs in Japan and the general temperature of gathered rainfall being quite warm, the sprinklers spray warm water constantly, which even combats the creation of ice.
Few places around the world have been able to replicate this though, as warm water is needed, rather than cold water which would ice over and make conditions even worse.
Chinese cities have experimented with similar infrastructure with the addition of heat pumps, but this becomes increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain.
For America, it would be tough to replicate.
Still, there’s a potential for some states to use the technology as there’s no doubt it would be beneficial.
Japan is well and truly ahead of the game when it comes to this kind of technology.
It even debuted the world’s first plant-powered racing oil.
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