What to know
The Blue Pond (青い池, Aoiike), located near the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen, gets its striking deep blue color from natural minerals dissolved in the water. Though not heavily promoted as a tourist spot until recently, the pond is actually part of an erosion control system designed to protect Biei in the event of an eruption from nearby Mount Tokachidake.
Aside from a parking lot, the pond has seen little tourist development. Visitors can walk through the forest to reach the pond in about 5–10 minutes. Once there, the main activity is simply enjoying the scenery, which also includes some concrete structures of the erosion control system. In winter, the pond is illuminated from late October to late April (October 25, 2025 to April 23, 2026) from sunset until 9:00 pm.
The Blue Pond is situated along prefectural road 966, which connects central Biei with Tokachidake Onsen via Shirogane Onsen. A parking lot (500 yen per car) is located next to the road, and from there it's a 5–10 minute walk to the pond.
Buses running between Biei Station and Shirogane Onsen stop at the Shirogane Aoiike Iriguchi (白金青い池入口) bus stop. The one-way trip from Biei Station takes about 20 minutes and costs 800 yen. Buses run every 1–2 hours. In summer, the Blue Pond is also visited by some sightseeing buses.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- Always open (parking lot open 7:00–19:00 May–Oct, 8:00–21:30 Nov–Apr)
- Closed
- No closing days
- Admission
- Free (parking 500 yen (~$3.2) per car)
- English name
- Original name
- Blue Pond (Aoiike)
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.