Shirakawago
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Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. It has the largest concentration of gassho-zukuri buildings in Japan, with over 110 homes, some of which are over 250 years old. The art of gassho-zukuri has been dying out over the years, and most of the remaining houses of this architecture style are in small villages.
Travel tip #1: Shirakawa-go isn’t very large. Therefore, the entire area can be explored in about four hours—lunch break included. It’s open from 9 am – 5 pm most days (hours may be different in winter). To avoid crowds, visit during the week and get there early!
Places of Interest
Ogi-machi: This is the largest of the villages in the Shirakawago area. Gassho-zukuri houses line the roads, with their steep straw-roofed homes made of wood. Due to harsh and unforgiving winters with lots of snow, the roofs of the houses are steeply angled to prevent the snow from piling up. (“Gassho” comes from the Japanese word for prayer, as the steep shape of the roofs resembles praying hands.)
Observation Point: To get a good look at Ogi-machi, you can either take a 15 minute walk uphill to reach the observation point or take the shuttle bus. The shuttle bus departs every 20 minutes near the Wada House and is 200 JPY one-way, but the walk isn’t too horrible.
Deai-Bashi Suspension Bridge: Many people visiting Shirakawa-go will arrive in the parking area nearest to Deai-Bashi. This suspension bridge crosses over Shokawa River and boasts beautiful scenery.
Wada House: This is a three-story gassho-zukuri style home in the northern part of Ogi-machi and the largest of all these style structures in the village. The walls are made of mud and the building is held together without any nails. It’s a representation of the architectural style of the early Edo Period in this region of Japan, but represents how a well-off family would have lived rather than average villagers.
Kanda House: The Kanda House is one of the best preserved gassho-zukuri style farmhouses in Ogi-machi. Now, it’s a museum in the heart of the village. There is a great view of the village from the upper floor, and
Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine: The Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine was supposedly built between 708-715 during the Wado Period. Villagers in this mountainous region have traditional come to pray for good fortune at this shrine. It’s an important place in the village and many people visit the shrine while in the village.
Doburoku Festival Museum: This small museum sits next to the Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine. Inside you can watch a short film the explains the traditional festivals of the village, including the Doburoku Festival, which is held October 14th and 15th each year. In addition, you can see some traditional articles of clothing and items used in the village. They also offer samples of their special Doburoku Sake for visitors.
Travel tip #2: Although Shirakawa-go itself is free of charge to walk around in, most of the houses and museums require entrance fees. Admission to individual sites, such as the Wada House and Doburoku Museum, cost 300 JPY each (~$2.50 USD) for adults. It is best to have smaller bills and coins on hand to pay for these tickets.
Food
Doburoku Sake: This special unrefined sake is only made by specific breweries in the Hida region and the thick, vicious drink has a signature sour-sweet taste. It’s handcrafted every year in early February—the coldest month—and is ready to drink in August. Local, natural ingredients are used to produce the sake, giving it a slightly different taste each year.
Hida Beef: Hida Beef is a special type of meat that is produced exclusively in the Hida region of Japan. These cows are raised in green pastures in the mountains. The quality is lower than famous Kobe Beef, but is a close second in flavor. Many stalls in Shirakawa-go sell skewers of Hida Beef—yakitori style, of course!
Beef & potato croquette: These are especially tasty and fried to perfection—a great snack to enjoy in the village! However, the croquettes are mainly potato based with bits of beef mixed in, meaning you won’t be eating large chunks of beef with this snack.
Beef bun: If deep-fried food isn’t your jam, you can opt to try a steamed bun (“nikuman”) stuffed with Hida Beef. These are sold at food stands throughout Shirakawa-go and are a good alternative to a croquette if you’re looking for something with more meat.
Milk: The milk in the Hida-Takayama region is known for being very fresh and creamy. Small glass bottles of milk, coffee milk, and mango milk can be found in Shirakawa-go. Drinking the milk straight is the best way to enjoy the fresh dairy of the region, and I recommend trying it while there.
Grilled tofu: Definitely take a break from walking around the village and stop into Ichiro. Ichiro is a small restaurant that serves some delectable lunch items made with local foods. Their grilled tofu is made with locally grown soybeans and is served alongside regional mountain vegetables. It’s a wonderful meal in a beautiful space. The grilled tofu set is about 1,200 JPY (~$11 USD) and is quite filling.
Sake kintsuba: Kintsuba is a traditional Japanese sweet that are made from bean paste. The thick paste is cut into square pieces and individuals sides are dipped into a light batter. Then, cooked on each side. This sake kintsuba is made with special local sake and gives the kintsuba a unique aromatic smell and flavor.
Chestnut ice cream: Chestnuts are a seasonal fall food in Japan. Roasted chestnuts and chestnut flavored treats are sold during this time. When I saw chestnut ice cream, I had to grab a cone to appreciate this seasonal flavor. It was lightly sweet with pieces of candied chestnut added to the ice cream. If its not fall when you visit Shirakawa-go, ice cream of any flavor is worth trying!
Travel tip #3: Doburoku Sake is a special unrefined sake and is only made by specific breweries in the Hida region. Although the breweries produce the sake, they do not have a license to sell the drink. Five shrines can legally distribute the sake, but it cannot be sold at shops or taken out of the shrine due to the Liquor Tax Act. You must sample the sake if you are in Shirakawa-go because there’s nothing like it anywhere else and a flavor unlike any other!
Transportation & Accommodation
Shirakawa-go is accessible from multiple cities, but Kanazawa and Takayama are the closest. There are also highway buses connecting Shirakawa-go to Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. It is easiest to reach the village area by either car or bus. There is a train into Shirakawa-go, but car and bus are the most direct route.
I took a highway bus from Nagoya Meitetsu Station to the Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal. It cost 3,900 JPY one-way and took approximately three hours. Although it was a tad expensive, this was the easiest way for me to reach Shirakawa-go from my town of Fujieda in Shizuoka Prefecture. I booked my tickets ahead of time using this website, but tickets can also be purchased day-of at the Meitetsu Bus Terminal ticket counter.
Located next to the Sho River (Shokawa) is the natural hot spring, Shirakawa-go no Yu. This is the perfect place to end your day in Shirakawa-go, as you can relax in the hot springs. There is an outside bath and an inside bath, which are separated for women and men. This is a also a good place to stay within the village if you are looking for overnight accommodation.
Travel tip #4: It is possible to stay overnight in a traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouse, but you will need to do research beforehand to properly reserve rooms. I recommend staying in Takayama or Kanazawa and taking the bus in and out of Shirakawa-go on the same day.
Climate
Shirakawa-go is a mountain village located in northern Gifu Prefecture. The village has four distinct seasons–winter is the one of the most popular times to visit due to the winter illuminations. During this time the village is lit up at night, giving it a picaresque glow. Although winter is a popular time for tourists, it is also incredibly snowy and cold. Similar to the Echigo Tsumari area of Niigata Prefecture, Shirakawa-go experiences some of the heaviest snowfall in Japan. Late autumn is a good time to visit, as the leaves are vibrant colors and the weather is more mild. In spring, you can see the cherry blossoms and other flowers in bloom. Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures sometimes reaching 31+ Celsius (89+ Fahrenheit) throughout July and August.
