This was our first winter trip to Japan and we visited the coldest parts of the country. Often uncomfortably hot on our previous trips, I had to force myself to pack the expedition gear and chemical heat packs previously used in Antarctica and Norway. There were a few bitter cold days, but we were prepared.
I have long admired the work of Yamamoto Masao and was especiallly captivated by his images of snow monkeys, as well as his other winter work. We would be following in his footsteps on this trip, experiencing the monkeys, along with red-crested cranes, swans, sea eagles and snowy landscapes.