Japan

Hokkaido in winter is minimalism and reduction to black and white, with a fascinating wildlife: whooper swans swimming on Kusharo Lake with its breathtaking mountain scenery, elegantly dancing cranes, Steller's sea eagles powerfully hunting for fish and monkeys playfully jumping in the snow after having taken a bath in a steaming pond. This superb tour, organized by Uwe Hasubek, was also an immersion in a foreign culture, as we happily fell into our beds in a traditional ryokan after a perfect day of photographing.