No Thoroughfare!

At Shirakawa-go, we wanted to climb up to the observatory to overlook the view of beautiful farmhouses, only to find that the path we had checked on the map was closed (probably it was only for summer months?). This sign was spotted at the path, giving me the word, thoroughfare. I didn't know the word and so I had to look it up in my dictionary. I've never seen it used in signs either; No Entry would be a more common sign that has the same communicative purpose.

After taking a break at a nearby cafe called Hina that served a splendid cheesecake, we took the alternative way to the observatory and enjoyed the view from the top.