Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, Japan Shirakawa-go is a beautiful mountain village famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", and refers to the steep thatched roofs that distinguish the architectural style. Interesting Facts: The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms. Some of the farmhouses are over 250 years old. Shirakawa-go and the neighboring area of Gokayama were declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. Shirakawa-go was featured in the film The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise.   Shirakawa-go.org | Instagram - Check out their beautiful images of Shirakawa-go.

Torii Gate near Tsutsuji-so, August 2015 This is by far one of my favorite photos from my trip to Japan. Looking at it makes me feel like I'm back on the beach in Naoshima surrounded by incredible island views. It was pure zen. This torii gate is located near the entrance to Tsutsuji-so, the accommodation my husband and I stayed at while in Naoshima. We had the pleasure of staying in a traditional Japanese beach cottage. Taking our shoes off to walk on tatami mats, sleeping on futons we rolled out ourselves, and using the unique bathing and cooking facilities was a lot of fun. Check [...]

I'm not really sure what this super cute sign is trying to communicate, but I assume it's warning against dangerous fish. Pond Sign, Naoshima, Japan

The colors, shapes, and textures in this picture perfectly capture my initial impression of Okayama.