The largest gasshō-zukuri house in Shirakawa-go opens its doors to let you inside the life of a wealthy Edo-period silk-trading family. Wada-ke is a designated National Treasure, and climbing the steep interior stairs you'll find silk harvesting equipment and a valuable lacquerware collection tucked under the massive thatch. The smell of old wood and the creak of the floorboards beneath your feet make the history tangible in a way no museum case ever could.