Hidden Village of Ashikoshitake: Hand-Clasping Village

The day before visiting Ashikoshitake Village, it rained, and the weather forecast still predicted rain for the next day. With a worried mood, I wanted a rain-free trip to Ashikoshitake Village, but the drizzling rain made the beauty of Ashikoshitake Village even more magical than a sunny scene. Along the way, I basically didn't sleep, nearly two hours of driving, the scenery outside was like this,Why is the village called Ashikoshitake Village? What is the origin of its name? It comes from its architectural form. Its roofs are shaped like two hands clasped together, like a person, so the houses are called 'Ashikoshitake construction', and the village is naturally called 'Ashikoshitake Village','Ashikoshitake construction' was built about 300 years ago during the Edo to Showa periods. It was a thatched-roof house built by villagers to resist the harsh winters and snowstorms of the Hokuriku region. The roofs were also designed with a 60-degree angle to prevent snow accumulation. However, it's not as simple as imagined to build an 'Ashikoshitake construction'. In the harsh weather conditions, villagers used wood joints and rope combinations to build the entire house without using a single nail. The roofs were covered with thatch and reeds,Ashikoshitake Village and Shirakawa-go Ashikoshitake Village are both listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1995. Although Ashikoshitake in Fusan is not as large or famous as Shirakawa-go, it is less affected by modernization due to its remote location and slightly inconvenient transportation, so there aren't many tourists. Therefore, compared to Shirakawa-go, Ashikoshitake has less commercialization and appears more secluded and independent in the mountains. Ashikoshitake Village is relatively quiet and peaceful, and it still maintains many traditional cultures, such as some traditional dances and traditional musical instruments, and its washi paper is also famous. It is said that its papermaking technology was brought here by the Hirayasu family from Kyoto to the Yoshimori family who lost to the Yoshimori family during the Heian period. Now, tourists can visit and watch the process of making washi paper, and even try to make it themselves. The whole process has a strong sense of participation. There are two houses that are open to the public to view and learn about the history of Ashikoshitake Village. I naturally couldn't miss it,Ashikoshitake Village consists of about 20 'Ashikoshitake construction' buildings, located in this valley. When we visited, it was cloudy, and we could see the scenery of the mountains and rivers in the misty air, which was a special experience. The 'Ashikoshitake construction' and the surrounding mountains created a feeling of a paradise on earth, majestic yet elegant and quiet, which made me feel surprised. In addition, there are about 50 people living in the village today, so it's not just a well-preserved relic, but also a place with living atmosphere, perfectly combining natural landscape and human landscape. Our tour was like visiting a museum with historical depth, and also like approaching a group of quiet and calm people's daily lives,Tips:

1The entire village is completely smoke-free, as all the houses are made of wood, so the fire safety level is very high. And because it's located in a remote area, the consequences of a fire are unimaginable. So smoke-free, smoke-free, smoke-free, it's important to say it three times,2In addition to the two houses that are open to the public and can be bought tickets to visit, the rest are inhabited by locals, and you cannot enter private areas: houses, fields or small roads,3It is best not to choose to visit in the morning or at night, to avoid disturbing the local residents' lives,4If you encounter local vehicles, please give way. They are already few in number, and it's difficult to meet them, but it's still like visiting someone's home, so we should still follow their rules,5Take all the garbage with you, don't throw it here.