Shiga-Kusatsu Route (Shibu Pass)
Long winter closure
Pass status
Is the Shiga-Kusatsu Route (Shibu Pass) open?
A guide to the typical season and the live weather at the top, not a live open or closed status. Always check the official road status before you travel.
The drive
Japan’s highest national road, climbing through Shiga Kogen to the 2172 m Shibu Pass
Passes nearby
Season questions
Is the Shiga-Kusatsu Route (Shibu Pass) open right now?
The official road status is the only definitive answer, and it changes fast up high. As a guide: the typical driving season runs March to November, and the pass closes for winter snow outside it. Our road note: Long winter closure The live summit weather on this page helps judge conditions today.
When does the Shiga-Kusatsu Route (Shibu Pass) usually open and close?
In a typical year it is driveable from March to November. Exact dates shift with the snowpack: a heavy winter can push opening weeks later, and early snow can shut it ahead of schedule.
How high is the Shiga-Kusatsu Route (Shibu Pass)?
The summit of the driven road sits at about 2,179 m (7,149 ft), which is why the season is set by snow rather than by the calendar.