Most people think of Japan in spring.

I keep returning in January.

Not only for the snow, but for what winter does to Japan. 

Takayama and Hida Furukawa grow quiet beneath it. Temple roofs disappear under white. Steam rises from old streets. And further north, entire landscapes are transformed.

After travelling across Japan in January many times, I've come to think of it as "the most beautiful way" to experience the country.

Japan at its quietest — and perhaps its most authentic.