The Gassho-zukuri Houses of Ogimachi Village

Walking through Shirakawa-go, it is immediately obvious why this site is so deserving of its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The traditional thatched roof chalet-style houses are supremely distinctive of the region making it a remarkably unique place to visit. Did I manage to get enough superlatives in there?

As soon as I saw a photo of the village in a tour booklet, I was hooked and obsessed over visiting the village to see it in person. The day trip into the village was really too short to fully see and appreciate it. In part due to the fact that my travel luck always brings rain, making it a little harder to shoot (although, shoot I did). I hope I can one day make it back to this village in winter to see the houses covered in a blanket of picturesque snow.

Traditional thatched-roof houses in Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.