# Ride Hokkaido: full content > The complete text and data of https://ridehokkaido.com. The shorter link map lives at https://ridehokkaido.com/llms.txt. Every entry lists the sources its facts come from and the month they were checked. Prices are in Japanese yen, each with the year it applies to. The site earns affiliate commission on some bookings; paid links are marked, and https://ridehokkaido.com/disclosures explains how. ## Regions ### Niseko & Yotei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/niseko Sea of Japan storms hit the Niseko range first and keep coming through January. Four linked resorts share one mountain here, and Rusutsu's tree runs sit half an hour down the road with Yotei watching over all of it. ### Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/sapporo Hokkaido's capital has six ski hills inside an hour's drive, and a few of them run lifts until nine at night. Kiroro sits in the snow belt behind Otaru and often holds the deepest base on the island. ### Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/central Inland Hokkaido gets colder and drier the further you drive from the coast. Furano and Kamui run proper lift-served mountains, while the volcanoes of Daisetsuzan carry the island's biggest touring lines. ### Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/tokachi The Tokachi side sees fewer storms and colder nights, so whatever falls stays light for days. Tomamu and Sahoro face each other across the Karikachi Pass with long bluebird groomers and powder you sign a bib for. ### Lakes, volcanoes & the south URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/south Caldera lakes, steaming valleys and the old port of Hakodate fill the south. It makes the best rest-day country on the island and an easy drive from New Chitose. ### Rishiri, Akan & the far edges URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/regions/far-north-east Rishiri rises straight out of the sea off Wakkanai and skis to the shoreline. Out east the Akan volcanoes and the drift-ice coast wait for riders who will drive a full day for them. ## Towns ### Akaigawa URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/akaigawa Type: Town Local name: 赤井川 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.08350, 140.81360 Kind: Village Population: 1,475 Konbini: Very limited. Buy supplies in Otaru or Yoichi before you drive up, or use the shops in the Kiroro hotels. ATM: No reliable foreign-card ATM in the village. Bring cash from Otaru, where 7-Eleven's 7-Bank ATMs take foreign cards. Rentals: Kiroro runs full rental shops at the Mountain Center. Groceries: The Michi-no-Eki farm shop for produce. Do a full shop in Otaru or Yoichi. Transport: Kiroro runs winter buses from Otaru, Sapporo, New Chitose Airport and Niseko. By train, ride the JR to Otaru and take a taxi or the bus up. Driving from Otaru takes about 40 minutes over the Route 393 pass. Summary: Akaigawa is a farming village in an old volcanic caldera, and Kiroro sits in the snowy hills on its rim. Akaigawa sits in the bowl of an ancient caldera with mountains on every side, which goes some way to explaining the snow. Moist air off the Sea of Japan piles into those mountains, and Kiroro takes the brunt of it high on the slopes of Mt. Asari and Mt. Nagamine. Down on the caldera floor the melon fields turn into a quiet white plain in winter, with farmhouses spaced far apart and very little traffic after dark. Kiroro opened in 1991 and changed the village; its arrival quadrupled local tax revenue. Most visitors never see Akaigawa itself and stay up at the resort, where the hotels run their own restaurants and baths. If you have a car, drop down to Yamanaka Farm for a soft serve made from its own milk. The village's Caldera Onsen is a good soak on the drive home, and the roadside station by the Route 393 junction sells local vegetables. Q: What does the name Akaigawa mean? A: Akaigawa comes from the local name hure-pet, meaning red river. Akaigawa is a Japanese translation of the Ainu river name, so the sound itself is not Ainu. The village records several theories and adopts hure-pet (red river) as its official origin. It split from Ōe village (today's Niki) in 1899 and took the name Akaigawa-mura in 1906. Q: Is Akaigawa a good place to stay? A: Stay at Kiroro itself if you want first chair on the deepest snow near Sapporo. The village below is for drivers who like farm shops and empty roads. Q: How do you get to Akaigawa? A: Kiroro runs winter buses from Otaru, Sapporo, New Chitose Airport and Niseko. By train, ride the JR to Otaru and take a taxi or the bus up. Driving from Otaru takes about 40 minutes over the Route 393 pass. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.akaigawa.com/profile/ https://www.akaigawa.com/kanko/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/赤井川村 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/キロロリゾート https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/道の駅あかいがわ https://akaigawa-terrace.jp/ https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.kiroro.co.jp/ja/dining/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/ja/access-winter/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/1001152/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/1048338/ ### Akan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/akan Type: Town Local name: 阿寒（阿寒湖温泉） (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.43330, 144.09440 Kind: Onsen town Konbini: Limited shops in the onsen