Glacier Montre
Masquerade
story
Story: Shirakawa watched as the first snowfall of the year floated gently through the air and came to rest atop her small mountain village. In times long gone she took great pleasure in watching the world turn white around her. Sighing she stood and shook herself from head to tail, clearing her fur of the sparkling dust that caressed it.
Her people have been here for hundreds of years, once merchants selling silk and mulberry products. The village is protected now, even as the old ways die.
History: Shirakawa is a mountain village located at the highest peak on Mount Haku in the Ryohaku Mountains, bordering Ishikawa prefecture. Shirakawa has one of the heaviest snowfall rates worldwide.
The traditional houses of Shirakawa have roofs which are thought to resemble two hands clasped in Buddhist prayer. These homes are called gassho-zukuri meaning "praying hands", each building is constructed without pegs or nails. The steep roof is designed to prevent snow piling up in winter and also keeps the inside relatively cool in summer. Virtually all houses in Shirakawago face north-south as the prevailing winds blow north along the Shogawa valley. Gassho-zukuri are clean and comfortable but primitive. Washrooms and bathing facilities are shared and many contain "irori" or Japanese hearths. Local, home-style cuisine is provided to guests.
Protection: Shirakawa has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 1995. However many of the locals have converted their houses into gift shops, parking areas and accommodation which can threaten Shirakawa's UNESCO protection as it is not designed to turn listings into tourist traps.
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