Shirakawa is a remote mountain village in northern Gifu Prefecture, Japan, with stunning natural beauty and snowfall that averages out to over 10 metres annually. The town is especially known for its traditional gassho-zukuri (合掌造り) style of architecture, which consists of steeply pitched and famously thick thatched roofs. These structures, surrounded by the picturesque Hakusan National Park mountain ranges, attract countless visitors each year and have earned the village a place on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list. From the nearby city of Takayama, travelers can hop in a quick 50-minute drive or jump on a train line to get there, giving locals and tourists alike ample opportunity to explore this awe-inspiring corner of Japan.