village; stock up in Kushiro. ATM: Bring cash from Kushiro. Check for a Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office in the village. Rentals: Bring your own gear. There is no touring rental in the village. Groceries: Small shops only; do a proper shop in Kushiro. Transport: Akan Bus runs to Akanko Onsen from Kushiro Airport and Kushiro Station; the tourism association quotes about three hours door to door from Tokyo via Kushiro Airport. By car the drive from Kushiro Airport takes a little over an hour. Summary: Lake Akan freezes solid in winter, and the onsen village on its shore is home to one of Hokkaido's largest Ainu kotan. Lake Akan freezes solid in winter, and the onsen village on its south shore sits at the edge of a white plain ringed by forest and the cones of O-Akan and Me-Akan. On clear nights the temperature can fall close to minus twenty, and in the morning the ice blooms with frost flowers. People drill holes in the lake and fish for wakasagi smelt from small tents, then fry them in tempura batter right there on the ice. Akan Kotan at the west end of the village is one of the largest Ainu communities in Hokkaido. Its street of craft shops and wood carvers runs up to the Ikor theatre. In winter the theatre stages traditional Ainu dances and 'Lost Kamuy', which mixes Ainu dance with contemporary dance and projection. Eat at Poronno in the kotan, where the Ainu dishes include venison and pocheimo cakes made from fermented potato; book ahead in winter. It is a long way from the big ski resorts, and riders come here for the culture and the baths. Q: What does the name Akan mean? A: Akan comes from the local name akan, meaning unmoving, according to the city; other readings link it to a wheel or to spawning dace. The meaning is disputed. Kushiro City, which absorbed Akan town in 2005, says the name comes from 'akan', unmoving, given to Me-Akan and O-Akan; a story holds that when an earthquake shook the land, O-Akan alone did not move, so it was called akan-un-pinne-sir, the unmoving male mountain. The Hokkaido government list notes other readings: akam (a wheel) and rakan (where dace spawn), the old name of the Akan River being Rakan-pet. Akanko Onsen is part of Kushiro City, so no separate population is given. Q: Is Akan a good place to stay? A: Stay at Lake Akan for Ainu culture and onsen on an eastern Hokkaido road trip. It suits riders taking a few days off the snow, or touring the Akan volcanoes with a guide. Q: How do you get to Akan? A: Akan Bus runs to Akanko Onsen from Kushiro Airport and Kushiro Station; the tourism association quotes about three hours door to door from Tokyo via Kushiro Airport. By car the drive from Kushiro Airport takes a little over an hour. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.kushiro.lg.jp/shisei/gaiyou/1006797/1006798/1006801.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/阿寒町 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/阿寒川 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/阿寒湖温泉 https://lake-akan.com/story_2/ https://lake-akan.com/access/ https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spot/detail_11317.html https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80000871 https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0112/A011201/1005591/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0112/A011201/1008548/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0112/A011201/1025548/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0112/A011201/1005937/ ### Asahikawa URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/asahikawa Type: Town Local name: 旭川 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.76360, 142.35810 Kind: City Population: 312,209 Konbini: Convenience stores are everywhere, with several around the station. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs in 7-Elevens and Japan Post Bank ATMs take foreign cards. The station area has several. Rentals: Rent at Kamui Ski Links or in Furano. Outdoor and ski shops in the city sell gear. Groceries: Large supermarkets across the city and a food hall at the AEON Mall by the station. Transport: Limited express trains run from Sapporo in about 85 minutes. Asahikawa Airport is about 35 minutes from the city centre by bus. Buses run from the station to Asahidake Onsen and Sounkyo, and JR lines branch out toward Furano and Nayoro. A car makes daily hill choices easy. Summary: Hokkaido's second city sits in a cold inland basin within easy reach of most of the central region's hills, and it pours the island's best shoyu ramen. Asahikawa set Japan's official low-temperature record of minus 41.0 degrees in January 1902, and on a still winter morning the city feels like it could have another go. The basin traps the cold air so the snow squeaks underfoot. Diamond dust glitters in the light over the river. It is a working city of three hundred thousand, with a pedestrian shopping street running straight out from the station and a dense nightlife district in Sanroku-gai a few blocks east. It is the best-placed city in Hokkaido for riding variety. Kamui Ski Links is about half an hour west, and Asahidake's ropeway is about an hour east through Higashikawa. Kurodake at Sounkyo takes an hour and a quarter up the Ishikari valley, while Furano is an hour south. Asahikawa ramen is shoyu, made with a double stock of pork and seafood and sealed under a layer of lard to keep it hot in the cold. Hachiya, open since 1947, burns its lard for a smoky edge, and