Shirakawa-go (Gassho-Zukuri Village)
Shirakawa-go is a picturesque area where Japan’s traditional rural landscape remains intact. It has the largest concentration of gassho-zukuri buildings, with more than 100 structures of various sizes as of 2016. As Japan’s largest gassho-zukuri village, it has been designated a National Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.
Even though the weather was bad on the day we visited Shirakawa-go, the misty rain made it feel like a small village straight out of a traditional Japanese story.
I completely lost track of time browsing the little shops inside. I’d recommend setting aside at least half a day here, because our tour originally only gave us 1.5 hours, and we almost missed the bus after walking around.
