Etiquette and the Spirit of "Yui" in Japan's

Traditional Landscape

In the silence of deep snow, thatched-roof houses emit a warm glow. This landscape, as if stepping into an old storybook, may be the very image of "Japan's quintessential scenery" that many people imagine. Welcome to the World Heritage site, the Gassho-zukuri village of Shirakawago.

However, before you begin this journey, there is one crucial thing to remember: "Shirakawago is, before being a tourist destination, a 'living village' where people carry on their daily lives." The paths we will walk are the daily routes of the residents, and within the houses we admire, there are the warm lives of families.

This guide is not only for you to enjoy this exceptionally beautiful scenery but also to learn how to behave as a visitor to a quiet village, paying respect to the history and spirit of the people who have sustained its beauty. The promises introduced here are not strict regulations. They are the small, yet most important, "considerations" that we travelers can offer to preserve this "living heritage" for eternity.

Now, before you click the shutter, let's first prepare to enter the gates of this village with a humble heart. A journey to truly experience Shirakawago begins here.

Why were these unique houses with triangular roofs born in this land? Their shape embodies the wisdom and prayers of people who fought against a harsh nature and supported their families' lives.

Shirakawago is one of the world's snowiest regions. In winter, the snow can sometimes exceed two meters in depth. The steep, thatched roofs of the Gassho-zukuri style are a brilliant product of wisdom, designed to let the heavy snow slide off naturally and prevent the houses from collapsing under its weight. The timber, assembled without a single nail, flexibly absorbs forces, creating a structure resistant to heavy snow and earthquakes. The large triangular roofs are designed to efficiently capture sunlight, which is why many houses are built with their roofs facing east or west.

The spacious attics of Gassho-zukuri houses were not just for storage. They were vital workspaces for "sericulture," the region's former main industry of raising silkworms to produce raw silk. The attics were well-ventilated and relatively warm in winter due to the heat from the "irori" (sunken hearth) below, making them suitable for raising silkworms. The raw silk produced here became a valuable export that supported Japan's modernization, a testament to how this deep mountain village was connected to the global economy.

The enormous thatched roofs of Gassho-zukuri houses need to be re-thatched once every 20 to 30 years. This task is impossible for a single household to complete. Thus, a system of mutual help called "Yui" was born, where the entire village comes together to assist, and it continues to this day. The sight of several hundred people finishing the re-thatching of a roof in a single day is breathtaking. This spirit of "Yui" is the most important, invisible cultural heritage that has maintained not only the individual houses but the beautiful landscape and community of the entire village.

Since its registration as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1995, Shirakawago has welcomed many tourists. On the other hand, it faces challenges such as balancing tourism with residents' lives, a shortage of successors, and maintaining the landscape. Currently, the village is actively implementing measures such as a reservation system to control the number of tourists (especially during the winter light-up), strict building rules for landscape preservation, and activities to pass on the spirit of "Yui" to the next generation.

A visit to a World Heritage site calls for a special mindset.

• From Takayama: About 50 minutes from the Takayama Nohi Bus Center. This is the most popular route with frequent services.
• From Kanazawa: About 1 hour and 25 minutes from Kanazawa Station. Convenient for connecting from the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
• From Nagoya: About 2 hours and 50 minutes from the Meitetsu Bus Center.
• Note: Most buses require advance reservations. It is advisable to book early, especially during peak tourist seasons and on weekends. If visiting by private car, you cannot drive into the village and must park at a designated paid parking lot and use a shuttle bus.

• Ogimachi Castle Ruin Observatory: The perfect location to overlook the entire village. The scenery often seen in posters is photographed from here. A paid shuttle bus departs from in front of the Wada House in the village.
• Gassho-zukuri Houses Open to the Public: The "Wada House," "Kanda House," and "Nagase House" are open to the public for a fee, allowing you to see the lifestyle of the past and the structure of Gassho-zukuri up close.
• Strolling Tips: First, get an overall view from the observatory. Then, try stepping off the main street onto a side path. Walking away from the tourist hustle and bustle, listening to the murmuring of waterways and the sound of the wind, you can feel the original tranquility of the village.

This chapter is the most important for your visit to Shirakawago. These promises will make your journey deeper and more meaningful.

While strolling through the village is wonderful, first, try to view the entire landscape of scattered, miniature-like Gassho-zukuri houses from the observatory. The appearance of the village, which shows completely different expressions each season, is truly a spectacular view. During the winter light-up period, access to this observatory is by reservation only, so checking in advance is essential.

There are several guesthouses (minshuku) in the village where you can actually stay in a Gassho-zukuri house. Chatting with the host and other guests around the irori hearth and experiencing the village night wrapped in silence will become a cherished memory. However, a minshuku is not a hotel. As they are old wooden houses, baths and toilets are often shared, and they are not very soundproof. Stay with the feeling of being a guest in a resident's home, and be mindful of your manners.

• Morning: Take a bus from Takayama Nohi Bus Center to Shirakawago.
• Upon Arrival: First, go to the observatory to capture the panoramic view of the village.
• Noon: Descend into the village and have lunch with local cuisine.
• Afternoon: Visit a public house like the Wada House to learn about the internal structure of Gassho-zukuri. Then, freely stroll through the village.
• Evening: Return to Takayama by bus.

• Day 1:
  〇 Afternoon: Arrive in Shirakawago. Check into a Gassho-zukuri guesthouse.
  〇 Evening: Take a slow walk through the village as the number of tourists decreases.
  〇 Night: Enjoy a warm dinner around the irori hearth at the guesthouse. Enjoy the fantastic night view of the illuminated village.

• Day 2:
  〇 Early Morning: Wake up before anyone else and take a walk in the quiet village enveloped in morning mist. This is the privilege of overnight guests.
  〇 Morning: Have breakfast at the guesthouse.
  〇 Forenoon: Visit places you missed the day before and look for souvenirs.
  〇 Around Noon: Take a bus to your next destination.
  
  

When you finish your journey in Shirakawago, you will have many beautiful photos in your camera. However, there is something more that I hope you will keep in your heart. It is the spirit of "Yui," where people have protected this landscape and culture by huddling together and helping each other in this harsh nature.

As visitors, our adherence to the village rules and our consideration for the residents' lives might be a new form of "Yui" in which we, living in the modern age, can participate. Your quiet respect and gentle consideration will become a vital force connecting this "living heritage" to the future, 100 or 200 years from now.