I haven’t posted to my blog in almost two months! There is a lot of stuff keeping me busy at the moment and I have hardly taken any pictures at all recently. I’ll try to update my blog more frequently (predominantly with “old” stuff) in the coming weeks though.
During the New Year’s Holidays I went to Biei, Hokkaido with a couple of friends. I have been to Biei before in autumn but it was worth visiting again, especially since the blue pond was going to be lit up in the evening.
Before taking the bus to the Blue Pond close to Biei we walked around Biei’s famous Hills. Unfortunately time was rather limited as the bus only runs three times a day.
After a 30min bus ride we arrived at the Blue Pond! In hindsight we could have guessed what we were going to see..
Of course the Blue Pond was frozen and covered with snow! It is called the Blue Pond due to the blue tint of the water, for which the cause is not known yet. We were able to see some blueish water a little bit down the stream though:
And that is what the Blue Pond is supposed to look like and approximately looked like in autumn:
Still in good spirits we decided to carry on walking to Shirogane Onsen to get some food, take a bath in the Hot Springs and see the Shirogane Waterfall.
It took us around 45min of walking along a very icy, slippery road to finally arrive at Shirogane Onsen. Luckily the Cafeteria was still open and serving good & affordable food!
The Building looked from the inside like what I think is very typical for the Japanese countryside – dated but cosy.
Before heading to the Onsen, we stopped by the Waterfall! The view of the half frozen waterfall was amazing – seemed like some kind of seen from a movie.
A part of the water from the waterfall origins from a hot spring close by which is also the source for the blueish water accumulated in the blue pond.
Diving into the Onsen afterwards was a pure bliss! We were planning to walk back to the Blue Pond to see the light-up and then take the bus back to Biei, but by pure luck the Hotel which’s Onsen we used had a free shuttle bus to the pond! We were kind of relieved because we didn’t bring proper torchlights.
This time around we actually got to see some blue colour, even if it was just projected onto the snow..
The light up in itself was really well done and the lighting changed every minute or so…
Some red was still visible in the sky..
And then we waited for the last bus of the day to Biei Station..
Next to the station they set up a huge Christmas tree, which seemed kind of lonely..
Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to subscribe to my RSS feed or follow me on Google+ if you want to be notified when I publish a new post…
Huda Solomon says:
Nice picture and info..
I am glad how you’re showing us how beautiful this place.
May i know what time is the last bus to get from the pond to Biei station?
Thank you. Have a nice day.
February 11, 2015 — 14:39
nb says:
hey! thanks for your reply! at the time the last bus at 18:19 and it still seems to be the same time. you can check here. look for 白金青い池入口 to 美瑛. let me know if u have further questions :)
February 12, 2015 — 00:19
Joanne says:
Hi, the link is not working. May I know if there is a bus from Asahikawa to Blue Pond?
August 27, 2017 — 01:35
nb says:
Hey Joanne,
yes: http://time.ajnet.ne.jp/busstop.hpml?comp=1&rno=39
I think you will be able to put that page through Google Translate. It’s bus No. 39 which leaves from Asahikawa Station at (8:35, 11:20, 14:55, 16:35)
August 30, 2017 — 11:38
Lay Hong says:
Hi may i know which onsen hotel did you go? To cut short on walking, do you think i can just head to the onsen hotel to see the waterfall n then go to see the blue pond when the lights are up at nith?
August 3, 2015 — 01:13
nb says:
Hi :)! We went to the first Hotel in sight basically: http://www.biei-hotelparkhills.com/english/index.html, it is called Hotel Park Hills. We didn’t stay there though and only used the Onsen – I think it was about 1000jpy/person. The town was kind of closed down at the time we were there, so we were not sure if the other places were still open at that time. You can definitely go to the Onsen Hotel straight away and go to the Blue Pond afterwards. Be careful of the bus time schedule though, times here.
Also, the blue pond is only illuminated during winter – after a little research I couldn’t find the time during which it will be illuminated in 2015 though, so it might not be determined yet. Nevertheless, the blue pond is also beautiful during summer (even more so perhaps) – just go before nightfall to be actually able to see the colours :)!
If you have any further questions I’d be happy to answer them!
August 3, 2015 — 17:18
Lay Hong says:
Hi,
Thanks for your reply and advice. I plan to go Furano and has a spare day, So I thought to venture to Biei after seeing your blog. The views of the pond and waterfall are spectacular. Just hope my your children will not feel awkward walking in a ‘close down’ town and wonder why their mother bring them there. Haha.
