Winter in Shirakawa-go
Morning in Shirakawa-go
Several feet of snow and the frigid winter of the Japanese Alps is not enough to give tourists second thoughts about making the treck to the historical village of Shirakawa-go. The idyllic farmhouses, complete with thatch straw roofs and hard carved wooden signs sprinkle the valley.
Shirakawa-go is a destination where it doesn’t matter the month, tourists will arrive in busloads. Groups swarming the streets of this otherwise remote, isolated village. With much of Japan, it is advisable to wake up at the crack of dawn to beat the hoards of tourists who unwittingly storm some of the most sacred and serene places of the country.
From the nearby town of Takayama, you can grab a bus taking you directly to the center of this historic village. Buses from Takayama depart as early as 7:50 am and takes 50 minutes to arrive in Shirakawa-go. A one-way ticket costs 2, 470 yen (22.5 USD) and roundtrip is 4,420 (40 USD), it is advisable to buy these tickets in advance.
You can get more information about getting to and from Shirakawa-go here and here!
A Sea of Powder Snow
As those who have been in Japan well know, everything in the country has a sort of delicate perfection about it. As one Japanese man put it, “Japan has invented very few things, what we do is take other country’s ideas and make it better. ” Japan’s idea of “perfection” can be seen in all things, from their art, food, music, and even their weather.
The very air which hangs over Japan carries the many spirits and gods which gives the island nation it’s mystical feeling. When arriving in Shirakawa-go in the dead of winter you may be lucky enough to have the soft powdery snow slowly trickle down from the heavens. Like everything else in Japan, even the snow abides by the standard of perfection.
You can read more about some snowy villages in the Japanese Alps here!
The Traditional Farm Houses
Even with over 180 farmhouses, many of which have a history stretching back hundreds of years, you may find yourself wandering the quaint streets for only a couple of hours before calling it quits. The nostalgia of the bygone romantic age of Japan can only last so long before you finally reach the conclusion that you have seen all there is to be seen.
To truly get the “Shirakawa-go experience” you will need to stay overnight in one of these idyllic cabins. It doesn’t matter if it is high or low season, you will need to book your bed to stay in one these gassho-zukuris well in advance. You can even go as far to say that if you don’t manage to snag a room in Shirakawa-go, you might as well not go at all.
You can book yourself into a traditional gassho-zukuri here!
Here Come the Tourists
Arriving at the crack of dawn in Shirakawa-go gives you just enough time to enjoy the empty streets of the village, paved with a fresh coat of powder white snow, just before the hoards of tour groups descend on the quiet valley. Of course, a town like Shirakawa-go is heavily dependent on tourism. Without the droves of selfie-snapping travelers with deep pockets, it is easy to imagine the town itself would fall into ruin.
While in the wee hours of the morning you will cross the bridge which connects the two haves of Shirakawa-go with ease. After a few hours pass tourists, will be shoulder to shoulder, pushing and shoving, to get that perfect picture of themselves to plaster over social media. All the more reason to arrive early or stay overnight to experience the true soul of this alpine village.
The City Coming Alive
It is not only the tourists that will not be seen on the streets during the early hours of the morning. Many of the shops and restaurants are closed just as dawn begins to break. The boarded-up windows either reflect the slow pace of life in Shirakawa-go or merely prove that the locals will only open shop when there are tourists present. Whichever reason it may be, the residents suddenly spring to action, like rats out of the woodwork, shoveling and setting out displays as soon as the first tour bus come screeching in the parking lot of the visitors center.
The Japanese Alps has a lot to offer travelers, from its untouched ancient villages to its delicate fair-tale like landscape. The scenery of Shirakawa-go may be the postcard representative of the region, but a whole lot more can be found of off the beaten track. From the larger hub of Takayama to the more rustic Kiso Valley, the entire mountainous region of Japan could easily take a lifetime to explore. Shirakawa-go, however, is a memorable overnight stay, nothing more.
