Is this real life or a scene from an eerie video game?

Mount Fuji is one of the most photographed landmarks in all of Japan, so it really takes a skilled photographer to make everyone sit up and view the iconic mountain in a whole new light.

Stepping up to the plate to deliver exactly that is photographer and Twitter user @_deepskyy, who recently shared a couple of stunning images that have people looking closer to work out if these are actually photos or masterfully drawn paintings.

The subdued light and subtle gradation of colour in the sky makes the mountain look as if it’s been brushed into the scene, but these are actually photos, taken from a vantage point overlooking Lake Ashi in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Lake Ashi is famous for its vermillion torii shrine gate that looks as if it’s floating in the water, and it’s also famous for “pirate ships” that offer sightseeing cruises. The below photo captures both these famous sights, and they work together brilliantly to add a mysterious aura to the moody landscape as the mountain towers over them in the background.

There’s an eerie sense of stillness and quiet movement to the photos that has everyone captivated online, earning the images over 90,000 likes.

People were quick to heap praise on the photographer, saying:

“Wait, these are real? Whoah, I thought they were paintings!”
“The way Mt Fuji stands out makes it look like it’s painted in ink!”
“These are so beautiful they could be ukiyoe woodblock paintings.”
“It looks like a landscape you’d see in a video game!”
“The lighting is mystical but a little frightening at the same time.”

The photos really do conjure up a sense of wonder and awe…while also making us shift a little nervously in our seats as if we’re about to encounter a dark scene in a video game. Mt Fuji is a little like that though, with its appearance greatly affected by the conditions surrounding it, making it seem like a gentle giant on sunny days, and a threatening behemoth during times of inclement weather.

The mountain is just one of many landmarks captured by @_deepskyy that have gone viral online, so to keep on viewing the world in a different light, be sure to give the photographer a follow on Twitter and Instagram. And for more stunning photos of Mt Fuji, don’t forget to check out the “miraculous” cloud photo and the ethereal “floating” scene, both viewed from equally stunning vantage points which are definitely worth a visit next time you travel to Japan.

Source: Twitter/_deepskyy via Net Lab
Images: Twitter/_deepskyy
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