Gokayama

Gokayama is a remote mountainous area in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, home to two UNESCO World Heritage villages, Ainokura and Suganuma, known for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snowfall. Ainokura is the larger of the two villages with around 20 preserved farmhouses set in a small valley 400 meters above sea level along the Sho River. Unlike its more famous neighbor Shirakawa-go, Gokayama receives far fewer tourists, allowing for a more authentic and peaceful experience. Several farmhouses operate as minshuku (guesthouses) where visitors can stay overnight and experience traditional rural life. The area is also renowned for its handmade washi paper tradition and folk songs performed with an unusual percussion instrument made from a wooden board.