When people mention Shirakawago, they often think of an ancient village with hundreds of wooden houses, their roofs covered in snow, nestled among the roads and fields. The most popular time for tourists here is winter, and most of the promotional images of the area showcase its snow-covered beauty. While the winter scene, with its thick layers of snow and sparkling lights, is undeniably magical, today I’ll show you that the autumn scenery in Shirakawago is just as breathtaking!
You can easily book a trip to Shirakawago HERE, departing from Nagoya at 9 AM. Along the way, the tour will stop to visit the historic Hida Takayama Old Town, and then continue to Shirakawa-go. You’ll return to Nagoya at 6:30 PM.
I decided to visit Shirakawago in late October, when the leaves had already started to turn yellow and red. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily when I arrived.
But that didn’t diminish the beauty of Shirakawago. On the contrary, the rain brought clouds and fog that enveloped the mountains surrounding the village, creating an incredibly magical atmosphere.
Right at the parking lot in front of the village entrance, there were many red leaves, signaling a "bumper" day for my photos 😀 Let's explore what's inside the ancient village!
First, we’ll cross the 107-meter-long Ogimachi suspension bridge, which will take us from the parking lot into the village.
Right at the entrance of the village, you’ll find souvenir shops and food stalls, all featuring typical designs with wooden structures and thatched roofs.
Right at the beginning of the road leading to the village, I came across an ancient bell tower, which looked quite similar to Khue Van Cac – the symbol of the capital Hanoi, Vietnam. (see my article about Hanoi’s Old Quarter HERE ).
Even though it was raining heavily, it didn't make it difficult for me to take photos 😀 We will even have an additional accessory throughout today's photos: a transparent umbrella.
First view next to a yellow leaf garden here.
Next, I walked along the main road and looked at the old houses here.
Unlike the traditional village of Kayabuki no Sato in Kyoto, the houses in Shirakawago feature a variety of architectural styles, with each traditional house having its own unique characteristics.
A few more poses.
After taking photos in front of the ancient houses, I headed to the Ogimachi Observatory, where I could enjoy a panoramic view of the entire village from above.
Observatory address for easy finding: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gnP8Caci7JsPJbre6
After walking for a while, be sure to turn around and look back at the scenery behind you—there are many beautiful views to capture!
After about 15 minutes of climbing to the observatory, here’s the view I was greeted with:
You can book tickets for the Shirakawa-go Light Up event HERE. This special event takes place only four days a year, so if you miss it, you’ll have to wait another year to attend. You can easily check the light-up schedule for each year HERE.
Even though the rain was quite heavy, it didn’t stop me from appreciating this view. The atmosphere here is incredibly peaceful, a stark contrast to the always bustling and lively Osaka where I live.
Take a few more photos and then take shelter from the rain 😀
As we continue walking up, we come to another observatory, called Shiroyama Tenshukaku, along with restaurants and souvenir shops in the area.
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jyVEyH8u57nDhatU9
I wandered around the shops for a while, then made my way back down to explore the remaining half of the ancient village.
Take advantage of taking photos here.
After that, I made my way back to the Ogimachi Suspension Bridge, bringing an end to my exploration of Shirakawago.
Capture a photo with all three colors—blue, red, and yellow—in the same frame.
Capture a few fresh angles outside the parking lot of the old village.
After looking through all the photos in this article, it’s clear that Shirakawago is not just beautiful in winter, right?
The village is equally peaceful and stunningly beautiful in the fall. Try visiting here during the autumn and create your own experience! Thank you for reading until the end of the article.
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This set of rainy photos is so excellent.
Looking at photos makes me feel refreshed and comfortable.
And the girls are cute too.