For the schedule of the shuttle bus, are you referring to Dohoku Bus (Asahikawa Station→Shirogane onsen (Dohoku Bus)), that has timing for Biei Station -> Blue Pond -> Shirogane onsen
6:55 ->7:20 -> 7:25 and returning time table from Shirogane onsen -> Blue Pond ->Biei Station 7:35 ->7:40 ->8:08. So to verify for the timing for this, will you suggest to check with the Hotel Park Hills again?
Thanks.
August 3, 2015 — 19:17
nb says:
Biei is worth a visit I think! I haven’t really been there during Summer, but I think it is not nearly as deserted as it was during winter. In Biei itself is also a visitor center (which is not small), with a lot of information on the area. So after/before visiting the Blue Pond it’s also possible to rent a bycicle and ride around in the hills surrounding the town Biei itself.
Yeah, I am referring to the Bus from Biei Station 美瑛(first one departs at 6:55) -> Blue Pond白銀温泉青い池入口(first one at 7:15) -> Shirogane Onsen白銀温泉 (first one at 7:21). Last bus to Biei Station from the Blue Pond departs at 18:19. You can of course also take a cab, but it will cost you around 5000yen.
In case you want to stay at the Onsen Hotel, definitely check with them first. Around what time are you planning to visit?
August 7, 2015 — 22:24
Zera says:
Ohayo NB ,
First of all thanks for posting this wonderful post , Biei is inside my list now….I am planing to go Hokkaido this coming Christmas till new year it is going to be my very 1st time experience snows… Haha heavy snow …And I am now working out my itinerary , will be going Solo on this trip , so I hope you can help me with my question.
1) As you mention on your post , bus runs 3 times a day in winter , can I know the exact bus time table ? I’ll be going there on the 1st of December and will be staying overnight at Hotel Park Hills .
2) Is all the Jr train station in Hokkaido has a Ticket Vending Machine ? because I will not be using Hokkaido Jr free pass for this .
3) From Blue pond walk to hotel in winter is it walkable for a person whom live in a tropical country ? Because I am planing to go to Fukiage onsen for day trip the next day .
Will be looking forward to your reply .
August 13, 2015 — 12:10
nb says:
Hey Zera! Sounds great! There will definitely be a lot – a huge amount – of snow :)! And most likely it’s going to be the fluffy, powder kind which Hokkaido is known for.
As for your questions:
1) I do not recall the exact time the bus runs, there was one in the morning, one around midday and the last one around 18’oclock. The timetables also change presumably every year, and from what I can see the timetable for this winter has not been released yet. You can find the current timetable here or here, direct link to: weekday and weekend/holiday. Bus lines 39 to 42 service Biei. Look for: 美瑛 (Biei Station), 白銀温泉(Shirogane Onsen) and 青い池 (Aoi Ike: Blue Pond). But as you will be staying at the Hotel Park Hills, they will definitely be able to help you in time with the timetable for the bus. They might even offer a shuttle bus which picks you up from Biei station but you should ask about that beforehand.
2) Not all train stations have a ticket vending machine. I think that Biei station does only have a counter but there will not always be staff there. However, in case that there is no vending machine and no staff on call you can buy the ticket inside the train. Usually you take a little slip from a machine inside the train at the time you board and you have to pay when you get off again. That is usually no problem at all. In the rare case that you will not be able to get a ticket at all (happend to me once), the staff at the station where you get off will be really understanding and you will either have to pay the normal fee there or they let you go for free.
3) The walk from the Pond to the Hotel is quite far (maybe around 30-45min) and in Winter it will be dark!! At the time I was there, they were building a path for pedestriants but I am not sure if they finished it yet and if it is even open in winter (due to the snow). We walked along the road, which was doable but certainly not nice thus I would not really recommend it. In case you want to walk, definitely bring good shoes, a torch / headlamp and of course good clothing. Last year the Hotel Park Hills offered a shuttle bus to and from the Blue Pond however, so if that is available again (most likely) definitely make use of that. They leave at fixed times so you should ask the concierge of the Hotel Park Hills for the timetable.
One more thing: The light up of the Blue Pond began quite late last year I think and after a bit of research I could not find out when the light up will start this year. So you might want to pay attention to that as there is a possibility of it starting in mid/late december..
Your trip sounds great however, I am jealous :)!
If you have any further questions I would be glad to elaborate!
