Shirakawago Project

I'm just back from Shirakawago world heritage site in Japan. As part of the University internation project we teamed up with student from Pusan university (korea) and Beijing Univeristy. Together we documented various different parts of the Traditional lifestyle and architecture that still exists in the shirakawawgo valley. It was a very beautiful place. But I cant help feel it has suffered its own popularity, thousands upon thousands of tourists international and domestic come each year. But I think they still mananage to hold onto their own authentic way of life. The villagers that I did talk with still were living as they wanted to and not the poor depresed alcoholic wretches I met in The aran islands in Ireland, which has a very similar situation. here is a couple of snaps, the area is particularly famous for the massive thatched rooves that have to with stand many tonnes of snow in the winter.