TOKYO, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A traditional Japanese-style building in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Gokayama in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan, caught fire Thursday, local media reported.
The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. local time at a triangular-shaped farmhouse in Nanto City that serves as a museum on the production of a key gunpowder ingredient, Kyodo News reported.
The blaze was brought under control about 50 minutes later. No one was injured, according to the local police and fire department.
The building is part of the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama, which span Gifu and neighboring Toyama prefectures. The villages, known for their traditional houses with steeply pitched thatched roofs, were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. ■
