is located on the border of Gujō

Gujo, Gifu

is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.As of July 2011, the city has an estimated population of 43,960. The total area is 1,030.79 km².-History:...

, Gifu Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...

, and Hakusan

Hakusan, Ishikawa

is a city located in Ishikawa, Japan.The city was founded on February 1, 2005 from the merger of the city of Mattō with seven towns and villages from Ishikawa District. As of April 1, 2008 population data, the city has an estimated population of 110,654 and a density of 147 persons per km²...

, Ishikawa Prefecture

Ishikawa Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, and rises to a height of 2399 m (7,871 ft). There are two triangulation station

Triangulation station

A triangulation station, also known as a triangulation pillar, trigonometrical station, trigonometrical point, trig station, trig beacon or trig point, and sometimes informally as a trig, is a fixed surveying station, used in geodetic surveying and other surveying projects in its vicinity...

s at the top of the mountain. Mount Haku

Mount Haku

, or Mount Hakusan, is a potentially active volcano. The stratovolcano is located on the borders of Gifu, Fukui and Ishikawa prefectures in Japan. It is thought to have first been active 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, with the most recent eruption occurring in 1659...

 can be seen from the north. Bessan Shrine (別山神社 Bessan Jinja) is a short distance from the peak. This area is part of Hakusan National Park

Hakusan National Park

is a national park in the Chūbu region, Honshū, Japan. The total area of the park is and its main geographical feature is Mount Haku.The park was originally designated "Hakusan Quasi-National Park" on July 1, 1955...

.

History

Mount Haku has been climbed for religious purposes for centuries. One popular hiking route from the Gifu Prefecture side of the mountains to Mount Haku's peak runs through Mount Bessan. Mount Bessan, whose name means "Separate Mountain," received its name because it is slightly separated from the south side of Mount Haku. To the south of Mount Bessan is a small flat area called the Bessan Plain (別山平 Bessan Hira) and Lake Mitarashi (御手洗池 Mitarashi Ike). Near the lake are the ruins for the Bessan Room (別山室 Bessan-ya), which was used as a rest house for those making the pilgrimage up the mountain.

Geography

Though Mount Haku, the main peak in the Ryōhaku Mountains

Ryohaku Mountains

The are a mountain range spanning Gifu, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui and Shiga prefectures in Japan. It is divided into the Kaetsu Mountains , whose major peak is Mount Haku, and the Etsumi Mountains , whose major peak is Mount Nōgōhaku. The range derives its name from the two major peaks, which both...

, was created by an active stratovolcano

Stratovolcano

A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...

, Mount Bessan is made up of sedimentary rock

Sedimentary rock

Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....

. On the southern face of the mountain is a rock wall called the Taihei Wall (太平壁 Taihei-kabe). Near the peak of the mountain is the tree line made up of Siberian Dwarf Pine

Siberian Dwarf Pine

Pinus pumila is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. This shrubby pine ranges from 1–3 m in height, exceptionally up to 5 m, but may have individual branches that extend farther along the ground in length...

s. In the beginning of summer, alpine plant

Alpine plant

Alpine plants are plants that grow in the alpine climate, which occurs at high elevation and above the tree line. Alpine plants grow together as a plant community in alpine tundra.-Alpine plant diversity:...

s like anemones

Anemone narcissiflora

Anemone narcissiflora is a herbaceous perennial in the genus Anemone and the buttercup family.-Description:...

. A wider variety of plants can be seen at lower levels, but the surrounding area is part of Japan's snow country

Snow country (Japan)

Snow country refers to areas in Japan characterized by heavy, long-lasting snowfalls....

, so it is covered by snow for more than half of the year.

See also

• Hakusan National Park
  Hakusan National Park
  is a national park in the Chūbu region, Honshū, Japan. The total area of the park is and its main geographical feature is Mount Haku.The park was originally designated "Hakusan Quasi-National Park" on July 1, 1955...
  
  
• Ryōhaku Mountains
  Ryohaku Mountains
  The are a mountain range spanning Gifu, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui and Shiga prefectures in Japan. It is divided into the Kaetsu Mountains , whose major peak is Mount Haku, and the Etsumi Mountains , whose major peak is Mount Nōgōhaku. The range derives its name from the two major peaks, which both...