Visitors to Ono City in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday morning were treated to a spectacular view of a castle in a sea of clouds.
The Echizen Ono Castle, which sits on a mountaintop, was illuminated by the morning sunbeams at around 7:00 a.m.
Fans gathered atop a nearby mountain to photograph the sight, referred to as the "castle in the sky."
The local weather officials said that the city had its coldest morning of the season, at minus 0.7 degrees Celsius. The moisture in the air condensed, creating a fog, which persisted and spread because there was little wind.
City officials say the phenomenon occurs about 10 times a year, from October through around April.
But chances of seeing it are highest on November mornings, when there are significant changes in temperature from the previous day.