Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) carrying walnut, Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, August. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) feeding on Walnut (Juglans ailantifolia), Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, July. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) carrying Walnut (Juglans ailantifolia), Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, July. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) carrying Walnut (Juglans ailantifolia), Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, July. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) collecting nest material, Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, July. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) eating a walnut, Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, August. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) carrying a walnut , Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, August. Endemic species.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) eating a walnut , Mount Yatsugatake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, January. Endemic species.

Mark MacEwen / Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) in Autumn Colours, Nagano, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) mother holding her baby in snowstorm, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) perched on the open warm section of a rocky hillside, takes in the last rays of the late afternoon sun in Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juveniles squabbling underwater in the hot springs of Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile pulling on ear of another juvenile in hotspring, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) adult female grooming another in hotspring, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile sitting on rock in hot springs, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) adult chewing on stick in snow, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) adult face portrait in hot springs, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) grooming another in Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) male watching another male at the monkey park in Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile pulling on another juvenile's cheek in hot spring in Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) mothers guarding their babies as other monkeys approach down the hillside in Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile swimming in hot spring, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) grooming another in hot spring, Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) mothers grooming their babies in the hot springs of Jigokudani, Japan, February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) females fighting, Jigokudani, Japan, February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) female standing on hind legs in snow, Jigokudani, Japan. February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) drinking from hotsprings, Jigokudani, Japan. February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) adult resting in hot springs of Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) carrying baby through the snow, Jigokudani, Japan. February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) suckling and looking up at its mother, Jigokudani, Japan. February

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) in snow, Jigokudani, Japan. February

Nature Production / Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) removing cuckoo's egg from nest, Minamimaki village, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Cyril Ruoso / Matsumoto Castle with red bridge, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Ben Cranke / Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscatata) in hot springs, Jigokudani, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Ben Cranke / Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscatata) in hot springs, Jigokudani, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Ben Cranke / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscatata) juvenile with fur puffed up hooting in alarm, Jigokudani, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) positioned on the edge of the hot springs with head on rock, paw under chin, staring, Jigokudani, Japan, January

Diane McAllister / Young Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) 'kissing' another macque in the thermal hot springs, Jigokudani, Japan, January

Mark MacEwen / Japanese giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) attacking honey bees, Ina Nagano Province, Japan, March

Mark MacEwen / Japanese giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) attacking honey bees, Ina Nagano Province, Japan, March

Mark MacEwen / Japanese giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) deep fried to be eaten, Ina Nagano Province, Japan, March 2006

Mark MacEwen / Man eating Japanese giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) deep fried, Ina Nagano Province, Japan, March 2006

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) in courtship chase, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) mating, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) in courtship chase, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) in courtship chase, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) in courtship chase, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese Squirrels (Sciurus lis) mating, Yatsugakake-Mt, Nogano, Japan, February

Nature Production / Cuckoo's egg (Cuculus canorus) in Stonechat's nest with three host eggs, Nagano, Japan, June

Nature Production / Cuckoo's egg (Cuculus canorus) in Bunting's nest with three host eggs, Nagano, Japan, June

Nature Production / Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) adult looking inside the nest of a Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus sp) Nagano, Japan, July

Nature Production / Cuckoo's egg (Cuculus canorus) in Brown shrike's nest with two host eggs, Nagano, Japan, June

Nature Production / Hodgson's Hawk-cuckoo egg (Cuculus fugax) top left with two host eggs in nest, Nagano, Japan

Nature Production / Spore capsules on back of Autumn Fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) Nagano, Japan

Nature Production / Commerical growing of Shiitake Mushrooms (Agaricus / Lentinus edodes) Nagano, Japan,

Nature Production / Beard Moss (Usnea longissima) covering trees, Mt. Nyukasa, Nagano, Japan, September

Nature Production / Fungus (Auricularia auricula) growing on tree trunk, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-9303 Looking down on clouds below mountain peaks, Yatsugatake, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-8503 Sunset clouds in evening, Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-22706 Mist and clouds in mountain landscape, Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-8602 Sun setting above mountain ridge, Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-9604 Sunset sky above cloud level, Azumi mt, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-6505 Japanese larch tree plantation, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-5606 Mixed Birch woodland, Norikurakogen, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-4002 Silver birch woodland abstract {Betula verrucosa} Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-4004 Silver birch woodland {Betula verrucosa} Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-3202 up to canopy of Birch woodland {Betula sp}, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / M-4001 Silver birch forest, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-7706 Japanese oak tree silhouetted in mist, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-14801 Aerial view of river flowing through wooded valley, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-16305 Water spray in river, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-15004 River meander, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-15003 Aerial view of river flowing round bend through woodland, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-15001 River flowing through woodland, Aomori, Japan.

Aflo / N-13705 Waterfall with curtain of water falling over green plants, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / Y-8301 Cloud formations above mountain peaks, Yatsugatake, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / Y-9401 Aerial view of clouds with mountain peaks just visible, Fujimi, Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-3408 Canopy of Beech trees {Fagus sp} Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-3201 up to canopy of Beech trees {Fagus sp} Nagano, Japan

Aflo / N-6201 Japanese larch tree plantation, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-6204 Japanese larch tree plantation, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-6803 Japanese larch tree plantation, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-4704 to Beech wood canopy {Fagus sp} Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-4201 Trees beside water, Hokuryuko, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-0706 Japanese oak tree in field near woodland, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-22501 Misty landscape, Mt Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-22701 Misty landscape, Mt Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / Y-8405 Misty landscape at sunrise, Mt Norikuradake, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / Y-9601 Sun rising above misty mountains, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / Y-8701 Sun rising above misty landscape, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-14504 Waterfall in woodland, Fukushima, Japan.

Aflo / N-15401 Water reflecting green woodland, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-15503 Waterfall abstract, Nagano, Japan.

Aflo / N-14407 Waterfall, Nagano, Japan.

Kristel Richard / Domestic horse, Portrait of a rare native bay Kiso stallion with head collar, standing in paddock, Kiso County, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

Kristel Richard / Domestic horse, a rare native bay Kiso stallion with head collar, standing in paddock, Kiso County, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. 2009