[Japanese Style Cosplay] First Snow Memories at Hakodate Shrine

I've finally pulled this set of photos from Hakodate Shrine out of my album to carefully sort through them. Early this year, Hokkaido was exceptionally cold; the snow on the ground hadn't fully melted, and pinecones were scattered across the gray-brown earth, making a dry, crisp sound when stepped on. The primary purpose of that trip was for this Japanese style cosplay outdoor project. To capture the cool and aloof atmosphere brought by the character for this Genshin Impact cosplay, I specially selected this light mint green kimono paneled with orange floral patterns.

The temperature at the time was extremely low. Although I prepared a white plush shawl for emergencies, I had to take it off most of the time to capture a fresher, more translucent texture in the frame. Walking barefoot in split-toe white tabi socks and wooden geta across the shrine courtyard mixed with gravel and remnant snow, my toes quickly lost all sensation—I suppose this is an inevitable trial of a winter outdoor shoot. To go with this kimono, I wore a light golden wig that was layered, thinned, and curled, with blue and white bead strands and tassel hair ornaments embellishing the top of my head. When the wind blew, the hair ornaments swayed gently, successfully capturing some dynamic moments.

Regarding the location, the architecture of Hakodate Shrine is highly recognizable. The vermilion torii gates and the kagura-den hall looked intensely rich yet gentle under the low-angle winter sunlight. What surprised me most was the stone fox statue wearing a red bib. Sitting quietly on its stone base, it became a highly spiritual highlight of the entire scene. The photographer intentionally placed it on the visual guiding line of the background during composition, allowing me to stand near it and interact naturally—such as turning around with a backward glance or slightly tilting my head toward the camera, using these bodily details to break the stiffness that easily occurs in winter images.

Because it was a snowy day, light was exceptionally abundant, but the strong reflection from the snow surface could easily overexpose the face. During this Hokkaido photography session, we were very mindful of the metering point, focusing it primarily on the character's face and the bright areas of the clothes, thereby preserving the delicate botanical print textures on the kimono. Walking on the frosted cobblestone path, every single step required extreme caution; the center of gravity had to be kept low, otherwise a slip and fall would mean having to redo the carefully styled wig and makeup. After repeatedly adjusting my positioning many times, we finally captured a few finished shots with relaxed, natural poses and expressions that didn't look stiff.

Looking back at these images now, the beauty of Hokkaido lies not only in the grand snow plains but also hidden within the small yet exquisite architectural forms of the neighborhood shrines. When sorting out the final edits, I felt there was no need for overly complex emotional embellishments; returning to the texture of the costume itself, the projection of light and shadow, and that unique crispness of winter was already enough to express this experience. The cold journey from the beginning of the year is ultimately preserved in these frames, serving as a perfect concluding punctuation mark to that trip to Hakodate.