A little higher, and you’ll reach Ainokura Village in Gokayama, a Unesco World Heritage Site on a plateau high above the Shō ...

Despite economic upheavals, the villages of Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people's social and economic ...

Suganuma and the neighbouring hamlet of Ainokura are collectively referred to as Gokayama. Together, they offer a rare snapshot of pre-industrial Japanese rural life, and are defined above all by ...

These are the thoughts that went through my mind at Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture as I marveled at the "gassho-zukuri" structures scattered about the beautiful countryside. The steeply angled ...

The distinct architecture and culture of Shirakawa-go, along with the nearby Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture, was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture is one of Japan's snowiest regions. It's famous for its traditional thatched-roof Gassho-style homes. The triangular roofs distribute the weight of heavy snow ...

Due south, in Toyama Prefecture, Ainokura stands like a mirage with some 20 thatched-roof farmhouses, conjuring rural Japan from centuries past. Today, these architectural time capsules have ...