The World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go's Gassho-style Houses

This place is likely known to everyone! According to records, in 1976, Shirakawa-go was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in Japan due to its beautiful and nostalgic scenery. In 1995, the "Gassho-style Villages," featuring traditional houses with triangular thatched roofs, were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If public transportation to this area were more convenient, it would probably be bustling with visitors! I took a bus from Takayama to get here. After crossing a suspension bridge, I officially entered the village, which is free to enter! From there, I took a shuttle bus to the "Shiroyama Tenshukaku Observatory," where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire Gassho-style village. This is a must-visit and must-photograph spot! Afterward, I walked down the mountain along paths surrounded by original farmlands and crops. The unique feature of the Gassho-style houses is their roofs, meticulously woven from branches and straw, slanted at a specific angle to withstand the region's heavy rain and snow. Another structural characteristic of the Shirakawa-go Gassho-style houses is that they are all oriented east-west to reduce wind resistance. Some of these houses allow visitors to pay an additional fee to explore their interiors, including the structure, decor, and design. I wandered around here for quite a while until the weather started to turn cloudy, prompting me to leave and catch a bus to my next destination! Oh, by the way, the bus station here offers luggage storage, which is very convenient for day trips.