The historic village of Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan, was lit up on January 13.

The UNESCO World Heritage site is known for traditional “gassho-zukuri” wooden houses with steep thatched roofs.

Soft orange lights glowed against the snow-covered roofs.

The light-up event takes place at this village every winter, but due to surges in tourists, prior reservations are necessary to take in the scenery.

This year, there are only four days of illuminations scheduled in January and February, and reservation spots are fully booked.