Hida Folk Village vs Shirakawago: Which to Visit?

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Are you deciding between Hida Folk Village vs Shirakawago? Don’t know which one to go to or if it’s worth visiting both?

I’ve visited both Hida Folk Village in Takayama and Shirakawago, and I can give you some insight into the similarities and differences to help you decide which one to visit.

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Highlights and Main Features

About Hida Folk Village

Hida Folk Village is an open-air museum, recreating a mountain village of the past. It features about 30 traditional historical houses, transported here from all over the Hida region.

The village is picturesquely situated on a hillside in Takayama, surrounding a large pond.

The museum recreates seasonal events throughout the year that have been handed down in the Hida region since ancient times. Demonstrations and hands-on activities and traditional Japanese crafts are available daily. It seeks to preserve both the structures and the traditions of the nearby mountain villages.

Hida Folk Village just a quick 10-minute bus ride away from the Takayama Station.

For more information about Hida Folk Village, see my complete guide to visiting the Hida Folk Village in Takayama.

girl walking toward a traditional Japanese house in Hida Folk Village — Nishioka’s House, Hida Folk Village

About Shirakawago

Shirakawago is made up of several villages, and Ogimachi village is the most famous one. Many visitors come to see the historic village of Ogimachi, which is just as beautiful as its pictures.

Ogimachi village in Shirakawago contains over 100 traditional gassho-zukuri houses with steep-sided triangular thatched roofs.

Many of these houses have been converted into museums, shops, restaurants, and cafes, offering a taste of traditional life and culture in rural Japan.

Shirakawago is about 1 hour away from Takayama by bus.

For more information about Shirakawago, see my complete guide to Shirakawago on a day trip from Takayama.

an overlook view of the Shirakawago village in a valley surrounded by mountains — Shirakawago

Similarities Between Hida Folk Village vs Shirakawago

Both have recreated villages

Hida Folk Village is a recreated village museum while Shirakawago has a recreated village museum (called Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open-Air Museum).

Shirakawago is a larger area that also contains a real town with real shops and restaurants.

Hida Folk Village, on the other hand, does not have any real shops or cafes and is purely a museum.

Both contain gassho-zukuri houses

Gassho-zukuri style houses are traditional Japanese houses that have steep angled roofs to help with snow.

The architecture (gassho-zukuri) is so named because it looks like praying hands. The Japanese word “gassho” means palms of the hands placed together, like in the Buddhist prayer, and “zukuri” means building.

Both Hida Folk Village and Shirakawago have these style of houses, which are very traditional and typical of the region because of all the snow it sees each winter.

Both are close to Takayama

Hida Folk Village is in Takayama, and only a short 10-minute bus ride away, while Shirakawago is about an hour’s bus ride away.

Both make for great day trips while staying in Takayama.

girl standing in the middle of a path with orange autumn trees in the background — Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open-Air Museum, Shirakawago

girl standing between two trees with traditional japanese houses behind her — Hida Folk Village

a traditional japanese house with a rice field in front of it and blue sky above it — Nishioka’s House, Hida Folk Village

a girl walking toward gassho-zukuri style houses — Shirakawago

Differences Between Hida Folk Village vs Shirakawago

Size: Shirakawago is much larger

Shirakawago’s Ogimachi village is 680,000 square meters, while Hida Folk Village is 99,000 square meters.

Because of their different sizes, the time commitment required for visiting each one is different, too.

You can see Hida Folk Village in about 1-2 hours, but you’ll need at least 6 hours to fully explore Shirakawago.

Number of traditional structures: Shirakawago has more

Hida Folk Village is a smaller open-air museum with less than 30 traditional Japanese houses.

Shirakawago is a real village that contains over 100 traditional Japanese houses. Some of them have been converted into museums, but some of them have been converted into real-working shops, restaurants, and cafes.

Number of visitors: Hida Folk Village is less touristy

If one of your main considerations is how touristy a place is, then you’ll be interested to know that Hida Folk Village doesn’t get many visitors. It was quite empty when I visited, and that seems to be the normal experience for most people.

