Shirakawa-gō

Shirakawa-gō (in Japanese, 白川郷, the village of the white river ) is a village located in the center of Japan, in the north of the town of Nagoya (名古屋) in the north of the Préfecture of Gifu.

Description

Registered with the World heritage of humanity (see historical Villages of Shirakawa-gô and Gokayama), Shirakawa-gō as well as the village of Gokayama (五箇山) are especially known for their typical houses in which the worms with silk were cultivated. This architectural style called Gasshō-zukuri (in Japanese, 合掌造り, construction with the united palms of the hand ) indicates the houses with the very sloping roof in order to support the very abundant snowfalls of this mountainous region.

Inside the houses, the worms with silk were high on the floor which was heated by hearths placed at the ground floor. Heat also made it possible to preserve stubbles it with dryness. This specific roof requires a little acrobatics to change its straw, and of the beams leaving the ridge allow the craftsmen to cling while he work on the roof.

Tourism

The village is nowadays a tourist place visited by approximately 1,5 million people per annum, which is worth undoubtedly the voyage.

The road is the only means of access to the village of Shirakawa.

External bonds

Bond on Shirakawa-gō on the site of the prefecture of Gifu

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