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Aurora Over Hokkaido: Photographer Captures Ethereal Pink Glow Reflected in Rice Paddies
On the night of May 11, auroras were observed across Hokkaido, including in Nayoro City and Rikubetsu Town. The sky, painted in shades of red and purple, created a fantastical scene, captivating many who witnessed this celestial show. While numerous photographers captured the event, Domingo Local Player Makoto Kobayashi photographed the aurora amidst a landscape that is quintessentially Hokkaido, in the town of Takasu.
Capturing a Scene Unique to Hokkaido: An Aurora Reflected in a Watery Mirror
The fantastical sight of the aurora reflected on the surface of a rice paddy
From Abira Town, where Mr. Kobayashi lives, it's about a two-hour drive north to Takasu Town. He chose Takasu as his shooting location because he "was looking for a spot where the rice paddies were filled with water." Mr. Kobayashi wanted to photograph the aurora in a setting unique to Hokkaido and considered locations that incorporated scenes from its primary industries. Ultimately, he decided to capture it with a rice field and selected this spot.
The Aurora's Shifting Hues: From Red to Pink, Then to Purple
The colors shifted from red and pink to purple
The photo session took place for about an hour starting from 9 PM on the 11th. The low-latitude aurora changed colors in less than a minute, and Mr. Kobayashi continuously pressed the shutter button to capture the fleeting moments.
It took about a minute for the red aurora in the thumbnail to change to this. The aurora's colors shifted in the blink of an eye.
Mr. Kobayashi also photographed the aurora at other locations, capturing more fantastical scenes.
The faint red, pink, and purple aurora that colored the sky was reflected in the mirror-like rice paddy, making the photograph even more magical and stunning.
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Local Player Profile
Born in Tomakomai City in 1991. He took the civil service exam with the unusual goal of "wanting to disseminate information." In 2013, he began working for Abira Town, located next to Tomakomai City. His main role is in public relations (now in his 8th year). While being a local government employee, he is also a still and movie photographer. His photographs have won contests and been featured in the media, reaching a wide audience. Appeared on "Sakagami Animal Kingdom" (Fuji TV) in 2020 and "Min-Tele" (UHB) in 2021.
