Shirakawago

Top Things to do

• Shirakawa-go

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi

  A village located in Ogi-machi, Shirakawa Village, Ono County, Gifu Prefecture where many old-fashioned “gassho-zukuri” style homes, distinguished by their steep thatched roofs, can still be found. Still used as living spaces today, this rare collection of buildings has been designated a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the picturesque scenery of these traditional homes backed by mountains in the distance, visitors can catch a glimpse of the lifestyle and ingenious measures of a Japanese mountain village living in harmony with nature. There are also numerous souvenir shops and restaurants, and this popular destination is visited by great numbers of people from around the country and the world.

• Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi 2499

  Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum is an open-air museum that was created by relocating traditional Gasshozukuri-style farmhouses that were no longer in use as residences from Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture. There are a total of 26 Gasshozukuri farmhouses, of which nine have been designated by Gifu Prefecture as Important Cultural Properties; the Museum brings alive the lifestyle of days gone by. Within the Museum grounds there is a restaurant selling hand-made Soba noodles, and a shop selling confectionery, making the Museum a great place for a relaxing stroll. Between mid-April and the end of October the Museum holds a range of special experiential activities, where visitors can try their hand at making Warazori (traditional straw sandals), making Soba noodles, etc. (please note that advance booking is required for these activities).

• Wada House

  4.0

  238 Reviews

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi 997

  Wada House is an example of a Shirakawa town thatched-roof ridgepole Gassho style house. It is the largest Gassho style house remaining in Shirakawa Village, and the house has a frontage of 25.48 meters and a depth of 12.74 meters. The current state of preservation of the gardens, hedges, rural district and waterways is also good and it looks beautiful. Although it is currently being used as a dwelling, you can take a tour of the house’s interior, and a fire is always set in the irori fire pit all year round, so you will also be able to make yourself at home around the irori fire pit. In 1995, the house was designated as a Cultural Property of Japan.

• Oshirakawa Open-air Bath

  4.5

  6 Reviews

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Hirase Okigawa

  These rustic all-natural open-air baths are located inside of Oshirakawa area of Hakusan National Park in Shirakawa Village, Gifu Prefecture. They are open from early June to late October. The hot springs offer gender-segregated bathing areas and changing rooms as well as up-close views of emerald green Lake Hakusui. Visitors can fully enjoy the magnificent nature of the area, which includes Lake Hakusui, Hakusan Camping Forest Ohjirakawa, Hakusui Falls, and more.

• Shirakawa-go-no-yu hot springs resort

  3.5

  3 Reviews

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi 337

  Shirakawa-go-no-yu hot springs resort is located in Shirakawa-go, a village whose traditional Gasshozukuri-style farmhouses have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hot spring water contains natural sodium chloride, which has a warming effect and also helps to ensure smooth skin. There is a comprehensive range of baths; both the men’s baths and the women’s baths include indoor baths, outdoor baths and saunas; from the outdoor baths, bathers can view the peaks of Mt. Hakusan, the cluster of Gasshozukuri-style farmhouses, and, flowing right below them, the Shogawa River. The resort has both Japanese-style and Western-style rooms, so visitors who are looking for a more relaxed hot springs and tourism experience can enjoy an overnight stay.

• Irori restaurant

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi 374-1

  Irori is a restaurant in a traditional thatched-roof house located in Shirakawa-go village (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in Gifu Prefecture. Diners can enjoy traditional local dishes made using mountain herbs and vegetables etc. picked locally in Hida, the Shirakawa-go and Gokayama district, while seated round an Irori (a hearth constructed in a depression in the floor). Popular menu items include the “Hida Beef Cooked on a Ceramic Board–Set Meal” for which diners can specify how well-cooked they want the premium Hida beef to be, the “Grilled Tofu Set Meal” made with the unique local Shirakawa-ko Tofu, and the “Hoba Miso Set Meal” made using Hoba Miso, a famous Hida-Takayama region specialty.

• Ogi-machi Gassho-zukuri Village

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi

  Gifu Prefecture's Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go, Ogi-machi was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1995. Of the three villages registered on the World Heritage list, the largest preserves 59 buildings built in the gassho-zukuri style with their steeply sloping roofs. There are plenty of highlights including Shirakawa-go's prominent Tenshukaku Observatory, the Wada House (a nationally designated Important Cultural Property), Nagase-ke (the largest gassho-zukuri style house in the village), and Myozenji Temple, an extremely rare gassho-zukuri style temple, as well as its museum. There are plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants, too.

• Ogimachi-jo Castle Ruins Observatory

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi

  A scenic observatory located on high ground overlooking Ogi-machi in Shirakawa-go offering a sweeping view of Shirakawa-go’s collection of traditional Japanese buildings. A shuttle bus travels to the observatory from the south side of the Hakusuien restaurant, perfect for those not used to walking long distances and for surviving the summer heat. When the weather does suit walking, visitors are recommended to stroll the area and take a few pictures of the lovely scenery. On clear days, the sight of the surrounding mountains is beautiful, and the area is enveloped in seasonal, picture postcard-esque scenery, including fresh spring greenery, fall colors, and winter snowscapes. The view is particularly magnificent from January to February when the homes of Shirakawa-go are lit up at night.

• Kitanosyo

  Gifu Pref. Onogunshirakawamura Ogimachi 2671-1

  This restaurant is located in Shirakawago, a world heritage site. You can enjoy a meal inside this kominka (old house) with a gassho (large thatched roof) style built over 250 years ago. Their menu is centered on unique local char dishes, mountain vegetable dishes, and meat grilled on magnolia leaves. Because they often receive many reservations by large groups, sometimes you can only visit by reserving in advance depending on the time of year. In addition, the second floor has an exhibition room decorated with old everyday items that depicts the lifestyle at the time to modern audiences.