Shirakawago, on the other hand, is much more touristy, and you’ll find many more visitors, busloads more. However, since it is a much bigger village, people are spread out and it’s not like you’ll be elbowing your way through crowds. I was able to wander around without people nearby, so I still had a peaceful experience.

girl standing near fence in front of a pond with traditional japanese houses on the other side of the pond — Goami Pond, Hida Folk Village

a pond surrounded by snow and autumn trees with traditional japanese houses just beyond — Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open-Air Museum, Shirakawago

a pond surrounded by a fence, autumn trees, traditional Japanese houses, and a mountain behind it — Goami Pond, Hida Folk Village

a trickle of a waterfall leading into a pond — Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open-Air Museum, Shirakawago

Which One Should You Visit?

If you can only visit one, I’d say go to Shirakawago. I was much more impressed and glad I visited Shirakawago. Although, it will require one full day of your time.

It will be time well spent, though.

Shirakawago has an open-air museum, called Gassho-Zukuri Minka-en Open-Air Museum, just like Hida Folk Village. It has individual houses, turned into museums, that you can tour. It has cafes to visit and overlooks to see.

In short, Shirakawago has everything Hida Folk Village has, and more.

If you are concerned about the number of crowds, consider arriving early. Tourists are allowed to visit Shirakawago from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., so get there right at 8 a.m. and make the most of your time.

girl standing in the middle of a path leading to traditional japanese houses — Wada House, Shirakawago

an upstairs window in a traditional japanese house looking out to a view of other traditional houses — Wada House, Shirakawago

Is It Worth Visiting Both?

Yes, I’d recommend visiting both.

If you have the time to see both, definitely do so. I was able to visit both Shirakawago and Hida Folk Village and do not regret it.

They are both beautiful places that display and tell the history of the houses and the people in their areas. Each house has its own story, and each place has its own history to tell.

I felt honored to learn more about both places while visiting Takayama, and I hope you will, too.

For more information about what to do in each place, see my complete guides to Shirakawago and Hida Folk Village in Takayama.

a girl standing on a bridge looking at a traditional Japanese house — Shirakawago

Where to Stay When Visiting Hida Folk Village and Shirakawago

It’s most convenient to stay in Takayama while visiting both Hida Folk Village and Shirkawago.

While in Takayama, I recommend staying in a ryokan.

What is a ryokan? A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn, one of the oldest forms of hospitality, dating back to the 8th century. You’ll find traditional Japanese decor like tatami mats and Japanese futon beds as well as omotenashi hospitality and kaiseki multi-course meals.

I highly recommend staying in a ryokan because it offers you an opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese lifestyle. This is even more crucial when visiting a place like Takayama, which is steeped in history and custom.

My top ryokan pick is Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, and you can read my full review of this ryokan in Takayama, which I absolutely loved.

girl sitting in a hot springs bath outside near a Japanese garden — Hanaougi Bettei Iiyama, Takayama

What to Pack for Your Trip to Japan

Comfortable and convenient footwear

You’ll likely walk a lot while visiting Japan, so a good pair of walking shoes is a must. However, one additional recommendation is make sure your sneakers are slip-in.

Why wear slip-in sneakers?

Many traditional places in Japan, including houses within Shirakawago and the Hida Folk Village, require guests to remove shoes before entering. Shoes with a lot of laces are hard to get off. But slip-ins? A breeze.

Slip-in sneakers — I wore this pair of slip-in sneakers from Skechers my entire trip to Japan, and it was so convenient! I didn’t even have to sit down to take off my shoes, like everyone else did. My shoes just slipped right off. I also felt comfortable in these shoes despite walking 20,000 steps every single day.
Ankle socks — Be sure to wear ankle-covering socks with your shoes so you don’t get blisters with all that walking. I wore these Hanes ankle socks every day of my trip to Japan and didn’t get a single blister.

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!