Wada House — Attraction in Shirakawa

Visited in Oct 2023.

The "museum" shows the interior of the gassho house, which is nice to see. You pay a small fee and take off your shoes to go inside. The interior retained the historic layout e.g. tatami, hard wood floors. The wood floors are highly polished - I think people whose interest in wood working would appreciate how nice the finishing are. Besides that, the second floor is accessible only by their super steep stairs. If you have trouble with stairs or have balancing issues, do be careful as the stairs are the only means to access the upper floors. At the top floors you will see how the wood, rope and straw all tie together to form the roof which is nice to see.

While the interior is historic and well preserved, most of the display are in Japanese. There is an English pamphlet, but I feel the information inside is no more than what I can find online e.g. wiki. Most of the items display are minimal legends. Yes, a bowl is a bowl, but is there significant to this bowl behind the display case? I would like to know. The most disappointment to me is that there wasn't an explanation on how the gassho houses are constructed/ maintained - at least not in English for me to read about. I would have loved to learn how these houses were made and the effort needed to build/ maintained it. Maybe I didn't pick the right museum to read this? Who knows.

Tldr, good to take photos but lacking in English description/ display on the significant of the house/ household items in...

Wada House is the largest and one of the most historically significant gassho-zukuri (thatched-roof) farmhouses in Shirakawa-go. Constructed in the late Edo period (1603–1867), it served as the residence of the Wada family, who were prominent village leaders and wealthy landowners. The family amassed their wealth through the production and trade of saltpeter (used in gunpowder) and later through sericulture (silk farming).

The house is a three-story structure with a steeply pitched thatched roof, designed to withstand heavy snowfall. The first floor centers around a traditional irori hearth and features a Buddhist altar, along with displays of daily life items such as tableware and kitchen utensils. The upper floors, particularly the attic, were historically used for sericulture and now exhibit tools and equipment related to silk farming and roof thatching. A fire-resistant earthen-walled storehouse (kura) stands behind the main house, used to store family heirlooms and important documents. The property also includes a spacious outhouse and a rare traditional-style garden, uncommon in the region due to heavy snowfall.

Open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission Fees: Adults: ¥400; Children (primary school...

Wada House in Shirakawa-go is an essential destination for those seeking to observe traditional gassho-zukuri architecture in-person. It provides an intriguing perspective on the lifestyle of previous generations, as it is one of the most well-preserved and expansive thatched-roof residences in the village. The Wada family, who were once influential figures in the region, are commemorated in the well-maintained interior, which includes historical artifacts, tools, and old photographs. A warm and nostalgic ambiance is established by the large hearth, tatami floors, and wooden rafters. The upper levels offer breathtaking vistas of the village and the surrounding mountains, rendering it an ideal location for photography. Although the house is a significant draw, the tranquil rural location of Shirakawa-go further enriches the experience. If you are in Shirakawa-go, it is highly recommended that you visit Wada House to gain a deeper understanding of the history and craftsmanship of this UNESCO World...