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Natural attraction · Biei, Hokkaido
Blue Pond
An artificial lake at the foot of the Tokachi mountain range, with milky-blue water and dead larch trunks rising from the surface. The color comes from minerals in the hot-spring water. A few minutes away are Shirahige Falls and the Shirogane hot springs.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
A look at the place
Blue Pond in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Discover
About Blue Pond
Shirogane’s Blue Pond, Aoi-ike in Japanese, was formed after Mount Tokachi’s 1988 eruption, when dams were built on the Biei River to contain volcanic mudflows. The dammed water flooded a larch forest, and the trees died standing. The milky-blue color comes from particles of aluminum compounds carried by the region’s hot-spring water, which scatter the light.
The shade changes with the light, the season and the amount of rain: on clear days it is usually more intense; after heavy rain it can turn greenish or turbid. A flat trail skirts part of the shore and leads to viewpoints over the dead trunks reflected in the water. Parking is a few minutes’ walk from the shore, and a center with shops and restrooms serves visitors arriving by bus.
In winter the pond freezes and is covered in snow. For part of the season the area is often lit up at night, with the trunks illuminated on the ice. In spring and autumn, the colors of the surrounding trees change the scene.
About 3 km up the road are the Shirogane hot springs and Shirahige Falls, which drops from a rock fissure directly into the Biei River, also with bluish water. A bridge over the river serves as a lookout. Trails toward Mount Tokachi, still active, start from there and require mountain preparation.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 30 minutes to 1 hour; add 30 minutes to reach Shirahige Falls.
Best time
In the morning, when it’s sunny and there is little wind, as the water is usually bluer and the reflection sharper. The color is more visible from May to October; in winter the pond freezes and there may be nighttime lighting for part of the season. Check the dates before you go.
How to get there
It is about 17 km from central Biei, on the way to Shirogane Onsen. By car, about 20 minutes, with paid parking. The bus from Biei Station to Shirogane Onsen stops at the pond; check the schedules, which are infrequent.
Tip
Arrive early, before the tour buses, and combine the visit with Shirahige Falls on the same road. Do not step off the trail or touch the trunks: the shoreline soil is fragile.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Blue Pond
Why is Biei’s Blue Pond blue?
The water carries particles of aluminum compounds from the area’s hot springs, which scatter the light and give it a milky-blue hue. The color changes over time and can turn greenish after rain.
How to reach the Blue Pond without a car?
Take the bus from Biei Station to Shirogane Onsen, which stops at the pond in about 20 minutes. Services are infrequent; check the return times before you go.
Does the Blue Pond look good in winter?
It freezes and is covered by snow, so the blue color does not appear. In part of the season there is often illumination of the trunks on the ice at night; check the dates.
What’s near the Blue Pond?
Shirahige Falls and the Shirogane hot springs, about 3 km up the road, and trails heading toward Mount Tokachi.
Beyond the guide
