One night in February of 2016, I returned to the village of Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, Central Japan, a village known for its harsh winter climate and the steep, A-framed, thatched-roof farm houses designed to withstand the heavy snows.
After the tourists left for the evening, the gentle snow began to fall. Down by the river, dredging upstream caused different stripes of turquoise and brown hues to form in the water. The snow left pixie dust on the river stones, stone walls, even cropped stalks of rice. The snow continued through the night as we slept in farmhouses and awoke at dawn to sunshine coming through the clouds after a cold night.
Amid the quietness you could hear the snowflakes falling...
Village of Shirakawa-go and the Sho River, 2016River Stones Dusted with Snow, Sho River, 2016Bridge on the Sho River, 2016Street in the Late Afternoon, Shirakawa-go, 2016Laundry outside Traditional Crafts Store, Shirakawa-go, 2016Lone Tree and Farm Houses, Shirakawa-go, 2016Footsteps along Snow-Covered Rice Paddies, Shirakawa-go, 2016Man and Dog Paying Respects, Shirakawa-go, 2016Tanuki Statues outside Store, Shirakawa-go, 2016Snowshoes and Lanterns at a Souvenir Shop, Shirakawa-go, 2016Goldfish in Snow, Shirakawa-go, 2016Lamps in a Window, Shirakawa-go, 2016Pine Tree outside a Window, Shirakawa-go, 2016Miso Barrels in Morning Light, Shirakawa-go, 2016Stubs of Rice Plants, Shirakawa-go, 2016Cherry Tree Awaiting Spring, Shirakawa-go, 2016Pickles in a Creek, Shirakawa-go, 2016The Hues of Dredging, Shirakawa-go, 2016
