Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go

Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama is one of World Heritage Sites in Japan. The site is located in the valley of the river Shokawa (Shirakawa Village) on the border of Gifu Prefecture and Toyama Prefectures in Tokai-Hokuriku region, Honshu. Shirakawa-go (“White River District”) located in Shirakawa Village in Gifu Prefecture. Gokayama (“Five Mountain”) is located in a region divided between the Village and Village Kamitaira Taira outside the city of Nanto in Toyama Prefecture.
These villages are famous for traditional home-zukuri gassho. Model-zukuri Gassho house, or “construction praying hands” is characterized by a sloping roof form and symbolizes the hands of people who are praying. The design of this house are very strong and has a unique roof materials that maintain the robustness of the building because this village will be covered with a very thick snow in winter. Home village of Shirakawa-go is very large, with 3 to 4 levels below the roof is very low, so a place big enough for one family.A traditional home in Shirakawa-go called gassho-zukuriParking is available in many places, but the most extensive is located in front of the Tourist Information Centre on the west side of Shokawa River. From this centre, I made my way to the Heritage Museum, paying an entrance fee of 500 yen and then an art museum called Jin Homura with a fee of 300 yen.
To visit Shirakawa-go, one must cross the suspension bridge hanging over the Shokawa River which divides the village. The river’s spring water originates high up in the mountain, and flows all the way down to Toyama in the north side. In the winter, from the top of this bridge we can see the panoramic beauty of the village, made even more stunning with a background of snowy hills.
A traditional home in Shirakawa-go called gassho-zukuriSome open its doors to tourists; one of them is the Nagase family. The Nagase’s house consists of four floors and although old, its conditions are still well-maintained. Built entirely of wood and thatched with rice plants for the roof, the ground floor is extensive and divided into living room, family room and space to pray—all neatly arranged using Japanese tatami mats. Floor two to four stores agricultural tools and silk fabrics. The panorama of rice fields visible from the window gives off a cooling atmosphere.
Nagase’s house was built in 1890 by a local character named Taminosuke. The primary materials used were the Hinoki, or Japanese cypress tree (Japanese cypress) that was hundreds of years old, plus old trees from the surrounding area that are resistant to all- season weather. The wood inside the building becomes blackened with age and smoke from the virtually smokeless fires burning on the ground floor. The thatched roof is to be changed every five years, the last renovation done on Nagase’s roof was in 2001, involving about 500 volunteers from many areas in Japan.
One day is not enough to explore all the houses in Shirakawa-go, which is why some of the houses here function as inns.

Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go

Refrences : wikipedia.org and garuda magazine