Original Gasshō-style Home

Standing in Ainokura village of Nanto, Toyama prefecture is the “original gasshō-style”. Built in the late Edo period, the Ainokura village’s gasshō-style homes are said to be based off this original type. In the past, there were a few of these throughout the village, however, now there is only one of the original gasshō type homes still standing. A distinctive trait of the original gassho-style is the steeply sloped roof that reaches the ground.  The homes in the Ainokura area developed with the original gasshō-style as their base, and eventually the style transformed to a multi-storied house. People lived in the original gasshō-style homes up until the early Shōwa era. Today, the interior is not able to be toured. Nearby are the Ainokura Folklore Museum, Ainokura Traditional Industries Museum, and Gokayama Washi Papermaking Workshop, where visitors can learn about the history and life style of the gasshō-style villages at these facilities.