The snow fairy, the cutest bird in Japan

Today, and January 20th annually, is Shima‑enaga Day シマエナガの日. The Shimaenaga is a subspecies of the long‑tailed tit found only in Hokkaido. It is often called "snow fairy" (雪の妖精) or the cutest bird in Japan! As you can see in the photo, which is just a toy / decorative version of the bird, it is adorable! January 20th was made "shimaenaga day" to coincide with the first day of "Daikan", the solar term of "major cold" weather (you can find a post about "Daikan" on City-cost).

I have only ever seen this bird in toy / decoration form or on the television or Internet. I have not yet been to Hokkaido and, as above, it is the only place you can find the Shimaenaga in Japan. The bird is associated with winter for several reasons. For example, in other seasons it has dark markings on its face, but in the cold of winter its face is perfectly white. In addition, they fluff up in the cold of winter, making them even more adorable. It also makes them look like snowballs! Supposedly they huddle together at night in winter to survive the cold.

They have become increasingly famous and popular thanks to social media. The toy version pictured in this post was taken at a shrine in Kawagoe, where they've added a few shimaenaga to a seasonal display to represent winter and, no doubt, for photogenic value. You can also get stationery and plush toys modeled on the Shimaenaga, so even if you can't get to Hokkaido this winter, you can still enjoy the adorableness of the snow fairy!