The Shirakawa-go and neighboring Gokayama regions line the Shokawa River Valley in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, they are famous for its traditional farmhouses with thatched roofs, some of which are more than 250 years old.
Gokayama is a little more difficult to access and requires a change of buses in Ogimachi. Less developed and less crowded than Shirakawa-go, its villages are smaller, more intimate and with less intrusion from modern buildings.
Gokayama’s nicest villages are Suganuma and Ainokura.
Today, we would like to introduce Ainokura.

No 1. Ainokura Observation Deck

From the observation deck, 10-mitute-walk from the parking, you can see a panoramic view of the Gassho village.
The tree of the foreground has some flowers and autumn leaves, so we recommend you taking a picture with them.

You can zoom out to take a picture with Mt.Hakusan over the village.

No 2. Terraced Rice Fields Beside Minshuku Choyomon

Go through the straight road in front of the parking. When reaching at the first branch road, look back.
You can take a picture of Gassho Zukuri, terraced rice field and wildflowers.
You can enjoy seasonal view here such as upside down Gassho Zukuri, gold ear of rice and snow.

This is the very Japanese original scenery.

No 3. The View in Front of the Monument for the World Heritage

The place of the monument for the world heritage, outside the parking, is the best photography spot to take a picture of the upside down Gassho Zukuri. You can see several Gassho houses are reflecting in one rice field and the beautiful mountains over there.

A beautiful picture with stone walls, the Gassho houses and the upside down ones

How was the 3 best photography spots?
Gokayama is less developed than Shirakawago, so you can see the Japanese original scenery.