The colder it gets, the more they bloom: Akan Lake’s winter marvel — translucent “spike flowers” floating on the water’s surface

Reported by You T-Ru / Compiled by HowToTrip

As winter deepens, stunning snowy landscapes around the world never fail to amaze. Recently, in Hokkaido’s Akan Lake area where average temperatures have hovered around minus 15 degrees, tiny white flowers have suddenly emerged on the lake, floating one by one on the water’s surface with the majestic Mount Oakan rising in the background. Even locals can’t resist grabbing their cameras to capture this winter wonder.


▲ Beautiful white flowers appear on Akan Lake. (Photo courtesy of Tetsuzo Notake)

“These unique winter flowers can bloom for up to three months if temperatures stay low enough, only withering when spring arrives,” locals share. These white flowers floating on the lake are actually what’s commonly known as “frost flowers,” which only form under extremely cold conditions. With their sharp, spike-like structures emerging from imperfections in the ice, they reflect the lake and mountain ridges — truly a breathtaking sight.


▲ Tiny ice crystals can already be seen on the lake’s surface before the frost flowers appear. (Photo courtesy of Tetsuzo Notake)


▲ After snowfall, the frost flowers vanish without a trace. (Photo courtesy of Tetsuzo Notake)

The beautiful frost flowers that crystallize on the lake’s surface are covered by snow after it falls, only slowly re-emerging once the snow stops. “Once the frost flowers start to appear, locals are really afraid of more snow,” as these delicate formations grow or disappear depending on temperature and ice conditions on the lake. They have now become a unique winter spectacle at Akan Lake. For those visiting Hokkaido in winter, keep an eye out for these “winter-exclusive” wonders of the north.