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The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama are one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The site is located in the Shogawa river valley stretching across the border of Gifu and Toyama Prefectures in northern Japan. Shirakawa-gō (白川郷, “White River Old-District”) is located in the village of Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture. The Gokayama (五箇山, “Five Mountains”) area is divided between the former villages of Kamitaira and Taira in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture.
These villages are well known for their houses constructed in architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り). The Gassho-zukuri, “prayer-hands construction” style is characterized by a thatched and steeply slanting roof resembling two hands joined in prayer. The design is exceptionally strong and, in combination with the unique properties of the thatching, allow the houses to withstand and shed the weight of the region’s heavy snowfalls in winter.
Road leading to Shirakawa-go
Houses in Shirakawa-go
Colourful forest around Shirakawa-go
Autumn leaves around Shirakawa-go
Top view of Shirakawa-go
Top view of Shirakawa-go
* For more photos, please checkout my Flickr album set
Nice photos.
I live in a village just over the mountains to the east from Shirakawa.
The village is called Otaki, you can read more at my blog: In the Pines.
Hope you can come visit some time.