At an elevation of 800m, Lake Shikaribetsu, the highest lake in Hokkaido, is a lake in the sky that is sub-zero in December. This lake boasts some of the clearest water in the country, and as the temperature drops below freezing, it gradually begins to freeze over, and by the end of December, the lake is completely covered in ice. Appearing on this completely frozen lake is the mystical village of Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan, which only exists during the winter.

■Snow igloo and ice bar.
The village appears for just 60 days, from late January to the end of March. It is an incredibly beautiful, mysterious and fantastical world of snow and ice. Named "Kotan," which means village in the Ainu language, this is a special event that only takes place at Lake Shikaribetsu in winter.