MT ASAHI-DAKE :

Mt Asahi-dake

 Mt Asahi-dake is the highest peak Hokkaido at 2290 meters.

The main up route up Asahi-dake is from Asahidake onsen village.

You have two way to head up. The easy-ish way or The hard way. 

The Easy-ish way up from Asahidake village to 'Sugatami-no-ike':

Take the gondola up from the village to the top gondola station at a place call 'Sugatami' . from here you head out of the gondola station and take the boardwalk path heading right which quickly turns into a dirt and stone trail. Follow this trail for about 15 minutes to a lookout point where there is a bell and a stone hut. Here is the start point of the trail heading up Mt Asahidake and to the peak.

getting on the gondola at bottom station

The top gondola station

 The Hard way up from Asahidake village to 'Sugatami-no-ike':

To the right of the gondola station at the village you will find the hiking trail to 'Sugatami' and the top gondola station.

This route will take through some wet land over boardwalks and then through the trees working your way up on a dirt and rock trail. The trail gets steeper and harder the higher you go.

It take about 2 hours and 20 minutes to reach 'Sugatami'. the the end of this trail you will come to a junction. If you turn left this will take you the top gondola station which is only 300 meters away. If you turn right lookout point where there is a bell and a stone hut. Here is the start point of the trail heading up Mt Asahidake and to the peak.

 A word of warning from The Bush Pig: 

This way up is great for a day hike up to the peak of Asahi-dake but I do not recommend doing this route if you are planing any long multi-day treks with a heavy backpack. This route can be a real killer with a heavy backpack and take a lot out of you and then you still have the hard climb up Mt Asahidake to go. The first time I every did a multi-day trek into Daisetsu-zan I didn't take the gondola and took the hiking trail up to the top gondola station and 'Sugatami' and never taken it since on starting any other multi-day trek. That was 15 years ago and I've started around multi-day trips from Asahidake village since then.

It is just much easier to take the gondola. Trust me on that! You will save a lot of pain later on. Why kill yourself on the first day.

The boardwalk section

The route up Mt Asahi-dake from 'Sugatami-no-ike':

From the lookout point at 'Sugatami' and the stone hut. You can see the trail up the peak.

The trail up follows the right edge of it's blown out crater and is is to follow and well marked by yellow paint on the rocks and well worn by millions of hikers over the years. 

The trail up is made up of big and small rocks and small stones which can make for loose and slippy footing at times. 

On your way up you pass active steam vents and get some great views if the weather is nice so don't forget your camera.

The route up for 'Sugatami' should take you around 2 hours , a bit longer if you are carrying a heavy backpack.

A word of warning from The Bush Pig:

The trail up from 'Sugatami' to the peak is out of the treeline and totally open to the weather and wind which can change very fast. I strongly recommend you take a Jacket for rain and wind and an extra warm top, even if the weather looks fine. 

The route from Sugatami to the peak of Mt Asahidake

At the peak of Mt Asahid-dake

Mt Asahi-dake

 Review of the hiking times:

Asahidake village to 'Sugatami-no-ike

• Day hike (light backpack): up 2 hr, 20 min. down 1 hr 40 in
• Heavy backpack: up 3 hr, 30 min. down 2 hours 

'Sugatami-no-ike' to the peak of Mt Asahi-dake

• Day hike (light backpack): up 2 hr. down 1 hr
• Heavy backpack: around 2 hr, 30 min to 3 hrs. down about 1 hr, 30 min

The route from Sugatami to the peak of Mt Asahidake

The route from Sugatami to the peak of Mt Asahidake

 Best time to go:

The hiking season is official open from July 1st to September 30th.

There are two best times to go. 

1. July for the wild alpine flowers. Usually earlier in the month is better but changes year to year.
2. September for the autumn (Fall) colours. Mid September is usually the best but again this changes year to year.

August is OK but this usually when people have their summer holidays in Japan so you can get big tour groups and lots of other foreigners. Don't think you will be the only foreigners up there. Everyone seems to have the idea. Some years in August it fells like all I met is just other foreigners .

