The air is crisp, the snow deep and undisturbed. The Japanese Alps tower around us, beckoning us to their slopes.
In central Japan, just under two hours from Tokyo by bullet train, Nagano is known for its world-class ski resorts. But while the area’s mountains are undeniably magnetic – they were the stage for the 1998 Winter Olympics – we are not here to carve through powder.
Instead, we tread a narrow trail that winds through a forest of ancient cedar trees, their massive trunks cloaked in frost.
The silence is broken only by the soft crunch of our footsteps. Our destination? A hidden shrine tucked deep in the woods where time feels as though it has stood still for centuries.
Togakushi Shrine dates back more than 1,000 years.
According to Japanese legend, the sun goddess Amaterasu hid in a cave after becoming upset with her younger brother, plunging the world into darkness.