In winter, you can walk on the frozen ocean off the coast of Hokkaido. Shiretoko Peninsula, UNESCO World Heritage since 2005. From late January through March, drift ice from the Amur River flows down the Sea of Okhotsk and packs against these shores. When conditions hold, guides lead small groups onto the ice wearing special dry suits and spiked boots. Crack. Crunch. The world turns white and blue beneath your feet. Steller’s sea eagles circle overhead, wingspans up to 2.5 meters, scanning for fish trapped at the ice edge. A Japanese mother holds her child’s hand on the first step, both gasping at the sound. An American family a few meters away stops to watch an eagle dive, then turns to each other with open-mouthed grins. The ice shifts and sings. The horizon disappears. You are standing on a moving sheet of winter that traveled hundreds of kilometers to meet you. Back on shore, hot seafood ramen waits in a harbor shop. Your fingers thaw. Your chest stays wide open.