Important Preservation District of One of The Heaviest Snowfall Regions
Around Shiramine Onsen, there are groups of historic buildings that were built from the Edo to Meiji periods. If you ignore the utility poles, the motor vehicles, and the asphalt, it really would feel like you have time travelled. If you have seen other traditional houses in Japan, you might notice some differences between the houses here compared to other parts of the country. The village with about Okabe-style (a style in which structural parts are hidden inside walls) 250 big houses is very rare but open for walking around. Please be aware of the residents there. Unique style of houses and store houses were built firmly enough to sustain heavy snow.
Because the Shiramine area receives heavy snow in winter, the snow can pile up to over 2 metres. This is why you will find most of the houses at least having two stories if not three. As such, on the second-floor wall, most buildings have openings that were used as a firewood entrance. While there are no houses that have been renovated into a museum for you to fully explore the interior, you are more than welcome to enter shops and restaurants as customers. In particular, Yukidaruma (snowman) cafe is a popular place to visit for the food and also for all the cute snowman goods! Dining at their Japanese-style room with tatami mats flooring on a sunny day is especially enjoyable with a magnificent mountain view and pleasant breeze blowing into the cafe.
The village area turns its color by surrounding mountains including Mt. Haku in autumn. You can enjoy colored leaves in the mountains walking around the village with Minja, which is the former water channel built for drinking water in the Edo period. You cannot miss it!
Because the Shiramine area receives heavy snow in winter, the snow can pile up to over 2 metres. This is why you will find most of the houses at least having two stories if not three. As such, on the second-floor wall, most buildings have openings that were used as a firewood entrance. While there are no houses that have been renovated into a museum for you to fully explore the interior, you are more than welcome to enter shops and restaurants as customers. In particular, Yukidaruma (snowman) cafe is a popular place to visit for the food and also for all the cute snowman goods! Dining at their Japanese-style room with tatami mats flooring on a sunny day is especially enjoyable with a magnificent mountain view and pleasant breeze blowing into the cafe.
The village area turns its color by surrounding mountains including Mt. Haku in autumn. You can enjoy colored leaves in the mountains walking around the village with Minja, which is the former water channel built for drinking water in the Edo period. You cannot miss it!
