Latest News
Friday, 11th December 2015
In Weather In Japan,
Nature seemingly creates forest of snowmen in Japan
A photographer in Japan has captured images of an incredible natural phenomenon in the Hakkoda Mountains.
Sho Shibata was hiking in the area in the northernmost prefecture of the island of Honshu when he came across a forest of snow sculptures that have been created entirely by nature.
The mountain range is very remote and is blanketed in a thick layer of snow every year at this time, but the effects recently have been particularly spectacular.
Fire trees across the mountains have been recast by the precipitation and turned into petrified statues that resemble an army of snowmen.
Mr Shibata told the Telegraph: “This is my favourite place to visit when it is cold like this. It transforms into a wonderland.
“What is incredible is how [the trees] all look so similar. They look like snow monsters; like they are ghosts.”
This otherworldly scene has only been possible due to the dramatic plunging of temperatures to -10 degrees.
Such minus figures are not rare in this part of Japan in December, but do make it difficult for anyone wishing to visit the natural sculptures.
The most intrepid travellers will not be able to resist however, and will be rewarded by a stunning and fairly unique sight.
Aomori, where the Hakkoda Mountains are located, are not the only place in Japan to have experienced snowfall so far this winter.
Snow arrived in the city of Hokkaido at the end of November, ahead of its annual festivals in February, celebrating all things wintry.
Thousands of people will attend the Sapporo Snow Festival from February 5th to 11th, as well as the Asahikawa Winter Festival and the Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival, which will take place from February 6th to 11th and February 11th to 14th respectively.