Japanese tourists are visiting Alaska this time of year to see the aurora borealis, helping to create a lucrative winter tourism market in a cold, cold state that is primarily a summer destination, and their number is growing.

Japanese culture is fascinated with natural wonders, and the aurora borealis is a luminous phenomenon produced when charged solar particles strike the upper atmosphere near the North Pole, is celebrated in travel and adventure shows in Japan.

Many Japanese save for years or take out loans to see the aurora. For some, it is almost a spiritual quest.

"Some of them have heard about it so much, they feel it's one of the things they must see before they die," said Pete Redshaw, a guide. "Others want to see something so magical, something so unimaginable. I've seen some people cry when they see it."

"That was a dream come true," said 34 year old Mari Mizuno of Japan.

Now at least 3,500 Japanese are scheduled to take advantage of the direct charter flights to Fairbanks that are running between December 22 and February 25. Those visitors alone are expected to pump about $3 million into the local economy.