Shirakawa-gō is the last supertouristic place in Japan that I had not yet visited. The main reason why I hadn’t passed through this idyllic village is because it is in a fairly secluded place in the north of Gifu Prefecture.
We decided to go with a rented car from Takayama (which can be easily reached by train from Nagoya). Driving from Takayama to Shirakawa-go is simple, almost everything is a highway with little traffic and many tunnels, we pass through one of 11 km in length.
Strolling through the streets of Shirakawa-gō is as beautiful as you see in the photos. When we arrived, at eight in the morning, we were almost the first to arrive and we were able to walk through the streets of the village practically alone giving the feeling that we were exploring the Japan of the past.
From ten o’clock, hordes of tourists invaded every corner of the town… If you want tranquility, the sooner you arrive the better, or maybe in the evening when people leave.
Shirakawa-go houses are still built and maintained following the gasshō-zukuri 合掌造り technique. It is a way of building wooden houses that is ideal to deal with the inclement weather of this place in winter.
Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/s8HVESQ492idQPmK8
