Gokayama, Mountain village region in Toyama Prefecture, Japan.
Gokayama is a mountain village region containing two settlements, Ainokura and Suganuma, nestled in a valley. The farmhouses feature distinctive steep thatched roofs and were built with multiple floors to serve both as living quarters and workspace for silkworm breeding.
The region developed during the Edo period when it served as a place of exile under the Kaga domain and later became a center for saltpeter production. The building styles and ways of life that emerged then continue to shape the village today.
The steep thatched roofs define the village and are maintained by residents using local grass in a craft passed down through generations. The roofing tradition reflects how people adapted their building methods to survive in this mountain valley.
Visitors can reach the area by World Heritage bus service from Takaoka City with daytime departures available. The villages are small enough to explore on foot, though the steep lanes between buildings require sturdy footwear.
The massive roof spaces angled at steep degrees were specifically designed to house silkworm cultivation areas beneath them. This practical approach merged living quarters with production space in single buildings, emerging from the isolated location and economic needs of the time.
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