Shirakawa-go is a village of gassho-zukuri farmhouses, steep thatched-roof buildings designed to shed heavy snow, some over 200 years old and still lived in or run as guesthouses. It's a full day commitment from Nagoya given the bus time each way, but the village itself is walkable in a few hours, with the Ogimachi Castle viewpoint above the village giving the classic overhead view of the thatched roofs against the surrounding mountains.
| Distance | 160 km northeast of Nagoya |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1 hr 45 min by Meitetsu bus |
| Getting there | Meitetsu Bus from Nagoya Station Bus Terminal (Platform 11) to Shirakawa-go — direct limited express bus (¥4,700 / ~$31.50 return; book at Meitetsu Bus Center opposite Nagoya Station main exit) |
| Address | Ogimachi, Shirakawa, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627 |
How to get there
- Meitetsu Bus direct from Nagoya Station (book at +81 52-563-0489 or at Meitetsu Bus Center)
- JR Shinkansen to Nagano then bus (longer route)
Location
Ogimachi, Shirakawa, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627
36.2571, 136.9063 View on map
Highlights
- Ogimachi village — the core cluster of gassho-zukuri farmhouses, most still in everyday use
- Shiroyama Viewpoint (Ogimachi Castle observation deck) — the hillside lookout above the village for the panoramic roof view
- Wada House — one of the largest and oldest gassho-zukuri houses, open to visitors as a museum of a farming family's former home
- Gassho-zukuri Minka-en — an open-air museum of relocated farmhouses on the edge of the village, useful if you want to see interiors beyond Wada House