Shirakawago: We Visited the World Heritage Site in Gifu
Yesterday I went on a day trip with my friends to Shirakawa-Go (白川郷), a remote mountainous village in Gifu Prefecture famous for its Gassho-style houses.
Shirakawa-Go (白川郷)
More precisely, Shirakawago is an area centering around the Ogimachi district in Shirakawa village, Gifu, which is in the basin of the Sho River.
In addition to the architectural value of its Gassho-style houses, its landscape resulted in the village’s inclusion in Unesco’s World Heritage List.
The Shirakawago village, including Ogimachi and Gokayama, was added to the list in 1995.
Gassho-Style Houses
Gassho-style Houses in Shirakawago
Shirakawago is a snowy mountain village, and its Gassho-style houses have steep thatched roofs. Thanks to that, those old-fashioned buildings can effortlessly shed snow.
Meaning of Gassho (合掌)
By the way, the literal meaning of the Japanese word Gassho (合掌) is putting both hands together in front of the chest in prayer.
Walking Map with Photos
- Seseragi Park Parking Lot
- Deai Bridge
- Akiba Shrine
- Myozenji Temple
- Myozenji Folk Culture Museum
- My Recommended Photography Spot
- The View of Ogimachi Castle Ruin Lookout
- Shirakawa Kaido Street
- The Vicinity of Honkakuji Temple
Based on this Shirakawago tourist guide map with the red numbers from one to nine written by me, today I will share the stroll I had around the Shirakawago village in Ogimachi with the photos I took for this blog article.
➀ Seseragi Park Parking Lot
We parked our car in the Seseragi Park parking lot in the village. As seen in the photo, many tour buses were already there when we arrived.
When looking back at the opposite side from there, there was a splendid view of the Sho River, a suspension bridge called Deai Bashi (であい橋), and forested mountains. (Back)
➁ Deai Bridge
By a few minutes’ walk from the parking lot, we arrived at the Deai Bashi. The Deai bridge was full of tourists. Some were taking photos in the middle, overlooking a beautiful sight. (Back)
➂ Akiba Shrine
A short while after we crossed the bridge, the stone gate of the Shinto shrine Akiba Jinja welcomed us.
Passing through the sacred gate, we entered the center area of the Ogimachi Shirakawago village.
On the way to Myozenji, I found a re-roofed Gassho-style house and took a photo for memory. (Back)
➃ Myozenji Temple
Several minutes walk from the shrine’s gate brought us to the Buddhist temple Myozenji with an impressive belfry gate.
Constructed in 1748, Myozenji (明善寺) is an old thatched-roofed temple belonging to the sect Jodo Shinshu (浄土真宗). (Back)
➄ Myozenji Folk Culture Museum
Myozenji Folk Culture Museum lies next to the Myozenji temple. The five-storied building used as a museum is the largest Gassho-style house in the Ogimachi Shirakawago village.
It was built in the late Edo period, around 1817, and now houses articles of farm equipment, folk crafts, or the like.
For 300 yen per adult and 100 yen per child, the Myozenji Folk Culture Museum is open to the public. (Back)
➅ My Recommended Photography Spot
Walking along a small path through the paddy field, we got a picturesque view of these 3 Gassho-style houses surrounded by nature.
Near the gathering, I found another nice photography spot displaying Kakashi (案山子: Japanese scarecrow with only one leg) on the outer wooden wall of a house.
➆ The View of Ogimachi Castle Ruin Lookout
The Ogimachi Castle Ruin Lookout on the hill came into sight at this place. (Back)
➇ Shirakawa Kaido Street
After the long walk from the Seseragi Park Parking Lot to the location where I could see the Ogimachi Castle Ruin Lookout, we finally went into the main street of the Ogimachi Shirakawago village, Shirakawa Kaido (白川街道). (Back)
➈ The Vicinity of Honkakuji Temple
We returned to the Seseragi Park Parking Lot along an uncrowded side road running through the vicinity of the Buddhist temple Honkakuji. (Back)
Souvenir Shops
During the walk in the Ogimachi Shirakawago village, I saw several shops selling various souvenirs, where you can enjoy shopping when you visit the sight.
