The “Nakao Kamakura Festival” begins, enveloped in a gentle glow, with lion dances and local sake, running until February 10 at Nakao Hakusan Shrine in Gifu’s Shinhotaka Onsen.

The Nakao Kamakura Festival is an annual winter event held in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture, Japan, where hundreds of small snow huts called *kamakura* are built and illuminated. Its origins are said to date back over 400 years as a ritual to honor the water deity Suijin, ensuring a good water supply and bountiful harvests. Today, visitors can enter the huts to enjoy *amazake* (sweet rice drink) and grilled *mochi* while experiencing this traditional and magical winter atmosphere.

Takayama City, located in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, is a beautifully preserved historic city often called “Little Kyoto.” It flourished as a wealthy merchant town under the direct control of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo Period (1603-1868), thanks to its skilled carpenters and timber resources. Today, its charming old town (Sanmachi Suji), traditional morning markets, and the renowned biannual Takayama Festival showcase its rich cultural heritage.

Gifu Prefecture, located in central Japan, is a region rich in history and traditional culture, historically known as the Mino Province. It is famous for the UNESCO World Heritage site of Shirakawa-go, with its iconic thatched-roof farmhouses, and the historic city of Gifu, which was a key power base for the warlord Oda Nobunaga in the 16th century. The prefecture is also celebrated for its traditional crafts like Mino ware pottery and its natural beauty, including the clear Nagara River known for its ancient cormorant fishing (*ukai*) tradition.

Nakao Hakusan Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Kanazawa, Japan, dedicated to the deity of Mount Hakusan. It was originally established in the early 17th century by the Maeda clan, the feudal lords of the Kaga Domain, to protect the castle town. The shrine is known for its historic architecture and its annual autumn festival, which features a vibrant parade of floats.

Shin-Hotaka Onsen is a hot spring village located in the Northern Japan Alps of Gifu Prefecture, renowned for its scenic mountain views and therapeutic waters. Its history is tied to the development of the surrounding area for forestry and mountaineering, with the hot springs becoming a popular retreat for visitors to Kamikōchi and hikers of the Hotaka mountain range in the 20th century. Today, it offers traditional ryokan inns and open-air baths, serving as a peaceful base for exploring the alpine landscape.