In the Shokawa River Valley northwest of Takayama lies one of Japan’s most iconic sights, the massive thatched farmhouses of Shirakawa-go.

The valley regularly experiences some of the heaviest snows in Japan’s main island of Honshu.  Largely isolated until after the Second World War, there are thought to have been close to 2,000 of the characteristic gassho-zukuri houses at the close of the 19th century.  By the late 1960s the number had dwindled to about 200, and in 1971 local residents began a preservation campaign, aided in time by government grants to subsidize the expensive task of restoring the thatch on the steeply pitched roofs, an operation requiring 200 volunteers and two full days of work.  Finally, in 1995 the area was granted World Heritage status, cited for its superb example of architectural adaptation to the environment and the high degree of remaining authenticity.

The tiny hamlet of Ogimachi is the best known of several communities included in the Word Heritage designation.  Here, visitors can see nearly sixty of the impressive old houses.  The gassho in gassho-zukuri refers to the shape of praying hands, mirrored in the 60-degree slope of the roofs.  The narrow valley is ill suited to large-scale rice farming, and other crops were grown at subsistence level.  As a result, the farmhouses are large, intended to shelter several generations at once, as well as providing space beneath the roof beams for the cultivation of silkworms, one of the region’s few marketable commodities.  Situated on a north-south axis to allow prevailing breezes to exit and enter through the large windows, the buildings are a grand sight, and draw crowds of visitors throughout the year.

Ogimachi is best viewed from the scenic overlook just north of the village, near the ruins of Hagimachi Castle.  The view in winter, when the snow-laden houses are illuminated at night, is especially popular with photographers.  From there, wander back down through the village and stop in at “Wada-ke,” the historic residence of the Wada family and one of several homes that have been converted into museums.  Wada-ke is a beautiful building, with a lily pond and a large collection of artifacts giving a sense of daily life in these homes.  Be sure to climb to the upper floors, where silkworms were raised in the warm air that gathered beneath the roof beams, blackened and preserved by years of soot from the hearths below. 

In addition to the museums, you’ll also find the thatched Myozen-ji Temple, the village’s Shinto shrine, and a couple of restaurants.  Several minshuku offer travelers a chance to spend the night in a gassho-zukuri house and wander the village lanes after most of the tourists have gone.  It’s a complete turnaround from the Japan you’ll find on your return to the city, but despite its small size and sleepy pace, you may find that memories of Shirakawa-go linger long after the rest of your trip has begun to fade.

>>Access
Ogi-machi, Shirakawa-mura, Ono-gun, Gifu Prefecture
Nogoya Meitetsu Bus Center===(2hrs 50min. by bus)===Shirakawa-go
Takayama Nohi Bus Center (Near JR Takayama station)===(50 min. by bus)===Shirakawa-go

>>Website
Shirakarwa village official website

- Matt Mangham