A steep but doable walk to a mini observatory. The pamphlet has it listed as a 20 min walk but it's definitely closer to 10-15 if you're walking at a quicker pace. The shuttle bus does exist although where it was was unclear. You can get a lovely view of shirakawago from the top of this hill.

It's a great location to see down the Shirakawa go village. This is a observation place. It's a hill so you have to hike up a little bit. But it's not so rough you can make it! You can see whole village so it's very beautiful! You can take a photo like tourist official poster. It is not such spacious place maybe it would be busy when high tourist season. Enjoy!

Mandatory stop, and it will cost you nothing other than whatever item you wish to buy at the shops nearby. I suggest you visit the observation point either early in the morning or right before leaving, at least in the summer. Just remember that the souvenir shop you will find here is far from the only one in town

Free observation deck that can be reached by a 10-15min hike. It can get slippery in winter so wear proper shoes. I recommend that you walk the town first from the bus terminal and head up from the end of the town where there is a nice path that gradually elevates to the top. (Walk till the end of the town via the main road then turn left towards the museum - Google maps should show you this path automatically)

The observation deck in Shirakawago is a fantastic spot to take in the stunning views of the surrounding area. From here, you can see the traditional thatched-roof houses of the village and the beautiful mountain landscape in the distance. This is a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the area.

It very lucky I have chance to go to the observatory see light up. However it very cold and snowing. You need 15 mins hiking to the top. Anyway, the view is amazing, all these hard way to the top is worth to watch this.

Well, this is a tourist place so it's crowded. There is a biz selling pictures of you with the background overlooking the village for 1000Yen. Lovely views as usual - requires weather to behave. This is my third visit, bright sunshine today.

Common Spot for taking photo with top-view village side. Recommend if you want to take photo more private, buy Cremia and take photos at these area.

There was not much snow when I went but still worth the walk uphill to get a good view of the village. Wrap up warm in winter!

We came up as soon as the bus arrived so there weren’t many here. The walk up and down was a bit slippery in winter but the views were good and we had some fun playing with the snow.

The view from up here is amazing! Definitely a must-visit if you go to Shirakawago. I visited on early December, trees were still red here and there but white in the distance. Very breathtaking.

Imagine this will be the view from above and it was a snowstorm ? 🙃 Prior going to the area ya need to check the weather first. Bad weather means you cannot appreciate Shirakawa. Also at night too.

2 choices to go here are walking or bus. I choose walking, which is not that far but quite slope. Only 15-20 minutes by walk but 10 minutes by bus. The view along the way is beautiful, you can enjoy taking photos during the walk. The JR pass is not included the bus. Should buy in advance because weekend is quite long line waiting for the bus.

There’s free photo for you when you lined up here. It’s also a spot for the view of shorakawa go village. There’s also a souvenir shop, ice cream stall, and other food finds.

This second observatory deck was on the downhill road back to the ogimachi city centre. If you took a van, you would miss this beautiful scene

There's a shuttle that goes here, but I chose to walk to challenge myself (and I felt challenged indeed, lol). Regardless of which option you take, it's definitely worth coming up here. The view is fantastic. I kind of just stood there taking it all in for a while. It had just snowed when I visited, adding to the magic of the view. I'd love to come back here in a different season and see what it's like when everything's still green.

Can go in to see the house layout and usage of Shirakawago old house. 300yen entrance fee. Quick & interesting.

Amazing experience!! Would 100% definitely recommend to visit not only this home, but the whole town. It is absolutely beautiful. It also let's you get a glimpse into the past.

I feel like giving 2 stars because at the end of the day it's just that, a house. Not a manor or anything else that could be seen as breathtaking. You can see several similar buildings at the local open-air museum (for a slightly higher priced ticket that comes with much more stuff to see), so unless you are really fond of pre-modern houses and/or want to visit everything in Shirakawa-go, my suggestion is to skip this place and spend 20 more minutes in the open-air museum instead.

Wada House , one of the heritage House allow visitor go inside. There is an admission fee of 400 yen adult and 200 yen children. Hours 9am - 5pm.

at the center of the old houses at Shirakawago. easy to spot!

An important heritage structure, Wada House reminds or teaches is of the past on how people live during the Edo period. A 500 yen and a 20mins walk inside the house is worth your money and time.

