Hakusan Shirakawago White Road 　白山白川郷ホワイトロード

Nov. 2nd. 2025

Michi no eki Hida-Hakusan

A peaceful night at michi no eki hida-Hakusan. We have stayed here probably 3 times and, now twice, someone has set up a tent in a parking area. This time under the roof of the handicapped parking. I feel a fool not using such space on wet nights but I just can’t do it. 

Hakusan Shirakawago White Road

Today we plan to drive the White Road. This is a toll road currently, 1,700 yen, that links Gifu to Ishikawa ken. The toll is high but the route is long and very spectacular and in this kouyo season (autumn leaves) well worth the expenditure.

Hakusan Shirakawago White Road The degree of colour in the leaves is, of course, a matter of chance but it is a great road to drive in any season it is open. This year, 2025, it opened on July 11th. and will close on November 11th.

There are numerous places to stop, take pictures or just admire the view. Today was the middle of a 3 day weekend in peak season, but the traffic was only a little more than sparse.

This time we didn’t spot a Kamoshika (Japanese serow), as we did a few years ago, just a few monkeys.

Shirakawa-go

On our way to the White Road we passed Shirakawa-go. Already, just after 9am, it was awash with people. This used to be a wonderful spot but World Heritage status has devastated it.

40 years ago, on a motor cycle trip, we stayed a couple of days in one of the huge thatched houses. Then, we were the only visitors in the whole village and few Japanese people were even aware of its existence. How times change.

Yumeore Katsuyama

The day continues mostly damp with some serious showers, so we hit the coin laundry in Katsuyama, shop and consider our best choice for the night.

Killing time, waiting for the washing, we visit Yumeore Katsuyama, the local museum. This celebrates the silk weaving industry that used to thrive in the town. Small, but surprisingly interesting with old machines running.

Michi no eki Zen no sato

For the night we check michi no eki Katsuyama, normally a good spot but not in the wet so we decide on Zen no Sato. This has an onsen but, nevertheless, we are able to park close to a roof without problem so getting wet in the night is not an issue.

The onsen is small and the changing room overcrowded but it is a 3 day weekend so normally this would not be the case. The couple running the onsen were noticeably charming.

The michi no eki has bear warnings and notices about cooking and food waste, possibly just this particular year.

＊Eiheiji onsen Zen no sato ; 600 yen / adult