Tenkin on 4-jō is the other benchmark. For dinner, go to Daikokuya for fresh lamb, or to Ginneko for shinkoyaki, where a young half-chicken is grilled black with sauce and pepper. Dokushaku Sanshiro is the old izakaya to finish in, with a counter that has served local fish and sake since 1946. In winter the Asahiyama Zoo runs its penguin walk once the snow is deep enough, and the Winter Festival builds a giant snow stage by the Asahibashi bridge every February. The city also has one of Hokkaido's oldest Ainu museums out in Chikabumi, where many Ainu families still live. Q: What does the name Asahikawa mean? A: Asahikawa comes from the local name cuk-pet / cup-pet / ciw-pet, meaning named after the Chubetsu River; 'sun river' was the reading that gave the city its name. The city's Ainu name is the name of the Chubetsu River, which Japanese settlers heard as 'chuk-pet'. In 1890 officials read it as cup-pet, 'sun river' (and by extension 'the river where the sun rises'), and translated that into 旭川, 'rising-sun river'. No reading is confirmed. Ciw-pet, 'river of waves' or rapids, is the most widely held, and cuk-pet, 'autumn river' (short for cuk-cep-pet, 'autumn-fish river', meaning salmon), is the other main one. Asahikawa City Museum's Ainu place-name boards present all three. The name Chiukapet sometimes given in English is a version of the same river name. Q: Is Asahikawa a good place to stay? A: Base in Asahikawa for a different hill every day plus a real city night out. It suits riders with a car who want to move between the central region's resorts without changing hotels. Q: How do you get to Asahikawa? A: Limited express trains run from Sapporo in about 85 minutes. Asahikawa Airport is about 35 minutes from the city centre by bus. Buses run from the station to Asahidake Onsen and Sounkyo, and JR lines branch out toward Furano and Nayoro. A car makes daily hill choices easy. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/hakubutukan/chimei_display/d053000.html https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/hakubutukan/chimei_display/p000105.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/旭川市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/忠別川 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1317317/ https://www.walkerplus.com/spot/ar0101s03784/data.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1000269/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1000090/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1003673/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1027848/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1006681/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1014057/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1001719/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1001340/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1002005/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1062164/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1009859/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010401/1007561/ ### Biei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/biei Type: Town Local name: 美瑛 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.59110, 142.46180 Kind: Town Population: 9,143 Konbini: Convenience stores on Route 237 by the town centre; nothing at Shirogane. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office in town. Rentals: No board rental in town. Rent at Furano or Kamui, or through a guide for touring. Groceries: Supermarkets in town, and the Biei Senka market for local produce. Transport: JR Furano Line trains stop at Biei between Asahikawa and Furano. Dohoku Bus runs from Biei Station to the Blue Pond and Shirogane Onsen. Asahikawa Airport is about 20 minutes away by car. Summary: Biei's rolling farm hills sit between Asahikawa and Furano, and the town makes a calm base for Shirogane Onsen and the Tokachidake volcanoes. Biei is the patchwork hill country that ends up on postcards. Long swells of farmland broken by windbreaks of birch and larch run to the horizon, and here and there a single tree stands on a ridgeline. In winter all of it goes white and the shapes get stronger. On a clear morning after a storm the low sun throws blue shadows across every fold, and the Tokachidake range stands behind it all with steam drifting off the summit. For riders it sits in the middle of everything. Shirogane Onsen and the Tokachidake touring zone are about 30 minutes up the valley, and the other big hills of the central region are all within about an hour. The town itself is small and eats early. At lunch the yōshoku café Junpei near the station is famous for its prawn bowl, and Daimaru serves the local curry udon. Inside the Biei Senka market, Asperge cooks French food around the town's vegetables. After dark, drive up to the Blue Pond, where the larch trunks standing in the frozen pond are lit until 21:00 through the winter. Q: What does the name Biei mean? A: Biei comes from the local name piye, meaning oily, greasy. The town is named for the Biei River. Its headwaters run off the Tokachidake volcanoes, and sulphur in the water made it look cloudy and oily, which the Ainu name describes; this is Yamada Hidezō's reading. The same minerals tint the Blue Pond at Shirogane today. Q: Is Biei a good place to stay? A: Stay in Biei for a quiet, central base between Furano and Asahikawa with fast access to Shirogane and Tokachidake. It suits touring riders and photographers with a car. Q: How do you get to Biei? A: JR Furano Line trains stop at Biei between Asahikawa and Furano. Dohoku Bus runs from Biei Station to the Blue Pond and Shirogane Onsen. Asahikawa Airport is about 20 minutes away by car. