Skip to content

Great Wide Open Travel guides and transformative journeys

Japan Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka · Hiroshima · Kanazawa · Hakone South Korea Seoul · Busan · Gyeongju · Jeju Hong Kong Hong Kong Island · Kowloon · New Territories New Zealand Auckland · Wellington · Queenstown China Shanghai · Beijing · Xi’an Australia Sydney · Melbourne · Perth

Cities live on each country page and in the planner — the menu never lists them.

Open the planner →

How longItineraries WhenBest time to visit WhereWhere to stay MovingGetting around MoneyWhat it costs EatingFood On footWalking and cycling NearbyDay trips

By cycle Cycling journeys Day, multi-day and transcontinental rides. On foot Journeys on foot City walks and long trails, timed honestly. By rail Rail journeys The lines worth taking for their own sake. By car Road trips Where a car earns its keep — and where it doesn’t. Culture Cultural experiences Festivals, crafts and stays that ask something of you.

About

Shirakawa-go

The city of Shirakawa-go in the Chubu region

Chubu, Japan, Shirakawa-go

Shirakawa-gō

By Andrew / July 12, 2026

Home Shirakawa-gō Thatched farmhouses in a mountain valley Why go? Go because it looks like nowhere else in Japan — […]

We travel slowly, stay longer, and write only about the places we have actually walked.

Andrew + Margaret

Destinations

Japan South Korea Hong Kong New Zealand China Australia

Guides

Itineraries Best time to visit Where to stay Getting around What it costs Food Walking and cycling Day trips

Journeys

Cycling journeys Journeys on foot Rail journeys Road trips Cultural experiences

Travel posts

Travel Stories Travel News Travel Insights About us Contact

© 2026 Great Wide Open

Privacy Disclosure

Scroll to Top