Suganuma Village

Suganuma (��), one of the main attractions of Gokayama, is made up of two areas, Suganuma Village and the Gokayama Gassho no Sato. Pleasant and easy to explore on foot, the two areas are connected to each other by a tunnel, which also connects to the parking lot on the hill overlooking the village via an elevator.

Suganuma Village and nine of its gassho-zukuri farmhouses, were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Ainokura and Ogimachi in 1995. A beautiful place to see gassho-zukuri farmhouses, the ones here have been well preserved, and a few of them have become restaurants, minshuku, and museums showing the daily life and the washi paper and saltpeter industries, which sustained the region.

Ingredients for gunpowder (from the left: sulfur, saltpeter, charcoal, finished gunpowder)

On the other end of the tunnel, the Gokayama Gassho no Sato has a number of traditional farmhouses that have been relocated here from the surrounding region in order to save them from destruction. However no one lives in these houses now; instead they are used by school groups for overnight stays and cultural activities.

Saltpeter Museum

Hours: 9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from December to March)
Closed: December 29 to January 3
Admission: 300 yen (also includes Folk Museum)

Making saltpeter, an ingredient in gunpowder, was an important regional industry during the Edo Period (1603-1868). This museum has exhibits on the procedures, tools and history of the industry in Gokayama.
Folk Museum

Hours: 9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from December to March)
Closed: December 29 to January 3
Admission: 300 yen (also includes Saltpeter Museum)

This folk museum displays tools and household items used in daily life. Some of the exhibited items include tools used for farming, raising silkworms and making washi paper.
Gassho Cottages

This collection of relocated gassho-zukuri farmhouses is now a place where school groups can stay overnight and participate in activities based on Gokayama traditional life. Although not aimed at the individual traveler, the area is open to everyone, and you are free to see the houses from the outside.

Attractions around Suganuma

Iwase-ke House

Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:00 from November to March)
Closed: Thursdays (except national holidays)
Admission: 400 yen

This well preserved gassho-zukuri farmhouse is the largest one of its kind in the region. The first floor has rooms which were designed to entertain visiting lords, while the spacious upper floors display tools and household items used for farming and raising silkworms.

By bus

Suganuma is a stop along the bus route between Shirakawago and Takaoka (see timetable). The one way ride from Shirakawago to Suganuma takes 30 minutes and costs 870 yen. From Shin-Takaoka Station, it takes about 80 minutes and costs 1200 yen.

Alternatively, some buses along the bus route between Kanazawa and Shirakawago stop at the "Gokayama Suganuma" bus stop along the way (see timetable and fare details); however, it is possible to board buses only in the direction of Kanazawa and get off buses only in the direction of Ogimachi, but not vice versa. Also, these buses do not serve Suganuma from December through March.

By car

From Ogimachi, Suganuma can be reached in about 30 minutes along National Route 156. You can cut travel time by a few minutes by taking the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway between Shirakawago and Gokayama IC (580 yen regular expressway tolls). From Gokayama IC, Suganuma is reached in about two minutes.

How to get to and around Shirakawa-go and Gokayama

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- Shiroyamakan
  Luxury
  
  47 km from Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village, Shiroyamakan is a recently renovated property set in Shirakawa and offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi and private parking. The 4-star ryokan has river views and is 48 km from Takayama Station. The ryokan features family rooms. The units are equipped with heating facilities. The area is popular for cycling, and free use of bicycles is available at the ryokan. Guests can also relax in the garden. Shirakawago is 1.4 km from Shiroyamakan, while Fuji Folk Museum is 49 km away. Toyama Airport is 83 km from the property.
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- Onyado Yuinosho
  Luxury
  
  Onyado Yuinosho provides a sauna and free private parking, and is within 45 km of Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village and 46 km of Takayama Station. Among the facilities of this property are a restaurant, a 24-hour front desk and a lift, along with free WiFi throughout the property. Guests can use the hot spring bath and the public bath, or enjoy mountain views. The ryokan will provide guests with air-conditioned units offering a desk, a kettle, a fridge, a safety deposit box, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom with a bidet. At the ryokan, all units are soundproof. At the ryokan, every unit includes bed linen and towels. An Asian breakfast is available daily at the ryokan. There is a snack bar, bar and lounge. Shirakawago is less than 1 km from Onyado Yuinosho, while Fuji Folk Museum is 47 km away. Toyama Airport is 81 km from the property.
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- Shirakawago Guest House Kei
  Budget-friendly
  
  600 metres from Shirakawago, Shirakawago Guest House Kei is set in Shirakawa and offers rooms with free WiFi. All rooms feature a kitchen and a shared bathroom. The accommodation provides a shared kitchen and luggage storage space for guests. All guest rooms in the guest house are fitted with a coffee machine. The units will provide guests with a microwave. The nearest airport is Komatsu Airport, 46 km from the property.
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- CURIO Shirakawago
  Luxury
  
  CURIO Shirakawago is situated in Shirakawa, within 47 km of Takayama Station and a few steps of Shirakawago. The 5-star hotel has air-conditioned rooms with a private bathroom and free WiFi. The property is non-smoking and is located 46 km from Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village. At the hotel each room includes bed linen and towels. Fuji Folk Museum is 48 km from CURIO Shirakawago, while Yoshijima Heritage House is 48 km away. The nearest airport is Toyama Airport, 82 km from the accommodation.
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- Minsyuku Koshiyama
  Budget-friendly
  
  Minsyuku Koshiyama, a property with a shared lounge, is situated in Shirakawa, 48 km from Takayama Station, less than 1 km from Shirakawago, as well as 49 km from Fuji Folk Museum. The 2-star guest house has mountain views and is 47 km from Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village. The guest house features rooms with air conditioning, free private parking and free WiFi. All units in the guest house are fitted with a flat-screen TV. The guest house provides some units with quiet street views, and every unit comes with a shared bathroom. At the guest house, every unit is equipped with bed linen and towels. A bicycle rental service is available at the guest house. Yoshijima Heritage House is 49 km from Minsyuku Koshiyama, while Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine is 49 km from the property. Toyama Airport is 83 km away.
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