A day bus trip from Takayama to Shirakawa-go brought me to the UNESCO World Heritage village of Shirakawa-go. Weathered brown wood cottages topped by steeply angled, thick thatched roofs have been well preserved, probably because it was so isolated in years past. Gassho-zukuri, the architectural style, means “praying hands.” Some of the existing houses were built over 300 years ago. You may have seen the mysterious looking photos of the houses covered in deep snow, lit up and glowing at night.
The angle of the roofs were designed to protect against the deep snows of northern Honshu. A photo at the site shows about one hundred people all over one roof replacing the thatch. In the attics, silkworms were raised. They live on mulberry trees, cultivated in the area.
It was a delight to walk around the town, especially since it’s still lived-in, with laundry hanging, garden plots in yards, cloth scarecrows loitering around the rows, late season vegetables ripening.
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Ruth Rosenfeld 
These old houses are incredibly beautiful. Thanks for sharing them with us Ruth.
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Aren’t they? Thanks for your visit, Rudi!
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So glad they are protecting these old houses. They are a National Treasure. Thanks for sharing Ruth. Allan
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It is like a walk into the past. Thank you, Allan.
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Such serene scenes from this beautiful little village. The houses are amazing. Were you able to spend the night there? I heard that some families take travellers in.
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I didn’t. It would have been nice to see the town at night. I returned to Takayama and stayed at the temple.
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How quaint! Truly a great place to get out of from the big city!
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It was a lovely day and place to wander, in awe at the buildings and the craftsmanship that kept them in good shape.
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Lovely village! Looks very at ease there.
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Thanks for your visit, Robert! I imagine winters there are rugged with deep snows, and those houses take a lot of maintenance to keep them in shape.
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Villages like this are a stark contrast with large cities like Tokyo. Thanks for the look at this picturesque village.
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Interesting observation… Japanese culture seems to have those contrasts. Super-modern technology and cosplay, traditional kimonos and tea ceremony.
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What a pretty village! It look so peaceful. The shop is neat too. Oh, and those colourful chillies hanging from the roof … this must be a great place to wander around. Wonderful photo’s Ruth – love them all!
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Thanks so much! It was a fascinating place to wander.
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A few years ago, I watched a video that explained that many of these types of houses were constructed without using any nails or metal screws. They utilize an ages old technique of mortice and tenon at specific angles. It’s quite an elegant way of construction.
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It may be the only place where that type of construction is preserved. There was an exhibit about the history including the maintenance of the thatched roofs.
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Looking at the photos, I feel like I can close my eyes and enter the village and be transported to a different time/space/attitude-of-being. Yes, it looks peaceful and serene. Thanks for sharing. I learn so much from your blog!
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Thank you, Pam! I felt like it was a walk into the past, an older way of living. I imagine it is quite rugged to live there in the winter with deep snows, but still peaceful and serene.
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What a delightful and charming town. That’s amazing that some of these houses were built over 300 years ago. Thanks for sharing. Linda
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It was like a stroll into the past, so well preserved. Thanks, Linda!
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What a fascinating village, I’d love to visit. 300 year old wooden houses, that’s impressive.The scarecrows are awesome! Maggie
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I was so taken with the scarecrows! Glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks, Maggie!
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How different that looks from our images of Japan, having never been. What an amazing place to visit.
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It is certainly a country with a distinctive and sometimes surprising culture. Thank you.
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They look sort of like palapas. Or hobbit houses.
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The thatched roofs do give that kind of whimsical effect, but they are large houses. Thanks for visiting, Virginia.
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What a fascinating traditional village, and I love the pop of colour the flowers bring to your photos 🙂
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I appreciate your comments, Hannah! Thanks for coming along.
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Oh, how wonderful! I would have loved to have visited here! The houses look so ‘right’ in their setting, the autumn leaves and hanging chillies provide lovely splashes of colour, and everywhere else is beautifully green 🙂 Fabulous post!
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Thanks so much, Sarah! It does look like a magical place and this was a good time of year to visit. Winters would be buried in snow, but still beautiful.
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This was one of my favourite places in Japan for sure. I spent 3 days there and visited two different villages. It was so pretty and serene after the intensity of Tokyo.
Alison
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Glad to bring back some good memories.
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Wonderful pictures! Love the scarecrows!
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Thank you! Aren’t they fun?
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I was trying to decide if there’ glass in any of the windows, or just moveable panels? Perhaps the age of these structures precedes glass windows. The buildings certainly are impressive. However, the suspended bridge made me pause. Do you have to cross it to access the village? If so, I might’ve only visited from a distance!
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The bridge is wider and more sturdy than it might appear in the photo. I am wary of high places and this bridge didn’t phase me, but it does connect a parking area with the town. My little flat had old-style metal moveable panels covering the windows (that would rattle in the wind!), but had been upgraded with glass windows as well. I suspect that may be the case in Shirakawa-go since it is inhabited all year round.
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Exquisite photos of old world Japan! I so enjoyed browsing through them. This old wooden architecture is so grand – I remember seeing the thatched roof in the Royal palace in Kyoto. So thick it must have kept the cold from seeping in.
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Thank you for your visit and comment! Winters are quite rugged in this town with deep snows. The thick thatch serves a purpose, I’m sure.
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Thick snow? Just the kind of environment I like.
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