The original landscape of Japan! Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage village where people still live and protect it today.

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Courtesy of Shirakawa Village Office
The original landscape of Japan! We would like to introduce you to Shirakawa-go, a World Heritage Site where people still live and protect the village.

World Heritage Site, Ogimachi Gassho-Zukuri Village

Shirakawa-go Ogimachi Village was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, together with Suganuma Village and Ainokura Village in Gokayama, Toyama Prefecture, as "Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Gassho-Zukuri Villages. Gassho-Zukuri Village is known for its numerous gassho-zukuri houses, some 100 in all, where people still live and work.

The beautiful scenery of Shirakawa-go, with its thatch-roofed Gassho-zukuri houses and magnificent nature, continues to move visitors' hearts as a rare example of the original landscape of Japan.
Courtesy of Shirakawa Village Office

Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory

From the Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the World Heritage Site village. The colors of the mountains and rice paddies change according to the season, offering a spectacular view in each of the four seasons.

The Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory is not accessible by car. Please walk or take the paid shuttle bus from next to the Wada House, the tour facility.

Due to the bears, the trail to the Hagimachi Castle Ruins Observation Deck will be closed during certain times of the day. Please check the Shirakawa-go Tourist Association's website for information on when the trail is open to visitors.
Courtesy of Shirakawa Village Office
Official] Shirakawa-go Tourist Association

Lodging Experience in Shirakawa-go

Because villagers live in the World Heritage village, general tourists are not allowed to enter the area early in the morning or late in the evening. Even though the village is crowded with many domestic and international tourists during the day, the restricted hours in the early morning and late evening are for villagers and guests only. A precious living experience awaits you, enjoying local food in the village and staying in a gassho-zukuri!
Courtesy of Shirakawa Village Office

Responsible Tourism

Gassho-Zukuri Village is not a theme park, but a place where villagers still live today. In order to combine living in the villages with sightseeing, it is important to observe manners and rules. The following five are basic manners.

To protect the residents' lives and privacy, the village does not accept tourists at night. The thatched roofs of the Gassho-zukuri style houses are very fire-sensitive, so fire is strictly prohibited to protect the village. There are no garbage cans in the village, so please do not bring garbage into the village and take it home by yourself. There is no parking lot for tourists in the village. Please use designated parking lots. The use of drones is prohibited.
Courtesy of Shirakawa Village Office
"Shirakawa-go Manners Guide in Manga"

Access to Shirakawa-go Hagimachi Village

Shirakawa-go Hagimachi Village can be reached by highway bus from Kanazawa or Toyama in about 1.5 hours, from Takayama in about 1 hour, or from Nagoya in about 2 hours. There are no railroads in the area, so please use highway buses from major stations such as Nagoya and Kanazawa. In addition, we recommend that visitors come by public transportation during the winter season because of the danger of snow and icy conditions.

Why not visit Shirakawa-go, where you can deeply experience the original Japanese culture?
For more information about the congestion and manners in Shirakawa-go
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