The Institute of Low Temperature Science of the Hokkaido University, Japan, was established in 1941 for the purpose of making researches on those natural phenomena which are caused by the winter cold experienced in Japan. It has six cold chambers for experimental work. These can be cooled as low as −57° C., five of them having a floor area 4 m. × 4 m. The fifth, which is four times as large as the others, is equipped with a wind tunnel.

The Institute comprises six research sections. Four are physics sections and the other two are biological and medical. The total number of research workers is twenty-eight.

The members of the physics sections are occupied mainly with investigations on the physical properties of snow and ice. After having carried out general research for the last eight years on various properties of ice and snow such as the thermal, mechanical and electrical aspects, most of the staff is now studying the mechanical properties of deposited snow from a rheological point of view. Physical researches have also been conducted for the last several years on the sea ice field on the north-east coast of Hokkaido.

The eastern coast of Hokkaido is invaded by dense sea fog in spring and summer. Although this fog is not directly related to winter cold members of the Institute have been engaged for the last four summers in studying the problem of the influence of forests planted along the sea coast in preventing fog.

Members of the biological section have been engaged in studying how plant bodies freeze. They have taken a large number of freezing curves of food plants such as potato or turnip, and have found many variations in them according to circumstances. They have also observed plant cells under the microscope while they were being cooled to freezing, and have found many different types of freezing which could be correlated with the variations of the freezing curves. They are now studying resistance against frost of frostresisting insects such as slugs, caterpillars and the European cornborers found most commonly in Hokkaido.

Members of the medical section, in conjunction with those of the biological section, are studying the cold preservation of blood. They are intending to find a way by which blood can be kept unfrozen even below 0° C. without incurring any harmful change. They are also engaged in studying the influence of cold on bacteria.

The results of the research work are published in the Journal, “TeionKagaku (Low Temperature Science),” written in Japanese with a résumé in English, and in separate papers under the general title of “Contributions from the Institute of Low Temperature Science.” Both are edited by the Institute. Twelve volumes of the former and three numbers of the latter have already been issued. The results of the investigation on sea fog were published in a separate book entitled “Studies on Fogs.”