Snow scene, Hida Takayama old village, Japan

Shirakawa-go village in the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains of Gifu and Toyama Prefectures is a world heritage-listed site famous for its traditional *gassho-zukuri* (lit. 'constructed like hands in prayer') thatch-roofed farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. This image shows some of the old farmhouses under winter snow.