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/美瑛川 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/美瑛町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/meal https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/shirogane-blue-pond https://watabi.org/articles/biei-blue-pond-illumination-guide https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1045263/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1020065/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1005336/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1045166/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1074734/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1059943/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1004122/ ### Chitose URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/chitose Type: Town Local name: 千歳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.82100, 141.65090 Kind: City Population: 97,032 Konbini: Plenty in town and several inside the airport terminals. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs in 7-Elevens and in the airport terminals take foreign cards, as do Japan Post Bank ATMs. Rentals: No board rental to speak of. Rent at the resort you are heading to. Groceries: Large supermarkets around the city; stock up here before driving to the lakes or Niseko. Transport: JR Rapid Airport trains link the airport with Chitose and Sapporo; Sapporo is about 40 minutes from the airport. Most rental car companies run shuttles from the airport to depots nearby. Buses to Lake Shikotsu leave from JR Chitose Station and take about an hour. Summary: Chitose wraps around New Chitose Airport, and it works well for a first or last night or as the way in to Lake Shikotsu. Most people see Chitose as a runway and a rental car desk, and it does that job well. New Chitose Airport sits on the city's eastern edge, and the town itself spreads along a slow, clear river in a grid of wide streets, with chain hotels in the centre and Self-Defense Force bases on the edges. Compared with the mountains it is flat and dry, and a late-season arrival can find bare fields here while Niseko is still buried. It is worth a night if your flight lands late or leaves early, and it is the jumping-off point for Lake Shikotsu forty minutes west. Eat in town before you head for the hills. Menya Rei's tsukemen sells out most days before the lunch service ends. For an evening bowl, IOrI in Sumiyoshi reopens at 17:00, and Garaku has a Chitose branch for soup curry. At the airport, the Hokkaido Ramen Dojo on the third floor of the domestic terminal stays open until 21:00 for a last bowl before your flight. Q: What does the name Chitose mean? A: Chitose comes from the local name si-kot (former name), meaning the great hollow; Chitose itself is Japanese for 'a thousand years'. The area and its river were called Shikot (si-kot, the great hollow), and the Chitose River was Shikot-pet. In 1805 a Hakodate magistrate's official asked for a new name because Shikotsu sounded like 死骨 (dead bones). Magistrate Habuto Masayasu chose Chitose, 'a thousand years', after the saying that cranes live a thousand years and turtles ten thousand, because so many cranes lived here. The old Ainu name survives in Lake Shikotsu. Q: Is Chitose a good place to stay? A: Stay in Chitose for a late arrival or an early flight, or as a stop on the way to Lake Shikotsu. It suits road-trippers who want to pick up a car without driving to Sapporo first. Q: How do you get to Chitose? A: JR Rapid Airport trains link the airport with Chitose and Sapporo; Sapporo is about 40 minutes from the airport. Most rental car companies run shuttles from the airport to depots nearby. Buses to Lake Shikotsu leave from JR Chitose Station and take about an hour. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.chitose.lg.jp/docs/94-97353-160-826.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/千歳市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1001190/ https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/event/detail_11029.html https://jozankei.jp/access/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1026411/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1029291/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1058922/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1049376/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1069655/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1034338/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1054111/ ### Furano URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/furano Type: Town Local name: 富良野 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.34690, 142.39130 Kind: City Population: 19,394 Konbini: Convenience stores cluster around the town centre and along Route 38. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs at the 7-Elevens and the Japan Post Bank ATM at Furano Post Office take foreign cards. Rentals: The Furano resort runs rental shops at its base areas. Groceries: Several supermarkets in town, plus farm shops for vegetables even in winter. Transport: Asahikawa Airport is the closest, about an hour by the Lavender-go bus. JR Furano Line trains run from Asahikawa via Biei and Kamifurano. Highway buses connect Furano with Sapporo in about two and a half hours. Summary: A farm town in the middle of Hokkaido with a World Cup ski hill on its edge and a food scene built on its own vegetables. Furano sits in a wide basin in the dead centre of Hokkaido, and in January it is properly cold. Mornings below minus twenty are common in a cold snap. The snow comes down dry and light, and the air over the town has the hard blue clarity you only get inland. The town itself is small and practical, with farm supply stores and low houses laid out in a grid around the JR station. The ski area starts at the edge of town, and the Kitanomine zone has its own little strip of lodges and bars at the base. The mountain hosted World Cup races and still rides like a racer's hill, with long fall-line pitches off the ropeway and gates into the trees and bowls beyond the boundary on good days. It is far less crowded than Niseko. Tokachidake and the Daisetsuzan touring zones are within an hour, which makes Furano the natural base for a mix of resort and backcountry days. The 2026/27 season is set to open on 28 November. Eat well here, because the town grows most of what it serves. The local dish is omu-curry, where an omelette sits on curry rice with a little flag on top. Yuiga Doxon by the station serves its curry with its own smoked sausages, and a few blocks away Kumagera cooks local beef and big hot pots in a wooden dining room. For ramen, Shina Tora in Saiwai-cho is the in-town bowl, and Tomikawa out in Rokugo makes its own noodles from home-milled flour. At night the craft cabins of Ningle Terrace glow under the snow in the forest by the New Furano Prince Hotel. Next to them is Mori no Tokei, the café built for the TV drama 'Yasashii Jikan'. On a hill above town, Furano Wine Factory pours local Müller-Thurgau most days through winter. Q: What does the name Furano mean? A: Furano comes from the local name hura-nu-i, meaning the place that has a smell. The widely accepted reading. The Furano River rises on the Tokachidake volcanoes and carries the smell of sulphur, and the Ainu name described the river and the land around it. Kamifurano ('upper Furano') and Nakafurano take their names from the same word. Q: Is Furano a good place to stay? A: Base in Furano for long groomed runs and day trips to Tokachidake and the Daisetsuzan volcanoes. It suits riders who want dry snow and short lift lines in a working farm town. Q: How do you get to Furano? A: Asahikawa Airport is the closest, about an hour by the Lavender-go bus. JR Furano Line trains run from Asahikawa via Biei and Kamifurano. Highway buses connect Furano with Sapporo in about two and a half hours. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富良野市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.furanotourism.com/jp/spot/spot_L.php?kid1=3 https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=525453 https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spot/detail_10150.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1000063/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1000298/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1007692/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1008382/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1016743/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1002106/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1010159/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1000940/ ### Hakodate URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/hakodate Type: Town Local name: 函館 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Coordinates: 41.77380, 140.72630 Kind: City Population: 232,760 Konbini: Everywhere, including Hasegawa Store, the local chain known for its yakitori bento. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs at 7-Elevens and Japan Post Bank ATMs take foreign cards; there are several around the station. Rentals: Rent at Hakodate Nanae, which has a rental shop at the base. Groceries: Supermarkets around the city, and the morning market for seafood to take away. Transport: Hokkaido Shinkansen trains from Honshu stop at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, linked to Hakodate Station by the Hakodate Liner. Limited express trains run to Sapporo in about three and a half to four hours. Hakodate Airport is close to the city, and streetcars run from the centre out to Yunokawa. Summary: Hakodate grew up as a treaty port on a narrow isthmus below its mountain, and it eats better than almost anywhere in Hokkaido. Hakodate is the oldest of Hokkaido's big towns and it still looks outward. It was one of the first ports opened to foreign ships in 1859, and the Motomachi slopes below Mt. Hakodate are lined with Orthodox and Catholic churches and wooden merchant houses painted in pale colours. The streetcars still run. The city gets far less snow than the mountains to the north, and on a clear winter evening the view from the summit shows it pinched into an hourglass between two bays with every street lit. It is a long way from the big powder resorts, and nobody comes here for a week of riding. Hakodate Nanae is about forty minutes north and makes a good day on the hill, and the city is the natural first or last stop for anyone arriving on the Shinkansen from Honshu. Stay a night or two for the food. Breakfast is the morning market by the station, where Kikuyo Shokudo has served seafood bowls from 6:00 for decades. Hakodate ramen means shio in a clear, light broth, and the bowl at Ajisai in Goryokaku is the benchmark. For a