August 13, 2015 — 21:47
Zera says:
Hi NB , thanks for the reply , very crystal clear. Hmm I got another question , I’ll be coming from Tokyo , by airplane to Sapporo, 15 days total in Hokkaido and I’m just planing to get my self 7 days JR pass and for 2 days I’ll be traveling without JR pass, which from Sapporo to Asahikawa , to Biei, Furano and Kami-Furano return , can I use my Suica for the 2 day without JR pass? The 2 days will be on the 31Dec and 1st Jan on the holiday season .
September 29, 2015 — 13:14
nb says:
Hey Zera – sounds like a great trip!
Generally you can use the Suica card in Hokkaido. Most JR stations let you pay via suica card and if not, you’re asked to pay in cash directly on the train. So just keep some cash handy while you are traveling and you should be fine. One place where you can not use your suica card (in most cases) is on the bus, so be ready to pay in cash there. Kind of jealous of your trip :p have fun!!!
October 13, 2015 — 03:05
Arjel Miras says:
Hi Zera,
I’m planning to Visit Biei this coming winter and I’m curious about your itinerary. Maybe I can do the same thing or if your schedule is not too different from mine, maybe we can travel together. Looking forward to your response.
Cheers
November 13, 2016 — 00:30
Lyn says:
Hi, i am so glad i came across your blog post! I am planing a trip to sapporo in january and was hoping on visiting biei/blue pond/shirogane onsen around the 25th jan 2016, mainly by public transport.
I read on some other blog that blue pond is closed during certain times in winter due to heavy snow and was wondering if you knew anything about that?
Also did you manage to see those famous places in Biei like patchwork road & paranoma road during winter?
October 12, 2015 — 01:56
nb says:
Hi Lyn!
sounds like a good plan! be sure to check the bus schedules ahead of time and be there a few minutes early, as there are only few buses a day :)
I have also heared that they close the blue pond from time to time incase of heavy snow fall, but I have never heared of anyone going there and actually being denied entry. I only went once in winter and while some areas were indeed blocked of, most parts were accessible and cleared of deep snow. I guess that had something to do with the illumination which was going on at that time, though. I searched online a little for information on this year’s illumination but there does not seem to be any information available yet..
Unfortunately you can’t see the fields of the patchwork road due to it being covered in snow. But the hilly landscape is quite famous in winter as well, mostly for the singled out trees standing in solitude in deep snow. I didn’t get too much to see of that however, as our time in Biei was limited. Going there from Biei station on foot takes a good amount of time however, so if you want to go there be sure to be early :)
October 13, 2015 — 03:16
Lyn says:
Just one more quick question! Is the bus stop for the dohoku bus at the biei train station? or is it in a separate location?
December 26, 2015 — 15:40
nb says:
The bus stop is down the road from the train station. Exact location: https://goo.gl/maps/EMBtt4Kk8ur
However, I also remember the bus stopping exactly in front of the station – best to look out for the Dohoku Bus signs :)
December 27, 2015 — 04:10
Lyn says:
Thanks for the tips! And yeah in regards to biei I was more interested in seeing/photographing those lone trees in fields of snow. Now I’m totally looking forward to my cold adventure haha, thanks again!
October 13, 2015 — 04:48
Zera says:
Thank NB … After Reading your travel blog , bummer me to choose on the Dec , I miss lots of activits which held in Feb ! Anyway ..I’m already jealous the activiti that you did , Shiretoko drift ice and the aurora fantasi music concert , Cool and Cold !! :-) I’m planing my 1st Aurora Borealis to Canada …. Yellowknife …. Your blog inspired me … Thanks for the advise and help …
October 14, 2015 — 14:19
Jaclyn says:
Hello NB! Just dropping by to say how much I enjoyed your writing and your posts.
Very funny =) Have a wonderful time at exchange.
October 19, 2015 — 23:35
nb says:
Thanks for the kind words Jaclyn! Your wedding work looks impressive!
October 21, 2015 — 06:43
Yuen San says:
Thanks very much for the infos! Wanted to go to Biei this coming winter n your blog really helps a lot! And these beautiful pics make my eyes go gaga~~
October 26, 2015 — 19:18
nb says:
Thanks Yuen :)! Hope you have the chance to go there and experience it for yourself!
October 27, 2015 — 07:31
natalia says:
Hi Thanks for your post about the blue pond in winter! planning to go there on December this year. Does the blue pond attraction requires a considerable time to walk from the blue pond bus stop? We are planning to take the 17:26 bus from biei station and the last bus will leave at 18:19 from blue pond. So i’m really wondering if there’s enough time to enjoy the blue pond view in 20 mins?
November 4, 2015 — 22:50
nb says:
Hey Natalia!
