If you thought flowers couldn’t bloom in the winter, this lake in Hokkaido, Japan will prove you wrong.

During an entire half of the winter season, Lake Akan becomes adorned with frost flowers — ice crystals that grow on young sea ice and thin lake ice in cold, calm conditions.

Frost flowers aren’t unique to Lake Akan, but are most commonly found in the polar regions. However, there are specific weather conditions that must be met for them to actually form.

Generally forming in relatively windless conditions, frost flowers “bloom” on thin sea/lake ice when the atmosphere is much colder than the ice. This difference in temperature (which much be at least 15 degrees celsius, or 59 degrees fahrenheit) creates a layer of vapor directly above the ice, and when the warmer, wet air meets the cold air, the vapor in between condenses as crystals on the icy surface.

While frost flowers only form during December in most lakes, in Lake Akan, they form from December all the way to March.

But if you want to see this enchanting scenery with your very own eyes, make sure you visit early in the morning before the frost flowers melt!