Travel in Toyama
Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Gokayama
Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Gokayama · Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village · 菅沼合掌造り集落
Walk through Gokayama’s Suganuma to see its gassho houses. This village in Nanto is still home to residents.
Visit during daylight and, if you want to see inside, choose an exhibition facility open to visitors. Do not enter residents’ homes without permission.
Official sources Official village access guide Official Suganuma tourism guide
Visitor information
Admission
No separate admission fee is listed for walking through the village. Vehicles pay a conservation contribution: JPY 1,000 for standard and kei cars, JPY 300 for motorcycles, JPY 3,000 for medium buses and JPY 5,000 for large buses. The standard and kei car fee took effect on October 1, 2025. It is a vehicle charge, not an individual admission fee for bus visitors. Bus fares, indoor exhibitions and meals cost extra.
Opening hours
Village visiting hours are 08:00–17:00 from April to November and 09:00–17:00 from December to March. Enter the car park by 16:00. The village closes on December 31 and January 1. Check individual exhibition and restaurant hours separately.
What to see at Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Gokayama
Walk through the village to see gassho houses
Explore the village on foot to see its gassho houses. For an indoor exhibition, check that facility’s hours and fees separately. Distinguish residents’ homes from facilities open to visitors.
Official Suganuma tourism guide Official village access guide
How to get to Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Gokayama
Take the World Heritage Bus from bay 7 in front of Takaoka Station and get off at Suganuma. The tourism information lists a walk of about one minute from the stop to the village. Use the Takaoka-bound stop for the return journey. Check the official area map for the village entrance route and return boarding point, then confirm services and unreserved seating conditions for your date. Contact the village if you need a step-free route.
Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide Currently linked outbound World Heritage Bus timetable, revised April 1, 2025 Currently linked inbound World Heritage Bus timetable, revised April 1, 2025 Stops and area map on the village’s official access page Official Suganuma tourism guide
Visiting tips
Find the bus stop for your return journey
Board the return World Heritage Bus at the Takaoka-bound stop. Check its location on the official area map. If staying in Toyama, also check the train connection from Takaoka back to Toyama. Contact the village if you need a step-free route.
Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide Stops and area map on the village’s official access page Official Suganuma tourism guide
Visit the village during daylight
Avoid visiting after sunset. Exhibition facilities and restaurants may have different hours from the village, so check the places you want to visit and return to the stop in time for your bus.
Official Suganuma tourism guide Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide
Using the Gokayama Free Pass
The Gokayama Free Pass costs JPY 2,800 for adults and is valid for two days from first use. It covers the World Heritage Bus between Takaoka Station or Shin-Takaoka Station and Sasara-kan-mae. It excludes Toyama–Takaoka rail travel, accommodation, indoor exhibitions and meals. It cannot be combined with a reserved-seat ticket and does not guarantee a seat.
Questions about Suganuma Gassho-zukuri Village in Gokayama
Do bus visitors have to pay the vehicle conservation contribution?
The vehicle conservation contribution is not an individual admission fee for each visitor arriving by bus. Bus fares are separate, as are any indoor exhibition fees and meals.
Official village access guide Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide
Does buying the Gokayama Free Pass secure a bus seat?
The pass alone does not secure a seat. It cannot be combined with a reserved-seat ticket, so check unreserved seating conditions and your return bus for the travel date first.
Official sources
- Official sources ·
- Official village access guide ·
- Official Suganuma tourism guide ·
- Kaetsuno World Heritage Bus guide ·
- Currently linked outbound World Heritage Bus timetable, revised April 1, 2025 ·
- Currently linked inbound World Heritage Bus timetable, revised April 1, 2025 ·
- Stops and area map on the village’s official access page ·
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