Historic villages of Shirakawa-go
Published by Asya in Asia, Cultural, History, Japan, Relaxing, Sightseeings, UNESCO, Villas
Located deep in the mountains of northern Gifu and Toyama prefectures, the Shirakawa-go and Gokayama districts were cut off from the rest of Japanese society because of their extremely isolated location in remote mountain valleys, and as such developed a very unique culture and lifestyle different from any other area of Japan.
The farmhouses were built 200 to 300 years ago to suit the environment in Shirakawa. The steep angle of the roof prevents excessive build-up of snow in the winter, while the direction of the structures aid in keeping the rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The village, which was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1995, is still an active community and many of the farmhouses operates as “Minshiku” or inns accepting guests.
Tags: farmhouses • Shirakawa • Toyama prefectures • World_heritage_site
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