EXPLORE JAPANESE ANCIENT TOWNS AND VILLAGES

Today, Japan still has many ancient farming towns and villages that retain their traditional beauty from ancient times. With its distinctive thatched-roof houses, fresh air, and peaceful setting away from the bustling city, this will be an excellent choice for a vacation immersed in nature and charming scenery.

Shirakawa-go | Ogimachi Village

Ogimachi is the largest village in the mountainous Shirakawa-go region of Gifu Prefecture. The village, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, is home to several dozen well-preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old.

Gassho-zukuri means "constructed like hands in prayer", as the farmhouses' steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer.?

Old gassho-zukuri houses, rice fields, and vegetable patches enveloped by the surrounding green forest ensure a pleasant sensory experience. You can walk across the river and through the village to see the style of construction and to get a sense of how the people lived here. The best way to experience the village is to overnight at one of the farmhouses.

Gokayama | Ainokura Village

Ainokura is a remote small village in the Gokayama region of Toyama Prefecture with several gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Some of the houses serve as minshuku (traditional Japanese inn) where tourists can experience an overnight stay.

Ainokura, along with Suganuma and Ogimachi, was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995. As it is less developed and harder to get to than Ogimachi, Ainokura is quieter and sees less tourist traffic, and offers similar attractions including the highly recommended overnight at a farmhouse.

Being so remote, Ainokura, along with the rest of Gokayama, has been able to maintain a lot of its traditional culture. This can be seen in its folk dances and music, which use a number of traditional instruments unique to the area.

Kyoto Prefecture | Miyama

Miyama is a rural town in the mountains north of Kyoto. It features over two hundred thatched-roof houses scattered across its idyllic countryside.

The main attraction among them is the Kayabuki no Sato, which features nearly 40 farmhouses. Unlike those found in many other historic towns and districts around the country, the majority of Miyama's old houses survive as residential dwellings where people still live and work. This in turn lends a very nostalgic atmosphere to the area and gives visitors a chance to experience the traditional, authentic feel of rural Japan. One of the best ways to appreciate Miyama's thatched-roof houses is to overnight in one of them.?

If you intend to travel to Japan, don't miss the opportunity to visit these magical villages! Flights to Japan: https://www.travelner.com/flights-to-Japan?