Old town and Shirakawago with snow represent Hida’s winter. Although there are more visitors in summer than winter, we would like to recommend winter to enjoy its beauty.
Today, local photographer Mr. Ikedo teaches us Hida’s best snowscape spots.

No 1. Old Town

Takayama’s old town has been beautifully preserved with many old homes, shops, cafes and sake breweries dating from the Edo Period (1600-1868). You can enjoy eating food and townhouse tour here. In winter, you can see the contrast with snow and quaint houses, enjoy light up with chochin (Japanese lantern) and sake brewery tour.

Top: Snowing in the old town at night
Lower left: The beautiful contrast with pot plant
Lower right: Chochin light up

No 2. Nakabashi Bridge

Nakabashi Bridge is a vermillion bridge that goes across the Miyagawa River, a symbol of Takayama and the gate to the Old Town. The bridge creates a beautiful contrast between the vermillion bridge and the white snow. You can take a nice picture under the next Ikadabashi Bridge.

No 3. Shirakawago

Shirakawago declared the world heritage is famous for Gassho Zukuri (traditional farmhouses with thatched roofs). You will feel the grand nature when you visit Shirakawago in winter. You can enjoy the upside down Gassho Zukuri, Myozenji and also entering the house.
We recommend you having hot Zenzai (sweet red bean soup with a grilled rice cake) at a café.

[Recommended tour with a Japanese guide]
Shirakawago is popular for sightseeing and it is no exaggeration to say we can find it on every guide book. A guide teaches you why and how people live here and why it is registered as the world heritage, so you will enjoy Shirakawago more!
※The guide speaks only Japanese.

No 4. Hida Folk Village Hida-no-Sato Winter Light-up

Hida-no-Sato, built in 1971, is a village museum re-created old lifestyles such as private houses and articles of everyday use. Gassho Zukuri (traditional farmhouses with thatched roofs) and paddy fields covered with snow is visionary as if you were in the old story.

Hida-no-Sato in winter

The light-up of the world heritage Shirakawago is crowded, so taking a picture is hard there.
Hida-no-Sato holds winter light-up during Jan to Feb and it is easy to visit there from Takayama Green Hotel. We recommend you bringing a tripod, some batteries and a light to illuminate around hands.

If it is snowing, you can take a picture with snow fireflies.

Slow synchronization is that the light shines snow by using a flash.
If you use a flash, the shutter keeps opening and the background comes out brightly.

How was the snowscape spots?
Let’s find another best spots when driving and walking !!

No 5. Sub-zero Forest

It is 10 degrees below zero here and people create “forest of ice” by sprinkling water. They light up with blue in the daytime and blue, yellow and green in the night.
At the ice festival held once a year, you can see frozen bubbles.

Illuminated forest daytime and night

Fantastic sub-zero forest

No 6. Okuhida Onsengo Shinhotaka the Japan Northern Alps Bridge

If you take a ropeway, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Japan Northern Alps from the observation deck at 2,156 meters above sea level.
Driving to the Japan Northern Alps Bridge is easier to enjoy the mountain view.
You can see Mt. Kasagatake, Mt. Shakujodake and the active volcano Mt. Yakedake on a sunny day.

With wide-angle zoom lens, you can take a picture of grand mountain view. With telephoto zoom lens, take a close-up of the peak. You will see the contrast with gentle slope and the rugged rock surface with snow during the sun shining obliquely. Do not overexpose so as not to becomes pure white.

No 7. Okuhida Onsengo Hirayu

The National Route 158 connecting Takayama city and Hirayu may have the 2 meters high snow walls by the snowplow around Hirayu Tunnel. Although you can see only snow wall from the car, there is a vast fantastic snowscape.

The fantastic snowscape around Hirayu tunnel

The snow on the branches looks flowers. Hoarfrost made of vapor also looks flowers in the cold morning, and the hoarfrost sparkles with the sunshine.