Visiting Shirahige Waterfall in Winter (Everything you need to know)

I just returned from a month long trip to Hokkaido, Japan. While there I spent a few days in Biei and loved every minute of this charming small town.

Shirahige waterfall is located near the town of Biei, about a 30-minute drive from Asahikawa.

(For reference, I visited in the middle of January, so very much winter.)

I didn’t rent a car so I took the train from Asahikawa to Biei which ended up being super easy and cheap. It cost me 840 Yen ($5.50). There were no trains with reserved seating available so I recommend getting there a little early to make sure you get a seat. The train ride will take about an hour.

Tip – If you are unsure if you have the right ticket or get confused at the train station there are help desks that are incredible helpful. You can confirm with them you bought the correct ticket and they will help you know which platform you need to get on.

Boarding for the trains in Hokkaido always started about 15 minutes before the train leaves. They always leave on time. There are places to put your luggage on the trains, or if the train isn’t crowded you can just keep it with you.

You will arrive at Biei Station. I arrived right as the sun was setting (around 4 pm).

I was a little taken back by all the tourists gathered around the train station taking pictures. I guess I thought since it was the middle of winter it would be the “off- season”. I was wrong. There are still tons of tourists that visit Biei in the winter.

How to get to the Shirahige Waterfall without a car

There are two ways to get to Shirahige Waterfall without renting a car. You can take the bus, or hire a taxi. The bus option is much cheaper.

For some reason I couldn’t find the bus schedule online but luckily it was posted at the Tourist Information Center located right outside Biei Station. Check out the exact location on google maps here.

You will want to take the Dohoku Bus. When I was there, there were 10 buses a day heading toward the Blue Pond and Shirahige Waterfall.

The first bus left at 6:55 am and the last bus of the day left at 5:35 pm. The bus schedules change depending on the season so make sure to check while you are there.

Note – The bus you take to get to the waterfall is the same bus you take to get to the Blue Pond. And no, you can’t really walk between them. Too far.

The bus stop to get to Shirahige waterfall is not at the train station. It is right in front of the Asahikawa bank (Shinkin Bank Biei Branch), just a two minute walk from the train station. Find the exact location here on google maps.

I recommend getting to the bus stop at least 10-15 minutes early if you want a seat on the bus. The line, especially on the weekends, gets super long. I got there 15 minutes early and had no problem getting a seat on the bus. The bus arrives about 5 minutes before it leaves.

Thankfully, the buses take cash or card. Paying is easy. You just tap your card to pay when getting off the bus. Even though you pay when getting off the bus for some reason I was told you have to tap your card when getting on and getting off. Not sure why.

Get off at the Shirogane Onsen bus stop for Shirahige Waterfall. It is the last stop on the bus route, and just 8 minutes past the Shirogane Blue Pond stop.

The Shirogane Onsen bus stop is located right across the street from the waterfall. You do not have to pay anything to enter. Just walk across the street, down the stairs to the bridge. From there you can enjoy beautiful views of the waterfall from both ends of the bridge.

What to Expect at Shirahige Waterfall

The best spot to view the waterfall is from the bridge near the onsen. From there, you get a full panoramic view of the falls and the surrounding landscape.

More than the Blue Pond in the winter I would say Shirahige Waterfall is definitely worth prioritizing. Especially during the day. I sent my mom a video of the falls and she said “that is the most beautiful waterfall I have ever seen.” It really is stunning.

The bright blue water never freeze, even in the winter since it is hot spring water. And yes, this is a tourist trap – but a worth while one. You take the crowds and tour buses that come with it because it is worth it. 

Also known as the “White Beard Waterfall,” this cascading water turns cobalt blue in the basin. There is a bridge that you can stand on to get photos of the waterfall from above.

At night they do something called a “Winter Illumination” where they light up the Blue Pond and Shirahige waterfall. Definitely worth checking out if you have the time.

• The water never freezes because the water is warm from spring water.
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• The Shirahige Waterfalls are out in the middle of nowhere. But you can grab the bus from JR Biei Station to Shirahige Waterfall by boarding the Dohoku Bus for 650JPY and getting off at the Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel. From there, It’s only a 2 minute walk.

There are a few vendors selling food and ice cream just outside the bridge. Also, make sure you stop to take pictures infront of the iconic vending machines located to the right of the bus stop.

The bus stop to get back to Biei is on the other side of the road from where you got dropped off.