- Culture
- Gifu
Shirakawa-go Village, a Gassho Style Houses
When traveling in Shirakawa-go, Gifu, you should check out the observation area that provides a great view over the Haku Mountain range and Gassho Style steep rafter roofs. This village of Gassho Style house was registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1995. There are 114 Gassho Style houses in total, and citizens of the village have protected and maintain the original landscape while maintaining their daily lives too. There are many places around the village: Ogi-machi Castle Ruin Observation Area where you can get a view of the village and the Haku Mountain range; Wada House, a designated national Important Cultural Property; and Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum. Enjoy this rural landscape where you can really feel Japan’s four seasons.
The Ogi-machi Castle Ruin Observation Area is a popular viewing spot on top of a hill, where you can command a view of the Haku mountain range and the Shirakawa-go village with Gassho Style houses below you. All kinds of Gassho Style houses, both large and small, face the same direction. This is in consideration of the wind blowing through the village from south to north and sunlight on the thatched roofs. People used to call this as a secluded area. See for yourself the beauty of this picturesque village in the mountains which has protected and passed down its culture in the midst of harsh natural conditions. You can access the observation area by foot, but there is also a shuttle bus that runs inside the village (charged bus).
The Wada House is a particularly large and eye-catching building among the Gassho Style buildings in the village, and it has been designated as a national Important Cultural Property. During the Edo period, members of the Wada family served as village headmen and officials at guardhouses, and were prosperous in the gunpowder trade, which was an important source of income for Shirakawa-go. This building was built 300 years ago and is still used as a residence today, while the first and second floors are open to the public as a museum.
The Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum is an outdoor museum where 25 unused Gassho Style houses from Shirakawa Village have been relocated and preserved. Guests can learn about the history and culture of Shirakawa Village. The museum also has an educational program that allows guests to experience the culture of Shirakawa-go by making soba noodles, straw crafts, and plant dyeing.
Location
| Name | Shirakawa-go Village, a Gassho Style Houses |
|---|---|
| Website | https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/ |
| Address | Ogi-machi, Shirakawamura, Ono-gun, Gifu |
| Access | Approximately 1 hour 40 minutes by bus from Toyama Airport Approximately 2 hours by bus from Komatsu Airport |
