Japan’s thatched roofed settlement Shirakawago in Gifu Prefecture has received top scores for its charms in a new global ranking of 50 of the most beautiful villages in the world.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site ranked top in Asia and ninth worldwide in a recently released list compiled and curated by Unforgettable Travel Company and Forbes.
“Blanketed in alpine silence, Shirakawago emerges like a fairytale — its steep thatched roofs rising against forested slopes built to cradle heavy snow ... As dusk falls, lanterns flicker along quiet lanes, and the air thickens with woodsmoke. Exploring in winter? You’ll catch illumination nights casting a golden glow on snow-laden eaves — like stars fallen gently to earth,” Forbes wrote in its description.
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