Explore volcanic craters, tranquil lakes and the wild wetlands of the Daisetsuzan National Park on this multi-day guided hiking adventure in Central Hokkaido.
On this itinerary we discover the best of the vast Daisetsuzan National Park. We will summit Mt. Asahidake, the highest peak in Hokkaido, as well as Mt Kurodake in its northern region and we explore as far south as Lake Shikaribetsu.
Designated as Japan’s National Park in 1934, Daisetsuzan holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Hokkaido. The park covers over 2,300 square kilometres (570,000 acres), which is bigger than the size of Tokyo and is home to a dramatic mountain range, giving Daisetsuzan the nickname “the Roof of Hokkaido”.
Keigetsu Omachi, a writer during the Meiji and Taisho periods (late 1800s, early 1900s), traversed these peaks long before the trails had been established. He famously said “To understand the height of a mountain, climb Mt Fuji. To understand the vastness of a mountain, climb the Daisetsuzan mountains.” This well sums up the dramatic scale of this mountain range.
Mt. Asahidake is the tallest mountain in Hokkaido and Mt. Kurodake is the northernmost entry point to Daisetsuzan. Both are considered absolute must-hikes for those wishing to explore the park!
Daisetsu Kogen is a lush corner of the national park, home to a number of alpine ponds - and even more Brown Bears, who make the area their home due to the abundance of tasty plants.
The rocky summit is also home to Northern Pika, who occasionally pop out from their rocky home to take in the views.
Head to the Ansei Crater in Daisetsuzan National Park, an active volcanic crater where you can see the signs of active geology all around you.
As we pass through this volcanic landscape, there is plenty of opportunity to soak in rejuvenating natural hot springs - perfect for those tired legs.
Your group will meet between 9:00 am and 9:30 am in central Asahikawa. Once everyone is together, we’ll waste no time and hit the road to go to our first hike– Mt. Kurodake!
We’ll take the Kurodake Ropeway followed by a chairlift to the 7th Station, located at 1520m. From there, we’ll pick up the trail. At the 1984m summit, we can enjoy vast views into the heart of Daisetsuzan National Park.
After we summit the mountain, we’ll descend back to Sounkyo Gorge and stop by the Sounkyo Visitor Centre to refresh and learn a little more about the tour ahead.
Today we will have an early start and drive over to Kogen Onsen which is 1 hour away from Sounkyo Onsen.
Daisetsu Kogen serves as a trailhead for the popular Kogen Numa (alpine ponds) hiking trail. This area is far from civilization and home to a great number of native Brown Bears, (higuma in Japanese) which are occasionally spotted by hikers in early summer. After arriving we have a briefing at the Higuma Information Centre about bear activity and the latest sightings before we hit the trail.
Once we return from our hike, we board our van to transfer to Nukabira Onsen, a hot spring village situated by Lake Nukabira.
We drive to Lake Shikaribetsu and hike Mt. Hakuunzan, a 1,186m peak with panoramic views of Hokkaido's highest natural lake.
This 4.6km loop trail offers a chance to spot the rare Northern Pika, and we can enjoy homemade onigiri at the summit.
After the hike, travel to Furano, a picturesque town known for its beautiful landscapes and fresh produce. We will enjoy dinner in downtown Furano.
We’ll check out of our hotel after breakfast and make our way to Ansei Crater, nestled between several volcanic peaks. After admiring the crater, we will continue on to a view point on Mt. Kamifurano ridge, a physically challenging but steady uphill hike that will take you up and along the amazing ridgeline of the Tokachi Volcanic Group.
We’ll descend the way we came and take a little break this afternoon to explore the nearby picturesque town of Biei. After exploring Biei, we’ll drive through the beautiful forests on the outskirts of Biei to Asahidake Onsen, situated at 1,100m above sea level on the slopes of Mt. Asahidake.
After breakfast at our accommodation, we’ll make our way to the nearby Asahidake Ropeway for our final adventure. The ropeway will take us up to Sugatami Station, 1600m above sea level on Mt. Asahidake, the highest mountain in all of Hokkaido.
After exploring an easygoing route taking us around Sugatami Pond, a small volcanic crater lake, we’ll head for the trail to the summit of Mt. Asahidake. The summit at 2291m is a fitting conclusion to our adventure in Daisetsuzan National Park.
After descending the ropeway, we’ll hop back into our van and head to Asahikawa city, our tour coming full circle. We’ll celebrate a successful tour together with a delicious local meal tonight.
Our tour finishes after breakfast at our hotel. You can walk over to the Asahikawa JR Station, from where you can take a train to Sapporo or a bus to Asahikawa Airport to head to your next destination. Itterashai!
While the distances covered on our hikes are short - 5.6 km on average - the trails pack a punch, going up and down 460m over that distance. The trails in the Daisetsuzan are “rugged” to put it mildly. Expect to make knee-straining steps on large rocks, navigate exposed roots and slip and slide on loose gravel or mud. Our hikes take us above the tree line, where we are exposed to the full brunt of Hokkaido’s mountain weather - which is an experience in its own right.
This tour is perfect for strong walkers looking to step up to a mountainous challenge. It is also well suited for hikers with experience in the mountains who don’t measure a day’s success by the distance covered.
For comparison, our Japan’s Far North 7 Day Hiking Tour covers slightly more distance than this tour, but on smoother ground. If you just want to dip your toes into hiking in Hokkaido, our Shikotsu–Toya 5 Day Hiking Tour is a great introduction to hiking here.
Get in touch with us if you are unsure what tour is best for you. We are happy to answer any questions you have and describe the hikes in more detail.
“Much above our expectations!”
Ayaka and Richard took us to an exceptional 5 days hiking - majestic views and lots of knowledge and stories about Hokkaido people and nature. Much above our expectations!
This hiking tour is a series of day hikes; either return or loop routes. We always come back to our van at the end of the day and transfer to our accommodation. This means your overnight luggage can stay in the van and you can experience the best of the Daisetsuzan’s hiking with just a light day pack!