Shirakawa, Gifu (village)

Shirakawa
白川村

Village

Flag

Location of Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture

Shirakawa

Location in Japan

Coordinates: 36°16′N 136°54′E / 36.267°N 136.900°ECoordinates: 36°16′N 136°54′E / 36.267°N 136.900°E

Government

• Mayor

Shigeru Narihara

Area

• Total

356.55 km² (137.66 sq mi)

Population (July 2011)

• Total

1,734

• Density

4.9/km² (13/sq mi)

Symbols

• Tree

Beech

• Flower

Rhododendron

Time zone

Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

City hall address

517 Hatogaya, Shirakawa-mura, Ōno-gun, Gifu-ken
501-5692

Website

shirakawa-go.org

Shirakawa (白川村, Shirakawa-mura^?) is a village located in Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is best known for being the site of Shirakawa-gō, a small, traditional village showcasing a building style known as gasshō-zukuri.

As of July 2011, the village has an estimated population of 1,734. The total area is 356.55 km² (137.66 sq mi).

The village is located near Takayama, in Gifu. Together with Gokayama in Nanto, Toyama, it is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

In 1875, Japan's municipal system was being carried out, and a number of small villages were combined with Miboro village. The river basin in Hida Province was called Shirakawa-gō, and eventually the north side was called Shirakawa, and the upper side (south side) was called Shōkawa, Gifu. It is now called Takayama.

All of the villages and towns in the Hida region participated in the "Hida Area Union Promotion Conference" (飛騨地域合併推進協議会), but due to Nanto and other places connected with the World Heritage sites not wanting the image of Shirakawa-gō to be harmed, as well as domestic and foreign voices, Shirakawa withdrew from the conference and formed its own system. Now, the north part of Gifu prefecture that was in Hida Province has become one unified village; the others were merged into either Takayama, Hida, or Gero.

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Wikipedia