Shirakawago on Your Own

Spend hours in the mountain village Shirakawago, exploring at your own pace and staying as long as you like at the attractions you find most interesting. The village is best known for its farmhouses with thatched roofs that are so steep that they look like hands clasped in prayer. This gassho-zukuri style is more than an architectural curiosity; it keeps much of the heavy snow from accumulating, especially since the houses are oriented to maximize the sunlight. The roof design also leaves space for bigger attics, which the residents use to breed silkworms.

As you meander about, you will see the mulberry trees that supply the silkworms' preferred food of mulberry leaves. UNESCO declared Shirakawago a World Heritage site because of the rare architecture, which was created to adapt to the natural environment. If you wish to shop, Shirakawa Kaido Street is an excellent starting point, as it is lined with stores selling merchandise unique to the village's remote location.