LUXE took the MINI John Cooper Works to Nagano and ended up being there for the town’s biggest snowfall of the year!

From the story, written by LUXE’s Carl van Wijk:

The MINI Countryman hums to life in the morning hush, a little cloud of breath rising from its exhaust into the cold Karuizawa air. Snow has dusted the trees overnight, softening the world into something quieter, more delicate. The car, with its wide-eyed headlights and just-right proportions, feels like it belongs here—ready to wander, not rush. We set off with no destination in mind, just a sense that the road might show us something worth remembering.

The streets are still empty this early, save for the occasional cyclist wrapped in wool and resolve. As we drive, the snow begins to fall again—light, fluttering, almost playful. It sticks to the windshield in lace-like patterns before vanishing with the warmth of the heater. The Countryman takes the backroads with ease, weaving past silver birch trees and shuttered summer homes that sleep through the winter.

There’s something romantic about this part of Japan in the cold months—something about how time slows down when the leaves are gone and the land is wrapped in white.

Some photos from our MINI Adventure in Nagano, by LUXE photographer Alfie Goodrich.

Click here to read the full article at the online edition of LUXE.

Visit MINI Japan’s online guide to the John Cooper Works collection, here.