GUNUNG · Japan

Gunung Shirouma (Shirouma-dake)

白馬岳 (Shirouma-dake)

Information

Elevation: 2.932 m
Country: Japan (JP)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Hida (Alpen Utara Jepang), perbatasan Prefektur Nagano–Toyama; dalam Taman Nasional Chūbu-Sangaku
Mountain type: Puncak non-vulkanik (batuan sedimen terangkat, sebagian mengandung fosil) di Pegunungan Hida — bagian Alpen Utara Jepang; salah satu 100 Gunung Terkenal Jepang (Hyakumeizan)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 36.7583, 137.7592
Difficulty: Menengah–berat: jalur panjang, ngarai salju Daisekkei perlu crampons, dan ada eksposur di punggungan puncak
Best Season: Pertengahan Juli–September — jalur Daisekkei paling aman diakses dan padang bunga alpine mekar
Permits & Rules: Tidak ada izin khusus; pendakian bebas. Menginap umumnya di gunung hut seperti Hakuba Sanso — reservasi disarankan saat musim ramai
Hazards: Jalur Hakuba Daisekkei (ngarai salju abadi) berisiko jatuhan batu (rockfall), retakan/crevasse, dan tergelincir — wajib crampons dan helm. Cuaca gunung tinggi berubah cepat. Catatan penting: jalur Daisekkei sempat DITUTUP (mis. musim 2025) akibat crevasse berbahaya; cek status resmi Desa Hakuba sebelum berangkat

Description

Shirouma-dake (白馬岳, 2,932 m) is the highest peak of the Hakuba section of the Hida Mountains (Northern Japan Alps), straddling the border of Nagano and Toyama Prefectures, and is one of Japan's 100 Famous Mountains (Hyakumeizan). Its signature feature is the Hakuba Daisekkei (白馬大雪渓, 'great snow gorge'), a valley roughly 3.5 km long with about 600 m of vertical gain that stays covered in perennial firn snow year-round and must be climbed with crampons — one of the few permanent snow routes in Japan. The classic ascent starts at Sarukura (~1,250 m) in Hakuba village, climbs the Daisekkei to Hakuba Sanso hut, then to the summit, taking about 6 hours up. Summer (mid-July to August) brings the mountain's celebrated alpine flower meadows. Geologically it is non-volcanic, built of uplifted sedimentary rock that even contains fossils. Note: the Daisekkei route has been closed at times (e.g. the 2025 season) due to dangerous crevasses, so the official Hakuba village status should be checked before climbing.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Jalur Hakuba Daisekkei (Sarukura → Ngarai Salju → Hakuba Sanso → Puncak)

Menengah–berat: non-teknis namun wajib crampons di ngarai salju; ada jatuhan batu & risiko crevasse

±5–6 jam naik (umumnya 1 malam menginap di hut); ±3,5 km ngarai salju dengan tanjakan ±600 m

The classic and most popular route to the summit of Shirouma-dake. It starts at the Sarukura trailhead (~1,250 m) in Hakuba village and climbs the Hakuba Daisekkei — a roughly 3.5 km perennial snow gorge — which must be crossed wearing crampons while following the red-marked path to avoid crevasses and rockfall. Above the gorge the trail passes alpine flower slopes to Hakuba Sanso hut just below the top, then a short climb to the summit (2,932 m). The safest window is mid-July to September. Important: the Daisekkei route has been closed at times due to dangerous crevasses (e.g. the 2025 season) — check the official Hakuba village status before setting out.

Source

Jalur Tsugaike / Norikura-dake (turun via Shirouma Ōike)

Menengah: jalur punggungan tanpa ngarai salju besar; lebih panjang namun kering

±5–7 jam (umumnya dipakai sebagai jalur turun dalam traverse)

An alternative from the Tsugaike side passing Norikura-dake and the Shirouma Ōike mountain pond, often used as a descent after ascending via the Daisekkei to form a loop. It avoids the large snow gorge, making it useful when the Daisekkei is closed, but it is longer and demands stamina along the ridge.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Shirouma-dake (2,932 m), the highest peak of the Hakuba range in the Northern Japan Alps, is best known for the Hakuba Daisekkei route — a perennial snow gorge climbed with crampons from Sarukura to the summit. The experiences below, in Japanese and English video and trip-report form, show real ascents through the Daisekkei and alpine flower meadows, including mountain-hut logistics. All links are sourced from real material.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.