Hilma

Where Hilma would send you

1. 1 Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine Attraction Sep 23
   Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine

   ★★★★ Hilma's pick

   A quiet shrine tucked in a grove of cryptomeria south of the main village, where the Doburoku Festival opens on October 14. I was the only visitor on a foggy September afternoon — the ring of the bell and the smell of old wood and damp stone were worth the walk.

   559 Ogimachi, Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627, Japan
2. 2 Doburoku Festival Event Sep 23
   Doburoku Festival

   Oct 14 – Oct 19

   ★★★★★ Hilma's pick

   Shirakawa-go's defining autumn celebration — unfiltered sake offered to the mountain gods, mikoshi processions, lion dances, and folk performances. Runs October 14–19 across three shrines. Book lodging now; this fills fast.

   Three shrines in Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu
3. 3 Wada House Attraction Sep 23
   Wada House

   ★★★ Hilma's pick

   The largest of the open gassho-zukuri houses, four storeys of dark timber and rope, with persimmon trees in the garden that ripen in October. A good companion visit if Kanda House is busy.

   997 Ogimachi, Shirakawa Village, Ono District, Gifu 501-5627, Japan