Hakusan Shirakawago White Road

What to know

The Hakusan Shirakawago White Road (白山白川郷ホワイトロード), formerly the Hakusan Super Rindo, is a winding mountain toll road connecting Hakusan City in Ishikawa Prefecture with Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture. This well-maintained, 33.3-kilometer road climbs to over 1,400 meters above sea level, offering sweeping panoramic views, hiking trails, and several waterfalls along the way. The road is fully open from mid-July to early November, with partial access on the Ishikawa side from mid-June. Summer brings lush green forests, but autumn is the peak season when the trees burst into vibrant colors (koyo). The leaves start changing at higher elevations in late September and gradually descend over about a month. On the Gifu side, the road is extremely curvy with few stops, quickly gaining elevation toward a tunnel connecting the two prefectures. A 40-minute hiking trail from the tunnel entrance leads to the summit of Sanboiwadake, a 1,736-meter peak. From there, the trail continues another 15 hours to the summit of Mount Hakusan. The Ishikawa side passes several waterfalls, the largest being Fukubeno Otaki, an 86-meter cascade right next to the road. The highlight, however, may be the riverside Oyadaninoyu hot spring. This mixed-gender bath is a steep 15-minute walk down into the valley and offers beautiful views of Ubagataki Waterfall across the river. Note there are no changing facilities, and the bath is visible from the trail to the waterfall. Oyadaninoyu hot spring across from Ubagataki Waterfall The road takes about one hour to drive without stops. How to get to and around Kaga Onsen and Hakusan Hours 7:00 to 19:00 (mid-June to August) 8:00 to 18:00 (September to November 10) Last entry is one hour before closing. Closed November 10 to mid-June Admission 1,700 yen (one way), 2,600 yen (round trip) Questions? Ask in our forum.