Shoes made from soft, moisturizing straw have been an essential part of daily life in snowy regions of Japan. Typically made during the farming off-season, when time is more readily available, the snowshoes wrap around the soles of the feet and leave oval footprints in the snow. Footwear made entirely of straw is very labor-intensive, so grandparents sometimes made them as special gifts for their grandchildren. There is a growing movement to preserve and pass on the techniques of straw snowshoe-making.