World Cultural Heritage: Shirakawa-go Gassho Village

#2024TravelReview Gassho Village～"Walking through the World Heritage Site and Feeling the Romance of Shirakawa" ℹ️Humanities Introduction: ～Introduction～ There are five Gassho villages in Japan, among which the most famous is Shirakawa-go Gassho Village, which is composed of 110 Gassho-style houses. In the 1930s, a German architect mentioned Gassho Village in the book "Rediscovering the Beauty of Japan", and it became famous since then! ! It was selected as a "Traditional Architecture Conservation Area" in 1976 and listed as a "UNESCO World Heritage Site" in 1995. It is known as the "Hometown of Japan"~ ~Geography~ Located in the Hida region, its geographical location belongs to the "basin", and Shirakawa-go is a village born in this basin. In addition, the village is one of the areas with the heaviest snowfall in Japan. It is called a secret place because the huge snowfall in winter forces the area to cut off communication with surrounding areas! ! ~ Climate ~ It is a rural settlement surrounded by mountains. The snowfall can reach more than 170 cm. February is the time when Shirakawa-go has the most snowfall. It starts to warm up from mid-March to April, but the temperature remains below 10 degrees. ~🪢Knot of Heart~ "Knot" refers to the relationship of mutual help between people. Because Gassho Village is almost isolated from the outside world in winter, the villagers have developed a habit of supporting each other! The most obvious manifestation is that the thatched roof of the Gassho-zukuri house needs to be replaced every ten years, which requires 100-200 people to complete✅, and these residents are all helping voluntarily and free of charge~ Isn’t this spirit of mutual help the "bond between people"! ! ～Architectural meaning～ It is built by combining wooden beams into a mountain shape. Because from the external shape, the triangle of the Gassho-zukuri building looks like two hands clasped together, as the name suggests, it is a Gassho-zukuri building. This type of construction is a protective measure to cope with the nearly 5 months of snow every year 🌨️, to prevent the roof from collapsing due to excessive snow accumulation. This shows the great wisdom of our ancestors in life! ! ✨Four seasons: ~ Spring ~ Around March, the temperatures rise and the snow starts to melt. Cherry blossoms are in full bloom from mid-April to early May, when the temperature begins to gradually warm up, adding some brilliant colors to Haozhang Village! ! ~ Summer ~ Shirakawa-go is surrounded by green trees, fresh green shoots and lush mountains, forming a beautiful picture. Because it is located at a high altitude, it is cool even in summer, making it a good place to escape the heat. ~Autumn~ Shirakawa-go is colorful in autumn. The whole village is dotted with rich colors in autumn. It is also the best time to enjoy the red leaves. From late October to mid-November is the best time to enjoy the flowers. It is also the time when the number of tourists in Shirakawa-go starts to increase every year! ! ~Winter~ It is a dreamy and beautiful season with pure white scenery. Every winter there are lighting activities, adding some intoxicating colors to the pure white world, beautiful 😍 👀Must-visit attractions: ～Wada family～ There are 3 floors in total, 1-2 are open to the public. Its architectural style perfectly preserves the life of the Edo period and is also listed as an "Important National Cultural Property"! ! ～ Castle Ruins Observation Deck～ Located on a 60-meter-high mountain, it is a great place to overlook the 110 Gassho-style houses from above. When the lights are on at night, you can feel how romantic it is. ~ Encounter Bridge ~ The total length is about 107 meters. It connects the parking lot 🅿️ and the bridge of Gassho Village. The suspension bridge spans the "Sho River" and you can enjoy the pleasant river scenery from the bridge. ～Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine～ Built between 708 and 715, the main deity is Emperor Ojin, and on the right is the Shakya Hall where Sakyamuni is enshrined. It is a building that combines gods and Buddhas! ! Very old and precious～～ ～Jiroyama Castle～ It is an observation deck where you can see Shirakawa-go. There is a cafe 🍵 and a souvenir shop inside. You can stop here to take a break, enjoy the beautiful scenery and copy it into your memory! ! ❗️Additional experience: ~White Mountain National Park~ Together with Mount Fuji and Mount Tateyama, they are known as the three sacred mountains of Japan. Many hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts go there to challenge themselves. Come and see if you can conquer these sacred mountains! ! ～Hakusan no Yu～ The hot spring is directly drawn from the foothills of Hakusan Mountain. It is not heated or added with water. It is rich in salt and does not cool down easily after bathing. It is also called "hot soup". It is very effective for joint pain, menstrual disorders, and bruised spouses. 🚴Transportation: 1. From Nagoya: Take JR to Takayama Station and transfer to Nohi Bus "Kanazawa Line/Shirakawa Line" to Shirakawago Bus Terminal 2. From Takayama Station: Take the Nohi Bus "Kanazawa Line/Shirakawa Line" to "Shirakawago Bus Terminal" 3. From Kanazawa Station: Take the Nohi Bus "Shirakawa Line" to "Shirakawago Bus Terminal" 🔔It is recommended to purchase the "Takayama Hokuriku 5-Day Tour Pass". All the above modes of transportation can be used with the pass without additional payment 🔔"Shoryudo Bus Tour Pass" cannot reach Shirakawa-go Gassho Village❗️❗️ 🔔If you want to go to Shirakawa-go during the peak tourist season (autumn and winter), most Nohi buses require advance reservations. Please make reservations on the official website in advance. There is no need to pay extra if you hold the "Takayama Hokuriku Five-Day Pass". After making an online reservation, please go to the local area in advance to exchange for the physical ticket. ❗️You are not allowed to use the pass directly to get on the bus❗️ 💞Recommended reasons: 1. What else would you do if you don’t visit a world cultural heritage site? ? 2. Each season has a different look, so any time is a good time to visit 3. Suitable for travelers who want to get away from the hustle and bustle or find themselves. 🗓️Itinerary: Wada Family-Gassho Village-Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine-Shiroyama Castle Tower-Castle Ruins Observation Deck #100 Ways to Travel #Shirakawa-go Gassho Village #World Cultural Heritage #和田家 #National Important Cultural Property #Gifu