World Cultural Heritage
Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village
相倉合掌造り集落 (あいのくらがっしょうづくりしゅうらく)
Along with Suganuma Gassho-zukuri village, Ainokura Gassho-zukuri village is designated as the national historic site in 1970 (Showa 45) and selected for the national important historic buildings preservation distict in 1994 (Heisei 6). 20 Gassho houses are existed in this village registered as the world cultural heritage site in 1995 (Heisei 7). Embracing a nostalgic scenery along with farm land, stone walls, and snow holding forests, life, as it was in the good old days, is tille alive in this small mountain village.
＊Full view of Ainokura village photo spot: You can reach the photo spot by entering the climbing trail via the village parking lot and continuing along the terraced rice fields for 5 ~ 6 minutes.
Business Hours 8:30～17:00
Closing Days None
Bus Stop Get off at “Ainokuraguchi”. Walk up 5 minutes to the village.
Coin Lockers Avilalbe at the “Ainokuraguchi” bus stop bound for Shirakawago and the office in the village parking.
Parking Approximately 400m from the “Ainokukraguchi” bus stop bound for Takaoka.
The parking fees (conservation cooperation fees)
\1,000 (regular/kei automobile), \3,000 (mid-sized bus), \5,000 (large-sized bus), \300(Two-wheeled vehicle)
＊Reservation required for parking a bus
Time Required At least 1 hour
Inquires World Heritage Ainokura Gassho Village Preservation Foundation Sekai Isan Ainokura Gassho Shuuraku Hozon Zaidan
Ainokura, Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture TEL: 0763-66-2123 (Japanese only) http://www.g-ainokura.com
Ainokura Folklore Museum
相倉民俗館 (あいのくらみんぞくかん)
Museum housed in a gassho style building. Historical tools as well as gassho models are on display. If you climb the stairs, you can see the structure of the interior of the roof. There is also a video showcasing Ainokura Village through the 4 seasons.
Closed indefinitely.
Ainokura Traditional Industries Museum
相倉伝統産業館 (あいのくらでんとうさんぎょうかん)
Museum housed in a gassho style building. Items related to Gokayama’s Edo period industries, including niter production, sericulture, and papermaking, are on display. If you climb the stairs, you can see the structure of the interior of the roof. There is also a video showcasing Gokayama folk songs.
Exhibition Hall Yusuke
展示館 勇助 (てんじかん ゆうすけ)
Guest house open for viewing to the public. If you climb the stairs, you can see the structure of the interior of the roof. There is a panel exhibition with information on topics including the gassho style, Gokayama history, and sericulture. You can also take a look at both old and new photos of Ainokura Village taken by the head of the household himself.
Primitive Gassho-zukuri
原始合掌造り（げんしがっしょうづくり）
This prototype Gassho-zukuri house is now used as a private barn. The thatched-roof houses of Gokayama developed with this house at their core. You can observe the gradual changes to the Gassho-zukuri style through the variations in the houses’ exteriors in this village. A stone monument stands in front of the primitive gassho-zukuri house to commemorate the designation of Ainokura Gassho-zukuri Village as a national historic site in 1970.
Gokayama Japanese Paper Making Experience Hall
五箇山和紙漉き体験館（ごかやまわしすきたいけんかん）
Relive the traditional paper making methods once used in the Gassho-zukuri houses. You can experience making placemat size (A3) washi paper. Small gifts made of washi paper, washi lighting accessories, and more are available at the shop.