This guide covers what visitors can do in Shirakawa-go, with the opening hours, fees and the way in.
Quick Facts
The table below lists the first figures to know.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Time needed to tour the whole village | Roughly 2 to 3 hours |
| Adult admission to the Gassho-zukuri Minkaen open-air museum | 800 yen |
| One-way fare of the shuttle bus to the observation deck | 300 yen |
| Highway bus ride from Takayama Station to Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 50 minutes |
Gassho-zukuri Minkaen Open-Air Museum
From March to November the open-air museum opens earlier and closes later than it does from December to February, so a winter visit leaves less room and belongs early in the day. Group admission per adult is lower than the individual price, and it falls again for larger groups.
The table below lists the admission and the hours of the museum.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen individual admission for adults | 800 yen |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen individual admission for children | 400 yen |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen group admission for adults, groups of 25 or more | 700 yen |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen group admission for adults, groups of 100 or more | 600 yen |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen opening hours from March to November | 8:40 to 17:00 |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen opening hours from December to February | 9:00 to 16:00 |
Houses Open to Visitors in Ogimachi
Wada House is a shorter walk from the bus terminal than any other house in the table below, so it suits the first house of the visit.
Wada House has audio explanations about its history and gassho-style construction, in Japanese on the first floor and in English on the second floor.
Kanda House opens later than the other houses in the table, so it fits better after the morning is under way.
From April to November Myozenji Temple Kyodokan opens earlier than the other houses, so it is the house to reach before the others open, though it is a longer walk from the bus terminal. The irori hearth at Myozenji Temple Kyodokan is burned every day.
Nagase House closes earlier than Wada House, so an afternoon round should reach Nagase House before Wada House.
The table below lists the walk, the admission and the hours of each house.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Wada House walk from Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 4 minutes |
| Wada House admission for adults (junior high school students and older) | 400 yen |
| Wada House admission for children (elementary school) | 200 yen |
| Wada House opening hours | 9:00 to 17:00 |
| Kanda House walk from Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 7 minutes |
| Kanda House admission for adults | 400 yen |
| Kanda House admission for children | 200 yen |
| Kanda House business hours | 10:00 to 16:00 |
| Nagase House walk from Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 8 minutes |
| Nagase House admission | 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for children |
| Nagase House opening hours | 9:00 to 16:00 for the time being |
| Nagase House structure | A 5-storey gassho-zukuri house |
| Myozenji Temple Kyodokan walk from Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 10 minutes |
| Myozenji Temple Kyodokan admission | 400 yen for adults and 200 yen for children (elementary and junior high school) |
| Myozenji Temple Kyodokan opening hours from April to November | 8:30 to 17:00 |
| Myozenji Temple Kyodokan opening hours from December to March | 9:00 to 16:00 |
Visitors who prefer to join a guided tour can browse tours around Shirakawa-go.
Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observation Deck
Because the village is a heavy-snow area, snow stays on the ground from late December to late February.
The gassho-style houses are built all facing the same direction to avoid snow and wind, as can be seen from the Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observatory.
The shuttle bus to the observatory does not operate during the hour starting at noon, so the deck fits the morning or the afternoon rather than lunchtime.
The table below lists the shuttle bus ride, the fare and the service hours.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shuttle bus ride to the observatory | About 10 minutes |
| Shuttle bus one-way fare, settled on board | 300 yen |
| Shuttle bus service hours and interval | 9:00 to 15:40, every 20 minutes |
| Shuttle bus service during the noon hour | None in the 12 o'clock hour |
Shirakawa-go no Yu Bath
Shirakawa-go no Yu stays open for hours after Wada House closes, so the bath works as the last stop of the day rather than a midday one. The bath is a short walk from the bus terminal.
The table below lists the bath fee and hours, with the hours of Wada House for comparison.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shirakawa-go no Yu bathing fee | 900 yen for adults and 500 yen for children (ages 4 to 12) |
| Shirakawa-go no Yu business hours | 7:00 to 21:00 (from 15:00 on Fridays), last entry 20:00 |
| Shirakawa-go no Yu walk from Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal | About 2 minutes |
| Wada House hours, for comparison | 9:00 to 17:00 |
Getting to Shirakawa-go by Highway Bus
The first bus from Takayama reaches the village before the open-air museum opens, so it puts a visitor in the village ahead of the first admission. The first bus from Kanazawa arrives after the open-air museum has opened.
The list below gives the bus ride from Takayama and Kanazawa.
- From Takayama Nohi Bus Center, the bus to Shirakawa-go takes about 50 minutes.
- From Kanazawa, the Hokutetsu highway bus to Shirakawa-go takes an estimated 1 hour 15 minutes.
The table below lists the fares and the first departures.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| One-way bus fare from Takayama Nohi Bus Center to Shirakawa-go | 2,800 yen |
| Adult bus fare between Kanazawa Station West Exit and Shirakawa-go | 2,800 yen |
| One-way bus fare from Shirakawa-go to Toyama Station, Kanazawa Station West Exit and Takaoka Station | 2,400 yen, 2,800 yen and 2,200 yen |
| First bus from Takayama Station, departure and arrival | Departs at 7:20 and arrives at 8:10, booking needed in advance |
| First bus from Kanazawa Station, departure and arrival | Departs at 8:00 as a Nagoya-bound bus and arrives at 9:15, booking needed in advance |
| Bus from Toyama Station, departure and arrival | Departs at 9:00 and arrives at 10:20, booking needed in advance |
| Gassho-zukuri Minkaen hours from March to November, for comparison | 8:40 to 17:00 |
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Parking, Luggage and Village Rules
The designated parking lot is on the opposite bank of the Sho River from the settlement, and crossing the Deai suspension bridge leads immediately to the World Heritage settlement. There are no tourist parking lots inside the settlement.
There are no trash bins in the settlement. Night-time tourist visits to the village are not accepted. Drones cannot be used inside the settlement.
The parking lot stops admitting cars before its closing time, so a late-afternoon arrival by car has to beat the last entry in the table below.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seseragi Park parking lot fee for a regular car, a bus or microbus, and a motorcycle | 2,000 yen, 10,000 yen and 500 yen |
| Seseragi Park parking lot hours | 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30 |
| Shirakawa-go Tourist Association luggage storage | 8:00 to 17:00, deposit and collection on the same day only |