Hakusan National Park

Hakusan National Park (area 183sq.mi/ 473sq.km) is home to Mount Hakusan (8,865ft/ 2,702m) is one of Japan's three sacred mountains. Of the five approach routes (Iwama, Chugu, Itoshiro, Hirase and Ichinose) the most popular, for climbers coming from Kanazawa, is the Ichinose route. Near here is the Murodo Hut, which is open during the summer. The route to the five peaks of Mount Hakusan (views of the Tatayama Range to the southeast and Mount Norikura) runs up through dense forests and rich Alpine vegetation. The highest of the five peaks is Gozenmine (8,865ft/ 2,702m), followed by Tsurugigamine (8,714ft/ 2,656m) and Onanji (8,682ft/ 2,646m); to the south are Bessan and Sannomine. On Gozenmine is the Inner Shrine (Okunoin) of the Shirayamahime Shrine (Kaga-Ichinomiya) at the foot of Mount Hakusan.