The Gassho-style houses found in the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are rare examples of their kind in Japan. Located in a river valley surrounded by the rugged high-mountain Chubu ...

SHIRAKAWA, Gifu Prefecture--Villagers in this renowned UNESCO World Heritage site came together to re-thatch the roof of a multitiered house here for the first time in five years on May 13.

The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama are two traditional mountain villages located in the Shogawa river valley ...

Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture is one of Japan's snowiest regions. It's famous for its traditional thatched-roof Gassho-style homes. The triangular roofs distribute the weight of heavy snow ...