Japan - Hokkaido's mysterious side

On Hokkaido's mysterious and quiet side

After arriving at Chitose Airport, where hundreds, even thousands, of skiers gather to travel to Niseko, we turn in the other direction in our off-road minibus. After a good two-hour drive, we reach Tomamu, where we check into our accommodations. The very next morning, we take the gondola up Mt. Tomamu; the north slopes of this mountain offer us perfect terrain to beat our jet lag. A short climb of 180 meters brings us back to the resort. There's plenty of space here and plenty of open terrain. The next morning, we reach our second destination, Tokachidake Onsen. On skins, we climb through sparse forests and enjoy the best powder snow in an indescribable winter landscape. A dip in the hot springs at the foot of the mountain is a must. The following day, we find new lines in the foothills of Tokachidake. If we get a lot of fresh snow, we can always head to one of the smaller ski areas and do our turns near the lifts. The next day we visit Mt. Ashidake, at 2291 meters the highest peak in Hokkaido.

Itinerary

We'll use the following day for travel and exploration, driving five hours to Utoro Higashi on the Shirtoto Peninsula. The next few days are at our disposal to climb the Rausu Dake, San Tsu Mine, and Sashirui Daku volcanoes. The climbs, some of which are long and reach up to 1,500 meters in altitude, are rewarded with incomparable views and an unforgettable descent. Here, too, a soak in a hot onsen is a must after a long day on the mountain. The following Tuesday, we'll drive across Hokkaido back to Chitose and fly home the next day via Tokyo, bringing with us unforgettable memories..

The Ski Terrain

Most regions of Hokkaido experience heavy snowfall during the winter months. Especially in the mountainous regions, shallow low pressure systems linger and produce heavy snowfall. In the forested regions, we find predominantly loose powder snow, but in alpine terrain above the tree line, the wind can also blow the snow quite hard. Therefore, the higher elevations near the volcanoes often involve skiing on hard snow.

Hotels

We'll be staying in three different hotels. When choosing our hotels for this trip, we made it a point to stay in traditional houses (so-called ryokans). On Shiritoko, the onsen right next to the hotel is a must. At the ryokans, we'll be fortified for the day with a hearty breakfast before each tour. In the evenings, we also like to visit small local restaurants with many delicious local specialties.

We try to accommodate single room requests, but cannot guarantee them 100%.