The sight of the red-crowned crane descending was just too beautiful!!

From a post by @Souno_photo_

The photo shows a red-crowned crane just as it's about to land on a snowy field. This magnificent moment, with its wings spread wide, was perfectly captured by Sounosuke Mizutani, a second-year high school student and photographer. When posted on social media, it quickly garnered praise with comments like, "This is beautiful," "It looks like a Japanese painting," and "A photo that looks like a painting," receiving nearly 8,000 likes.

The Sight of Red-Crowned Cranes Dancing in Hokkaido's Skies

The elegant form of a red-crowned crane captured by Mizutani

The red-crowned crane (Tancho or Tancho-zuru), primarily found in the Eastern Hokkaido region, is one of Japan's largest wild birds, standing about 140cm tall with a wingspan that can reach 240cm. It is characterized by its pure white plumage and a striking red crown, from which its Japanese name 'Tancho' (red crest) is derived. Once on the verge of extinction, conservation efforts by local people have helped the population recover to approximately 1,500 birds now living in Hokkaido. You can observe their beautiful forms up close, especially in places like the Kushiro Wetlands, Tsurumidai in Tsurui Village, and the Akan International Crane Center.

Also, See Their Elegant 'Courtship Dance' with Wings Spread Wide

The so-called 'courtship dance' seen during the breeding season.

During their breeding season, red-crowned cranes perform a 'courtship dance' where males and females spread their wings wide and leap as if dancing, and Mizutani has captured this spectacle as well. This is the beautiful sight of red-crowned cranes, full of life in the vast nature of Hokkaido. When you visit Hokkaido, be sure to witness their majestic beauty with your own eyes.