Watching the first sunrise of the year is a very popular event in Japan. Many people travel long distance to watch it over their favorite location. It's best to watch it from a hill or a mountain but usually mountains are cold at that time of year. This year I watched it over a hill in Hanamaki. It's amazing to see how the sky goes from dark to very colorful as the sun appears. Then it changes quickly ans it looks like the sky is on fire. It is also the coldest part of the night just before the sun comes out.
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First Sunrise over Hanamaki 2016
Getting an early start to the new year
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