Gokayama and Shirakawago/Photoshoot by professional photographer

Visited magnificent, old gassho zukuri houses in the Japanese Alps near Takayama with professional photographer, TK Kurakawa. Photos quite spectacular and the day stands out for us during our month long journey to Japan. First rate!

This tour was very nice. Takatoshi-san is friendly, the car is comfortable - the carseat provided for my son was a very handy, included option. The photos came out great as well!

Would you like to visit a traditional snowy mountain village in Japan before absolutely everyone else does? Well, just over an hour or so from Kanazawa you can discover the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Shirakawago and Gokayama which contain plenty of authentic Gassho-style houses made with thatched roofs. When we found we could arrange a private visit to the mountains with a professional photographer as a guide, we jumped at the opportunity! In under seven hours, TK Photography transported us from our hotel in Kanazawa back in time to these two mountain villages for an unforgettable experience. Our morning was spent in the larger village of Shirakawago which has become increasingly popular with travellers. TK knew all the angles and composed all the shots, whilst taking our particular preferences into consideration. He showed us the iconic view from the lookout, allowed us some free time to wander round and took us to a delicious place for an authentic Japanese lunch. We then travelled to the nearby village of Gokayama for a comparison and whilst the houses were similar, the villages were quite different. Situated in a larger, wider valley, Shirakawago contains many more traditional houses, souvenir shops and Instagram opportunities. However, we’re afraid it’s already in danger of becoming increasingly loved to death by everyone. Meanwhile, Gokayama was nestled in a steep, narrow valley and in our opinion, exuded a more intimate and secluded atmosphere. It was a small, quiet village with far less tourist activity and perhaps a little less to see. And although you approach it by walking down a hill, you’d never believe there was actually an elevator to take you back up again if you’re feeling tired! So, given the choice, which village might you prefer to visit? If you only need images of thatched roofs dripping in snow (or even without snow), either village will do the job. However, if you can, you might try to see both, because we think they offer different advantages whilst complementing each other. And with TK Photography, you can visit both villages on the same day. We would definitely recommend this tour as we had a most enjoyable day. We wanted snow and we got lots of it. Our own pictures were wonderful but TK’s were awesome! If you’d like to have a great day out with fantastic photos guaranteed, you might give TK Photography a go. You sure won’t be disappointed… Alex and Sophia, Brisbane, Australia