Shirakawa-go

A mountain village in Gifu Prefecture whose gassho-zukuri (hands-in-prayer style) thatched-roof houses are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The steep thatched roofs harmonize with deep winter snow, and the winter illumination event creates a magical scene that draws visitors from around the world.

A UNESCO World Heritage gassho-zukuri village alongside Shirakawago. The Ainokura and Suganuma villages see fewer tourists, offering a quieter, more authentic experience of Japan's original landscape.

A village in Shirakawa, Gifu Prefecture, renowned for its gassho-zukuri (hand-joined) thatched-roof architecture. These structures, adapted for heavy snowfall regions, feature centuries-old thatch and steeply angled roofs. The settlement landscape, formed from the Edo through early Meiji periods, remains intact and was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. Winter night illuminations create magical scenery amid snow, attracting over two million international and domestic visitors annually. The village maintains active thatch-roof preservation crafts and community conservation activities.

A UNESCO World Natural Heritage island home to ancient Yakusugi cedars thousands of years old. The Jomon Cedar trek and Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine are known as inspirations for the forests in Miyazaki's 'Princess Mononoke.' Its vertical vegetation zones from subtropical to subarctic earn it the nickname 'Alps of the Ocean.'

An exotic port city that served as Japan's sole window to the West during the period of national isolation via Dejima. Western-style architecture at Glover Garden and Oura Church, Chinatown, Peace Park, and Hashima Island (World Heritage) create a uniquely layered historical tourism destination.

A hot spring town where Taisho-era wooden ryokan line the Ginzan River. The snowy winter scenery lit by gas lamps — made famous as the setting of the NHK drama 'Oshin' — has gained international attention for its dreamlike beauty.