Visiting Shiramine (Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings) Taking it slow through snow-covered streets in my red 4WD

At dusk in Shiramine, light from the houses spilled onto the snow. I kept both hands on the wheel of my red four-wheel-drive sedan and drove slowly along the street, eyes ahead. Even through the car window, I could see how thickly snow had settled on the rooftops.

When I parked and walked around at midday, I found myself looking at the shapes of the windows: tall and narrow, set into broad walls. I knew Shiramine still had architecture shaped by heavy snowfall, but after seeing the houses for myself, those words suddenly felt real.

Snow lay in rounded drifts on the roofs and low stone walls alike. I’d come to take in the shapes of the buildings, but when snow piles up, even their outlines change. Huddled a little inside my coat, I took my time comparing the walls with the eaves.

After my walk, I got back in the car and eased onto the town’s streets at dusk. I remembered the houses I’d seen by day, but kept my eyes on the road. I kept the car within the space the road allowed, my hands steady on the wheel. I didn’t rush through; I let myself think back over the day I’d spent in town.

Shiramine was designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 2012. I’d come to see its snow-covered streets, but people live their lives here, day after day. Whenever I thought back to the walls and windows I’d seen during the day, I no longer wanted to think of those rows of houses as just winter scenery.

Next time, I’d like to stop by Shiramine Onsen’s public bath and take my time over horse-chestnut mochi, a sweet passed down in the foothills of Mount Hakusan. With a chance to warm up and a taste of the mountains, I can see myself growing even fonder of this town. As I drove out along the evening road, I was already thinking about what I’d look forward to next time.