Christmas in the Japanese Alps

We decided to head into the Japanese Alps for Christmas. It was nice with a change of scenery, and we were also hoping to see some snow.

Takayama became our base for a couple of days as we explored the region. A town known for its many picturesque streets, carpentry, sake breweries, and  lacquerware.

I enjoyed strolling down the street thinking about how it must have been like here a very long time ago. I sure would have liked to be a fly on the wall back then.

One day, we rented a car to go to the historic village of Shirakawa-go with its many beautiful Gassho-zukuri style houses. We could not have chosen a better day. It snowed and snowed, but, luckily, the car tires were good and we arrived at our destination safely. I think the pictures tell you a great deal about how much it actually snowed.

We found a nice little café where we had some hot chocolate and coffee. The owners were so sweet, treating us to a Japanese bean dessert that was delicious. 

When we left, the owner said thank you very much in Swedish. It was time to head back to Takayama.