The Steller's sea eagle, one of the world's largest eagles, is a migratory bird that can be seen in Hokkaido during the winter. A post by a photographer visiting Hokkaido, expressing astonishment at seeing these magnificent birds as part of the "everyday" scenery, has gone viral.

The photo shows a Steller's sea eagle perched majestically on a tree by a river. Another photo also confirms the presence of a white-tailed eagle, another representative of Hokkaido's winter, creating a scene where "wildlife is part of daily life." The sight of these creatures, rarely encountered in urban areas, blending in so naturally has garnered about 10,000 likes for the post, with comments like, "I'm blown away," "I want to move there..." and "That's so incredibly cool."

"I strongly felt the potential of Hokkaido," says photographer Tom

The photographer behind this shot is Tom. He encountered this scene by a casual river next to a farm road on his way to the Shiretoko area to see drift ice and Steller's sea eagles.

Reflecting on the experience, Tom says, "On Honshu (the main island of Japan), it's almost unthinkable to see an eagle in a river on the plains. To see Steller's sea eagles and white-tailed eagles perched as casually as black kites or common buzzards are in Honshu was not only moving but also made me strongly feel the incredible potential of Hokkaido."

A collection of works by Tom, who primarily photographs wild birds

Wild animals that you can encounter in a fleeting moment. When you visit Hokkaido, be sure to pay attention to the ordinary scenery. An unexpected encounter might be waiting for you.