Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a remote mountain valley of Gifu Prefecture, famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs designed to withstand heavy snowfall. The village of Ogimachi is the largest and most popular, with many farmhouses still inhabited and some open as museums or minshuku (guesthouses). The Shiroyama Viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the entire village and is especially stunning during the winter illumination events held on select evenings in January and February, when the snow-covered village is lit up. Some farmhouses are over 250 years old and the architectural style is unique to this region. Shirakawa-go can be reached by highway bus from Takayama (about 50 minutes) or Kanazawa (about 75 minutes). Staying overnight in a gassho-zukuri farmhouse is a memorable experience.