It takes maybe 5min to walk from the bus stop to the blue pond itself – it’s very close! As for 20min being enough, you’ll most likely be able to see everything but it might feel a tad rushed. It’ll probably be quite cold as well so, depending on how resistant you are to cold, 20min might be pretty good after all :)!
The google maps birds-eye view provides a pretty good overview, it’s approx. 400m from the bus station to the blue pond! The last part around the pond is most likely closed off in winter due to the lack of winter service.
November 5, 2015 — 08:17
Jira Panmanee says:
Hi NB, I am so glade I found your page on the web. We are going to Hokkaido at the end of Nov. to stay just 1 day in Beie. I love Kent Shiraishi’s photography of winter scene and wanted to go around seeing it for real. We cannot get a rented car with driver, only taxi. There are 4 of us which means we have to take 2 taxi! Reading your blog it seems we can take buses around town right? The Blue Pond is lit up now so that’s a must see as well. Do you have any suggestion how we could go around town apart from taking buses? Awaiting your comment, thank you vary much.
November 10, 2015 — 20:06
nb says:
Hi Jira! Yeah, Kent Shiraishi’s pictures of Biei and its surroundings are amazing, especially the winter scenes! Concerning the lit up blue pond, I just discovered that this years light up will start even earlier at November 7th! For more details, see here (japanese): http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20151108-OYT1T50014.html
You can definitely take buses around Biei, but be careful of the schedule as there are not many busses going around. Also, I think you might be able to get away with one cab, if you squeeze a little bit on the back seats :) But in Winter you are limited to busses, cabs or walking.
Have fun on your trip – sounds really great!!!
November 11, 2015 — 18:49
Jira Panmanee says:
Hi NB
We are back home from trip to Hokkaido and would like to share our experience in Biei with you.
After talking to you to find out how to get around the town we stumbled on FB page of Hiroki Inoue, who is running Photography workshop tour in Biei. He is native of Biei and Sapporo. We were very lucky to have found such a nice person with high spirit who loves nature of his home land. He took us around town, teaching us how to take picture of winter scene and during the blizzard. We agreed for 3 hours session but ended up spent a whole day together! Did not get to see the illuminated blue pond because of the time limit. We were there as a tourist/stranger but have gain few friends there. Did not meet with Kent san, only drove pass his house, it turns out that he and Hiroki san are good friend! It was a trip to remember indeed.
December 12, 2015 — 18:38
nb says:
Hi Jira,
that sounds great experience! I’m happy that you made it there and even more so that you met a local who took the time to guide you around :) Thanks a lot for sharing and keep up the high spirit :)!
Greetings!
December 15, 2015 — 04:12
Andy says:
Hi NB!
Thanks for your article! I was wondering, I have a family of 4 (2 adults 2 teens). We have planned to make 2 day trips to Asahikawa and Furano respectively, roughly after Christmas. Do you think it is feasible for us to make a short side trip to the pond on either of the two days, keeping in mind that we have to make it back to the station for the train back to Sapporo? Also, is it easy to walk to the hotel/onsen from the pond, or from the onsen to the pond?
Thank you!
December 8, 2015 — 02:52
nb says:
Hey Andy!
the walk from the pond to the onsen/hotel is not a nice walk, you have to walk along the road and the path for pedestriants is probably not cleared off snow so you have to actually walk on the road. Additionally as it gets dark fairly fast, you sould bring a head torch or something similiar so the cars will notice you. I take it that you would go to the pond by bus, right? In that case, if you plan ahead and take the scheduled bus to and from the pond you should be good to go! Alternatively you can also take a cab from the station to the pond, which will run you something around 5000jpy if i recall correctly. As Biei is located between Furano and Asahikawa I think you can make the trip – just be careful to take the last bus back to Biei station and then the train back to Asahikawa. Last year, the bus from the pond in the direction of Biei did also go all the way to Asahikawa so you might also consider that.
Have fun on your trip!!
December 11, 2015 — 19:50
Andy says:
Hi NB,
Thanks for you reply! Would the pond be fully covered by snow around Christmas? If so I might have to give it a miss. Also, is there a website for the bus schedules? Thanks very much for your answers!
