After the argument, Shimamura leaves town for a brief excursion. He wants to see the artists who use the snow to bleach chijimi linen, one of the region’s most revered exports. When he arrives in the towns where such artisans are supposed to work, however, he finds none. This is greatly disappointing to him since he sends his own chijimi kimonos back to the region every year for bleaching and invested a great deal of imagination into this process. He stops at a noodle shop and watches some Buddhist nuns walking through the countryside. The shopkeeper comments that they are likely taking care of necessary tasks before the impending snow-in, and Shimamura comments that if they are going to be snowed in together, they should use the time to make chijimi. The shopkeeper feigns amusement at his words.

Shimamura returns to the onsen town in a taxi after his unfulfilling day trip, and Komako flags down the car to hop in with him as soon as he arrives. She asks where he went and he gives a noncommittal answer. She informs him that she waved goodbye to him when he left in the morning, but he did not seem to see her.