Journey through Japan’s Countryside and Alps to Shirakawago

Journey through Japan’s Countryside and Alps to Shirakawago

we made the wrong choice here 😂 entering the highway again at Shokawa IC we spotted a roadside station on the left Roadside Station Sakura no Sato Shokawa Hida Region Mascot Sarubobo! 😮 It is branded Sakubobo for these snacks though This section should be the local specialties from Hida Region Wife doing last minute sweep before we pay 😂 This should be Grilled Fish in Soy Source. Highly Recommended! We decided to buy some food and eat in the car since we are not sure if there are any restaurants nearby We bought the Hida Beef Rice and Bread stick. Delicious! Hot Coffee + Driving through Japanese Alps = Blissful experience Back on the road to Shirakawago On the Left is the Shokawa village where you can see old folk houses and Gassho-style houses Perfect reason to come back in the future to explore further 😊 A roadwork up ahead forced us to stop and we chanced upon this scenic spot We’re looking at the Miboro Lake which was formed due to the Miboro Dam built further up There’s campsites, resorts and water activity around this Lake A wrong turn gave us a chance to drive pass this area and see this beautiful view Shokawasakura Park is nearby where you have an even better view with the Sakura around it this is why we love road trips as it gives that element of unexpected discovery let’s continue our drive to Shirakawa-go! 🚗 Just learnt these tunnels are Snow Sheds to protect against avalanches and prevent snow drifts Reaching Shirakawa-go soon 😊 seems like Shirakawago is always crowded regardless of the season and time of visit We reached here around 3 PM and the place is still fairly crowded We really wanted to visit Shirakawago since we haven’t been here before สวัสดีค่ะ Sawadee Ka 👋 This should be the famous Gassho-Zukuri Triplets in Shirakawago There are still traces of snowfall in Mid April Sakura bloom in late April here since the weather is different in the mountains The water is so clear! Greetings to the residents of Shirakawago 🙇 Most of the cafes are already closed after 3 PM YT: Wife found photo spot. Don’t challenge, just follow 😂 YT: I love this view the most in the whole trip The reflections on the water, the mix of snow and greenary, and the blue sky makes it so beautiful I think this plot will turn into a paddy field once summer is approaching The rice planting festival normally runs on Late May each year YT: I guess that’s the magic of the place It is not just a tourist site, it is a living and breathing town that continues its way of life Let’s move on the viewing point The 20 minutes climb is worth it 👍 The crowd is getting thinner after 4 PM This siren should be an alert to inform tourists they have to leave soon We’re supposed to leave this place before 5 PM and it’s another 30 mins away We decided to do a tour of the Myozenji Museum since there is less people now Reception Room with hearth and hiama (Extinguishes sparks) Making our way back to our car there’s a universal truth every traveler eventually learns the best discoveries happen when you stop trying so hard to arrive our journey to the famous village of Shirakawa-go was supposed to take 51 minutes it took us nearly an hour and a half and that extra time made all the difference missing our turn leaving Takayama wasn’t a mistake it was an invitation an invitation to see a view we never planned for to stop at a roadside store we’d never find in a guidebook to turn a simple drive into a real journey these small moments an unplanned photo a local snack these are the details that create the biggest memories and then we arrived Shirakawa-go it’s a place that feels like it’s from another century but these aren’t museum pieces the Ogimachi district is still home to families who live and work in the UNESCO World Heritage Site you realize you’re not just walking through history you’re walking through someone’s home the magic here isn’t just in preservation it’s in continuation it’s interesting the detour meant we had less time on our schedule but stepping inside the Myozenji Museum it felt like we had all the time in the world stepping inside is like entering a different time every dark wooden beam every well worn floorboard they all tell the same story this wasn’t just built as a shelter it was built as a legacy the ground floor was for living while the upper floors were for raising silkworms a life completely intertwined with the seasons the entire home is filled with such ingenious details not designed by famous architects but by generations of families who understood these walls had to last forever our missed turn taught us something every traveler eventually learns the best discoveries happen when you stop trying so hard to arrive that extra 30 minutes on the road wasn’t lost time it was the reason we could truly appreciate this place some places are worth keeping alive just like some detours are worth taking

Come with us on a serene road trip through the Japanese Alps from Takayama to the legendary village of Shirakawa-go. Our plan was simple: a quick 51-minute drive. But a single wrong turn led to an unexpected detour, teaching us that sometimes the journey is the real destination. We discovered quiet lakeside views, charming roadside snacks, and a new appreciation for slowing down before we even set foot in the famous UNESCO World Heritage site.

Is the magic of travel found in the perfectly planned destinations, or in the unplanned moments you find along the way? Join us for this cinematic travel vlog and decide for yourself.
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This is Part 2 of our Central Japan series! Watch Part 1 (Our Takayama Road Trip) here: https://youtu.be/Fgb8QfGqUqM

Chapters:
00:00 Drive to Shirakawago
00:32 ACT 1: The Gift of the Detour
07:21 ACT 2: Shirakawa-go The Living Village
12:55 ACT 4: Myozenji Museum
16:02 ACT 4: Closing Reflection

#japantravel #shirakawago #slowtravel