A unique experience at the UNESCO World Heritage village ie Shirakawago... the Wada House was well worth the sprint and quick tour inside.

If you are interested in how the local families engaged in silk production lived, this place will surely be a sight to behold. Many old authentic tools, objects and other details of the environment going back centuries. The place is really popular and loved by people, so I had to wait in line for 10-15 minutes. You would like to stay inside and look around longer, but due to the large number of tourists, it is not very comfortable. It costs money to visit, but the cost is really small.

It was a nest place to see how villagers live in the area. The upkeep of the place was nice. The gentleman at the ticket place was nice to deal with and I enjoyed my time in the house.

beside the amazing historic tools and structurce showcasing, you can also look out the window from the 2nd floor

Shirakawa go is A nice town. We arrived by bus from Takayama. Traditional Japanese wooden houses with thick layered rice barn roofs. I visited in summer ; it was a hot day. Enjoyed learning about the culture. Some attractions in the town like water fountains. A few houses open as museum for tourist to look around and experience Japanese life style. A very walkable town. Rice filed around the town. Plenty of crystal clear river water, neatly flowing everywhere by the walking path. It should look much better in all the seasons other than summer.

Photos taken Nov 28, 2023 Went here on a very cold day. Light rain. Wada is one of the three houses where you can view the inside and learn a little about the heritage of Shirakawa Go. Houses are so amazing.

Biggest house in the village. Thatched straw roof. JPY400 entry fee. Take off shoes. 2 floors

A historic family home made into a museum. In it's attic, they display tools and describe the work with silk worms for silk production.

Wada house is only a few min walk from the bus station. 400 Yen cash entrance fee.

Need to pay for ticket to enter. The house displays a lot of tools that were used over the years. You also get a nice view of the village. If you are a stamp collector, it doesn't have a stamp.

Amazing experience of watching a unique house at such close quarters. Loved the way it has been constructed and amazed at how does it continues to withstand the extreme weather and stand strong. Must go . Some more explanation on the family and the tradition could have helped us to know better insight on the people living there

The Kanda family settled here after branching off from the Wada household, establishing a brewery. It is estimated that the house was constructed in around 1850, and from the floor plan and the carpenter's extensive handwriting on the roof frame, it can be seen that this is a refined example of gassho style architecture.

Beautiful house!!! Shows you how people use to live and the tools they had!... entrance is 300¥ and you can also use the bathroom here!

Was a pretty decent visit for the price paid. Exhibits had English translation. Was a tad too smoky but was a good experience on how they used to stay in the gassho-style houses.

Going into any one of the homes in this beautiful village is like stumbling into a Time Machine, it’s incredible how very well maintained these buildings are and how well the locals have been able to pass down historic techniques of construction and even sake making. Entry for adults is ¥400 and I must recommend visiting atleast one home if you’re in the area, it is totally worth it.

There's a fire burning throughout the year. Entrance fee 400¥.

a look into old fashion japanese structure. 400yen per person

I loved it! It smelled smoky because they really use wood to boiled tea and to warm the whole room. To second till fourth floor, I managed to see a lot of sewing and working tools. Also the interior of Gassho style house. They provide hot wild grass tea for us to drink, feels like visiting grandma’s house. Entrance fee:¥300.

I loved visiting this place. It’s so pretty, almost majestic. The only small complaint is the smoke (because of the use of real fire wood to warm-up the house). At the beginning it was OK, but after 10 mins or so, especially in the higher floors, it felt a bit too smoky. Still 5 stars though, and a total recommend!

Very nice photo spots

This house gives a great insight into the lifestyle of the people during the Edo period. 4 floors of pure culture. Definitely recommended if you make a trip to Shirakawa-Go!

This unique looking temple in the historic town of Shirakawago is a must see. It was build almost similarly to the traditional gassho houses of the town. The temple also has a bell tower / torii gate of the same design, I got to visit this temple last May. Sadly, I was not able to get a goshuin in it. Probably next time.

Good

Very instagramable places

This was a nicely run temple. I liked how I could sit and take a rest as I planned what I wanted to do next. Nice place. 😊👍

Beautiful gasho temple

It was neat to walk around. No Goshuin available in mid November.

The temple shares common entrance with the museum. There is entrance fee of ¥300. The fragrance of the smoke inside is wonderful. The temple, the wada house the kanda house, the observation deck, all close to each other at walking distance. It’s like a timeless zone, especially with snow.

