What to know
Ogimachi (荻町) is the largest village and main highlight of Shirakawa-go. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, the village preserves several dozen well-maintained gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some over 250 years old.
These farmhouses are remarkable structures, built to endure harsh winters while serving as homes and workplaces. They look best when dusted with snow or surrounded by green fields. Many now operate as restaurants, museums, or minshuku where you can stay overnight—the ultimate way to experience Shirakawa-go.
Several farmhouses from neighboring villages have been relocated to an open-air museum across the river from Ogimachi's center, saving them from demolition. This museum, along with the dense concentration of farmhouses and attractions in the village and its good accessibility, makes Ogimachi the top spot in Shirakawa-go and Gokayama to see gassho-zukuri farmhouses.
Ogimachi serves as the transport hub of the Shirakawa-go region, where bus lines from Takayama, Nagoya, Kanazawa, Toyama, and Takaoka converge. The Shirakawa-go Bus Terminal sits at the entrance to the village center. The village is compact and easy to explore on foot.
How to get to and around Shirakawa-go and Gokayama
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 8:40 to 17:00 (March to November), 9:00 to 16:00 (December to February)
- Closed
- Thursdays from December to March (or Wednesday if Thursday is a holiday)
- Admission
- 800 yen (~$5.12)
- English name
- Shirakawa-go Tourist Association
- Original name
- Ogimachi Village
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.