The skiing shrine!

Hakuba is a ski resort but who would have thought there was a shrine too? And such a cute one too, just crying out to be photographed.

We saw him on a walk around the town and surrounding area in a place called Echoland, home to a lovely (Western) cafe where we had a burger and muffins. Or walk took us on three back roads around the town where we passed by lots of homes (all different to one another, no housing estates like we have) often rubbing shoulders with small rice paddies and allotments. Very picturesque, particularly as the rice is bright yellow and ready to harvest.