September 9, 2025. Biei, Japan.
Today we spent the day exploring Biei, Japan, a quaint village at the center of Hokkaido. Listed as one of “Japan’s most beautiful Villages,” it’s easy to see why. Biei itself offers peace and quiet, but just beyond it lies a network of roads that lead to some of the most stunning places in Hokkaido.
The roads themselves offer incredible views. For instance, Patchwork Road, located northwest of the town, gets its name from fields of different crops and flowers that create a colorful, quilt-like pattern. It is also home to several iconic trees made famous in advertisements, such as the “Ken and Mary Tree” and the “Seven Stars Tree.”
We, however, headed in the opposite direction, to the southeast and into Daisetsuzan National Park. We planned several stops, but our final destination was Mount Tokachi, an active volcano and the highest peak in the Tokachi Volcanic Group.
Our first stop was the Shirogane Blue Pond. This man-made pond, a result of an erosion control system, is famous for its mystical, cobalt-blue water, a color caused by natural minerals from a nearby waterfall.
We then parked our car in the center of Shirogane and hiked to Shirogane Fudo-no-Taki Falls. The trail was lined with Buddhas of all sizes and shapes, and the waterfall itself is protected by Fudō Myōō, also known as Acala Vidyaraja, an important and widely revered deity in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism. The location is a well-known spiritual spot and is part of the Shirogane New Shikoku Pilgrimage, which features several stone Buddhist statues along the route to the falls, with Fudō Myōō being a prominent figure among them.
After our hike, we returned to the center of town to admire the Shirahige Falls, which translates to “White Beard Waterfall.” From the bridge high above the Biei River, we got an incredible bird’s-eye view of this stunning natural landmark. The falls get their name from the way the water powerfully cascades from cracks in the cliff face, creating a series of white, flowing streams that resemble a long, wispy beard. What makes Shirahige Falls particularly unique is its source: it is one of the few waterfalls in Japan that is fed by a subterranean river. The falls are a key contributor to the famous “Biei Blue” of the area. The mineral-rich water from Shirahige Falls flows directly into the Biei River, and it’s this mineral content that gives the river and the nearby Blue Pond their striking cobalt-blue color.
Toward the end of the day, we arrived at our final destination, Mount Tokachi (Tokachi-dake). Mount Tokachi is an active stratovolcano, rising to an elevation of 2,077 meters, making it the highest peak in the Tokachi Volcanic Group. Volcanic activity is obvious here, with plumes of smoke rising from the top. We were surprised to see that, like other mountains here, a trail leads right up to the craters. Unprepared but hopeful, we started our hike up the mountain. An hour later, we were faced with strong and cold winds that were stronger than our desire to peer into the craters of Tokachi-dake. With the hope of returning, we turned back and headed down the mountain. We were welcomed back to the parking lot by a herd of Sika Deer.
Exploring Biei is something that would take several days. Staying at an Onsen Hotel in the Shirogane district would be a great choice, as it’s right in the middle of the park and only minutes from all the hiking trails, offering a perfect place to soak after a hard day on the mountain.
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