The White Houses of Matsumoto

Just moments away from a pristine canal in the town of Matsumoto, there is a row of white merchant houses, the beautiful stonemasonry setting a magnificent silhouette against the Japanese Alps. Unlike the wooden machiya in Gion, Kyoto, these thick "kura" stone houses stand proud in the long freezing winters that sweep this town. Some of these merchant houses have been restored as boutiques, selling exotic vases, textiles and other handicrafts. Why not stay at the simple Nunoya Ryokan nearby, cycle along the canals and breathe the mountain air.