bigger meal, Asari has sold beef and served sukiyaki in Horai-cho for generations. Koike calls itself the originator of Hakodate's 'Indian curry' and serves Japanese curry and katsu-don at lunch. Locals will also send you to Lucky Pierrot for a Chinese chicken burger and to the Hasegawa Store convenience chain for a yakitori bento cooked at the counter. In the evening go up the mountain for the night view, then come down to the bay for a beer. The ropeway closes for inspection each autumn, so check dates if you arrive in early November. Q: What does the name Hakodate mean? A: Hakodate comes from the local name us-kes, meaning the end of the bay. Hakodate itself is a Japanese name. The fishing village at the foot of Mt. Hakodate was called Usukeshi, from the Ainu us-kes or usor-kes, 'the end of the bay'. In 1454 the Tsugaru warlord Kōno Masamichi built a fortified residence there, and because it looked like a box (箱) the place became Hakodate, 箱館. The characters changed to 函館 in 1869, when Ezo became Hokkaido. Q: Is Hakodate a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hakodate for one or two nights of food and history on the way on or off the island by train. It works for riders who want a day at Hakodate Nanae and a city break in the same trip. Q: How do you get to Hakodate? A: Hokkaido Shinkansen trains from Honshu stop at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, linked to Hakodate Station by the Hakodate Liner. Limited express trains run to Sapporo in about three and a half to four hours. Hakodate Airport is close to the city, and streetcars run from the centre out to Yunokawa. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014020600063/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/函館市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.hakodate.travel/en/sightseeing-spots/food-drink https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1000258/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1000366/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1007287/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1003362/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1008130/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1010526/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1000136/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0105/A010501/1000280/ https://luckypierrot.jp/ https://www.hasesuto.co.jp/ https://334.co.jp/ ### Higashikawa URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/higashikawa Type: Town Local name: 東川 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.69890, 142.51000 Kind: Town Population: 8,695 Konbini: Convenience stores in town; nothing at Asahidake Onsen, so stock up before the climb. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office in town. Rentals: Touring gear is best arranged through a guide service. Bring your own board for Asahidake. Groceries: Supermarkets in town, and the Michi-no-Eki Higashikawa Michikusakan for local produce. Transport: The Ideyu-go bus runs from Asahikawa Station via Asahikawa Airport and Higashikawa to Asahidake Onsen. By car the airport is about 15 minutes from town and Asahidake Onsen about 40 minutes further up the valley. Summary: Higashikawa is a small, growing town of cafés and photographers that leads up the valley to the Asahidake ropeway. Higashikawa is the rare Hokkaido town that is growing. It calls itself the town of photography and every house draws its water from Daisetsuzan groundwater, since the town has no mains water supply. Young families and makers have moved in, and the main street now has more good cafés and bakeries than you would expect in a town of nine thousand. Snow lies deep and quiet across the rice paddies, and the road east climbs steadily into the forest toward Asahidake. Riders use it as the base for Asahidake. On Hokkaido's highest peak the ropeway lifts you onto an open volcanic slope above the treeline, with fumaroles steaming beside the runs. Asahidake Onsen at the ropeway base has a handful of hotels and good baths. Down in town, Buna does soba and butadon, and Higashikawa Pelican cooks bistro food out in the fields. Take onigiri from Chamise in the morning before the drive up. Q: What does the name Higashikawa mean? A: Higashikawa comes from the local name cup-pet / cupka-pet, meaning sun river, or east river. Higashikawa ('east river') is a Japanese translation. The town's Ainu policy plan gives cup-pet, 'sun river', explained as a river whose source lies to the east where the sun and moon rise; the Hokkaido Development Bureau also gives cupka-pet, 'east river'. The same Ainu word, written 忠別, names the Chubetsu River along the town's southern edge, and the city of Asahikawa got its name from the same river. Scholars dispute the original sound (see Asahikawa). Q: Is Higashikawa a good place to stay? A: Stay in Higashikawa or up at Asahidake Onsen for ropeway touring on Hokkaido's highest volcano. It suits backcountry riders who want quiet nights and good coffee. Q: How do you get to Higashikawa? A: The Ideyu-go bus runs from Asahikawa Station via Asahikawa Airport and Higashikawa to Asahidake Onsen. By car the airport is about 15 minutes from town and Asahidake Onsen about 40 minutes further up the valley. