Shirakawa, Gifu (village)

Shirakawa (白川村, Shirakawa-mura) is a village located in Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

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.

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.

Shirakawa-go 白川村 from above.
Shirakawa-go 白川村 in winter
Gasshō-zukuri - traditionally thatched houses in Shirakawa-go
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