Shirakawago, A Fairy Tale Village

The magical fairy tale village of Ogimachi lies in Shirakawago, deep in the mountains of Japan’s Gifu Prefecture.  Dating back to the 1700s, the distinctive gassho style A-frame thatched roof homes were designed to withstand heavy snow.

By the 1960s, the number of gassho homes plummeted to under 200 due to fires, river damming and time.  In 1971, the village of Ogimachi developed a preservation policy to prevent selling, renting, or destroying the traditional homes.  The area is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Although many of the gassho houses serve as museums, restaurants, guesthouses, and gift shops, it is still an authentic farming village.

The remote location means fewer foreign tourists. Still, it only takes a few tour buses to fill up the town, so I recommend going early. Better yet, stay the night in a guesthouse and you will almost have the town to yourself. Except for the scarecrows. . .

We arrived on an early bus from Takayama, and went directly to the shuttle for Shiroyama overlook.  I recommend taking the shuttle to beat the crowds, but it is a nice 15-20 minute walk back down to the village.

Reaching the village is a step back in time, with the gassho houses, rice patties, and fields.

Shirakawago is 96% mountainous. The 4% of agricultural land is well planted. On the outskirts of Ogimachi, we saw radishes the size of apples.

Most of the restaurants are open for a limited time mid-day. We enjoyed a warm Onigiri (rice ball) made with the famous regional Hida Beef.

Later we stopped by Cafe Konnjyaku for soba noodles with mountain vegetables.

The pedestrian bridge across the river is where tour buses and private vehicles park.  The information center and vegetable shop are worth the walk even if you arrive by bus on the other side.

Then there’s the view.

Ogimachi has beautiful little details throughout the village.

Even in the storm drains.

And the temples and shrines.

Just get there before the crowds.

Trust me.

Details

There are several Shirakawago tours operating from Takayama, Toyama, or Kanazawa.  I highly recommend taking the Nohi Bus from the same three cities instead, either for a day trip or to spend the evening in a guesthouse in Shirakawago.

We spent the night in Takayama, took the bus to Shirakawago for the day, and then returned to Kanazawa that evening.  Lockers are available at the bus station.  From the bus stop, the area is easily covered on foot.

Find a hotel in Shirakawago, Takayama, Toyama, or Kanazawa.

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On limited dates in January and February, Shirakawago as a light-up event that illuminates the gassho houses in the snow.  It’s on my bucket list, but the event has become so popular, access is limited to people with prior reservations and tours are booked well in advance.