Released from their pen at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, 13 king penguins are delighting visitors by marching in a line along a 500-meter snowy path for 30 minutes.
"It's very cold outside, but our hearts have been warmed up," said Kazuko Ando, 56, of Kitakyushu, who visited the zoo on Sunday.
Some penguins slid on their bellies on the snowy ground, which also pleased the zoo visitors, who had to wait later than usual this year for the seasonal event thanks to an unusually low snowfall.
The event, which takes advantage of the natural tendency of penguins to walk long distances looking for food, continues until mid-March.