Shirakawa-gō

Shirakawa-go is a small town, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, located in the prefecutre of Gifu. This town is famous for its 100 Gassho-zukuri buildings, wooden structures, specially designed to combat the rigors of the harsh winter in the Hida region. Its main characteristic are the slanted straw roofs, ideal to prevent the accumulation of snow. The village of Shirakawa-gō is very small, approximately 600 inhabitants, so you can easily walk around the whole town in a couple of hours. The tourist office and a museum exhibiting Gassho-zukuri style building can be found right at the bus stop. The real attraction, however, is the other side of the Shō-kawa River.