Shirakawa-go (Historic Village)
Shirakawa-go, a beautiful area where traditional Japanese scenery still exists, is home to the largest number of still-standing traditional “gassho-zukuri” Japanese homes. As of 2016, there are around 100 buildings still standing, both large and small. It is the largest remaining historic settlement in Japan, and it is preserved as a Group of Traditional Buildings in the register of Cultural Properties of Japan.
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.