A single photo taken in a residential area in Hokkaido is capturing hearts on social media. On top of a snow pile created by snow removal, there's a dark shadow... and upon closer inspection...

No way? Is that something on the snow pile from clearing our property...? Turns out it was a fox sleeping at the very top lol

Photo credit: @nabe640's post

The dark shadow, whose identity was unclear from a distance, turned out to be a fox relaxing at the peak of a snow pile made by snow removal! Its calm expression as it lies on the snow is a scene unique to Hokkaido. When this photo was posted on social media, it garnered about 60,000 likes, with comments pouring in such as, "Only in Hokkaido," "It's like a scene from a drama or movie," and "Its sleeping pose is so cute, I can't handle it."

The Photographer is Tech YouTuber Kazumasa Watanabe

Resting as if it had been there all along...

The person who posted this is Kazumasa Watanabe, a tech YouTuber living in Hokkaido. One evening, while taking a break from work, he happened to look out the window and saw an unfamiliar dark shadow on the snow pile in his yard. When he went outside to check, he found this fox.

"It was snowing when I found it, and the snow was gradually piling up on the fox. It looked cold, and I felt a little sorry for it," Mr. Watanabe said, recalling the moment. The sight was so striking that he felt compelled to take the photo that has now become a hot topic.

Mr. Kazumasa Watanabe is usually active as a tech YouTuber.

While foxes are a relatively common sight in Hokkaido, please be careful not to touch them if you encounter one. Let's watch over these adorable foxes warmly from a distance.