I thought it is the best photo shooting spot!

Ramen was cold. We pretty much left the whole bowl of Ramen behind.

Food good, a little overpriced and staff could be a bit friendlier but otherwise a nice stop for lunch when everything else seemed to be closed aside from ice cream shops and coffee houses.

The restaurant atmosphere was nice and appetizing. The grilled tofu tasted deliciously terrific! You can eat rice as much as you want. The whole food tasted real good. I highly recommend.

Close to the bus station. Convenient place for lunch. We had no reservation. We arrived there at 10.30am and there was no queue so we got a table straightaway. Later the restuarant starts filling out, so by 11am it's full and there is a queue forming so better to get there early if don't want to queue. They serve home type food. Curry and rice, and soba noodles. Located inside old village house on the main street

Really delicious Japanese lunch on our day trip to Shirakawago. Lots of choice and okay for vegetarians.

If you're visiting Shirakawago, be sure to stop by Shirakawago Restaurant Irori for a fantastic dining experience. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, making for a truly enjoyable vibe. And the hida beef set menu is an absolute must-try! The flavors are exquisite and the quality of the beef is exceptional. Highly recommended!

i'd give 10 stars if i could. Spectacular location, inside it's a very beautiful traditional japanese style restaurant, with low tables and tatami. The food is excellent, fresh, tasty and beautifully presented. Menu is in english and there's a lot of options you can chose from. the people there are very friendly and helpful. i've spent three wonderful weeks in japan and i might say this was by far my best meal of the whole trip, wich is something cause it's a country where you usually eat well. 100% recommended.

The hoba miso pork has deep sweet nutty flavor, paired perfectly well with the hida pork The chilled tofu has great and clean soy flavor, thick and dense (which is the local specialty), very nice. The grilled tofu skewer topped with miso were absolutely delicious as well If you like mountain yam, should definitely go for their mountain yam set menu. Featuring a variety of local wild vegetables, and the cooked mountain yam with egg on a plate was absolutely a delight. Naturally sweet, nutty and slimy texture! Service was attentive, friendly, and polite, eventhough it was filled with diners. Definitely try this place out if you want to dine on shirakawago regional food Worth of visit: 8/10

Had a nice, leisurely lunch after strolling through Shinakawago in the morning. The ladies at the restaurant were friendly and welcoming. We ordered and the dishes were served quickly. The soba came piping hot, the beef curry and gyu don were delicious. Nice restaurant to take a break and enjoy local flavours.

A fun place to eat after walking around Shirakawa-go. Vegetarian friendly with the tofu meal if you ask for no fish, though perfect for a pescatarian. It felt like a healthy meal with many dishes to enjoy. The miso tofu was delicious. Temperature check and hand spray with masks required until you start eating and drinking as with most restaurants during this COVID-19 time. Parking out front or easy walk as part of the village.

Probably the best restaurant in terms of value, taste and experience in Shirakawago. It is well situated near the bus terminal, and hence there is quite a wait during lunchtime. Good thing is there is a proper queue system where you put down your name and number of pax and a kind Japanese lady will call you in once it is your turn. There is also a long bench for you to sit and wait. The interior feels traditional, there is even a tatami area where you will need to take off your shoes. There is also a normal table and chairs area. I went with the popular Hida beef with miso paste set and added a beef croquette, total was around 2300Y which I felt was well priced. There isn’t a lot of beef but it was good quality and tasted and looked fantastic. The beef itself is served raw and you will need to wait 5-10 mins to let it fully cook along with the veg and mushroom. Aside from the hotpot, the set includes what I believe to be fermented fish, pickles, sweet cooked beef, tofu, rice and soba. If you need to have lunch in this village, definitely go for this.

A well rated restaurant with tatami seating available inside. We waited for about 10 minutes before we were seated. We ordered grated yam grilled on a ceramic set, beef and chicken meatball skewer, tofu with glazing miso, hida beef croquet, and beef don set. Almost a little bit more than we can stomach. The roast fish that comes with the grated yam set is sweet and crispy(this one I like). Also recommend the appetizer tofu with miso glazing. Some of the side dishes that come with the set feel a bit bland (ex. Steam tofu). Friendly staff with an English menu available. Still good to try it out if you need to dine in place.

