Shirakawa-Go | 白川郷

Arriving at Shirakawa-Go, there was this sense of serenity. Perhaps it was from all the snow that enveloped the landscapes. But it was likely due to the fact that the bus terminal was devoid of the tourist crowd from tour groups. Tour buses that arrive in Shirakawa-Go will stop outside the Gasshozukuri Minkaen Outdoor Museum.

Ochiudo (落人), is arguably one of the most popular cafe in Shirakawa-Go. Located within an actual “gassho-zukuri” farmhouse, the cafe only admits a small number of patrons at any time. The experience of dining in a traditional farmhouse wasn’t enough to justify the long wait required. So we made one of our best decisions in the trip, and that was to move along.

We wondered around after leaving Kanda House and stumbled into Shiraogi (しらおぎ). Here we found one of our food highlights for the trip, Hoba Miso. Hoba Miso is traditionally a poor man’s dish, eaten during the harsh winter months. The lack of food led to farmers eating Hoba Miso as a side dish. Today, Hoba Miso is often seen served with local Hida Beef.