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www8.cao.go.jp/ainu/kouhyou/chiiki_keikaku/20230616/kouhyou-higashikawa.pdf https://www.hkd.mlit.go.jp/as/tiiki_sinkou/a079ll0000004z99-att/5-02-higashikawa.pdf https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/東川町 https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/hakubutukan/chimei_display/d053000.html https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1046211/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1033163/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1077841/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1070383/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1004130/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1045551/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1051989/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1049026/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1038414/ ### Hirafu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/hirafu Type: Town Local name: 比羅夫（ニセコひらふ） (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.86280, 140.70000 Kind: Resort village Konbini: Lawson and Seicomart both have stores in the lower village, and the 7-Eleven sits up in Hirafu 5-jō. ATM: Use the 7-Bank ATM at the 7-Eleven in 5-jō. The Hokkaido Bank office in the village handles currency exchange only, and there is a SMART EXCHANGE machine in the Satudora drugstore. Rentals: Grand Hirafu's base rental shop and several large independent rental chains in the village, including Rhythm. Book ahead for a discount in peak weeks. Groceries: Convenience stores only in the village; drive or bus to MaxValu or Coop in Kutchan for a proper shop. Transport: The Chuo Bus ski bus runs from New Chitose Airport (about three and a half hours) and Sapporo Station to the Hirafu Welcome Center; in 2025/26 it cost ¥6,000 one way and needed a reservation. The Hokkaido Resort Liner also runs from the airport. In the village, the Hirafu shuttle runs three loops every 20 to 30 minutes, and the Niseko United shuttle between resorts is free with an All Mountain pass (scanning a day pass on the bus counts as a day of use). Summary: Niseko's biggest resort village sits at the base of Grand Hirafu, with night riding under lights and the bars that made Niseko famous. Hirafu is the village that grew up the slope from the base of Grand Hirafu, and on a January night it barely feels like Japan. Snow comes down sideways under the streetlights on Hirafu-zaka while crowds in rental jackets queue at the food trucks. Half a dozen languages drift out of the bars. The lifts started turning here in 1961. Australians found the snow in the 1990s, and the village has been building ever since. For riding it is hard to beat. Grand Hirafu links with the other three Niseko United resorts across the top of the mountain, and the lights stay on for night riding from mid-December. When patrol judges conditions safe, the gates at the top of the lifts open onto the Niseko range under the Niseko Rules. Most of the village is a walk from a lift, and the village shuttle covers the rest. Book dinner before you arrive. In peak weeks the good tables go weeks ahead, and walking in at 19:00 on a Saturday usually ends at a convenience store. Bang Bang is the long-running yakitori izakaya that fills first. Tsubara Tsubara does a good soup curry at a fair price, and Niseko Curry Koya has served lunch from ten seats since 1988. Finish at Bar Gyu+, which you enter through an old Coca-Cola vending machine door that is easy to walk past three times in a snowstorm. Q: What does the name Hirafu mean? A: The name Hirafu means named after Abe no Hirafu. Q: Is Hirafu a good place to stay? A: Stay in Hirafu for ski-in convenience and the most restaurants and bars on the mountain. It suits groups who want a night scene and are willing to pay peak prices and book everything early. Q: How do you get to Hirafu? A: The Chuo Bus ski bus runs from New Chitose Airport (about three and a half hours) and Sapporo Station to the Hirafu Welcome Center; in 2025/26 it cost ¥6,000 one way and needed a reservation. The Hokkaido Resort Liner also runs from the airport. In the village, the Hirafu shuttle runs three loops every 20 to 30 minutes, and the Niseko United shuttle between resorts is free with an All Mountain pass (scanning a day pass on the bus counts as a day of use). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/比羅夫駅 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニセコ東急_グラン・ヒラフ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-history/history-nenpyou/ https://visit-hokkaido.jp/spa/spot/detail_12021.html https://grand-hirafu.jp/ https://grand-hirafu.jp/snow/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/bang-bang-bang-2-deux/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/niseko-curry-koya/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/fujizushi-niseko/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/raku/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1023233/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1004841/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1073290/ https://ezoseafoods.com/ https://sushishin-niseko.jp/ja/ https://izakaya-raku.com/ https://gyubar.com/ https://nisekotourism.com/listing/bar-gyu https://nisekotourism.com/listing/bar-barunba https://nisekotourism.com/listing/apero-niseko-2 https://niseko-ta.jp/hot-spring/ https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/course/7768 https://www.navitime.co.jp/category/0201001/01400/ ### Iwanai URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/iwanai Type: Town Local name: 岩内 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.97980, 140.51460 Kind: Town Population: 10,644 Konbini: Ten convenience stores across the town between 7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart and Seicomart. