Overview
- A thatched gassho‑zukuri building in Suganuma village caught fire on Thursday and local fire crews reported the blaze was brought under control about 50 minutes after the first 119 call.
- The building was the Saltpeter Museum, which displays the history of saltpeter production, and part of its thatched roof was burned while the rest of the structure was spared major damage.
- Firefighters said there were no injuries and they declared the fire fully extinguished by late afternoon after continued operations and use of ladder equipment.
- An employee at a nearby café and other witnesses said tourists were present but there was no visible panic as emergency teams worked to contain the flames.
- Suganuma is one of three villages in the Shirakawa‑go/Gokayama World Cultural Heritage listing and local and prefectural authorities will inspect damage and investigate the detailed cause, with repairs and heritage preservation efforts expected to follow.