In a marriage of beauty and function, Japan's gardens can be seen sprouting crown-like structures every autumn until the springtime. They're called yukitsuri, and they protect tree branches from snapping under the weight of heavy snowfall. 

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Yukitsuri means "snow suspenders" in Japanese. According to The Japan Times, the earliest recorded usage of Yukitsiri is from the Edo Period between 1603 and 1867. They are most commonly seen in areas of heavy snowfall, such as Toyama, Ishikawa and Fukui prefectures along the coast of the Sea of Japan.

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The most commonly seen yukitsuris are made with ropes suspended from long bamboo poles. Starting in early November, teams of gardeners work together to construct the tree-saving structures, which can be comprised of as many as 800 ropes for one tree. One gardener climbs the pole and throws the ropes down to several other workers who climb ladders to tie the ropes taught on the tree's branches.

While these ropes support the branches all winter, many gardeners have found ways to make the structures a pleasant sight. Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan, decorates the protective yukitsuri with rope lights and golden ornaments similar to a Christmas tree. The structures remain until early March as spring approaches. 

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