In winter, it’s cold and hard to get out of the house, but there are spectacular sights to be seen because of the harsh cold. In the natural world, a fantastical world unique to winter unfolds.
This time, we will introduce winter scenery that offers breathtaking views of nature.
Thirty-Hammer Ice Column / Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
~ Ice crystals formed deep in the mountains ~
This natural ice pillar is 10 meters high and 50 meters wide. The water from the lake flows through the rocks and freezes there. Over a long period of time, the water has been melting and refreezing repeatedly, resulting in a highly transparent ice pillar. When lit at night, it looks like you are seeing a different world.
Otagi, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture
https://navi.city.chichibu.lg.jp/p_flower/1403
Frozen flowers in Akan Lake / Kushiro City, Hokkaido
~ A sea of ice blooming in the sky ~
Frost flowers are the frost that forms on frozen lakes. Unless a miraculous combination of almost-windless conditions and temperatures below -15°C on a winter morning, this flower will not grow. In Akan Lake, you are more likely to encounter frost flowers than in other regions. The fragility of the flowers, which can collapse with the slightest wind, adds to their beauty.
Akankyo Onsen, Akankoucho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido
https://lake-akan.com
Kozawa Ice Mass / Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
~ A group of snow monsters ~
The true essence of this illusion is the tree ice. The tree ice of Zao is made of coniferous trees called Aoimori Todomae, which are covered in snow and ice and reach their largest size in February. When you board the Night Cruiser, you will encounter the snow monster of the night. The sight of a herd of monsters over two meters tall all facing the same direction is overwhelming.
Yakou Mountains, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, near the summit of Jizo-dake
https://yamagatakanko.com/attractions/detail_2721.html
Ice Falls at Kabata Falls / Oki Town, Ibaraki Prefecture
~ It's almost like a still image!? A frozen waterfall ~
Ice falls are frozen waterfalls. Takada Falls is 120 meters high. The waterfall is about the height of a 30-story building. In winter, when the temperature drops below zero, the waterfall freezes completely. With the influence of global warming, it is less common for the entire waterfall to freeze. To freeze such a large waterfall, which is considered one of the Three Great Waterfalls of Japan, is a terrifying force of nature.
Okudata, Okuchi Town, Kujukuri District, Ibaraki Prefecture
www.town.daigo.ibaraki.jp/page/page001474.html
Check the website for details of each location!
It also provides abundant information on how to get there, the best season, and tourist information about the area.
