There is more to Shirakawago than thatched roof houses (gasshozukuri).

Posted on March 28th, 2011 under Japan. Tags: rice paddy, shirakawago. Comments: 1

Japan’s four seasons are beautiful. The summers can be a little long, as can the winters, but they are still fun to experience. I have been to Shirakawago at the beginning of summer (July pictured above). Someday I hope to make it there in the winter. Come to think of it, I’d also like to experience a spring and autumn there too. 😉

The rice paddies are well underway in July but not quite as lush as they would be a month or so later.

A few days ago, Edmund Yeo posted some photos he recently took from the same location. One is below.

The rice hasn’t been planted yet in this winter scene, and the fields are deep in snow.

Which do you like better–the green or the white?

Posted on March 9th, 2011 under Japan. Tags: shirakawago, snow. Comments: 4

This was the perfect morning for a number of reasons:
1. Didn’t see a single tourist
2. Nice mix of clouds, blue sky, and mist
3. Temperature was perfect
4. Breakfast was coming and, based on the past night’s dinner, I knew it would be fantastic
5. Prior night’s rain left the air crisp and clean and the rice and flowers with water droplets my camera couldn’t miss
6. I love thatched roofs

Posted on August 29th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: buildings, shirakawago, thatch roof. Comments: 3

On our walk up to the viewpoint in Shirakawago we encountered this giant, caterpillar/slug/? creature. It was about six inches (15 cm) in length. The fur on the top was soft but the quills on the side were very hard and sharp.

Posted on August 24th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: shirakawago. Comments: 2

On our first day in Shirakawago, we had only an hour or two before the rain began. The downpour was incredible and only added to the town’s character (assuming it let up for the following day, right?). There is nothing like thunder and lightning when you are lodging in a gassho zukuri (合掌造り).

Breakfast was scheduled for 7:30 so I headed out of the thatched roof home (Hisamatsu 久松民宿) where we were staying at 6 a.m., hoping for a morning walk of more than an hour that didn’t include rain or tourists. The above photo is what Myozenji looked like across the road as I began my walk. I didn’t see any tourists. Everything was extremely peaceful. There were a couple of old Japanese guys tending their rice fields, but I didn’t see anyone else. The mountains were shrouded in mist that slowly began to burn away with the clouds.

It was a morning I will never forget. I returned just before breakfast and took the pic below of the same basic scene. This time it was mostly blue skies, with just a bit of mist remaining to keep the atmosphere extra special.

Posted on August 21st, 2010 under Japan. Tags: rice paddy, shirakawago, thatch roof. Comments Off on Shirakawago’s Myozenji (明善寺)