Society

Hokkaido: Fluffy ‘snow fairies’ flying into hearts and bellies across Japan

Apr 06 (inquirer.net) - They are small, cute and very fluffy, and now white birds affectionately known as “snow fairies” are winging their way into the hearts of people across Japan.

Shima-enaga, a subspecies of long-tailed tit, are found only in Hokkaido. The birds are among the smallest in Japan: They grow to about 14 centimeters long, but about half of that is their tail. With their lovely round eyes and small bodies covered in white, fluffy feathers, shima-enaga have been appearing left, right and center on social media and other channels, and have become a prized subject of photography enthusiasts.

About five shima-enaga chirped as they recently flew around trees near the Chitose River in Chitose, Hokkaido. The birds perched on branches to eat the fruit and peck at the sap as passersby watched.

The charming birds have inspired a range of products and merchandise that consumers are eagerly snapping up.

Tanukiya, a souvenir shop in the Tanukikoji shopping street in Sapporo, sells about 70 kinds of shima-enaga items, including stuffed toys, key chains and confectionery. The shop even set up a corner dedicated to shima-enaga goods, which reportedly have been popular with tourists from outside Hokkaido and local shoppers alike. ...continue reading

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