Upon arriving at the Shirakawa-Go village, I encountered hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors wandering around. Shirakawa-Go is located in Gifu Prefecture, with a clear view of Mt. Hakusan (one of the three holy mountains in Japan)
Registered as a World Heritage Site, thousands of tourists visit this village every year to experience this well preserved Japanese village life style. The gassho-zukuri style houses are what make this village famous. The houses have very steep slope thatched roofs which are made from straw and can withstand extreme weather conditions. The gassho-zukuri style is dated back to the Edo period (1603-1868). There are also rice fields in and around the village. From the highest point in the village visitors can enjoy a stunning panoramic view with Mt Hakusan in the background.