A Snowy Fairytale World: Two Days and One Night in Hida Takayama and Shirakawa-go

If you want to see the snow-covered gassho-style houses, visiting during Japan's winter season is a must!
If your schedule allows, try to plan your trip around the Shirakawa-go illumination event dates (only held 4–8 days a year, making it a rare experience).

Booking a tour or accommodation in Shirakawa-go through travel agencies or platforms allows you to enjoy the illuminated scenery (village and observation deck) even after the general visitor departure time.

‼️ Note: This trip did not involve purchasing any tours or tickets through any platform.

Itinerary Overview:
Day 1: Nagoya ➡️ Takayama

Transportation: WILLER Express Bus
(JR Nagoya Station to Takayama Nohi Bus Center)
Travel time: Approximately 2.5 hours
Cost: Around ¥3600, depending on the bus type and class.

First stop: Hida Takayama Old Town, known as "Little Kyoto," serves as the perfect prelude to the Shirakawa-go visit. :)

Must-try snacks:
- Hida Beef Sushi 🍣
- Freshly grilled rice crackers 🍘
- Gohei Mochi ❤️
For those who enjoy drinking, you can also sample various local Japanese sake 🍶 at small breweries in the old town while warming up your body. 😮💨 (Temperature: -1°C)

Day 2: Start your morning at Miyagawa Morning Market to experience the lively atmosphere of Takayama Old Town.
(Since Gohei Mochi was so delicious, I bought it again! 😋)

Around noon, head to the bus station to catch a bus to Kanazawa, en route to Shirakawa-go.

Travel time: Approximately 1 hour (Make sure to book your tickets in advance!)
The scenery along the way is already breathtaking.

Arrive around 1 PM. From the bus station, walk into the village and start taking photos. The gassho-style houses of Shirakawa-go appear like a fairytale world. 😌

Walk uphill towards the observation deck to get a panoramic view of the entire village.

Note: Shirakawa-go has a departure time limit, usually around dusk. As I left the village, I managed to capture a few photos of the illuminated gassho-style houses near the entrance.

Summary:
Since this trip did not involve purchasing any tickets or tours, I couldn’t experience the full itinerary. However, booking tickets and staying overnight in Shirakawa-go is limited and quite pricey.

It ultimately depends on your budget. ^ - ^
For budget travelers, you can skip the accommodation and illumination tickets. ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

Overall, I highly recommend visiting Shirakawa-go during the winter season. ❤️