The Shirogane Blue Pond is a manmade phenomenon resulting from the installation of a block dam on the Biei River. This was needed to halt a mudflow that poured out of active volcano Mount Tokachi during its 1988 eruption. The exquisite tourist attraction we know today is nothing more than an accidental byproduct!

While the pond appears blue, the water itself has no color at all. Scientists have discovered that the aluminum contained in the upper streams of the nearby Shirogane Onsen has mixed with water from the Biei River, resulting in a colloid state. While it sounds sciency, it simply means that the aluminum is evenly and thoroughly dispersed within the water. These floating particles catch the rays of the sun and send off short, easily scattered wavelengths which are intercepted by our eyes as the color blue.

On the main road in front of Biei Station is a bus stop heading to Shirogane・Oyuki Seinen no Ie. Take this bus and get off at Shirogane Aoi Ike Iriguchi. The journey will take about 20 minutes. The busses stopping here are very limited, so be sure to have a copy of the schedule before embarking on your trip. Even busses following the same line may skip this stop, so do be extra careful! 　

From the bus stop is a road leading to the pond’s car park. The ground is a little uneven here, so watch your step!

If you’re coming by car, the corresponding carpark has 270 spaces. However, you’ll need to pay for a spot.

There are plenty of signs letting you know the route through the carpark.

Other than the designated tracks leading down to the pond, the space between the road and the pond is largely fenced off. These tracks have no steps and the railing is wonky, so pay extra attention here!

Encompassing the pond are a number of small paths covered with white birch trees. Each path provides a unique angle of the pond, so be sure to explore! Some don’t have any fencing, so be careful not to fall in!

Depending on the time and weather, combined with the angle, the color of the pond will change. We’ll let you know our impressions of each condition we experienced, along with some pointers on how to get the perfect photograph!

Low winds and a calm, flat surface allowed us to capture the surrounding mountains and trees beautifully reflected in the Blue Pond. As the morning sun rose and the light hit the mountains, these reflections grew even more dazzling! There aren’t many people around at this time, so it’s ideal for hobbyists looking to photograph thoroughly and slowly!

Unfortunately, overcast days reflect clouds on the water’s surface, making the pond appear shallow and dull. However, by thinking outside the box, capturing stunning pictures of the pond is not impossible!

One way is to use the camera’s zoom function and focus in on the reflections of the mountains while cutting out parts of the overcast sky.

By focusing on these sections, you can photograph the pond with a unique green-tinged blue surface.

This early afternoon phase is gifted with dazzling sunshine from the soaring midday sun. The greenness of the mountains and blueness of the pond are at their peak.

If you’re wanting to go above and beyond to get the best photographs, you’ve got to do a little exploring! During our search, we found wide openings in the trees, places with blooming flowers, and a lookout covering the entire scene!

For those with the function on their smartphone or camera, we recommend getting some panorama shots if there are no crowds.

During spring, the Blue Pond is often tinged with a greenish hue after a fresh topping up of water from the melting snow. Once summer arrives, days where the pond turns its famous light blue are at their most frequent, offering a brilliant contrast from the surrounding green mountains. From late September to early October autumn foliage will emerge, interweaving red and yellow into the pond and forming a delightfully colorful landscape.

November marks the beginning of snow in Hokkaido, and the birch trees will soon be covered with white powder. From December to mid-April, the pond will freeze over, snow will accumulate, and the entire region will be at the mercy of winter. During this period, the pond is lit up to display an enchanting, mystical display.

Shirahige Waterfall, which means ‘white-beard waterfall’ in Japanese, was named due to the streams of water falling into the river resembling a white beard. This waterfall, which has a sizable drop of 30 meters, is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area. At the bottom of the waterfall flows the Biei River, which has become a popular photo spot due to its brilliant cobalt blue water.

It can be easily reached with just a 3-minute walk from the Biei Shirogane Onsen bus stop, or a 1-2-minute walk from the free public carpark nearby.

If you look down while crossing the Blue River Bridge, you’ll be able to view both the Shirahige Waterfall and the Biei River.

During autumn, stunning views of the red, orange, and yellow fall leaves against the blueness of the river make for a magnificent sight!

In winter, the waterfall splashes onto the surrounding trees and freezes - creating frozen trees!

At night, the Shirahige Waterfall is illuminated. This spectacle, completely different from the day, is a must-see! The illumination occurs year-round.

About 2km from the Shirogane Blue Pond lies the Biei Roadside Rest Area: Shirogane BIRKE. Here you can unwind and scratch that shopping itch! You can also use their interactive monitor to get local tourist information.

You can get to the Rest Area via bus or car. If you decide on the bus, take the line heading to Asahikawa from the Shirogane Aoi Ike Iriguchi bus stop just outside the Blue Pond. Get off at Michi no Eki Shirogane Birke. Similarly to the Blue Pond, the number of services to the Rest Area are few and far between, with many heading in the same direction but passing straight through. Please take care not to get lost!

The bright and spacious building is packed with Biei souvenirs!

To help prevent the spread of coronavirus, hand sanitizer is placed at the entrance and plastic barrier sheets are hung at the register.

There are tons of Blue Pond goods on sale! On the left in the photo above are ‘ramune’ flavored Blue Pond manjū (\680 tax-included). In the middle are Blue Pond towels made from Biei’s renowned local wheat (3-pack \518 tax-included). To the right is ‘Blue Hawaii’ flavored Blue Pond soda (1 bottle \210 tax-included).

One of Biei’s mascots is a special ‘mokeke,’ a cute aquatic version of the beloved character often sold at tourist attractions throughout Japan (limited-edition \660 tax-included). This cheeky little guy has fans across the country and is one of their biggest hits!

Nearby is ‘BETWEEN THE BREAD,’ a scrumptious burger outlet specializing in take-out. They also offer an outdoor ‘forest picnic’ experience on their lush, naturally forested patio, or you can enjoy your meal inside the store.

BETWEEN THE BREAD is all about using local ingredients for their magnificent burgers. For first-timers, we’d recommend their mouth-watering ‘rare-bacon burger’ (\1,598 tax-included). It boasts 100% local Biei pork perfectly fried into juicy bacon strips sandwiched between two buns of local Biei wheat. From the first bite, you know there won’t be any leftovers!

This store also provides hand sanitizer, along with a plastic sheet across the counter to help fight against the spread of coronavirus.

Our final bit of advice would be, if you want to take it easy and not constantly worry about time, rental cars are the way to go! There are plenty of options found around the Biei township.

During summer, The Biei Roadside Rest Area also provide rental bikes, so if you head there first from the station via bus or taxi, you can spend the rest of your day riding around at your leisure. Be aware that there are no taxis on stand-by at the rest area, so if you’re planning to return by taxi, make sure to call in advance.

The information presented in this article is current of July 2020.