Kushiro Subprefecture

The red-crowned crane, also called the Manchurian crane or Japanese crane, is a large East Asian crane among the rarest cranes in the world. It is well known as a symbol of luck, longevity, and fidelity. Almost being extinct in Japan, now more than 600 red-crowned cranes live in Kushiro Hokkaido area.

...in Hokkaido, Japan

A frozen lake Kussharo in mist conditions. Shot on a Pentax 645D in February, 2020.

Lake Kussharo is a caldera lake in Akan National Park, eastern Hokkaido, Japan. It is the largest caldera lake in Japan by its surface area, covering a circumference of 57 kilometers. We were on the route 243 and managed to have a short stop. The lake was so big that I could not view it entirely at this location.

This partial overview was stitched with 4 images.