Ghostly trees covered in snow and rime ice -- known as "snow monsters" or juhyou (frost-covered trees) in Japanese -- are a celebrated feature of the winter landscape in mountainous areas of northern Japan. Here are a few photos.

Snow monster --
Hakkōda Mountains, Aomori prefecture [via]

Snow monsters --
Hakkōda Mountains, Aomori prefecture [via]

Ice monster --
Mt. Moriyoshi, Akita prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Hakkōda Mountains, Aomori prefecture [via]

Ice monster --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Trees covered in rime ice --
Mt. Moriyoshi, Akita prefecture [via]

Rime-covered trees --
Mt. Moriyoshi, Akita prefecture [via]

Ice monsters --
Mt. Moriyoshi (Moriyoshi shrine), Akita prefecture [via]

Snow monsters --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Ice monsters --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Snow monsters --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Ice monsters --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Ice-covered trees --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Frost-covered trees --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Trees covered in ice --
Hakkōda Mountains, Aomori prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Zao, Miyagi prefecture [via]

Ice monster --
Mt. Zao, Yamagata prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Moriyoshi, Akita prefecture [via]

Ice monsters --
Hachimantai Plateau, Akita prefecture [via]

Snow monsters --
Mt. Moriyoshi, Akita prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Azuma, Fukushima prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Mt. Azuma, Fukushima prefecture [via]

Snow monster --
Hakkōda Mountains, Aomori prefecture [via]