An aerial view of the historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. — Photos: Airbnb
It's an unusual experience, to say the least, that Airbnb has decided to offer to travellers in search of an authentic getaway.
This summer, the accommodation giant is offering guests the chance to spend the night in an authentic Japanese village, where it's usually impossible for tourists to bunk down. What's more, the stay will cost nothing at all.
From the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, to the Louvre, Barbie's Dreamhouse or the Home Alone house, for several years, Airbnb has been reaching out to travellers in search of unusual experiences by proposing unusual, if not iconic, accommodation options. In fact, the booking platform no longer just lists vacation rentals. It now offers extraordinary experiences, with accommodation options that have their own section on the site. These include cabins, castles, caves, barns, shipping containers and more.
The American company has made the "out-of-the-ordinary" its new marketing strategy. By focusing on experiences rather than simple rentals, the platform has strengthened its local and alternative offerings at a time when mass tourism is increasingly being criticized for its harmful effects on the environment.
The site's latest find ticks all the boxes, promising an otherwise unattainable trip for the modest sum of zero dollars. This time, the destination is Japan in Toyama Prefecture, which is around 350km from Tokyo.
Airbnb is giving travellers the chance to stay Suganuma, one of the villages located within the Unesco "historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama".
Suganuma is a historic village where, until now, it was impossible for travellers to spend the night. The destination is usually returned to its residents when visitors leave at the end of the day.
A Gassho-style house at Suganuma.
And with just nine houses, there aren't many residents who can enjoy the tranquillity of this authentic site nestled in Japan's high mountains, and cooled by the Sho River.
In tourist guides, the 170-year-old Suganuma is described as a hidden-away spot, since there is no tourist accommodation on offer at all.
For five generations, the Nakashima family has owned one of these thatched-roof buildings in the Gassho-zukuri building style. This architectural approach was designed to withstand the test of time, and above all, the elements, since winters can be harsh and particularly snowy in this part of the world. And it's precisely in the Nakashima house that Airbnb is offering guests the opportunity to enjoy a truly unique and timeless experience.
