Last Updated: Jan 26, 2025

The OTHER Shirakawa

Fukushima’s Gateway to the North

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

“I feel uncertain as the days pile on, and yet, I think of crossing the Shirakawa Barrier.”

— Matsuo Basho

By now, you’ve likely heard of the village of Shirakawa-go in northern Gifu Prefecture. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 1995, this iconic village in central Japan is home to a handful of perfectly preserved farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Alas, while Shirakawa-go is undeniably beautiful, it’s not the only place in the country to bear the name Shirakawa. Today, we’ll be taking a look at another spot by that name, one that arguably holds even greater historical significance. Situated on the border between the Kanto Plain and the vast reaches of Tohoku to the north, this Shirakawa has long served as the gateway to northern Japan.

If you haven’t heard of the Shirakawa in Fukushima before, you’re likely not alone. In fact, I only really uncovered it myself back in December of 2022 when I went to Kita Onsen Ryokan up in the highlands of Nasu (more on that adventure in the “Other Nearby Attractions” section of this piece). As luck would have it, I was digging around in Google Maps one evening at the…