By: Alex
Winter has finally arrived in Shirakawa-go with a recent heavy snowfall. The village, blanketed in thick white snow, takes on an especially dreamy appearance—so beautiful it almost feels unreal, like a digitally rendered virtual world.
The snow-covered Shirakawa-go is breathtakingly gorgeous. pic.twitter.com/mJEgaDKzLp
— Hisa (@Hisa0808) December 21, 2020
Photographer Hisa (@Hisa0808) braved the cold to venture into the deep mountains of Shirakawa-go to capture snowy scenes. As winter sets in, Shirakawa-go’s traditional gassho-style houses emit warm, pale yellow light from their windows after nightfall. Combined with the white snow, it creates a serene and harmonious landscape. Using long-exposure techniques, the photographer turned car headlights into red trails, adding a touch of vibrancy to the otherwise tranquil village.
▲(Photo by Hisa0808 @Twitter)
▲Hisa also shot with a mobile phone, giving an even more fairytale-like feel. (Photo by Hisa0808 @Twitter)
▲A mobile phone shot of Shirakawa-go at night. (Photo by Hisa0808 @Twitter)
Shirakawa-go Gassho Village is located in the Ono region of Gifu Prefecture’s northwest in Japan, an area known for heavy snowfall where winter snow can reach 2 to 3 meters, with a record high of 4.5 meters. In the past, due to its remote mountain location and harsh winter snow blockades, Shirakawa-go was called the “isolated island of the mainland” and a “hidden gem.” It only gained global recognition and became a world-class travel hotspot after being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
▲Other photographers’ works of Shirakawa-go. (Photo by bestofjapan106 @IG)
▲(Photo by hide_san_3 @IG)
▲(Photo by acchan0831 @Twitter)
▲(Photo by acchan0831 @Twitter)
▲(Photo by shirakawa_go @IG)
▲(Video by shirakawagoinfo @FB)
▲(Photo by riki_s7_ @Twitter)
▲(Photo by riki_s7_ @Twitter)
▲(Photo by riki_s7_ @Twitter)
▲(Photo by halkun1121 @IG)
▲(Photo by bisogro.photo @IG)
▲(Photo by arinkolog @Twitter)
▲(Photo by arinkolog @Twitter)
Sources: Grapee, Shirakawa-go Tourism Information