[Shirahige Falls in Biei] Blue Upstream of Blue Pond

Shirahige Falls

Shirahige Falls (白ひげの滝) is a waterfall at about 600 m above sea level in Shirogane Onsen, Biei town located in the southeastern part of Asahikawa city, and was named after splashes of the falls like the white mustache. It is the rare waterfall in Japan that underground water drops from cracks of rocks, and is one of famous falls together with Furepe Falls (乙女の滝) in Shiretoko Peninsula and Funbe Falls (フンベの滝) in Hiroo in Hokkaido. By the way, Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel (湯元白金温泉ホテル) is built on the falls. Admission free. As for a parking lot, visitors can park at Shirogane Tourist Information Center or a community parking lot. A restroom is provided at the Shirogane Tourist Information Center, too.

The Shirahige Falls is located on the upper stream of Blue Pond (青い池). After water containing aluminum flows into Biei River from the falls and ground water in the Shirogane Onsen, and is mixed with hot springs containing sulfur or Iou River (硫黄川) containing the sulfur, colloidal that diffuses the sunlight are created in the river, and down the river from the confluence of the Iou River and the Biei River looks blue, so it is called "Blue River". Its water is clear and colorless, and is harmless to human bodies. By the way, Shirogane Dam (白金ダム), Shirogane Fudo Falls (白金不動の滝), Road Station "Biei Biruke" (道の駅びえい「白金ビルケ」), Bogakudai (望岳台) and the Blue Pond are relatively near here.

Blue Pond

Blue Pond (青い池) is a man-made pond near Shirakaba Road (白樺街道 * Hokkaido Road 966) in Shirogane district, Biei town located in the southeastern part of Asahikawa city, and is surrounded by trees at about 500 m above sea level. The depth of water is from 2.5m to 5m. An unpaved parking lot and unpaved walks are built on the site, too. There are not a food stall and a restroom. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. The walks are rough, so you should wear comfortable shoes. Please drive slowly not to raise a thick cloud of dust on the parking lot. The Shirakaba Road is often a traffic jam on consecutive holidays or weekends. By the way, Shirogane Dam (白金ダム), Shirogane Fudo Falls (白金不動の滝), Road Station "Biei Biruke" (道の駅びえい「白金ビルケ」), Bogakudai (望岳台), Shirahiige Falls (白ひげの滝) and Shirogane Onsen (白金温泉) are relatively near here. Article is here

Bogakudai

Bogakudai (望岳台) is a lookout in the middle between Shirogane Onsen (白金温泉) and Fukiage Onsen (吹上温泉) linked by Hokkaido Road 996 in Biei town located in the southern part of Asahikawa city. In the Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園), There are a trailhead for Tokachidake Mountain Range, a large parking lot, walks and a shelter in the mountainside at about 930 above sea level. A observation deck is not built. The shelter built in 2016 has a resting place, too, and a restroom is provided for free, too. The walks are built around the Bogakudai, but there are some places closed to the public because a bridge is broken. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. * The road between the Bogakudai and the Shirogane Onsen is closed to traffic from mid October to mid May. Article is here

Shirogane Onsen

Shirogane Onsen (白金温泉) is a popular hot-spring resort in Biei town located in the southern part of Asahikawa city. Three-hundred thousand people visit here every year. It is a base for sightseeing in the western part of the Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園), and there are trailheads of Tokachidake Mountain Range including Mt. Tokachidake, Mt. Oputashike, Mt. Bieidake and Mt. Furanodake, near the Shirogane Onsen, so a lot of climbers as well as bathers come, too. There are 5 accommodations in a white birch forest, some trail pathes are built around those, too, and the tourists can enjoy great outdoors of Daisetsuzan. In addition, there are Shirogane Tourist information Center (白金観光センター案内所), Rindo Shokudo (林道食堂), Nagai Souvenir Shop (永井商店), Taisetsu Youth Recreation Hall (大雪青年交流の家) and Shirogane Campsite (国設白金野営場), too. By the way, the Shirogane Onsen is not so large, convenience stores are not built. Article is here

Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) in the center of Hokkaido is the largest national park in Japan, the size of 226,764 ha, and has been designed as the national park since 1934, and is the oldest national park in the Hokkaido along with Akan Mashu National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園). A mountain named Daisetsuzan does not exist, and the whole area including the mountains with over 2,000 m above sea level such as Mt. Asahidake (旭岳), the highest mountain in Hokkaido, Mt. Kurodake (黒岳), Mt. Aibestudake (愛別岳), Mt. Tomuraushi (トムラウシ山) is collectively called "Daisetsuzan", and those are called "A roof of the Hokkaido" ,too. Rare nature such as active volcanoes, Lare Columnar joints, a sea of trees and permafrost even in the Hokkaido can be seen. About 250 types of alpine plants grow naturally, and various forms of life such as brown bear, blakiston's fish owl, dolly varden and pine grosbeak inhabit here. By the way, A right notation is "Daisetsuzan", but local people often call "Taisetsuzan". Article is here