ARTICLES
“Too Beautiful to Be Real”: Viral Photos of Winter in Biei → Captured by a Photographer Aspiring to Be a Farmer to Protect the Scenery, “I Want to Be One of the People Who Creates This Hilly Landscape.”
Located in the heart of Hokkaido, Biei is a popular tourist destination known as the “town of hills.” Many visitors come to see the landscape, which displays a variety of colors depending on the season. Photos capturing the beautiful winter scenery of Biei have recently gone viral on social media. Beyond their beauty, the photographer, Tomohiro Tsuboi, is currently studying to become a farmer in the town to help protect this very landscape.
The beautiful dawn in Biei, Hokkaido
Photo courtesy of @donchan1101
The photos were taken by Tomohiro Tsuboi (handle name: donchan), a photographer living in Biei. The beautiful gradation of blue and pink garnered nearly 100,000 likes on social media, with comments like, “It’s like a page from a picture book,” “So stunning, I was captivated…,” and “The colors of a gentle world.”
“I want to become a farmer who creates this hilly landscape.” Moved by Biei’s scenery, he relocated.
Mr. Tsuboi says he was so captivated by the beautiful hills of Biei, which he first visited for work, that he decided to move there. We asked him about his passion for the Biei landscape.
In Biei, the landscape is full of once-in-a-lifetime encounters, as trees are cut down or the crops planted change every year. It’s fitting to call it not four seasons, but “365 seasons.” I wanted to live my life while seeing such scenery up close.
A collection of photos capturing the beautiful daily life of Biei
I started to think that anyone can take photos of Biei's scenery from the road, so I decided to take it a step further and study to become a farmer who creates this hilly landscape myself. By photographing the views from there and the struggles of the farmers, I hope to convey to many people the story of how the land of Biei came to be.
Conveying not just the beauty, but also the hard work of the farmers who protect the landscape
“Biei is beautiful today, too.” Living with a once-in-a-lifetime landscape.
Mr. Tsuboi continues to share the ever-changing scenery of Biei. He works in agriculture in the summer and as a photography guide in the winter, and also sells original products featuring his photos. As a popular tourist spot, the preservation of its landscape is often debated, but Mr. Tsuboi is taking on the role of a steward himself to preserve and share this scenery.
We invite you to experience the beautiful landscapes of Biei that Mr. Tsuboi loves so dearly.
Interview cooperation and photos provided by: donchan / Tomohiro Tsuboi
■X: @donchan1101
■BASE SHOP (Original Goods): dondonchan.base.shop/
■Photography Guide: Biei & Kamifurano Photography Guide
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