Hotels near Shirakawa-go

The most popular day trip from Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed mountain village of spectacular gassho-zukuri (prayer-hands) thatched farmhouses, some over 250 years old, with steeply pitched roofs designed to shed the enormous snowfalls of the Japanese Alps. The village sits in a narrow river valley surrounded by mountain forests, and in winter (January–February) is buried under metres of snow - creating one of the most iconic winter landscapes in Japan.

Cherry blossoms reach Shirakawa-go approximately 1–2 weeks later than Kanazawa (mid-to-late April), making a combined cherry blossom trip to both locations possible over 3–4 days. The combination of pink sakura and traditional thatched roofs against white mountain snow is unforgettable.