Sheep shearing is in full swing in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido before the summer heat sets in.



Shibetsu City is a major sheep producer that's home to about 1,450 of the wooly beasts. It started shearing sheep in mid-April.



One sheep farm hosted an event on Wednesday that included a sheep-shearing lesson. Participants included members of the city's regional revitalizing program.



Oishi Shun -- a 45-year-old sheep shearer from New Zealand -- served as instructor.



Giving a demonstration, Oishi told participants it's important to maintain a tight grip on the sheep. He then quickly sheared its fleece with electric clippers.



The participants followed suit, carefully shearing the wool.



Oishi noted that shearing is essential because if the wool becomes too long it can lead to problems such as itchiness and mite infestation.



He said he was happy to see the participants gradually improve their shearing skills.



The farm is scheduled to finish shearing by the end of May.