Ice Sculptor Carving Eagle in Sapporo Winter

Clear ice glows softly under the flat white sky of a Sapporo morning. A sculptor in heavy winter gear stands beside a massive transparent block, chisel in hand, shaping the wings of a rising eagle. Flakes of snow drift slowly across the frame, landing on the rough, uncarved surfaces of the ice and the sculptor's dark hood. The block rests on a simple metal stand, its edges sharp against the blurred grey snow of the ground. Deep chisel marks reveal the raw texture beneath the smooth, polished planes of the bird's neck. One shard of ice lies on the frozen floor near the sculptor's boot.