http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/michaelasanda-2703866-japan22-shirakawa-go2/

Shirakawa-go is a traditional village located near the Shogawa river in Gifu Prefecture.Ogimachi is the largest village and main attraction of Shirakawa-go. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, the village is home to several dozen well preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old

Shiroyama Viewpoint

Shiroyama Viewpoint

Ogimachi is the largest village and main attraction of Shirakawa-go

Japan's forests are home to a massive tree species –the famous Japanese cedar, Cyrptomeria japonica

Nodaniya Japanese Guest House: the pond and the waterwheel

Nodaniya Japanese Guest House

Nodaniya Japanese Guest House

There are a total of 114 thatched roof buildings in Shirakawa-go

Some of the houses in the village have modern roof. It’s because the roof was changed prior to the UNESCO recognition. After 1995, the Japanese government does not allow the owners to change their thatched roof to modern roof

The village's area is 95.7% mountainous forests, and its steep places are characteristic. In between the mountains flows the Shō River, which continues to the north. Along the river there are a few flat areas, and human settlements are scattered near them

The Structure of a Gassho-Style Farmhouse

It seams that the roofs last about 20-30 years but it’s very expensive and labor intensive to replace. Each side of the roof costs about $100k USD and it would cost $200k to replace both sides. Besides the cost, it requires a lot of workers (like 150 people!) to make the roof.Japan government does subsidy 75% of the cost but it is still expensive for the farmer who willing to stay in this small, almost isolated, but full of history & culture village

The roof has an impressive slope of 60° to allow the heavy snow (sometimes as much as 4 meters) to slide off more easily

diggers used for snow clearing in shirakawa village

Re-thatching the roof of a Gassho-zukuri house

The roofs, made without nails, provided a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms

Houses built in the "gassho style" are defined as having a roof in the shape of a triangle, similar to hands folded in prayer. In the multilayer structure, the 3rd and 4th floors are particularly characteristic as they demonstrate the wisdom of the farmers who are able to raise silkworms even in the harsh winters. The area for the silkworms is up in the attic where the heat from the first floor, filled with people and activity, rises up.

Manhole cover

Kaki tree, a sure sign of autumn. They are better known as persimmon outside of Japan.

Sarubobo baby monkey amulets

People crossing the Deaibashi Bridge over Shogawa river

People crossing the Deaibashi Bridge over Shogawa river

Pictures: Sanda Foişoreanu

Nicoleta Leu

Gabriela Balaban

InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Japanese Instrumental Music 201

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