The Shirakawa-go (白川郷, Shirakawagō) and neighboring Gokayama (五箇山) regions line the Shogawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Video timeline: Shirakawa-go　白川郷　https://bit.ly/3tkP7Nz 0:00 Opening 1:05 Gassho-zukuri Minkaen 白川郷合掌造り民家園 https://bit.ly/3U7A5WV 8:17 庄川 Sho River 9:18 であい橋 Deai-Bashi bridge 11:01 Around Koemon　民宿幸エ門周辺 https://bit.ly/3fx6qYt 11;58 Shirakawago Three Houses 三小屋（三連合掌）https://bit.ly/3E664S2 14:59 Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine 白川八幡神社 https://bit.ly/3WwuBXs 15:17 Around Myozenji 明善寺周辺　https://bit.ly/3t2D9b5 19:43 Around Kanda House　神田家周辺　https://bit.ly/3NDmrII 20:18 Around　Wada House　和田家住宅周辺　https://bit.ly/3fAqg51 23:25 Tenshukaku Observatory　城山天守閣 展望台　https://bit.ly/3fE1O2s —————- 24:35 Around　Ainokuraguchi Bus Stop　相倉口周辺　https://bit.ly/3DFLI0l 25:26 Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village　相倉合掌造り集落　https://bit.ly/3FNR9NB Honor system farm stands　 29:05 HitokuiTani valley 人喰谷　https://bit.ly/3FNYDA8 —————– 30:01 Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village 菅沼合掌造り集落 https://bit.ly/3UqDEYb 34:31 Gokayama Gassho no Sato 五箇山合掌の里 https://bit.ly/3Ta1Ixs

Gassho-zukuri means “constructed like hands in prayer”, as the farmhouses’ steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.