Dog sleds have raced through a snow-covered field in the city of Fukagawa in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
Twenty teams with a total of about 60 dogs from Hokkaido and other prefectures took part in Sunday's competition held at a sports park.
One-dog sleighs took part in the 500-meter race, while two-dog sleighs competed in the 1,200-meter race. The competition had six different events.
The dogs ran powerfully through the snow to the voices of their owners.
Some dogs stopped running, but many crossed the finish lines as spectators cheered.
The owners stroked their dogs to reward them for their hard work.
A woman from Tochigi Prefecture, who took part in the competition, said there were intense ups and downs, but she had a good time.
A local elementary school student who saw the competition for the first time said the running dogs looked happy.
