Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage village, holds special illumination events on select winter evenings when its iconic gassho-zukuri (steep thatched) farmhouses are lit dramatically against the snow. The viewing is strictly managed via a shuttle-bus ticketing system to protect the living village. Only a few hundred visitors are admitted per session, making it an intimate and exclusive experience. The effect of lantern-golden light on snow-laden rooftops against a pitch-dark mountain backdrop is unforgettable.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Snow/Winter
- Season
- Winter
- Month
- Late January to Mid-February (select Saturdays)
- Region
- Chubu
- Prefecture
- Gifu
- City
- Shirakawa-go
Highlights
- ◆UNESCO World Heritage gassho-zukuri farmhouses under snow
- ◆Dramatic floodlit illuminations on select winter evenings
- ◆Strictly limited attendance preserving an intimate atmosphere
- ◆Observation deck panoramas over the entire village
- ◆Warm amazake (sweet sake) served at village stalls