The mere two-hour time difference between Thailand and Japan meant jet lag didn’t factor that much during the pleasant drive to Gifu to the clutch of rest stops that punctuated the highways. It’s hard to believe that two hours ago, we were at Chubu Centrair Airport still accustoming ourselves from Bangkok’s stifling heat to the refreshing cold. With a thick blanket of snow covering the rooftops that resembles a gingerbread village from afar, the ancient homes that make up the breathtaking village of Shirakawago is indeed a scene straight from a fairytale. The spellbinding beauty of Shirakawago at night. I, for one, voluntarily return to Nagoya knowing we’d be braving sub-zero temperatures, but who can resist capturing Japan’s beauty under a magical winter spell? While winter in Europe usually means escaping the cold and heading for the tropics, winter in Japan is a time when tourists swarm over to enjoy the good food, absorb its exotic culture and take in the unvarnished natural scenery. While visitors flock to Nagoya during the summer to enjoy the slew of outdoor activities, winter is a favourite time for avid photographers for get snap happy.Īfter an extraordinary winter adventure with photographer friends to savour the beauty of Nagoya covered in snow, I have to agree with the Japanese proverb which claims: “One kind word can warm three winter months.”