This is definitely the main highlight for anyone visiting Shirakawa-go. It’s fascinating to learn about the fragility of the thatched roofs, and more importantly the effort and system in which they get repaired/replaced routinely, with a whole task distribution system that meant the entire village helps one another. Various professions were carried out in the houses back in the day, from silkworm cultivation to even gunpowder making! Some of the houses are still very much inhabited, but do make sure to pass by Wada House, one of the largest ones, and is open as a museum to the public.
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