December 15, 2015 — 00:19
nb says:
Hey Andy,
yeah, it’ll be most likely covered in snow (just as in the pictures in the post) but will be lit up during the eveing (like in the pictures :p). To see the true blue it might be worth it to also visit the Shirogane Onsen (where the spring is) – if you decide to go :)
You can find the bus schedule here: https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/access/#bus unfortunately, it is only Japanese. Let me translate for you:
旭川駅 (Asahikawa Eki) = Asahikawa Station
美瑛 (Biei) = Biei Station
白金青い池入口 (Shirogane Onsen Aoi Ike Ireguchi) = Station at the entrance of the Blue (Aoi) Pond (Ike)
白金温泉 (Shirogane Onsen) = Station at the Onsen/Shirogane Hot Springs
Meaning that the last bus from the Blue Pond towards Biei leaves at 18:19 every day and arrives at 18:45 at Biei Station. If you have further questions I’ll be glad to help!
December 15, 2015 — 04:08
Andy says:
Hi NB,
Thank you for the wealth of translation you have provided us so far! It’ll really help in my planning! Thanks again, and have a nice day!
December 15, 2015 — 13:54
Andy says:
wealth of information** (oops)
December 15, 2015 — 14:00
Natalia says:
Hi NB!
Thank you so much for your info! My trip to Hokkaido is near. I actually have another question, for the shuttle bus offerred in Shirogane Park Hills hotel to blue pond, is it the same with dohoku bus schedule?
i am planning to pay a visit to shirogane onsen and enjoy the hot spring first. Depart to blue pond for the illumination, spend about 20 mins at the blue pond and take the dohoku bus from blue pond back to biei.
Is the above plan viable?
Thanks,
Natalia
December 16, 2015 — 21:24
nb says:
Hey Natalia! The shuttle bus from Shirogane Park Hills Hotel is independent from the Dohoku bus. The shuttle bus is operated by the hotel itself and intended for hotel guests (although they will maybe let you use it if you ask nicely and free seats are available). Unfortunately, I could not find a schuedule for the hotel shuttle bus to the blue pond on the hotel’s website.
So your plan sounds great but it depends if seats on the hotel shuttle bus are available, which is not certain (we got on by sheer luck). You might want to consider having a backup plan, for example taking a taxi from the hotel to the pond or something similar. If you take one Dohoku bus earlier you would have to stay around 1,5h at the blue pond, which could get cold if you don’t have the right clothing.
The best of luck for the trip and above all, enjoy yourself!!
December 22, 2015 — 09:19
Lina says:
Hi, Thank you for the information and ur blog makes me feel interested to visit Biei. Im indonesian .However im wondering if they have a luggage locker at Biei JR station as I will be changing hotel from Asahakigawa to Furano , so Im thinking to stop over at Biei. I would be arriving on 29th december, please kindly advise. Thanks a lot
December 21, 2015 — 00:56
nb says:
Hi Lina – thanks for your kind words :)! Biei is indeed a great place to visit in winter! Concerning the coin lockers: I thought I had seen some at the station and the internet confirmed: http://locker1.exblog.jp/20665921/ However, apparently you can only use them from June 1st to September 30th!! The JR Asahikawa site confirms this here: http://www.jrasahi.co.jp/contents/facilities/station/f37_biei.html although they don’t specify the time and just say the coin lockers are usable during the summer season only. Therefore, you might want to consider alternatives to storing your luggage in a coin locker, I am afraid.
December 22, 2015 — 09:13
Lina says:
Thank u so much for ur reply . I will consider putting my luggage in the hotel at Furano first then. How long is the trip to Biei by train from Furano? And how much will it cost ? Thanks for helping !
December 22, 2015 — 11:55
nb says:
That’s probably a good idea! By train it’s 640yen I believe and takes around 50min. However that of course depends a little on when you go and which train you take :)
December 27, 2015 — 04:06
Michelle says:
Hi, I’m going to Hokkaido on 18th March. Do you think it’s worth to travel to Biei for the blue pond at this period? Will there still be snow around? Thanks.
January 8, 2016 — 15:38
nb says:
Hi Michelle, I think by March 18th the pond is not frozen anymore and while there might still be snow around, certainly not much of it. However, it of course depends on the weather – it might be colder/warmer than usually in March this year. If your travels take you close to the pond and the weather is good, visiting is probably worth it :) Safe travelling!
January 8, 2016 — 21:56
Andrew says:
Wow!! Lovely place and pictures… I initially planned a one night-er in Furano only. Now after seeing your pic, I may just detour to the waterfall. Will be heading there in mid-December. Perhaps I can still get to see the “uncovered” Blue Pond :-P
August 15, 2016 — 18:12
nb says:
Hi Andrew – yeah the waterfall surprised me, did not imagine it to be that beautiful.
Apparently a taifun hit the blue pond about a month ago and destroyed some trees so the surroundings of the blue pond might have changed a bit.
