One of the fascinations of traveling in Japan is to discover the history of the archipelago. Many tourists travel to Kyoto for an authentic historical experience, however, you’d like to take a step further to the mountains of Gifu prefecture where you’ll find a hidden village that takes you back in time.
Shirakawago is a mountain village located at the foot of Mt. Haku. It is one of the very few places to preserve a very traditional village structure of medieval Japan, where more than 1500 people reside in a valley mainly ran by rice paddies and resources from Sho River. The village has existed since the 11th century, and has managed to keep that lifestyle as well as their social system ran by Shinto shrines ever since.
Shirakawago is especially famous for its “gassho-style” houses characterized with its steep-pitched thatched roofs. Not only is it historically important, but the highly rational structure adapting to the resources available within the region makes it a masterpiece in terms of Japanese architectural significance, as well as socio-economic perspective.
Since its inscription to UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention, the village has gained much attention from tourists from around the world looking for a truly historic experience. Now, the village is visited by more than 1.5million tourists annually, and the villages economic system is starting to change. However, the landscape and the beautiful houses still remain, telling us how Japanese lives were like a millennium ago.
Another reason why the village is such a popular tourist spot is the beautiful nature that changes the scenery.
Colorful flowers start to appear around spring.
At summer, you’d enjoy the tall sunflowers that blow away the heat.
During fall, the leaves turn yellow and the people get busy harvesting.
But the high point comes at winter when the houses are covered with snow, creating a fantastic scene.
If you are looking for a truly historical experience, you ought to pay a visit some time.
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