happy owl's life: Fairytale Village: Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-go located in the Gifu Prefecture is a UNESCO world heritage site. They are famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. The best time to visit is actually in December where you will enjoy an enchanting view of the snow-capped farmhouses. We went in June during the rainy season but still manage to enjoy the beauty of this quaint village.

What I love about the place is ... despite the fact that the whole village is a tourist attraction, you can still see the normality of the locals carrying on with their daily routines. Unlike some places where they are trying to showcase the lifestyle of locals and when you visit, you feel like they are in a tv set acting out a role.

Even though the village is relatively small and you can finish attractions within a day, we decided to stay for a night to experience farmstay. This is absolutely fantastic and we are feel like we are in the tv show Japan Hour :)

We chose Magoemon Ryokan (http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/ryokan-single/?ryokan=Magoemon) for its good review and it's also one of the larger Gassho Zukuri style of accommodations in Shirakawa-go. The accommodation comes with dinner and breakfast which is typical in Japanese Ryokan. The ryokan provides simple, seasonal fares which are delicious.