Shirakawa is a historic village located in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan, known for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses with steep thatched roofs, which have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The village is situated in a mountainous region and is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including forests, rivers, and waterfalls. The gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which were built several centuries ago, are made of wooden beams held together by ropes and thatched roofs made of grass or rice straw. The steeply pitched roofs are designed to withstand heavy snowfall in the winter months. Visitors to Shirakawa can explore the village and learn about the traditional way of life in rural Japan. The village also offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape, especially during the autumn season when the leaves change colors.
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