SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A lot of hoopla ensued when Shiori Uchino's two sisters and mother saw the Northern lights for the first time this past weekend.

"There was lots of excitement," she said. "Lots of pointing and shouting."

Uchino, a professional photographer and former aurora tour guide in Yellowknife, brought three generations of Uchino women to Yellowknife in March to view the Northern lights, including her sister Masahi's six-month old daughter, Reika.

Uchino said it was a very exciting moment when the lights could be seen across the sky on Saturday night. The three women and three young girls spent three nights at Trout Rock Lodge, waiting for the moment, filling in their free time with some ice fishing and rifle shooting. But when the vibrant colours of the aurora began dancing through the clear, Northern skies Saturday, Uchino said it was an incredible moment.

"My mother felt like angels were coming down from the sky," she said, adding her sisters woke up their sleeping children, rushing them from their cabin outside in sandals and pyjamas to capture the moment.

Uchino, who hales from Kanagawa, a city just outside Tokyo, said the children loved the bright, dancing colours, but didn't really understand what the aurora really was.

"I tried lots of times but I don't think they understand," she laughed. "They just loved the colours."

Ragnar Wesstrom, owner of Trout Rock Lodge, said the six-month old was the youngest person ever to see the aurora at his camp.

"The youngest in 20 years, definitely," he said. "It was really exciting for them. Everything went really well."

Uchino has been a photographer for 10 years and came to Yellowknife some years ago to capture the aurora to show people in her country the beauty of the lights.

Her love and passion for aurora photography has garnered her attention across the country. Her photos have made it into numerous weekly and monthly magazines, showcasing the wide range of colours the aurora produces, something not always captured by long-time residents.

"People ask me a lot about why I choose to go to Yellowknife," she said. "I tell them it's the best place to view the aurora in the world. A lot of people have seen my photos back home."

A belief in Japanese culture is that if a couple views the aurora together they will have good luck and live a happy life together. She said it's an honour to be able to share the natural beauty of the aurora with people in Japan.

Uchino said she is hoping to come back to Yellowknife this fall or next winter, and has plans to bring all the men in the family next time.