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"How Romantic!" A Red-Crowned Crane's Courtship Dance in Hokkaido Goes Viral, Praised as "Stunning!" and "Truly Elegant"
On my way home, a crane courtship began right in front of me, so I watched the whole thing.
May they live happily ever after.
Quoted from the post by @hkp_hokkaido
The video shows red-crowned cranes that have landed all over a road. The sight of them calling to each other, spreading their great wings, and performing their courtship ritual 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 received about 10,000 reposts, with comments pouring in 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 another 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 home 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, another crane was spotted ahead. After stopping at a slight distance, the cranes suddenly began calling to each other right in front of the car and performed their courtship dance.
Recalling the moment, Doto no Yachibozu shared the following:
It's not unusual to see red-crowned cranes around the Kushiro Wetland, but you can't normally get this close. And this was the first time they've ever danced right in front of me. Both birds puffed up their wings and seemed so happy as they called out, which made me feel happy too. I felt like I could feel the energy of life from the sound of their calls echoing around. It became a very precious memory.
A Miraculous Moment with Wildlife, Only Possible 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 (tancho) 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 between a pair, characterized by spreading their wings and calling to each other in response.
This chance encounter in Hokkaido's unique natural environment moved the hearts of many.
Interview cooperation and photos provided by: Doto no Yachibozu
・X (formerly Twitter): @hkp_hokkaido
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