Day 33 (S the 3rd) - Shirakawa-go

Early in the morning we checked out of the hostel an walked down to the morning markets, then caught the 8:50 bus into Shirakawa-go. Shirakawa-go is a village of late 1800 farm houses preserved in the gassho-zukuri thatched-roof style, located of course in the Japanese Alps, in a valley. Picturesque. 

From the viewpoint: 

We went into the Nagase House, built in 1890. The roof was re-thatched for the first time in 80 years in 2001, by 500 volunteers from all over Japan. 
(Not the Nagase house. But see the thatched roofs!)

The house is 5 stories tall, we were allowed into the first 4. I believe the family still lives there. 
Nagase house...

1st floor, main living space - tools for ceremonies and festivals that are still used, medical tools, gifts from the Maeda lords, etc.

The mezzanine - employees' bedrooms.

3rd floor, working rooms for raising silkworms (yosan) - house tools used from the old days, etc

4th floor, working rooms for raising silkworms (yosan) - tools for the works in the mountain, tools for yosan, agricultural tools, etc.

5th floor, rooms for medicinal herbs to dry - no access.

The first floor has displays of dishes, the traditional fireplace, 

painted scrolls and screens, and a Buddhist alter. Thought nothing there said anything about it, when we were in the hostel we talked to an Australian Japanese teacher staying there who said the walls of the house were made so that, in case of a fire, the alter could be pulled out. 

Floor 2 was small, floor 3 held a bunch of tools, farming and other, as well as pots and other dishes and more. 

Floor 4 was the best, it held old machines for making straw mats and other things. 

Once we finishes with the house we climbed to the viewpoint where that first picture was taken, then we walked around looking at the houses and cool handcraft souvenirs, and ate lunch at one of the soba shops. Here is what I got, a Chinese yam set. 

After extensive successful shopping we caught the 3:00 bus back to Takayama, from which we took a series of trains to our next stop, Inuyama.   We took a taxi to the hostel, and after we got to our room and ate dinner, Myra and Ani got to try out communal baths. Of course, they waited until they were empty first.

Us happy and ready for bed: