Gassho-zukuri, thatched roof housed named after its shape, which looks like joining one’s hands in prayer. They were built in the Edo period to early Showa era. Its steep angle helps to let snow fall from a roof, the countermeasure to the weight of heavy snow. More than 100 thatched houses have been remaining at Shirakawa village, Ono county in Gifu. The landscape reminds us the village in Japanese old tales. You can enter the inside of houses with entrance fee and the guides are available, who will explain the structure and history of the Gassho-zukuri. If you hope to thoroughly enjoy the quaint atmosphere, the accommodations converted from the Gassho-zukuri houses are recommended.