Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Travel Guide

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Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

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The Shirakawa-go and neighboring Gokayama regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.

Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go's largest village and main attraction, makes a good day trip from Takayama, or a stop on the bus journey between Takayama and Kanazawa. The best way to experience the town, however, is to stay overnight at one of the farmhouses, many of which now serve as minshuku.

Gokayama is a little more difficult to access and requires a change of buses in Ogimachi. Less developed and less crowded than Shirakawa-go, its villages are smaller, more intimate and with less intrusion from modern buildings. Gokayama's nicest villages are Suganuma and Ainokura.

Attractions

1 Farmhouse Stay

A highly recommended experience.
User rating: 99/100 (58 votes)
Visited by: 102 users

2 Ogimachi Village

Largest village in Shirakawa-go.
User rating: 95/100 (135 votes)
Visited by: 233 users

3 Winter Light-up

Illumination on selected weekends in winter.
User rating: insufficient data
Visited by: 5 users

4 Ainokura Village

The largest farmhouse village in Gokayama.
User rating: 89/100 (57 votes)
Visited by: 115 users

5 Suganuma Village

Small village with farmhouses in Gokayama.
User rating: 89/100 (32 votes)
Visited by: 74 users

Any Questions? Ask them in our question forum.

Access and Orientation

Access and Orientation
How to get to and around Shirakawa-go and Gokayama.

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Hotels and Ryokan

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Koemon
Atmospheric gassho-zukuri houses to stay overnight.
Reserve through Japanese Guest Houses

Magoemon
One of the largest and most beautiful gassho-zukuri houses to stay overnight.
Reserve through Japanese Guest Houses

Shirakawago no yu
Not located in a gassho-zukuri house, this accommodation offers onsen baths.
Reserve through Japanese Guest Houses

Tours and Packages

Takayama and Shirakawa-go Tours
Various tours and travel packages for Takayama and surroundings.

User Ratings

Ratings for Shirakawa-go:

japan-guide.com Rating:		best of Japan
User Rating (by 247 users):	93/100	highly recommended

Best rated destinations (out of 148):

4. Yakushima 97/100

5. Miyajima 96/100

6. Tokyo 95/100

7. Mount Koya 93/100

8. Alpine Route 93/100

9. Shirakawa-go 93/100

10. Okinawa Island 93/100

11. Miyako Island 92/100

12. Kamikochi 91/100

13. Yamadera 91/100

Most visited destinations (out of 160):

39. Karuizawa 543

40. Dazaifu 542

41. Matsushima 537

42. Furano 525

43. Takamatsu 485

44. Shirakawa-go 484

45. Matsuyama 483

46. Aomori 426

47. Kochi 416

48. Hakuba 409

User Feedback

English Links

Shirakawa Village
Official English website of the municipality where Shirakawa-go is located in.

Japanese Links

Shirakawa Village
Official website of the municipality where Shirakawa-go is located in.

Nanto City
Official website of the municipality where Gokayama is located in.

Related Pages

Travel
Sightseeing
Chubu Region
Gifu Prefecture
Toyama Prefecture

Ogimachi
Suganuma
Ainokura
Overnight at a farmhouse
Winter Light-Up

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Bus Timetables: Shirakawa-go
Bus Timetables: Gokayama
Shirakawago: Access and Orientation

News and Reports

	January 27, 2013 Winter Visit to Shirakawago by schauwecker
	January 1, 2013 shirakawago at winter by suncraft

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