Wada House is one of the biggest gassho-houses in Ogimachi Village. It was owned by the ex-village chief, Masami Wada. He focused on the tourism value of Ogimachi and established an ordinance to make the village designated as Preservation Districts for Groups of Important Traditional Buildings.
He also opened his house in public, which is nation’s Important Cultural Asset.
Thanks to his effort, Ogimachi Village in Shirakawago became one of the largest tourist places in Japan, famed by the title as UNESCO’s World Heritage site.
Wada-ke House 1st floor
There are a large room with tatami-matted floor and Buddhist alter. This is the place for inviting relatives, neighbors and other locals to the Buddhist memorial event known as “ho’on koh”. This event is also meant to deepen the bonding of the community in order to cope with the nature difficulty.
Wada House 2nd floor
There was a workplace for sericulture. Sericulture farmers feed on mulberry and raise silkworms to produce cocoons. The inhabitant made living by selling the cocoons to silk mills. The people of the household call the silkworms with the honorific title of ‘Okaiko-sama’ as a sign of gratitude for the silkworms that have supported the family’s livelihood.