Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Ogimachi Village, Shirakawa-Go, Japan.



Ogimachi is the largest village and main attraction of Shirakawa-go. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, the village is home to several dozen well preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. The farmhouses are quite amazing structures, designed to withstand the harsh winters while providing a place to work and live, and are best seen either covered in snow or surrounded by green fields. Many of the farmhouses are now restaurants, museums or minshuku, where you can stay overnight.

A number of farmhouses from the surrounding villages have been relocated to an open air museum across the river from the town center in an effort to save them from destruction. This museum along with the large concentration of farmhouses and attractions in town and the area's accessibility make Ogimachi the best place in Shirakawa-go and Gokayama to see gassho-zukuri farmhouses.

Interesting Places in Ogimachi Village.


1. Gassho-zukuri Minkaen (open air museum)

2. Wada-ke House (one of the wealthiest families and village leaders of Ogimachi. Their former home is the largest gassho-zukuri farmhouse in the town, and is now open to the public as a museum.)

4. Shiroyama viewpoint

5. Kanda-ke House

6. Doburoku Festival Museum (displays on the Doburoku Festival held every year on October 14th and 15th. A feature of the festival is Doburoku Sake which is produced by the shrine and can be sampled at the museum)

7. Shirakawa-go no Yu (a combined minshuku and bath house that offers hot spring bathing to the visitors of Ogimachi)


Gassho-zukuri Minkaen

Wada-ke House

Shirakawa-go no Yu


How to get there:


Ogimachi is the transport hub of the Shirakawa-go region, where the bus lines from Takayama, Nagoya, Kanazawa and Takaoka meet. There are two main bus stops: "Shirakawa-go" bus stop outside the open air museum and "Ogimachi" bus stop north of the village center. Ogimachi is small and can be easily explored on foot.

Click this link for more details about the Nohi-bus (bus lines from Takayama, Nagoya, Kanazawa and Takaoka meet)






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