October 3, 2016 — 22:42
Yun-hui says:
Hi,
I will be going to Hokkaido this December for Christmas.
After I read your post, I saw you recommended Hotel Park Hills.
I did some research, initially I plan to stay at Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel.
Can I know which will be a better hotel to stay and what is the nearest train station to these hotels?
Thank you,
Yun-hui
October 11, 2016 — 01:34
nb says:
Hi Yun-hui,
nice! Great time to visit Hokkaido I think. However, I am afraid I can’t really help you with the Hotels as I have not stayed in either one. I just visited the Park Hills Hotel’s Onsen and that was nice, but I cannot comment on the other one.. Either is probably good :)
The closest station would be Biei station.
Have a fun trip,
Nimar
October 28, 2016 — 19:24
gwynnie says:
hello, i’ll be there around christmas. can i ask if it’s advisable to goin the afternoon to check out the semi frozen waterfall and just wait for sunset to see the blue pond illumination?
How much time did you spend in the onsen? I’m just thinking if i skip the onsen, can i just do a half day there and maybe a half day in the am at the asahikawa zoo.
hope you’ll be able to advise.
October 24, 2016 — 16:32
nb says:
Hey Gwynnie,
if you time the buses/trains right then you should be able to do it. We spend maybe around 30mins in the onsen and then maybe 30mins chilling in the hotel lobby waiting for the bus.
The blue pond looks great around that time :)
Have a fun trip,
Nimar
October 28, 2016 — 19:28
Rendy says:
Hi NB,
Your Photos awesome! I will visit Biei on mid Feb 2017, is Dohoku Bus can be used for everyone? or it should be JR Hokkaido user? Also can you tell us where the cafetaria is?
Looking for your advise, Thank you! :)
November 21, 2016 — 02:52
nb says:
Hi Rendy!
that sounds great:). Dohoku Bus can be used by everyone – as long as you pay for the ticket when you board :p
The cafeteria (shokudou in Japanese) is in this building: https://goo.gl/maps/XjkBtkCsBLv . You can see it in street view as well.
November 21, 2016 — 03:52
Apple Tham says:
Nice photos…I will be visiting around 10 Feb 2017..i know it will be every freezing cold. we would like to visit the rolling hills with the trees scenery.. is there any way to visit this area without a car. or if there is any day tour from biei town which you can recommend. Thanks.
November 24, 2016 — 01:17
nb says:
Hi Apple Tham,
thank you! Well, in theory you could go there by bike but the bike rental shops in Biei will probably be closed during winter.. I haven’t heared about a guided day tour or something similiar (if there is then you’d probably need to speak Japanese). You could also walk, which does however take some time…
November 25, 2016 — 19:08
Janet says:
Hi NB,
Really attracted to the spectacular photos you had. I am planning to visit biei on 29 Dec 2016. The only problem is that I have a elderly person coming with me. Can I rent a car to drive around when I arrive at Biei JR station. I really want to catch the illumination. Please advise. Thank you.
November 25, 2016 — 18:47
nb says:
Hi Janet,
thanks:)
there is a car rental shop in Biei but it seems like it’s closed in winter (http://www.ekiren.co.jp/annai/map/01hokkaido/biei.html) . You could either take a taxi cab from the station (roughly 5000jpy one way) or rent a car in Asahikawa and drive to Biei/the blue pond from there.
Have a great trip!
November 25, 2016 — 19:06
Janet Teo says:
Hi NB,
Thank you for your advise. Unfortunately like what you say the rental of car in Biei is closed for winter. If we were to rent from Ashikawa and drive to Biei, we will not be able to return on time. So looks like taxi is our only option if we want to enjoy the illumination. Am I able to take the buses and go to Biei’s famous hill, then proceed to any other place before heading to the onsen hotel near to the blue pond. After which I can catch a taxi from the onsen hotel again to go back to Biei train station. Can you advise further. Thank you.
November 30, 2016 — 13:16
nb says:
Hi Janet,
I assume that you mean the hill in Biei with the lone tree(s)? I am not sure if there is a bus which goes to that hill, as I have not been there myself in winter yet (only in Autumn by bicycle). There is a bus from Biei Station to the blue pond which ends at Shirogane Onsen and then goes back from there to the Blue Pond and then Biei Station.
You can also easily take a taxi to/from the blue pond to Biei Station / Shirogane Onsen.
November 30, 2016 — 23:49
Janet Teo says:
Hi NB,
Thank you for your advice. I am looking forward to visiting Biei.
