Biei, Hokkaido / 白金青い池

Shirogane Blue Pond

A pond formed behind an erosion-control dam below Mt. Tokachi, whose water looks strikingly blue among standing dead larches.

Blue water with standing dead larches, and green forest behind — Shirogane Blue Pond in summerPhoto: AndyLeungHK / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 (resized) · Terms of use · Source

Last official check

25 Sept 2026

Traveler reports

Reports open in Phase 2

Next scheduled check

24 Dec 2026

Before you go

Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.

Opening hours: Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Closed: Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Admission: Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Getting there: About 20 min from JR Biei Station by car or Dohoku bus (a one-day Biei-Shirogane bus pass is sold). You cannot turn right into the car park: follow Route 966, turn left at the junction near Kaikuugama onto the Bibougahara-Birke town road, then turn left into the car park (from Shirogane Onsen, turn right at that junction).
Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site
Parking: The Blue Pond car park uses automatic gates (please use the pre-payment machine). From July 1, 2026, per visit: motorcycles 300 yen, cars (incl. compact and kei cars) 1,000 yen, large vehicles (6 m+) 6,000 yen. Hours: May 1 - October 22, 7:00-19:00; October 23 - April, 8:00-21:30. Large vehicles use a separate entrance.
Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site
Payment: Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Accessibility: Accessible walking routes and assistance booking are offered through the Universal MaaS trial (external pages).
Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site

Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know

Official site: https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/shirogane-blue-pond

Location

Smaller pins are other spots nearby.

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Nearby spots

Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.

Crowds

Crowd level: Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
Best time to visit: Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
Peak time: The busiest time is 13:00-15:00 on sunny days; go in the morning to avoid afternoon traffic, especially at weekends.
Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site
Busiest days: Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
Busiest season: Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
Latest traveler report: None yet

After snowmelt in spring or heavy rain the water can look cloudy rather than blue; in winter the surface is under snow.Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site

Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).

Visiting respectfully

Local etiquetteThe pond is lit up in winter: from October 22, 2026 to April 21, 2027, from 17:00 (October-November), 16:30 (December), 17:00 (January), 17:30 (February), 18:00 (March) or 18:30 (April) until 21:00. It may be cancelled in bad weather.Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site
RulesStay in designated areas and never enter the pond.Checked 25 Sept 2026 on the official site

Verification log

25 Sept 2026First check · Local government · https://town.biei.hokkaido.jp/culture/event/illuminate.htmlHours and seasons read from the local government's site.
25 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/shirogane-blue-pondHours, access, cautions and rules, booking and crowds, seasons, description and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.
25 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/18604Access and parking read from a tourism organization's site.
25 Sept 2026First check · Local government · https://www.town.biei.hokkaido.jp/culture/event/news/bluepondpaidparking.htmlHours, fees, access and parking read from the local government's site.