A couple has held a wedding in front of red-crowned cranes in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido as the bird stays with the same mate for life.
The ceremony took place at an observation site of wild cranes in Kushiro City. Last year marked 70 years since the red-crowned crane was designated as a special natural monument of Japan.
The groom was 36-year-old Iwai Takeo, and the bride was 26-year-old Ishikawa Natsumi, who wore a red wedding gown adorned with embroidered cranes. They signed a marriage certificate and pledged their undying love.
The couple and the guests toasted with a glass of milk in celebration.
The cries of cranes gathered at the field sounded like congratulatory cheers.
The groom said his heart was filled with emotion. He said he promises to stay with the bride for life just like a crane couple.