Blessed with Nature’s admirable beauties and rich in cultural treasures, Japan is a great travel destination for tourists! In this 7-part series, join this author to explore the “Land of the Rising Sun” enormous beautiful sceneries. Read on to learn about Japan’s “Famous Hidden Regions.”
The Shirakawa-go
The historic Shirakawa-go village runs along the Shogawa River at the foot of Mt. Haku-san, in northwestern part of Gifu Prefecture. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, it is quiet village famous for its more than 110 Japanese thatched-roof farmhouses built around 200-300 years ago. Known locally as Gassho-zukuri (”hands in a Buddhist prayer”), these farmhouses were built with steep rice straw covered thatched roof, made without nails, and were designed to suit massive snow fall during the winter.
Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go’s largest and most popular village for visitors contains about 150 structures, with around 60 of them Gassho-zukuri houses. Many of these thatched houses were transferred there during the construction of the Miboro dam. Having the largest numbers of preserved Gassho-styled houses, more tourist visit this place. Visitors can reach the village by bus from Takayama or Kanazawa and can stay overnight at several Minshuku (Japanese style farm house).
Another attraction of the village is the Gassho-zukuri Minka-en, an outdoor museum, housing 27 gassho-zukuri replica houses. There is a coalhouse, a temple replicas of built in the gassho-zukuri style from various areas in Shirakawa-go. A temple, a coalhouse, and a horse coral were built to showcase old scenery. Visitors are treated to live traditional performances and can try their hand preparing Japanese soba noodles at the “Soba Dojo.”
Shirakawa-go’s other notable landmark includes: Mount Haku (Hakusan), the Three Amo Waterfalls, Naka falls, Ki falls, Hakusui Falls and the Hirase hot spring bathhouse. Several tourist shops flood Shirakawa-go selling numerous souvenir items including the popular ‘Sarubobo’ doll. There are also, several places to eat including one at the Hachiman Shrine where a special sake are serve. The Ogimachi Jyoseki Observatory is the perfect place for visitors to get a panoramic view of the village.
The Iya Valley
The Iya Valley is a scenic area that runs through the Shikoku Mountains in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Before, 2 villages occupies the valley; the East Aya and the West Aya, but since March 1, 2006, these villages were merge to form what is now known as the Miyoshi City. The region is characterized by the presence of several rivers among them the Iya River and several cliffs that reaches up to hundreds of meters. Today, the Iya Valley is fast gaining a reputation as one of Japan’s famous hidden regions and a popular tourist destination.
Iya Valley is not that accessible by public transport, and the best way to reach the place is by train and from there, there take a 25-minute bus ride to Kazura-bashi Bridge.
There are still several vine bridges, once used in crossing the rivers, that are now sites for tourist destination. One good adventure for tourists is to cross the 45 x 2 m meter long, Kazura Vine Bridge, suspended about 14 meters above the river. Tourists will have to shell out 500-yen to cross the bridge. Also, going deeper upstream is the “Oku-iya Niju Kazura-bashi,” a double vine bridge.
Another thrilling experience is to trek the Nana-Magari (seven curves), the most dangerous spot in the valley. Be sure to visit the Manikin Piss, a statue of a boy urinating on a rock about 200 meters above sea level. Other attractions at Iya Valley include: the Gorges of Oboke, the Iya Hot springs, and the Gorges of Oboke
Article link: The Best of Japan: The Famous Hidden Regions!
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