Hakusan Shirakawa-go White, a tourist toll road in Japan

Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road is a very scenic drive located in central Japan. It's a beautiful, scenic winding mountain toll road, especially in autumn as the leaves are changing.

Hakusan Shirakawa-go White Road

The road was formerly known as Hakusan Super Rindo Forest Road and links Hakusan City in Ishikawa Prefecture with Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture. This tourist toll road winds its way through dramatic mountain scenery. It's 33.3km long and rises to over 1400 meters above sea level. The road is open from early June through mid November. Season: June 1 to November 10 (it might change with weather reason.) Open: From June to August 7:00 to 18:00. From September to November 8:00 to 17:00.

Make sure you leave enough time to make plenty of stops along the way. It offers visitors sweeping panoramic views, hiking trails and a variety of waterfalls along the way. The road is beautiful during the summer when the surrounding forests are lush and green; however, it is at its best during the autumn months.
The road is paved and opened in 1977. Usually it takes about one hour to drive. It is a road exclusively used by cars, and pedestrians and two-wheeled vehicles cannot enter as a general rule. The road features several tunnels. The speed limit is 30km/h. The road encompasses miles of stunning views through twisty hair pin corners, high elevations and steep grades. It’s a sightseeing route through the adjacent alpine nature reserve of Hakusan National Park. On the Gifu side of the mountains the road is extremely curvy and there are few stops along the way. The road quickly gains elevation leading to a tunnel that connects the two prefectures.
Pic: 林志安