Hike of a Sacred Mountain, Mt. Hakusan; Round Trip from the Kanko Shindo Route

From the Bettodeai trailhead, pass through the torii gate and follow the trail on the left side of the Sabo Shindo junction. Hike up a zigzagging section of trail through a forested area. When the trail becomes a traverse, your field of vision will open up, and the path once again turns to steep rocky steps.

From Bettodeai, it’s a two-hour hike to the Bettozaka junction where you emerge into the ridgeline. Hike up a ridge lined with shrubs and bamboo grass and pass through a large rock formation called Senninkutsu and you will soon be hiking up a zigzagging segment of trail. After about an hour and 20 minutes of departing from the Bettozaka junction, you will arrive at the Tonogaike-hinan-goya shelter hut. From Tonogaike-hinan-goya, hike up for about an hour and 20 minutes through grassy meadows where flowers bloom through July and August, and you’ll reach a large rock formation called Kuroboko-iwa Rock.

Follow a level segment of trail from Kuroboko-iwa Rock. Proceed straight past the junction with Minami-ryugabanba then hike up a rocky slope called Goyozaka through a stone pine belt to reach the Hakusan Murodo Visitor Center（mountain hut） where you will lodge for the first night of the trek.

On the second day, follow the stone paved path for about 40 minutes to reach the summit of Mt. Gozengamine, where you’ll find a small Shinto shrine belonging to the Hakusan Okumiya Shrine.

From here, follow the trail in reverse to complete the return hike.