Mountain Villages and Crafts

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Today we took the optional trip out to the remote mountain regions of Shirakawa-Go and Gokayama. This is an area of steep thatched houses because the area is under deep snow from December to March. Historically, this area was a refuge for the defeated and persecuted. Less than 150 of these houses still remain and are designated as World Heritage sites. It was just fun to roam around here.

We stopped at a paper handi-craft workshop where we all got a chance to make paper. The process they use here to make paper makes a paper that lasts a long time! They say 3 to 4 hundred years.

We enjoyed a good lunch of “soba” noodles, a special dish with tofu and also some tempura. It was the best food we have had – at least I think so!

Then on the bus again and we headed to another area of Shirakawa where we made rice cakes – Mochitsuki. Oh, I forgot, we stopped at Murakami House which is the oldest “gassho-style house” in the area. We saw the Kokiriko Dance here.

We got back to the hotel a little after 5 – it was a long, but very interesting day!

We just did not realize how beautiful Japan is - we have been in several valleys that we felt like we were in Switzerland. The people, truly, are so friendly.

Tomorrow we are off to Kyoto.