Was really worried because it's near the big parking lot so didn't expect much and so it was a good surprises, the beef meat white soup. Very interesting taste of a truly local style food.

very pleasing and very recommended, the staff were polite and the food came fast and very huge portion, using booklist for queue line just write at the book beside the door and take a number after that wait to be call. -november 2023

Great little restaurant. Sure, it has a somewhat captive audience being the only open place in town after 4pm but it’s legit a great restaurant. We’ve been here twice, every meal we had was good, service was fast and the overall vibe is very pleasant. Value for money is excellent too. Easy choice!

As resto at shirakawa you don't have much choice. So this is one of best resto at shirakawa. Serve meet as well, vegetable, and etc. Just try it order by picture from menu and enjoy yourself with free flow of hot ocha tea.

Very warm and filling, tastes very good. Went there for lunch, waited about 20mins until seated. Must try their Hida Beef, staple food of shirakawago. The foods are served quickly. Very friendly staffs. Would love to go here again.

Popular restaurant at Omigachi, Shirakawa-go, near the entrance road to the observatory. Serves lunch and dinner, with a variety of Japanese set and a la carte such as tempura, soba (both cold and hot). Recommended are the grill set such as hidalgo beef, tofu, yam and vegetable. The other top in the menu is the vegetable mountain set, either grilled or topped over noodle or rice. Seating options include Japanese style on the floor with cushion or western style table, and of course seating around the irori, the iron pot over fire.

The Soba Curry is so so, i think better to choose Udon Curry, The hida beef croquettes is so good!

Enjoyed traditional food at a traditional house at Shirakawa-go. The mountain vegetables soba was interesting and warming for a cold day, and the beef croquettes were tasty.

There's English menu and the staff speak English quite well. Very convenient for foreigner. Should try Hida beef on leaf, the signature meal in Hida area and Rice wine that served with some pickled. Card payment is accepted.

We stopped here for a lunch after walking around town. It was a nice, relaxed atmosphere. The soba was well priced and delicious! We enjoyed the hot and cold soba sets with wild rice. Both were great! They came with complementary iced tea - great for a hot day! Definitely recommend!

Love their soba - we had classic cold and ìncl. daikon. Fast, yummy, friendly. Perfect.

I was looking for cold soba, and found this place. I was expecting some meats on the dish, but its soba and rice!

First time trying soba in the original country. Serve cold, dipping sauce is tasty. Add wasabi for a punch. Portion enough. Price affordable. Love the place. Classic Japanese style.

全然美味しくない！ don’t come in because they offered the free parking. They serve the worst soba I’d ever tasted in JAPAN! Expensive and really not delicious. Such a scam!

穴子の天ぷら蕎麦と飛騨牛ミニ丼セット！穴子はサクサクでお蕎麦もとても美味しかったです。何より、セットの飛騨牛が…めちゃくちゃ美味しくて感動しました！！この後観光すると言ったら駐車場もずっと車を停めさせてもらえ、とても親切でした。 (Translated by Google) Conger eel tempura soba and Hida beef mini bowl set! The conger eel was crispy and the soba was very delicious. Above all, the Hida beef that came with the set was so delicious that I was really impressed! ! When I said I would go sightseeing after this, they were very kind to let me park my car in the parking lot for the whole time.

Free parking offered at the outside of the restaurant with the condition of dining at the restaurant. Not a bad deal as the food was pretty good. Easy communication with the menu.

Nice place with a nice view to the houses outside, I don't eat meat so i took the yam and wild plants soba (didn't expect it to be cold soup though), my boyfriend ate the mini steak. He said the meat was tasty.

GW中の11時50分頃来店。 店内は席が埋まってました。名簿に書いて順番を待ちます。6組待ちで15分〜20分で呼ばれました。 お蕎麦はまあまあ美味しかったです。値段は観光地価格なので納得です。 えび天と穴子天を注文しました。サクサクで美味しかったです！ すべて座敷なので足の弱い方がいたら厳しいかも。ただ、ワンちゃん連れの方や離乳食には対応しているようすでした。 (Translated by Google) Visited around 11:50 during GW. The store was full of seats. Write on the list and wait your turn. I was called in 15 to 20 minutes after waiting for 6 groups. The soba noodles were delicious. The price is a tourist spot price, so I'm convinced. I ordered shrimp tempura and conger eel tempura. It was crispy and delicious! It's all tatami mats, so if you have weak legs, it might be tough. However, it seemed to be compatible with people with dogs and baby food.

