What other travelers are saying about Shirakawa-go
Just a stunning place we spent a wonderful day in Shirakawa-go and were lucky enough to have a warm-ish, sunny winter day, which made the experience even better. Some of us walked up to the observation area, but there’s also a shuttle you can take for just a few yen (cash only), which is a great option especially with the icy conditions.
There was quite a bit of black ice around and it was slippery in places, so sensible footwear is definitely recommended (though we did see some very brave souls in heeled boots!). The views are stunning and the houses look straight out of a fairytale absolutely beautiful and very photogenic.
We had a few travel options and chose to take the bus from Kanazawa there and back. For us, this was by far the easiest option comfortable, straightforward, and cost-effective compared to piecing together trains, buses, and walking.
The bus takes you straight into the village and back again, and at around $50–$60 return, it was well worth it in our opinion.
We found a small local spot serving udon soup, which was delicious and incredible value. We also visited the onsen, and it was completely empty either our timing was perfect or we were just very lucky, but it made for such a peaceful experience but they only take cash.
One tip: bring cash. Not all ATMs accept foreign cards, and one we tried wasn’t working, so we had to walk to the post office ATM instead. Overall, a magical place and well worth the visit.
Second tip: if travelling by bus then yes beat to book tickets (even a few days) in advance.
Yes, you can. Winter is one of the best times to visit as the village transforms into a magical winter wonderland.
Yes, there are several events throughout the year, including light-up events in winter and traditional festivals in summer.
Yes, some farmhouses have been converted into guest houses where visitors can experience staying in a traditional Japanese home.
You can take a train from Tokyo to Nagoya and then transfer to a bus that will take you directly to Shirakawa-go. The journey takes approximately 5 hours.
Several tour companies offer guided tours of the village, providing insight into its history and culture.
Shirakawago was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our family. We were incredibly lucky to witness snowfall on December 4th, turning the entire village into a real-life winter fairy tale. The traditional gassho-zukuri houses covered in fresh snow were absolutely breathtaking.
Visiting with my wife and kids made the moment even more special. The atmosphere felt peaceful, magical, and unforgettable—especially since this was a rare early snowfall. A perfect mix of winter charm, culture, and family memories that we will cherish forever. Highly recommended, especially if you’re lucky enough to catch it during snowfall.
This is definitely a must-visit destination in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan.
We stayed at ANA Crown Plaza, Kanazawa, which was located about 3-min walk to the bus station where we waited for a coach to send us to Shiragawa-go. Thank goodness we booked our tickets prior as the coach was already full. We wanted to go a day later but there wasn’t any seats available.
It was barely an hour coach ride, the scenic journey was easy & pleasant. There were a lot of tourists from all over the world. We were immediately reminded to stay at the same place for our pick up coach upon reaching. Not necessary to buy any more entry tickets…we gotten an English map & walked along the paths, just looking out for oncoming villages’ cars or goods trucks.
Sorry for I have not posted my review much earlier. So these pictures were taken before the snow hit the area, we preferred the super cool season, but we wanted to still see every detail of the heritage houses & compound!
It was a beautiful, clean & well kept area. The old houses were well maintained. We loved how they were weaved & heaped together with wooded planks/straws & many other materials. Amazingly they could withstand the changing but drastic weathers. There were a few eateries, cafes, a supermarket & some souvenir shops. We bought a few boxes of chocolates & cheese cakes. Wind was pretty strong snd by the end of our walk, the drizzle was already making us feeling so cold. Heat packs were pasted all around our pockets to keep us warm. Umbrellas were needed. The drop off & pick up holding area was rather small & crowded with people waiting for coaches. As it was cold outside, many tourists rushed here to take shelter from the drizzle first. It was so so packed! Do check the weather forecasts before visiting this place.
I would highly recommend that you stroll up the little hill on the higher ground to take a bird’s eye view of the village. It was breathtakingly beautiful. There were cyclists riding uphill, what a daunting task to me. We were already panting halfway up!
It took us about 3 hours plus to complete our stroll around the entire compound. We had 50min spare time before our coach arrived. We walked to the other end where a small cafe stood quietly. The old couple were veteran owners of good coffee brewers. They served aromatic hot coffee, hot chocolate drinks & good cakes too. Again, definitely worth a visit to Shiragawa-go.
A beautiful and well kept village. Really let you have great experience how local stayed in the past. There is some snowfall a few days earlier so we still get to see some snow here and there although is melting. A beautiful and stunning location with a proper huge parking location design for tourist. In the village, it is not allow to drive unless you are folks that stayed or work there. A nice walk along the village with many small shops along the street selling souvenirs and small eats. We also climb up the slope to the mountain to have even better view of the village. Note that this is a highly touristy location and during peak time, it is really full of many buses of tourist dropped here in the morning. A day trip is sufficient imho. unless you want to experience the ryokan stay there.
It's a stunning place to visit and slowly wonder around for a day. Absolutely beautiful japanese village architecture surrounding by beautiful mountains. It's best to park at one of the the big and free public parkigns (no driving allowed in the village) and just walk to the city by the stunning bridge spanning across the river. It may be a bit crowdy there by it's worth to spare time for visiting this quite and peaceful place.
