Mt. Shakushi

Mt. Shakushi (杓子岳, 2,812 m), straddling Hakuba village (Nagano) and Toyama, is a peak of the Ushiro-Tateyama range in the Northern Alps and one of the 100 Highest Mountains.
It is the central peak of the “Hakuba Sanzan” (Three Mountains of Hakuba) together with Mt. Shirouma and Mt. Shiroumayari, with a striking asymmetric form — a great crumbling scree cliff on its east face and a gentle west side. The main ridge trail bypasses the summit on the west side, so to reach the top you branch off and climb about 20 minutes out and back. There is no trailhead of its own; it is a peak you visit while traversing the Hakuba Sanzan, walked along the ridge from either the Mt. Shirouma side or the Mt. Shiroumayari side. By public transport you reach the Sarukura trailhead by bus from Hakuba Station.

Mt. Shakushi is a peak walked within a Hakuba Sanzan traverse: from Mt. Shirouma via the Hakuba Sanso and the Babadani junction to the Mt. Shakushi bypass junction, then down the Shakushizawa-no-koru and on to Mt. Shiroumayari. It is about 1.5 hours from Mt. Shirouma to Mt. Shakushi and about 1 hour from Mt. Shakushi to Mt. Shiroumayari; the summit is a roughly 20-minute out-and-back from the bypass junction, with a grand view. The base huts are the Hakuba Sanso just below Mt. Shirouma (one of Japan’s largest, run by Hakubakan), the village-run Hakubadake Chojoshukusha, the Tengu Sanso to the south (Hakuba village), and the Hakuba Yari Onsen hut used on the descent (Hakubakan). Always confirm the 2026 operating period and booking method with each official site.
The Hakuba Sanzan traverse includes rock ridges, unstable scree and chain sections and is an advanced route with many falling accidents. If the snow gorge is unusable you enter from Tsugaike, which lengthens the itinerary, so plan a hut-based trip of at least two days.

*Information last checked: June 14, 2026

1. [Outbound] Hakuba Station → Sarukura
2. [Return] Sarukura → Hakuba Station

1. [Outbound] Hakuba Station → Sarukura

From JR Oito Line Hakuba Station, take the Alpico Kotsu “Sarukura Line” bus to its terminus, Sarukura (it also stops at the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal; fare ¥2,000, about 27 minutes). Since FY2025 it has been reservation-based, so booking in advance via “Hassha Orai Net” is recommended (you may board same-day if seats remain, but may have to stand when busy). It runs roughly mid-July to mid-October (varies by year). From the Tokyo area, the overnight “Mainichi Arupen-go” bus (reservations only) also runs directly to Sarukura in the early morning. If the snow gorge is closed, consider entering from Tsugaike Kogen (Tsugaike Panorama Way).

Bus timetable ①: Hakuba Station → Sarukura (Alpico Kotsu Sarukura Line)

Reference: [Alpico Kotsu Sarukura Line]

2. [Return] Sarukura → Hakuba Station

After descending, take the Alpico Kotsu “Sarukura Line” from the Sarukura bus stop back to Hakuba Station (reservation-based, as on the way up). The Hakuba Sanzan traverse takes time, so keep ample margin for the last bus. Toward Tokyo, you can also return from Sarukura to Shinjuku Station West Exit on the overnight “Mainichi Arupen-go” (reservations only).

Bus timetable ②: Sarukura → Hakuba Station (Alpico Kotsu Sarukura Line)

Reference: [Alpico Kotsu Sarukura Line]

Route and safety notes

Route (Hakuba Sanzan traverse): Sarukura → (via the Hakuba Daisekkei or Tsugaike) → Mt. Shirouma → Hakuba Sanso → Babadani junction → Mt. Shakushi (about a 20-minute out-and-back to the summit from the bypass junction) → Shakushizawa-no-koru → Mt. Shiroumayari → Tengu Sanso / Hakuba Yari Onsen → Sarukura. About 1.5 hours from Mt. Shirouma to Mt. Shakushi and about 1 hour from Mt. Shakushi to Mt. Shiroumayari. A hut-based trip of one or two nights is usual.

The summit of Mt. Shakushi: the main ridge trail runs along the bypass on the west side. To the top, climb a gravelly path about 20 minutes out and back from the junction for a grand view of the Hakuba Sanzan and the Tsurugi–Tateyama peaks. The east face is a scree cliff dropping into Shakushizawa, so do not go near the edge.

Hazards: the Hakuba Sanzan ridge is a succession of rock ridges, unstable scree and steep gravel slopes with many falling accidents. The section from the Hakuba Yari Onsen hut up to the ridge in particular has chains and a high accident rate. Watch for loose rock and slips; a helmet is advisable.

Hakuba Daisekkei: closed from September 29, 2025 but open in summer 2026 (see the notice above). If you do walk the snow gorge, light crampons and poles are needed, but rockfall and collapse have been frequent in recent years — always confirm whether it is passable and what gear is required beforehand.

Lodging: the Hakuba Sanso (Hakubakan), the village-run Hakubadake Chojoshukusha and Tengu Sanso, the Hakuba Yari Onsen hut (Hakubakan) and others. Always confirm the 2026 operating period and booking method with each official site.

Season and gear: the season is mid-July to September while the huts operate. On a main ridge around 2,800 m, be ready for sudden weather, strong wind, lightning and cold; carry rain gear, warm clothing, a map and compass (GPS) and a headlamp.

In an emergency: call 110 (police) or 119 (fire/rescue). Always file a climbing plan.

Photo by Alpsdake / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0