I took the Nohi highway bus from Toyama (Bay #1 at Toyama Station South Exit). Tickets can be purchased online one month in advance. The fare is 2400 yen one way. There are no round trip tickets and must be purchased as two single trips. The confirmation email is the ticket. It's best to print it and show it to the driver. Seat numbers are assigned and set out in the email. Shirakawa-Go is absolutely beautiful. It's true that there are lots of tourists but there's a reason. It is big enough that each person still gets a lot of personal space. There is an observation area which is some 10 to 15 mins walk uphill. It's an easy walk. If not, there's a shuttle but it's not frequent so might as well do the walk. After you reach the top, lots of tourists gather at one area to take the iconic shot. Keep going up couple more minutes and there is a rest area with restaurant and another area to take photos. Down at the village, there are many places for take-out snacks and people who don't have much time ending up eating on the benches outside those take-out joints. There are some small restaurants. I noticed some people joining the queue, forgetting that at Japanese restaurants, one has to write their names and party size on a board at the restaurant entrance. Even if you line up, if you don't write your name, you won't be called. There are some houses opened for visits for a small fee. I recommend visiting at least one. I spent half a day there and really enjoyed my time there.

A place that looks straight out of a fairy tale. It’s simply stunning and breathtaking.　 The snow scene in winter (especially night view) is the most famous. Unfortunately, the snow was half gone when we visited. However, the scenery was still awesome. It is highly recommended to walk up to the observation point on the hill. You can enjoy the beautiful panoramic view of Gassho Village along the way. It is also great to pay to enter to visit the cottages to learn about its architecture and people's residences.

My visit to Shirakawa Village in October was truly enjoyable. As someone who appreciates peaceful experiences, I found it to be a serene getaway. I would definitely suggest it to others who are seeking a tranquil atmosphere amidst beautiful scenery.

We reach early at around 8+am (from Takayama) and luckily us, the tour groups are not here yet so we have at least an hour of peaceful walk. Beautiful houses, which look like a praying hand. A must to go! As it gets crowded, it is hard to take solo photos with the houses if you don't want others in your photo. My suggestion is to head to the open-air museum at the far side of the village if you have time as hardly anyone goes there.

Took a bus tour from Kanazawa. The tour included traditional lunch and then we explored on our own. We went to the observation deck first, you can either walk up the hill or take a shuttle. It is an easy walk for most people. Nice view, but quite a few people. We also visited Nagase house, paid a small fee to enter. It is one of the less busy houses and had lots of artifacts inside. We got a few snacks and browsed some shops on our walk. We tried grilled beef skewers and pork tongue, local milk, and milk ice cream. Many shops sold similar things. We also went to the famous photo site of the three houses, all the way at the end of the village, which was quiet. We occasionally saw fish swimming in the drains. There is plenty to see here for a day trip - we didn't cross the bridge to see the outdoor museum area, it did look quite busy and we were running out of time.

Since learning that Shirakawa-go became a UNESCO site, I've dreamt of exploring its gassho-style houses and capturing photos from the observatory. Having seen many iconic images of Shirakawa-go and growing up in Tokyo, I was impressed by the locals' wisdom in creating such housing to endure harsh winters. We chose to visit the Wada family house, though there were other options. Each house is unique, but they share common materials and architectural features, like central fireplaces and areas for silk thread making. Remarkably, the Wada family still resides there. Remember not to bring wet umbrellas inside as water can damage the wooden structures, and smoking is strictly prohibited to protect this beautiful site. On my visit, the shuttle to the observatory wasn't running. The walk from the Wada house to the observatory is challenging but takes only 10 minutes. Despite the morning rain, it was sunny when we reached the top, unveiling the picturesque view of Shirakawa-go. Wear appropriate shoes and bring a waterproof jacket and towel for drying off before entering the historical houses. Exploring Shirakawa-go was delightful with plenty of souvenir shops and eateries. We enjoyed a local snack at a family-owned outdoor café with cool drinks stored in a natural spring “cooler.” Even amateur photographers can capture great shots here. While we toured the village in 2 hours, planning for 3 hours if you lunch there is advisable. Don’t miss Shirakawa-go if you’re visiting Japan. We took an overnight bus from Tokyo and stayed in Takayama, an hour away. Its isolation from major cities helped preserve its charm. My trip to Shirakawa-go matched exactly what I had imagined.