Rules and Etiquette on Mt. Hakusan
Mt. Hakusan is a national park that is protected by special regulations under Japanese law. To prevent personal injury and protect the park’s natural resources, please:
File a mountain climbing registration form online or at the trailhead before beginning your hike.
Do not camp in emergency shelters. They are for medical and weather-related emergencies only.
Do not hike after dark.
Do not ride mountain bikes or run on the trails.
Do not bring pets or drones into the park.
Do not leave designated trails.
Do not take anything from the park. This includes animals, plants, and rocks.
Do not touch or feed wild animals.
Yield to hikers traveling uphill.
Carry out everything you bring in. There are no trash cans.
Scrape your shoes on the seed-removal mats provided to combat the spread of invasive plants.
Keeping Mt. Hakusan Clean
Mt. Hakusan saw a surge in visitors after it was designated a national park on November 12, 1962. With not enough facilities to dispose of trash on site, the mountain soon became littered with trash. In 1973, residents took charge and began to hand out garbage bags, encouraging hikers to carry out their trash. Official cleanup initiatives were launched the following year, and Hakusan National Park established a “carry in, carry out” policy in 1976. Mt. Hakusan has since become one of the cleanest mountains in the country.
