The Hida region of Japan is set between Gifu, where Kaoru's hometown is, and Toyama, where we used to live. There is a city on the way between the two regions called Takayama that we have visited many times. However, we have always wanted to go to a village about 60 km away from Takayama called Shirakawa.

Usually by this time of year, it is too snowed-in to visit, but due to unseasonably warm weather (thanks, global warming!) we were able to enjoy perfect weather the day before a huge snowfall.

It was nice to have two cameramen - Kaoru's dad took some of the shots in this album: of course, the ones with me in them, the girls building a snowman,  some of the indoor shots, and the big three stones.