We loved our time in Takayama, but today we’re off to the city of Kanazawa (located about 2 hours by bus). To break up the trip, we stopped at the historic villages of a region called Shirakawa-go. Specifically the very convenient and easy-to-reach village of Ogimachi, which is one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. The town (and others nearby) are famous for their traditional farmhouses — with some dating back 250 years ago.
I was originally planning on doing this part of the trip in a rental car. But first, rentals are very expensive. I’m talking $300 USD a day while I was there. But you know what? Making this stop on the bus along the way is super easy. In fact, the bus station even has oversized lockers you can keep your bags inside.
Kevin checks our luggage inside one of the many lockers at the bus station.
It’s a lovely stroll through the town. The architectural style developed over many generations and is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow that falls in the region during winter. The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.
Thatched roof village along the way to Kanazawa – easy side trip
The town also has several shops open for visitors and a few restaurants. I can’t help myself and stop in just a few. Okay, pretty much all of them!
A lot of fun shops in the village – including this Japanese snack store with samples (that Kevin just kept dropping on the floor!)
Phil shows off his Samurai skills, while Kevin pretends he doesn’t know me!
Before heading out, make sure you follow the signs to the viewpoint. It’s a steep climb but gives you a sense of just how spectacular this little stop is. Alas, it’s time we venture off to Kanazawa before heading next to Kyoto!
Ogimachi is a perfect stop along the journey – breaking up the trip and an impressive landmark in Japan.
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