It goes without saying that Shirakawa-go is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, its popularity fueled by photos of its old rural houses against a large mountainous backdrop. Naturally, it was a place I also wanted to go, though I always head to these places with a bit of caution. Is it actually worth the hype? I have to admit, I found Shirakawa-go to be very cute.

The History of Shirakawa-go

A note that Shirakawa-go is the name of the region and Ogimachi is the name of the village that most people visit, and the one talked about in this article. However the village is often called “Shirakawa-go” by Anglophones, so I’m just sticking with that.

The area of Shirakawa-go has been inhabited for thousands of years, but when the towns were established is a bit more unknown. However it is estimated that they were established about or over 1,000 years ago.

Around 1700, the villages were experiencing their golden era with silk and gunpowder production. This is when the iconic gassho farmhouse structure started to appear. Their shape is inspired by monks’ hands in prayer and also designed to withstand a large amount of snow. The space within the roofs of the house was used as a workshop, if you will, for cultivating silk. What I found most impressive about these houses is that they’re actually constructed without the use of nails!

Today, Ogimachi and Shirakawa-go are more known for their tourism, and the locals take great pride in their unique heritage. Along with Gokayama, Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to See & Do in Shirakawa-go

The main attraction of the village, aside from the stunning scenery, is the beautiful old gassho houses. Thankfully there are several that you can go inside! (Note that to keep the houses preserved, fires may be lighted in the fire pits. This means the homes can get very smokey.) Make sure to go upstairs because this is where you can see more about how the houses are actually built, plus learn more about what life used to be like in the area.

The first is the Wada House which is about 300 years old and is the largest house in Shirakawa-go. It belonged to the Wada family that served as the village head. The house is a beautiful example of gassho architecture and inside you can see a large collection of homeware and lacquerware that belonged to the Wada family.

Second is the Kanda House. It dates later to about 1850 and belonged to Kanda family, a branch of the Wada family. It was used to produce gunpowder and, if I remember correctly, was also a brewery. I particularly liked the koi pond out front!

Third is the Nagase House, which is the tallest house with a whopping 5 floors. It was built around the 18th century. What really stood out to me about the Nagase House is that it’s more filled with artworks and since there are more stories, you see a different variety of wares used in different parts of old rural life, not just agriculture and silk production.

One place I definitely recommend having a look at is the Myozenji Museum. Inside is a house museum much like the aforementioned three. This is the living quarters of the high priest and his family which was built in 1817, and the upper floors have a collection of wares from different parts of rural life just like the other houses. However, you can go to a hall built in 1827 that has a beautiful Buddhist altar. My photos really don’t do it justice. For one museum, you get to see two great structures.

The houses are very similar and each costs a few hundred yen, so if you want to save time and money, I’d actually recommend visiting the Myozenji Museum first and then second place, Nagase House. But of course it’s up to you, and I hope I’ve provided enough information to help you choose!

Outside the building you can see Myozenji Temple which dates a bit earlier, to 1748. It has a lovely bell tower.

But the place I really recommend visiting is next door, the Hachiman Shrine. The shrine is said to have existed since the 8th century though it’s been in its extant form and location since about the 13th century. It’s a very beautiful, tranquil shrine. If you’re visiting in mid-October, you can catch the Doburoku Festival. If you’re in Takayama during this time, you can even combine this festival with Takayama’s famous autumn festival. Unfortunately I missed it by a few weeks but with good planning, you could have a magical time!

A wonderful opportunity for photos. Alas mine did not turn out that great!

Of course you’ll also want to go to the Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck. There are two ways up: stairs and street. The stairs were closed due to bear sightings when I visited, and the street was quite a strenuous walk up. But it wasn’t terrible and the views actually are quite fantastic. They’re high up enough that you can see everything but not so high up that it seems so far away. It was a lovely place to watch the sunset. (Just note that there are no benches.) The castle itself is a total ruin.

There are two bus stations, one on each side of the river. Next to one station is the Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum. Unlike the houses of Shirakawa-go village, these buildings were moved to this location from other parts of Japan and show slightly different styles of architecture. There’s also a nice waterfall and a pond, and it’s very picturesque. I’m not sure if it “added” anything to the trip but it’s a more peaceful area to see traditional homes, without the crowds.

One place I was very excited for was Shirakawa-go no Yu Onsen which is in a hotel that you can book here. So naturally, I was very sad to get there and see that they were closed. But if you’re looking for a good traditional Japanese experience, an onsen (an a traditional Ryokan stay) are excellent options.

As Shirakawa-go is not a large place, there are few places to eat. Even fewer options for vegetarians, nonetheless vegans. It’s always nice to eat locally but you might want to consider at least bringing a snack or something if you’re going to stay several hours.

The Shirakawa-go cat is already out of the bag, so overtourism has already taken its hold. Wherever you visit, remember to always be kind and be respectful of peoples’ homes and property. E.g. don’t look inside their houses, certainly don’t go into their houses, don’t step on their lawns, etc. There are several signs throughout the village reminding you of proper etiquette.

Know before you go: Shirakawa-go is not accessible by train so you’ll have to take a bus. You can find the info for that here. Reservations are required for certain trips and they do sell out. For the trips that don’t require reservations, at least when I visited, there’s a long line of people waiting. So I recommend booking your bus seats ahead of time, as in several days in advance.

Since Shirakawa-go is quite small, it does not take a long time to see. I was able to see the main sites, go over to the open air museum, grab a snack, and see the observation deck in about 3 hours. It may take a bit longer if you have a longer meal or are prone to take your time. I also allotted an hour for the onsen visit that fell through. I have admit, I had given myself 4 and a half hours to explore, and I was back waiting for my bus for quite a while. Ogimachi village itself is definitely more of a half-day or few hours’ visit than a full day trip.

I actually did enjoy my time in Shirakawa-go and found it to be quite beautiful. The gassho style houses were really cool to see. If you’re in Kanazawa or Takayama and are enjoying those cities, then I do recommend you take a short trip out to see Ogimachi or the other beautiful villages of Shirakawa-go.

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