Hakusan Shirakawa-go

Hakusan-Shirakawa-go White Road is a scenic mountain toll road winding through the northern Japan Alps between Ishikawa and Gifu prefectures. The drive passes waterfalls, old-growth beech forest, and hot spring areas, with pullouts offering views deep into the valleys below. Autumn is spectacular, when the canopy erupts in layers of orange, red, and gold against the dark evergreens. The road is seasonal, typically open June through November, and connects naturally with a visit to the UNESCO-listed thatched villages of Shirakawa-go.