December 1, 2016 — 14:53
Pam says:
Hi,
Would like to find out how did you travel to your destination? Did you rent a car or travel by the local bus?
Thanks.
March 21, 2017 — 18:56
nb says:
Hi Pam,
I went to Biei station by train and then proceeded to go to the blue pond by public bus. You could also rent a car or go by taxi though!
March 22, 2017 — 17:47
Ais says:
Hi NB, the view is stunning! :)
I’m planning to visit this place February next year. Do you think by then the snow have already melt so I can see the actual blue pond? Thanks!
March 25, 2017 — 11:23
nb says:
Hi Ais,
usually there will still be quite a lot of snow in February and usually it’s still cold. You might get lucky tho, check the weather forecase a few days before :)
June 9, 2017 — 18:30
ML says:
Hi NB, the photos are stunning! We, group of 6 are planning a side trip to Biei from Sapporo on 10th Nov 2017. You think the sight is as beautiful then? How do we travel from Sapporo to Biei Station (via Hakodate Line to Asahikawa, then via Furano Line to Biei??) Thereafter from Biei Station to the blue pond & waterfall – where & what public bus should we take & time? We need to be back to Sapporo on same day for our midnight flight back home. Really appreciate your help. Thanks!
June 8, 2017 — 19:40
nb says:
Hi ML,
Nov 10th should be nice, however there might be snow already, difficult to say now :p
You can go to Biei just as you said or you could also take the bus (to Asahikawa and/or then to Biei from Asahikawa as well). Bus is usually a bit cheaper but also takes a bit longer. The bus schedule for Biei < -> Blue Pond /Waterfall can be found here: http://www.dohokubus.com/files/rosen1_heijitu.pdf (weekdays) and here: http://www.dohokubus.com/files/rosen1_kyuujitu.pdf for the weekend. Look for line 39 or 40 (it’s written in English as well albeit you’d have to zoom in !). If you want to be quick I’d take the bus back to Biei station and then the train to Asahikawa -> Chitose Airport.
June 10, 2017 — 20:08
myth817 says:
Hi NB,
Refer to the bus schedule direct link, I notice the bus schedule in the PDF file only shows from 美瑛 (Biei Station) -> 白銀温泉(Shirogane Onsen). Seems unable to find 青い池 (Aoi Ike: Blue Pond). Just wonder will the bus stop at
白金青い池入口 (Shirogane Onsen Aoi Ike Ireguchi) = Station at the entrance of the Blue (Aoi) Pond (Ike) you mention in above comment.
As mention in above comments, do you know how can we check the bus schedule for December ?
Thanks
November 5, 2017 — 01:41
nb says:
Hi Myth817,
yes the bus number 39/40/42 do stop at those stops, although they left it out of the schedule to save space I guess. If you look online for “dohoku bus 39” you can find a complete schuedule such as here for the weekdays: http://time.ajnet.ne.jp/busstop.hpml?comp=1&rno=39 .
You will need to press the “Stop” button inside of the bus to indicate that you want the driver to stop though, before you pass Aoi Ike.
The bus schedule for Dec has not been released I think, but you will probably be able to find it online soon. To be honest, I doubt that it is going to change a lot…
November 5, 2017 — 01:50
Alvin says:
Hi there! Thanks for your blog post! 2 Quick questions regarding the bus to/back Blue pond:
1) Can we buy the ticket (540 Yen) inside the bus?
2) Is the bus ride covered by JR pass?
July 28, 2017 — 22:41
nb says:
Hi Alvin,
Yes you can buy the ticket on the bus, just be sure to have cash as Cards are not accepted. But I am not sure if the bus is covered by the JR pass, I would guess that it is not but thats just a guess… Have a great time!
July 28, 2017 — 23:17
May says:
Is there a bus from Asahikawaya JR station to blue pond? How long is the journey? Is there any buses that i can take to the waterfall instead of walk from blue pond and how much is the bus fare?
October 26, 2017 — 07:49
nb says:
Hi May, there are busses from Asahikawa Station to the Blue pond. Please see this comment: http://nimar-blume.de/blog/a-winter-trip-to-biei-and-the-blue-pond/#comment-15403 for the time table. Note that the linked times are only valid until 2017/11/30. However, not all stops are included in the timetable but busses which end at Shirogane Onsen will generally also stop at the blue pond. You can see the exact stops here for example: http://time.ajnet.ne.jp/busstop.hpml?comp=1&rno=39 (You can use google translate).
There are not many busses per day as you can see but if you time it well you could take a bus from the blue pond to the waterfall.
