Haku-san is a 2,702 m / 8,865 ft dormant volcano that straddles the borders of Gifu and Ishikawa prefectures in north-central Japan. Haku-san, along with Mt. Fuji and Mt. Ontake, is one of Japan's 3 Holy Mountains, as well as being one of both the 100 tallest and "100 famous" mountains of Japan. Furthermore, it is renowned for the amazing number and variety of alpine flowers that bloom here in mid-summer.
I recently completed a day-hike of Haku-san (my third), on the day of an approaching typhoon, and despite a few brief, heavy downpours, and mostly cloudy skies - it was a rewarding climb with the trail starting in dense forest, climbing to a ridge with panoramic views, crossing through fields of wild flowers, passing several shrines and ending on the rocky summit.
While Haku-san is very doable as a day trip, staying in the mountain hut near the summit and taking in the sunset, stars and sunrise from the peak can be spectacularly rewarding in good weather.
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