travel experience - Perceptive Tracks https://perceptivetracks.com Insight on Japanese Food,Travel, Life. Mon, 14 Aug 2023 01:01:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.4 Exploring UNESCO World Heritage Shirakawa-go Village: A Glimpse into Rural Japan https://perceptivetracks.com/exploring-unesco-world-heritage-shirakawa-go-village-a-glimpse-into-rural-japan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=exploring-unesco-world-heritage-shirakawa-go-village-a-glimpse-into-rural-japan https://perceptivetracks.com/exploring-unesco-world-heritage-shirakawa-go-village-a-glimpse-into-rural-japan/#respond Sat, 22 Jul 2023 13:17:11 +0000 https://perceptivetracks.com/?p=6620

I think that when people visit Kanazawa Japan, in Ishikawa, Prefecture, the main attractions are the surrounding traditional villages and castles.  Shirakawa go in the nearby Gifu prefecture, is another must see location for people staying in Kanazawa.

It’s a UNESCO world heritage site and it’s iconic straw roofs are famous throughout the world, especially in the wintertime.

Absolutely nothing about the village before going, I just knew that we were going so I only checked Wikipedia on the way there.

There are literally tons of dogs that teach you everything you need to know about the village, so I won’t get into that here.

It was a beautiful day with patches of rain throughout, and I was just happy driving my Kei car through the mountain roads.

I was pretty excited to see my first gassho-style house on the way up. It was in a rural town and was really the only one set amidst more modern looking places. After driving a while, I got really excited to see the Suganuma Gassho village. For a second, I thought this was the main village, but ¥500 later, I realized this was a smaller version of the main village. (In retrospect, however, I prefer the cleanliness and quaintness of the smaller village compared to the main attraction.)

Absolutely nothing about the village before going, I just knew that we were going so I only checked Wikipedia on the way there.

There are literally tons of dogs that teach you everything you need to know about the village, so I won’t get into that here.

It was a beautiful day with patches of rain throughout, and I was just happy driving my Kei car through the mountain roads.

I was pretty excited to see my first gassho-style house on the way up. It was in a rural town and was really the only one set amidst more modern looking places. After driving a while, I got really excited to see the Suganuma Gassho village. For a second, I thought this was the main village, but ¥500 later, I realized this was a smaller version of the main village. (In retrospect, however, I prefer the cleanliness and quaintness of the smaller village compared to the main attraction.)

In actuality, I was actually surprised at how much of a normal town it was! To be specific, I am talking about the telltale signs of day to day life that would be normal in any other circumstance, but unexpected for a UNESCO world heritage site that is famous for being rural.

I guess it is just my own one-sided expectations though.

I couldn’t help but notice the trucks, empty plastic crates, drying towels and other items behind and around the houses. I could take a series of photos without the rooftops and you wouldn’t know where it was.

I guess this is normal and to be expected though considering the various restaurants, hotels and gift shops that keep the village alive. In retrospect, it’s probably better that way because it would be pretty boring if it was a perfect soundstage.

But enough of my one sided expectations.

In the end, I’m glad I went. I know what the place looks and feels like and it was truly beautiful. I miss the smell of greenery and fresh water already.Usually, I’d be content as is and not consider a repeat visit but this place is known for its winter time beauty so I might have to make an exception in this case.

Whatever the season, it’s a cool place to visit, at least once in your lifetime.

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