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"How Romantic!" A Red-Crowned Crane's Courtship Dance in Hokkaido Goes Viral: "Stunning!" "Truly Elegant!"
On my way home, a red-crowned crane's courtship began right in front of me, so I watched the whole thing.
Wishing them a happy life together.
Quoted from the post by @hkp_hokkaido
The video shows red-crowned cranes that have landed all over a road. The sight of them performing their courtship ritual, spreading their great wings and calling to one another as if dancing, is truly magical. As more cranes began to gather, many people were captivated by this "miraculous moment" unfolding in nature.
The post has been reposted about 10,000 times, with a flood of comments such as "Stunning!" "How romantic," and "Truly elegant."
"It made me feel happy too," says the poster, Doto no Yachibozu
A photo of a red-crowned crane taken on a different day by the poster, "Doto no Yachibozu."
This scene was captured by "Doto no Yachibozu," who lives in the Eastern Hokkaido (Doto) area. The location was the outskirts of Doto in early May 2026, around the time the cherry blossoms began to bloom.
On the way back from an outing, Doto no Yachibozu spotted the white figures of cranes in the greenery and stopped the car to watch for a while. Later, after driving a bit further, they saw another crane ahead. After stopping at a safe distance, the cranes suddenly began calling to each other right in front of them and performed their courtship dance.
Recalling the moment, Doto no Yachibozu shared:
It's not uncommon to see red-crowned cranes around the Kushiro Wetland, but you usually can't get this close. And this was the first time they've ever danced right in front of me. Both of them puffed up their wings and seemed so happy as they called out, and it made me feel happy too. I felt the energy of life from the sound of the cranes echoing around. It became a very precious memory.
Miraculous moments with wildlife, only in Hokkaido
In Hokkaido, you can encounter various wild animals such as Ezo sika deer, Ezo red foxes, and white-tailed eagles. Among them, the red-crowned crane is a representative bird of Hokkaido, designated as a Special Natural Monument of Japan. The courtship dance that became a topic of conversation is a behavior performed to deepen the bond of a pair, characterized by them responding to each other by spreading their wings and calling out.
This chance encounter in Hokkaido's unique natural environment moved the hearts of many people.
Interview and photo courtesy of: Doto no Yachibozu
・X (formerly Twitter): @hkp_hokkaido
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