It is best known for being the site of Shirakawa-gō, a small, traditional village showcasing a building style known as gasshō-zukuri.

As a consequence of the frequent heavy snow, characteristically thick thatched roofed gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り) houses were created.

With the Hakusan National Park mountain ranges as a background, these sites are major tourist attractions.

During the post-Meiji restoration cadastral reforms, the area was organised into Ōno District, Gifu.

There is also a fear growing that the change to catering to tourists will harm the charm of the area's simplicity and fundamental Japanese scenery.