Hida Folk Village-rural Japanese life centuries ago

30+ buildings were moved from different parts of the Hida region to preserve traditional houses and lifestyles as well as the cultural heritage

Takumi Shrine; the village opened in 1971 so visitors could see what daily life used to be like in rural Japan

Tomita's House, dating from the mid-1700s, was a successful way station on the main road through the region; transportation was primarily with oxen and horses (and on foot)

Since most people didn't have watches, monks would strike this bell to indicate the time; 6am and 6pm would signify the opening and closing of business for the day

It's great that these old buildings could be preserved; by moving them to a central location, they make it easy for visitors and school kids to learn the regional history

Nishioka's House belonged to the chief priest of a Buddhist temple; the houses here are characterized by open floor plans and steep roofs to prevent snow from accumulating

Wakayama's House; it's amazing that with the houses made of wood and thatched roofs that the houses didn't burn down all the time

Taguchi's House; the head of the village lived here for several generations; meetings were often held here, so the rooms are designed to make one big room using sliding doors

Artisans were working on traditional arts and crafts in several houses; the artisans were making Hida quilts, straw crafts, wood carvings, weavings, ceramics and roof shingles

Michikami's House dates from the early 1800s; the bottom portion of the roof was cut off to get more sunlight into the house for the silkworm industry on the upper floor

Cherry blossoms and water mill; most of the buildings are open and are filled with artifacts from their respective periods, including spindles, silkworm raising artifacts, cooking utensils, and clothing

Mill; there is a workshop illustrating how many of Japan's famous handicrafts are made, including wood carving, tie-dying, weaving and lacquer work