World heritage Shirakawa Go is the place to Go

I lived in Tokyo Ebisu for short 6 months back in 2010.
Looked forward in making many new friends and meeting interesting people that you can’t find in other cites.
Which was true also at the same time, it was easy to feel lonely and lost with all the people you pass daily that I’ll never have a chance to meet in person.

Made me feel small communities are important to feel connected deeply with others and you don't need a crowed of people to feel fulfilled.

Having a background in being brought up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
People and nature has been a big part of my life.

Now a days with young labor being sucked up into the larger cities leaving the country side in over aged society.

Has our interest in short term profits benefit our long term?

From time to time I wonder...

Nature turing back our backs on humanity.
Is there a better way people can co-exist with nature?

There is a hint…

In a small town North part of Gifu called Shirakawa-Go, which is next to Gokayama Vilage in Toyama.
Mountains and forests surround 96% of the area and the remaining 4% is cultivated land.

Shirakawa-Go was listed as The World Heritage at the 19th UNESCO board held in Berlin on December, 1995. It’ll be preserved as a Heritage shared by the Human Race.

The unique structure of the homes called Gassho-zukuri.
Putting two hands together is called Gassho in Japanese.
Like this the roof of these homes are built of wooden beams combined to form a steep thatched roof.
(As seen on the photo)

The structure is built to suit the heavy snow in winter. The house face north and south, to minimize wind resistance.
Tourists walking in and out of these homes surprisingly people live in these homes.
From 300 to 400 yen to pay to get in and see their homes.
Imagine, strangers walking in and out of your home could be stressful but they do help you pay your rent.

Roads are paved with drainage canals on each side of the road.
An old lady had the drainage opened and was using that water to water her plants!
Wondering how clean these drains were I looked into one of the larger drains there swam rainbow trout!

Fish living in drains.

These drains turn out to be used when a fire happens and locals don’t drain their waist into the drains.

The people living here still take baths, wash their clothes, clean their dishes, goes out to work, just like we do.
Going to Shirakawa Go you can breath the fresh air from all the trees that surround the area. See local lifestyle and also be able to learn how people can live closely with nature.

A deep relation with in the community, using the fresh water from the mountains to harvest their crop.
It's a place worth visiting.

Reference - http://shirakawa-go.org/english/