Using the nationwide travel support, I went on a one-night, two-day trip to photograph the light-up of Shirakawa-go, a World Cultural Heritage site in Gifu Prefecture. The next day, I explored the city of Takayama in the Hida region and made a stop at Kenrokuen on the way back. (February 5-6, 2023)

Day 1

Departed from JR Osaka at 12:42 on Thunderbird 23

Arrived in Kanazawa at 15:26

Took a bus from Kanazawa Station and drove on the highway for about 70 minutes, arriving at the “Seseragi Parking Lot” in Shirakawa-go, a World Cultural Heritage site, around 17:00. Shirakawa-go, known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, is celebrated for its simple and beautiful appearance, often described as “Japan's original scenery,” and captivates us with its charm. This area, one of Japan’s heaviest snowfall regions, is covered in deep snow for about four to five months each winter. The vast, snowy landscape is truly enchanting, representing the quintessential winter scenery of Shirakawa-go. When the village is enveloped in snow, it creates a fantastical world reminiscent of a fairytale. The light-up event, which is limited and requires advance reservation, occurs six times: three times in January and three times in February. The event runs from 17:30 to 19:30. Although there was significant snowfall around January 24, the roads had been cleared. However, temperatures had dropped close to freezing, and there were icy patches where caution was needed to avoid slipping. I headed with my tripod and camera to a pre-researched shooting spot at "Wada House." Despite the advance reservation system, many people had come to see the light-up, and the area was surrounded by foreign tourists speaking various languages, creating an almost surreal experience as if I were not in Japan. Time flew by, and soon it was time to return to the bus. Afterward, I had dinner at a nearby restaurant and proceeded to my accommodation in Takayama. At the hotel, after the room assignments, we were given a 2000-yen coupon. While paper-based coupons are common, in Gifu Prefecture, the 2000-yen coupon was provided through the “Gifu Travel Coin” app, which had to be downloaded to a smartphone.

                                  【Chisun Grand Takayama】





Day 2
Takayama, located in the northern part of Gifu Prefecture, is a central sightseeing area in the Hida region, often referred to as "Hida Takayama." Since we arrived late at the hotel last night, our departure was set for 10:00. With some time before departure, we visited the Miyagawa Morning Market. The market stretches along the Miyagawa River and features a variety of shops selling vegetables, flowers, folk crafts, clothing, and miscellaneous goods. Across the street, there are also shops selling typical souvenirs. Another classic spot to visit is the historic streets of Kamisannomachi, Kamininomachi, and Kamiyoshinomachi, where you can find traditional sake breweries with hanging cedar balls, miso shops, as well as shops offering folk crafts, miscellaneous goods, souvenirs, cafes, and restaurants.
We gathered at the hotel at 10:00, and the tour of Takayama city began, which was a free time activity. I headed quickly to my lunch destination, the popular restaurant "Menya Shirakawa," which has been drawing long lines of locals and tourists since its opening in 2012. Although the restaurant opens at 11:00, there was already a line of about 10 people by 10:30. By the time the restaurant opened, there were about 20 more people in line behind me. The broth, made by simmering a large amount of chicken bones and fish stock such as bonito flakes for over 10 hours, was rich (dark-colored) yet light. The noodles were firm and had great texture, making for a very delicious ramen.
Afterward, we stopped by Kenrokuen in Kanazawa to see the snow hangings. However, Kanazawa was warm, and most of the snow in Kenrokuen had melted, so we couldn’t experience the winter snow scenery we had hoped for.
Departed from JR Kanazawa: 16:55 on Thunderbird 38
Arrived in Osaka: 19:38