Japan 2019 Trip Day 5: Shirakawago
Main view of the Shirakawago village from Shiroyama Viewpoint
Shirakawago
[Introduction]
Today we will be doing a day trip to Shirakawago village in Gifu, and travelling there via a return coach trip from Kanazawa bus terminal.
[Trip Report]
Day 1: Explore around Nagano
Day 2: Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
Day 3: Matsumoto Castle, Nakamachi District, Matsumoto City Museum of Art and night exploring around Nagano
Day 4: Nagano Zenkoji Temple and Kanazawa Higashi Chaya District
Day 5: Shirakawago [current post]
Day 6: Hida-Takayama, Hida-Furukawa, and “Your Name” location spots
Day 7: Kanazawa Omicho Market, Kenrokuen Garden, and Kanazawa Castle Park
Day 8: Explore around Osaka
Day 9: Osaka Shinsekai, Tempozan Ferris Wheel, Glion Museum, and Cosmo Tower Observatory
Day 10: Osaka Castle, Gozabune Boat, HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel, and Kuchu Teien Observatory
Day 11: Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kinkakuji, and Yasaka Shrine
Day 12: Osaka Dotonbori, Kaiyukan, and Shinsekai
Day 13: Kyoto Fushimi Inari, Ginkakuji, and Arashiyama
Day 14: Okayama Korakuen, Okayama Castle, and Kojima Jeans Street
Day 15: Miyajima
Day 16: Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, Peace Memorial Museum
Day 17: Yufuin
Day 18: Hakata Ohori Park, Fukuoka Castle Ruins, and Fukuoka Tower
Day 19: Nanzoin Temple
[Travel Date]
2019-10-27 to 2019-11-14
Boarding the coach to Shirakawago
Kanazawa
[Main Content]
After we have our usual combini breakfast combo of canned coffee + onigiri, we went to the boarding point at Kanazawa bus terminal. By the way, we booked our return coach ticket online on Nohi Bus in advance as I heard it is quite popular and might be sold out if you don’t do so.
The coach ride single trip takes around 1 hour 15 minutes, earliest ride towards Shirakawago from Kanazawa starts at 8.10am, and the last return ride from Shirakawago back to Kanazawa is 4.30pm during our trip.
So in short, you only have approximately 6.5-7 hours to explore Shirakawago if you are planning it as a day trip like us.
Update: Apparently, the last return ride from Shirakawago to Kanazawa is 5.30pm on the website, so you have an additional hour to explore if you are taking this timing.
Bus Terminal
Shirakawago
[Shirakawago Bus Terminal]
Upon reaching Shirakawago, you will alight at the bus terminal which you will board here too for the return trip as long it is the same coach company.
For information, there are washrooms at the bus terminal too.
Not sure what is this
Shirakawago
Nice river view
Shirakawago
Shop bear mascot
Shirakawago
Relaxing scenery for a walk
Shirakawago
A few sights near the bus terminal as we are just awaiting the restaurant we are having brunch to be open at 10am, thus do not want to go too far off since the restaurant is near the bus terminal.
Irori
Shirakawago
Irori
Shirakawago
[Brunch at Irori]
We had our brunch at Irori, which is located in a nice traditional gassho zukuri restaurant.
Mainly why we eat that early, is because we could do the exploring later at one shot, since our return coach is at 4.30pm, which left us with only 5 hours of exploring time.
Do click on the link for the detailed review and full photos.
Hiking route to Shiroyama Viewpoint
Shirakawago
There’s 2 route to go up to Shiroyama Viewpoint, since we just finished brunch we decided to go for the more challenging one, which is up a short mountain trail with a steep path and uneven stairs.
1/3 through the hike!
Shirakawago
Sights on route to Shiroyama Viewpoint
Shirakawago
Starting of season change seen on the leaves
Shirakawago
More sights of the opposite hills
Shirakawago
View of the Shirakawago village from Shiroyama Viewpoint
Shirakawago
[Shiroyama Viewpoint]
The view that everyone comes up for at Shiroyama Viewpoint. It was a sad day for us cause the weather that day was too sunny till the whole sky is overexpose, I did A LOT of editing to salvage the shot to look somewhat decent (I hope?).
Tanuki Statuettes
Shirakawago
Wife with the tanuki statuettes
Shirakawago
Locals bringing out their Shiba Inu for a walk
Shirakawago
Wada House
Shirakawago
[Wada House]
Wada House is the largest gassho zukuri in Shirakawago, and now opens as a museum to the public.
