In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Gokayama
五箇山
Half a day or one night: see the gasshō farmhouses in Suganuma village, then move on. A day trip from Toyama or Kanazawa works, but an overnight stay in a farmhouse inn is the real draw.
Gokayama is a quieter, less crowded alternative to Shirakawa-gō, with the same UNESCO-listed thatched farmhouses. The two historic villages of Suganuma and Ainokura sit in a narrow valley in Toyama Prefecture. Most visitors come for the architecture and the rural atmosphere; there is little else to do, so half a day is enough unless you stay in a gasshō inn.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 五箇山
- Best months
- Apr–Nov (check); Jan–Feb for snow scenery (check)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar: some buses stop, heavy snow; check winter bus schedules
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥8,000–12,000 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · Mid ¥15,000–25,000 excl. bed (2026 estimate) · High ¥30,000+ excl. bed (2026 estimate) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| World Heritage Bus Takaoka → Gokayama | ¥1,800 (2026 estimate, check) |
| Gasshō inn, one night with two meals | ¥12,000–30,000 per person (2026 estimate) |
| Coffee at a village café | ¥400–600 (2026 estimate) |
| Bottle of water | ¥120–200 (2026 estimate) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TOY · Toyama Airport
- check
- KMQ · Komatsu Airport
- check
Typical fares
- World Heritage Bus Takaoka → Gokayama
- ¥1,800, about 90 min (2026 estimate, check)
- Taxi between Suganuma and Ainokura
- ¥2,000–3,000 (2026 estimate)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot. The two villages are about 4 km (2.5 mi) apart (check); a local bus or taxi connects them (check). No train.On foot. The two villages are about 2.5 mi (4 km) apart (check); a local bus or taxi connects them (check). No train.
See and do
Known for
- Suganuma Gasshōzukuri Village
- Ainokura Gasshōzukuri Village
- Gasshō-style farmhouses
- Silkworm-raising attics
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shirakawa-gō | World Heritage Bus, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Kanazawa | Direct bus, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Takayama | Bus via Shirakawa-gō, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Takaoka | World Heritage Bus, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Suganuma village
- Gasshō inns available (check); dinner and breakfast included, futon on tatami.
- Ainokura village
- Gasshō inns available (check); same style, same package.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- No smoking outside designated areas — the farmhouses are highly flammable.
- Some buses do not run in winter: check the World Heritage Bus schedule.
- Respect residents: some farmhouses are private homes.
Very safe. The main risk is fire: no smoking outside designated areas. Roads can be icy in winter.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gokayama yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Suganuma Gasshōzukuri Village
- Ainokura Gasshōzukuri Village
- Gasshō-style farmhouses
- Silkworm-raising attics
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gokayama official tourism site: www.gokayama.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage: Gokayama, revision 5230251 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5230251
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gokayama). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.