Ogimachi Castle Ruins Observation Deck
荻町城跡展望台
A classic viewpoint over the full sweep of the gassho-zukuri houses of Ogimachi; most of the Shirakawa-go images on postcards were taken from here.
The observation deck is set on the remains of Ogimachi Castle on the hill north of the village, roughly 50 m above the settlement. From here you can take in more than a hundred gassho-zukuri farmhouses scattered along the Shogawa River, along with rice paddies. The scenery changes with each season, and the winter snowscape is the most iconic. A shuttle bus runs up from near Wada House in about 5 minutes (about 200 yen one way, with shorter winter hours), or you can walk the trail in about 20 minutes. The deck is free to visit. During winter illumination events, entry requires a reservation and admission at set times, so check the official Shirakawa Village website. There is a car park at the top, but it has few spaces and parking is time-limited.
Opening hours
Open all day (shuttle bus approx. 9:00 AM–4:00 PM)
Nearby sights
- Wada House
- Kanda House
- Nagase House
- Shirakawa-go Gassho Village
- Myozenji Temple
- Deai Bridge
- Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine & Doburoku Festival Hall
- Gassho-zukuri Minka-en Open-air Museum