Sugatami-no-ike:

'Sugatami' is the area around the top gondola station. 

It has many walking trails around this area. The trails will take you up close to some steaming volcanic vents and round a couple small alpine lakes (ponds)  and you can get a great view of the active crater of Mt Asahi-dake. 

'Sugatami' is a great place for those people who just want to something easy and walk around without too much effort. 

'Sugatami' is open all year round and the best time is June, July and September.

The Sugatami area

One of the alpine ponds and steam vents at Sugatami

 The stone hut at 'Sugatami'

The hut at Sugatami is only to be used for taking a break and having a rest for emergencies. You are not allowed to use it to stay over night. 

The stone hut

Gondola station:

The Gondola at Asahidake is open all year round except from Nov 30th to Jan 10th when it is closed for maintenance.

At the bottom gondola station you can buy maps, gas for LPG cookers and snack food and drink and clean toilets and a fast foo snack bar and a restaurant on the 2nd floor. 

You can not buy food here to cook up in the mountains.

There are coin locks there if you need to lock anything away to keep safe.

Water:

If you want to fill your water bottles. There is an outside tap just to the right of the front main door when you walk in. This is OK to drink.

Outside the gondola station at Asahidake village

Inside the gondola station at Asahidake village

The Fees for the gondola:

High season: June 1st to Oct 20th

Adults: from junior-high school students and older

• One way: Y1,600 pp
• Round trip: Y2,800 pp

Kids:  primary school students and under

• One way: Y800pp
• Round trip: Y1,400 pp 

Regular season: Oct 21 to May 31

Adults: from junior-high school students and older

• One way: Y1,100 pp
• Round trip: Y1,800 pp

Kids:  primary school students and under

• One way: Y550 pp
• Round trip: Y900 pp 

Link for Asahidake Gondola

Asahidake ropeway 

Asahidake gondola

Getting off the gondola at the top station

Ashidake Village:

Asahidake village is mainly made up of Small and big Onsen hotels and accommodation.

At the village you can find the Asahidake information center  which on the left just before you reach the gondola station.

There are no shops there, not even a convenient store and NO ATM. 

Car parking:

There are two places:

1. There is a free car park area which opposite the information center just before the gondola station. If you park you car here the park has no responsibility if anything happens to it.
2. The car park at the gondola station you have to pay. This is a good idea if you want to leave your car for a few days or longer. There is always someone there to keep an eye on it.

Accommodation:

There many different accommodation in Asahidake onsen village to suit all types of budget.

There is a good camp ground there. It has drinkable running water and clean toilets and place to wash dishes but no showers. You can use any of the onsens nearby for a small fee. You must take your own towels.

The campsite at Asahidake village

The place I recommend is 'Lodge Nutapukaushipe'.

This is great place run by by a Husband and wife team. This log house has Japanese style rooms up stairs and a group dining room and place to relax down stairs and an outside and inner onsen.

You pay one set price per person which includes 2 meals (dinner & breakfast). All guests eat together down stairs.

The fee is about Y8,000 pp.

The only thing with this amazing place is they have no website and you have to book by phone and only in Japanese.

Ph: 0166-97-2150

Another place we can recommend is the Asahidake YHA.

Lodge Nutapukaushipe

Lodge Nutapukaushipe

 

Lodge Nutapukaushipe

Lodge Nutapukaushipe

 How to get there:

 By Train & Bus:

From Sapporo you catch a train to Asahikawa city. There are many trains leaving each day. The first train leaves at 6.50 am and the 2nd at 7.20 am.

From Asahikawa JR station you make your way to the main street outside the station. There you will find some bus stops. You want to find bus stop number 4. There are three bus a day in Summer that take you to Asahidake village . 

• 9:25 get there 10:51
• 12:35 get there 14:01
• 15:55 get there  17:21

From the gondola station at Asahidake village to Asahikawa

• 11:00 get there12:26
• 14:10 get there 15:36
• 17:30 get there 18:56

Bus fee: Y1,320 pp

Bus stop number 4 outside Asahikawa JR station