When we arrived very gently owner advised us that there was not tempura available. We accepted, we went in, and asked about differences between options available. Very tasty. Recommended

It’s just amazing!!the meat literally just melted in your mouth, love this Hida beef!!my friend order expensive sirloin but price doesn’t justify the goodness of the meat, I choose the one with more fat cheaper but just awesome!! If you happen visit the town, most of the restaurants close very early,and this is a must try for dinner!!!

Probably the best beef we've had throughout our entire trip. Staff was very friendly and English wasn't a problem. Highly recommend the Hida beef short-ribs!

Food was yummy but the staff was slow and forgetful. It took about an hour before we got the drinks we ordered and the food was served about 10 minutes after that. We all ordered the beef set, which was tasty, especially for the value at 1500 JPY. Overall, I’d eat the food again, but the service is something to be desired. If you’re going for dinner, keep in mind that they are open from 6-8 pm. They also serve lunch but I am unsure of those hours.

A yakiniku restaurant specializing in Hida beef. There is also a single dish menu which includes a Hida beef bowl, which is a great budget option. The Hida beef was delicious and perfectly cooked. Quick, efficient service.

Great food, nice atmosphere and good service by the staff. We ordered one set menu of beef and rice, two types of beef plates and the surprisingly good salted cabbage and the food was so good so we ordered extra cabbage and beef plate. It was a little bit pricey, withe drinks for 2 persons 10,800 yen. A very good option if you’re looking for a meal option in the area.

I think it's my first time having HIDA beef. I'm mostly vegetarian now. I had the cheapest cut, Calbi, ¥1800, and it was comparable or better than the best yakiniku I have had in Japan. The sides were tasty and the staff efficient though it wasn't busy. Total bill for dinner was ¥3100 with Nihonshu sake, grilled veg, rice set, and kimchi. Excellent value for the taste level. It's a new place and the decor was modern but a little too Spartan for me. Not really enough atmosphere. Definitely a recommend in terms of food.

Its around 15’ from Shikawara-go bus station. May be its the only restaurant open until 11pm in the area. We went to different restaurant and its all closed. The food is great!!!

Do not wait if it’s past 7pm on Saturday nights where they don’t take reservations. We heard it’s going to be busy on Saturday nights, but we couldn’t get there early due to our hectic schedule. When we arrived at around 7pm there were only like 3 people working inside, so it’s understandable that no one was cleaning the tables after customers left. But also no one cared if anyone was waiting outside. After around 45 mins, I went in to ask if they are still open, since it’s getting closer to their last order time (8pm), but they told us we can wait. We waited until 8:10pm, yet still no one seemed interested in bringing us in. Finally we bought some bentos at the nearby convenience store for dinner. Actually, you could have told us that you don’t have capacity for new customers, so that we could leave for another place, or at least don’t have to wait in the cold for nothing. However you made us wait but never let us in. Is it because there’s almost no competition in this region so you don’t care if you’re losing just a few customers? Very disappointed.

The hida beef is a must try! It almost melted away on your tongue with how much fat it contained. The chicken was also really good. Definitely try that as well! It's always fun to grill your own meat. Sadly I had to wait 10 minutes to enter the restaurant. Because it was full when I arrived.

Very tasty BBQ Wagyu, totally worth it under cold weather, plenty of parking area, and remember to put your name on the book if you need to queue

Excellent food. Their hida beef is the best beef i have ever eaten. Tbh i prefer this over kobe beef. They have efficient and very respectful staff. And their menu has very reasonably priced food. 5 stars easy 🌟 ⭐️ 🌟 ⭐️ 🌟

Amazing place and beef, we sat at the counter were you can see how they cut your meat and prepare the food. We tried all the hida beef options and was very affordable. If u stay in Shirakawa-go overnight you need to come here

Must try their hida beef sirlion. I ordered the set and it comes with miso soup and rice. The rice is so fragrant and matches the hida beef meet. Will definitely try this if i came back to shirakawa go again next time.

Great lunch at Tenkara. Hida beef was a bit too fatty, but still very delicious. Pickled cabbage was delicious. Service was also pretty good. A bit hot in the restaurant, but that seems to be the case across Japan.