Snow covered trees atop Mount Zao at the Zao Ski Resort. Every winter the place will be packed with skiers and visitors.

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Mount Zaō (蔵王山) is a complex volcano on the border between Yamagata Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture in Japan. One striking feature of Zaō's famous ski resorts is the snow monsters (樹氷 Juhyō?) that appear in mid-winter. Strong wind over the nearby lake fling water droplets which freeze against the trees and their branches, until near-horizontal icicles begin to form. Falling snow settles on the ice formations, and the end result is a grotesque figure of a tree. The effect of a full forest of such trees gives visitors a ghostly impression.

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Size: 4000px × 2248px
Location: Kaminoyama-shi, Yamagata Prefecture, Tohoku, Japan
Photo credit: © Moonie's World Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

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