There’s an admission fee to enter Wada House, ¥300 for adults and ¥150 for children.
Irori?
Shirakawago
Photo with the date of our visit to Wada House
Shirakawago
Praying Altar
Shirakawago
Artefacts and traditional everyday items
Shirakawago
Artefacts and traditional everyday items
Shirakawago
Interior side of the roof
Shirakawago
Looking out of the sliding windows
Shirakawago
Probably a storage room in between levels
Shirakawago
Gassho zukuri and houses with the autumn nature backdrop
Shirakawago
Shirakawago Sarubobo
Shirakawago
Went into a convenient store nearby to get a drink after the visit of Wada House, saw a cute and huge Shirakawago sarubobo doll.
A stall selling Hida Beef Croquette
Shirakawago
Hida Beef Croquette
Shirakawago
Hida Beef Croquette
Shirakawago
Hida Beef Croquette
Shirakawago
The Hida beef croquette is an ok snack to munch on, but don’t expect too much for such touristy spot.
More gassho zukuri
Shirakawago
And more gassho zukuri
Shirakawago
Ochudo cafe/restaurant
Shirakawago
Another gassho zukuri, but Ochudo cafe/restaurant is located in it, which is one of the popular cafe/restaurant in Shirakawago famous for curry rice (and red bean dessert).
Initially, we are deciding to go for either Irori or Ochudo for our brunch, but in the end we went for Irori.
We will definitely try Ochudo for our next visit to Shirakawago!
Kanda House
Shirakawago
The not-so-scary Shirakawago scarecrows
Shirakawago
We joined in for the photo!
Shirakawago
Preparing the straw materials for the roof
Shirakawago
Repairing/rethatching the roof
Shirakawago
Did you know that the thatched roofs of gassho zukuri are made purely from straws and wood sourced from the surrounding nature environment. No metal or nails are used in the construction of the roofs, and needs complete rethatching every few decades.
Nice aesthetic way to keep the drinks cold (for sale)
Shirakawago
Autumn mountain scenery
Shirakawago
More autumn mountain scenery
Shirakawago
Bell tower with thatched roof in front of Myozenji Temple Museum
Shirakawago
Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine
Shirakawago
Walkway between houses
Shirakawago
Side angle of the thatched roof
Shirakawago
Front shot of the thatched roof
Shirakawago
Wife basking in the autumn colours
Shirakawago
Deai suspension bridge
Shirakawago
[Deai Bridge]
You can get a good vantage point at the Deai suspension bridge, where you could have picturesque views of the Sho River and the surrounding mountains.
Sho River and the surrounding scenery
Shirakawago
Sho River and the surrounding scenery
Shirakawago
Gassho Zukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum
Shirakawago
[Gassho Zukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum]
Just a photo of Gassho Zukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum area from one end of Deai bridge, but we don’t have time to explore this part as it is around 3+pm already.
The admission fee for entry is ¥600 for adults and ¥400 for children.
Amusing mascot
Shirakawago
Wife with the amusing mascot
Shirakawago
Gassho zukuri in golden hour light
Shirakawago
Eating
Shirakawago
In flight
Shirakawago
Side view of the butterfly
Shirakawago
Spreading the wings
Shirakawago
While we are making our way back to the bus terminal for our return coach back to Kanazawa, saw an opportunity to take some macro shots of bees and butterflies.
Sunset
Shirakawago
Nice sunset and silhouette feel while walking back to the bus terminal.
Grill Otsuka
Kanazawa
Grill Otsuka
Kanazawa
[Dinner at Grill Otsuka]
After arriving back to Kanazawa, we headed to the city area for our dinner. Tonight’s choice of dinner will be at Grill Otsuka, famous for their hanton rice and hamburger steak!
Do click on the link for the detailed review and full photos.
Menya Taiga
Kanazawa
Menya Taiga
Kanazawa
[Supper at Menya Taiga]
Feeling a bit disappointed with our dinner and a famous ramen restaurant is rather near our hotel, so on to supper at Menya Taiga!
Do click on the link for the detailed review and full photos.
[Closing]
Not going to spoil you, but not the best meals of our trip for both the dinner and supper.
This concludes Day 5 of our trip, tomorrow will be a day trip to Hida-Takayama and Hida-Furukawa!
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