Have a nice trip :)
October 26, 2017 — 15:40
myth817 says:
Hi NB,
Thanks for your prompt replied. As you mention, I have to press the “stop” button before the bus pass Aoi Ike, I’m wondering how to know the bus is near Aoi Ike ? I assume there’s sign board right ?
November 5, 2017 — 02:28
nb says:
Hi! Well I don’t think there is a sign/display inside of the bus where it says the name of the next stop. But they will announce it and you could also check on a map. There are not many stops along the straight, long road, so you could also ask the bus driver, he will understand “Aoi Ike”. I think you will definitly make the stop once you’re on the bus :)
November 10, 2017 — 17:21
Elaine says:
Hi, I plan to go Biei Blue pond and shirahige waterfall on mid of December. May I know how to go there from Sapporo station. Tqvm
Need to plan properly because bringing 3 young kids along.
November 8, 2017 — 22:56
Elaine says:
Hi, may I know how to get to Biei blue pond from Sapporo Station? Thank you
if can advise me the time as well because I am bringing 3 kids along. tqvm
November 9, 2017 — 10:29
nb says:
Hi Elaine, there are many ways to reach the blue pond from Sapporo Station. You’ll probably go like this: Sapporo Station->Asahikawa Station->Biei Station->Blue Pond. Up to Biei station you could take the train or bus and from Biei station on there is only a bus you can take :)
November 10, 2017 — 17:23
Elaine says:
Noted with thanks NB.
November 11, 2017 — 09:01
Sheeners says:
Hi! Can you suggest how to get to the blue pond from Biei Station? Also, what other spots are near the pond? We plan to visit Biei for a day trip. It would be a shame if we only get to visit the pond.
Thank you! :)
November 10, 2017 — 15:41
nb says:
Hi Sheeners,
from Biei station you can either take the bus or a taxi to the blue pond. You can find the bus schedules here: http://nimar-blume.de/blog/a-winter-trip-to-biei-and-the-blue-pond/#comment-15403 note that they are valid until 2017/11/30 only.
From the blue pond I’d also recommend to visit Shirogane Onsen (a hotspring close to the pond), which you can reach by foot or bus.
November 10, 2017 — 17:27
Liliana says:
Hi, me and my husband are planing to go to blue pond on this 1st of december but my concern is will the pond already frozen at that time? And How was it walking around 43min from bluepond to shirahige waterfall? because we might do the same or thinking to choose either one of them. I might not be able to walk that long in the freezing weather :(
Thank you :)
November 12, 2017 — 00:10
Weizhong says:
https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/en/news/illuminate201701101/
This link (in English) is useful for those planning to visit blue pond/waterfall in winter. It includes information for a 2-hour bus day tour, dates and time of blue pond illumination, Dohoku bus information, and map of bus stops around JR Biei station.
November 19, 2017 — 17:26
nb says:
Hey Weizhong, great link – thanks for the tipp! Looks like it’s going to help lots of people out :)
November 19, 2017 — 19:40
Chee Pick Leng says:
Hi NB,
You mentioned that you visited the Shirogane waterfall. Is this waterfall also known at Shirahige-no-taki (White Beard Falls) or is it a different waterfall altogether?
Thanks.
December 4, 2017 — 16:58
nb says:
Hi Chee Pick Leng,
yes that is correct, the waterfall itself is I think actually called Shirahige-no-taki! Thanks for pointing that out!
December 4, 2017 — 18:09
revolta says:
Will all the water at Shirahige-no-taki(water fall and the river) be frozen during early February?
Nice photo, what camera and lens are you using?
January 9, 2018 — 17:36
nb says:
I think that they will still be frozen during early February, it will most likely still be below zero degrees c at that time.
Thank :) I was using a Sony a7 with a Leica Summicron-M 35mm for all pictures.
January 9, 2018 — 18:24
Anya says:
Wow.. these are amazing..im planing to visit in February..any idea the pond will be frozen and all covered?
January 21, 2018 — 18:02
nb says:
Thanks!
I think that’s very dependent on the weather but in the beginning of Feb I’m pretty sure it’d still be frozen.
January 21, 2018 — 21:10
Vincent says:
Hi there! I am planning a trip to Biei from Asahikawa. I will reached Biei Station at about 730am. on 4th Dec 2018.
How do you suggest I travel around Biei using Public Transport? I can’t seem to find information on the public buses departure timings.
I will be staying at Yumoto Shirogane Onsen for the night eventually too.
Many Thanks and look forward to your reply!
November 22, 2018 — 22:34