Shirakawa-go is a village made up of private houses built using the traditional gassho-zukuri construction method.
In the winter, it is a region with heavy snowfall, but in the summer, it is a place rich in nature with fresh green trees and beautiful flowers in full bloom.
In Shirakawa-go, more than 100 gassho-zukuri houses, which can be considered as the original scenery of Japan, are still preserved with great care.
Therefore, when you come here, you will feel as if you have traveled back in time to the world of old stories.
So, what exactly is Shirakawa-go?
This time, we will introduce in detail Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, a gassho-zukuri village that is an original Japanese landscape and has been designated as a World Heritage Site.
①What kind of place is the World Heritage Site Shirakawa-go?
Shirakawa-go is a gassho-style village located in Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu Prefecture.
On the map, it is located in the northwestern part of Gifu Prefecture, sandwiched between Toyama Prefecture and Ishikawa Prefecture.
It is a farming and mountain village located at the foot of Mt. Hakusan at an altitude of 2,702m, and is an area with heavy snowfall in winter.
Shirakawa-go was registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1995 as the “Village of Gassho-zukuri”.
After being registered as a World Heritage Site, the number of tourists will steadily increase.
Above all, keep in mind the increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, and of the 1,745,000 total tourists in 2018, about half, or 814,000, were foreign tourists visiting Japan.
Even now, Shirakawa-go is very popular with foreign tourists visiting Japan.
➁History of Shirakawa-go
❶Why Shirakawa-go was able to form its own culture.
The reasons why Shirakawa-go was able to form a unique culture that still exists today is that it was an area with heavy snowfall, was rich in nature, and was cut off from communication with other regions at the foot of Mt. Hakusan at an altitude of 2,702 meters. , due to the large family system in place.
❷Why the unique architectural form of Gassho-zukuri was born in Shirakawa-go.
The unique architectural form of Gassho-zukuri was created in Shirakawa-go for two reasons: to prevent snow from accumulating on the roofs even in areas with heavy snowfall, and to provide work space in the attic for sericulture.
Shirakawa-go is an area that experiences heavy snowfall, so it was necessary to prevent the roof from collapsing under the weight of snow.
In Shirakawa-go, where there was a temporary lack of income, sericulture was started as a valuable source of cash income.
Due to these two reasons, each private house in Shirakawa-go became larger and Gassho-zukuri houses were born, and a unique architectural form developed.
It was around the middle of the Edo period that a construction method suitable for Shirakawa-go appeared.
➂Shirakawa-go tourist attractions.
Here we will introduce the sightseeing spots in Shirakawa-go.
❶Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observation Deck.
The town castle ruins observation deck is an observation deck located on a hill that offers a panoramic view of the Ogishirakawa-go gassho-zukuri village.
It was originally built about 400 years ago on the site of the residence of Tame Ujikatsu of Uchigashima and the residence of Ujikatsu Yamashita.
Currently, it is a parking lot and you can go there by car.
The town castle ruins observation deck is a must-see spot where you can see the gassho-style village from above.
❷Deai Bridge
Deai Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects the Seseragi Park parking lot and the Gassho-zukuri village.
Although it is made of concrete, it is a popular photo spot as it matches the scenery of Shirakawa-go.
❸Gassho style folk house garde.
Gassho-zukuri Minkaen is an open-air museum run by Shirakawa Village where you can tour gassho-zukuri folk houses.
The original purpose was to preserve Gassho-zukuri architecture and culture.
The lifestyle and scenery of the time have been recreated in their original state.
Admission fee is 600 yen for adults, 400 yen for children, and free for preschoolers.
❹Wada family residence.
Wada Family Residence is the largest gassho style private house in Shirakawa-go.
It was built in the middle of the Edo period and is currently a nationally designated important cultural property.
Mr. Wada still lives there, but the first and second floors are open to tourists as a viewing space.
You can actually see how the Wada family lives in a gassho-zukuri private house.
❺Three huts (three combined palms)
Sangoya is a spot where three traditional houses are lined up.
The gassho style houses are arranged side by side like triplets, hence the name “three united hands.”
It is a particularly popular photography spot in Shirakawa-go.
④Winter light up.
Shirakawa-go is illuminated for a limited time in winter.
The illumination is held a total of 6 times on specific days from January to February.
It will be a large-scale event in which the entire Shirakawa-go will be lit up.
However, as this is a popular event and crowds are expected, reservations are currently required.
Therefore, even if you show up on the day without a reservation, you will not be able to participate.
⑤Access information
Here we will introduce access information to Shirakawa-go.
The address of Shirakawago is Ogimachi, Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu Prefecture.
〇Route from Tokyo to Shirakawago by car.
| Tokyo IC ⇒ Tomei Expressway ⇒ Ebina JCT ⇒ Metropolitan Area Chuo Expressway ⇒ Hachioji JCT ⇒ Chuo Expressway ⇒ Okaya JCT ⇒ Nagano Expressway ⇒ Matsumoto IC ⇒ General roads ⇒ Nakanoyu IC ⇒ Chubu Jukan Expressway ⇒ Hirayu IC ⇒ General road ⇒ Hida Kiyomi IC ⇒ Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway ⇒ Shirakawago IC ⇒ Shirakawago |
〇Points to note when accessing.
Recently, the number of general tourists and foreign tourists visiting Japan has been increasing, so traffic congestion is expected.
We recommend visiting during the season when there are fewer tourists.
〇Points to note when approaching by car in winter.
Heavy snowfall is expected in Shirakawa-go in winter.
If you are visiting by car, we recommend using 4WD with studless tires or car chains.
Summary
This time, we introduced Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, a gassho-zukuri village that represents Japan’s original landscape and has been designated as a World Heritage Site.
Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture is a tourist destination that can be enjoyed in all seasons.
In spring, cherry blossoms bloom as the snow melts, in summer the rice fields fill with water, in fall the ears of rice turn golden yellow, and in winter you can see the spectacular snowy landscape.
Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, is a village where you can enjoy the beauty of each season.
Why not stop by Shirakawa-go when you visit Gifu Prefecture?
▲Shirakawago
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