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs at the 7-Elevens take foreign cards, as does the Japan Post Bank ATM at Iwanai Post Office. Rentals: No dedicated board rental in town. Bring your own gear or rent in Niseko on the way, and ask the cat-ski operator about powder boards. Groceries: Lucky supermarket in Sakae, and fishmongers selling the local catch. Transport: No railway since the Iwanai line closed in 1985; the nearest station is Kozawa. The Chuo Bus Iwanai highway bus runs from Sapporo in about two and a half hours, and Niseko Bus connects to Kutchan. Driving takes about 1 hr 45 min from Sapporo and 50 minutes from Niseko. The Niseko Panorama Line over the range is closed in winter. Summary: Iwanai is an old herring port at the western end of the Niseko range, where cat-skiing runs above the town and seafood stays cheap by the harbour. Iwanai faces the open Sea of Japan with its back to the last peaks of the Niseko range, and in winter the wind comes straight off the water. The town grew rich on herring in the late 1800s; by 1932 the fish had gone. On 26 September 1954 a fire driven by the typhoon that sank the Toya Maru burned 3,298 houses and killed 35 people. Four houses in five were lost. Most of what stands now went up after that, and the buildings around the harbour are low and plain. Riders come for Iwanai Resort on Mt. Iwanai, now a cat-skiing operation with long runs that end looking out at the sea. Down in town the seafood costs a fraction of Niseko prices. Kiyo-zushi's branch by the bus terminal serves a twelve-piece omakase for ¥3,800, and Sasaya Shokudo next to the Michi-no-Eki does the local shrimp tempura ramen. After dinner, drive up Maruyama for the night view over the harbour lights, then soak in the golden water at San San no Yu. Q: What does the name Iwanai mean? A: Iwanai comes from the local name iwaw-nay / iwa-nay, meaning sulphur river (iwaw-nay), or mountain river (iwa-nay). The meaning is not settled. Both readings circulate; the Forestry Agency's page for Iwanai-dake gives 'mountain river'. The town and the National Ainu Museum say only that the name is Ainu and do not commit to a meaning. A trading post stood here from 1751, and the name was fixed in its current characters in 1869. Q: Is Iwanai a good place to stay? A: Stay in Iwanai for cat-skiing at Iwanai Resort and a quieter, cheaper base on the western side of the Niseko range. It suits drivers who want seafood and onsen without the Hirafu crowds. Q: How do you get to Iwanai? A: No railway since the Iwanai line closed in 1985; the nearest station is Kozawa. The Chuo Bus Iwanai highway bus runs from Sapporo in about two and a half hours, and Niseko Bus connects to Kutchan. Driving takes about 1 hr 45 min from Sapporo and 50 minutes from Niseko. The Niseko Panorama Line over the range is closed in winter. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/岩内町 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwanai,_Hokkaido https://www.town.iwanai.hokkaido.jp/町政情報/about/歴史/ https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://iwanai-kanko.jp/gourmet/ https://iwanai-kanko.jp/tourism/maruyama/29.html https://iwanai-kanko.jp/tourism/michinoeki/23.html https://iwanai-kanko.jp/stay/onsen/36.html https://iwanairesort.com/en/home/catski-niseko https://yado-iwanai.com/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1005626/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1006585/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1007495/ https://www.navitime.co.jp/category/0201001/01402/ ### Jozankei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/jozankei Type: Town Local name: 定山渓 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.96440, 141.16140 Kind: Onsen town Konbini: Choice in the onsen town is limited, so stock up at a convenience store in Sapporo or Makomanai if you are arriving late. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at the local post office. Get cash in Sapporo to be safe. Rentals: Rent at Sapporo Kokusai, which runs a full rental shop at the base. Groceries: Limited in the onsen town. Do a proper shop in Sapporo or at the big supermarkets in Makomanai on the way in. Transport: The Kappa Liner bus runs direct from Sapporo Station in about 60 minutes. Otherwise take the Namboku subway to Makomanai and a Jotetsu bus for about 47 minutes. By car it is about 50 minutes from central Sapporo and 80 from New Chitose Airport. Summary: Sapporo's own onsen town sits in a steaming river gorge about twenty minutes below Sapporo Kokusai, with free foot baths on the main street. Jozankei is where Sapporo goes to soak. The hotels stack up both sides of a tight bend in the Toyohira River, and on a cold night the steam rises off the water and hangs in the streetlights while snow falls through it. The big hotels all have their own baths. Go out anyway and walk between the small things, like the foot bath by the Futami bridge or the eggs cooking in the spring at Jozan Gensen Park. For riding it is the closest bed to Sapporo Kokusai, which gets deeper, drier snow than anything near the coast. You can be on the first gondola without the hour-plus bus from the city, then come down for a bath before lunch. Kiroro and the Niseko road are both reachable by car if the forecast moves west. Eat simply. Momijitei has been making stone-milled soba since 1927, and Shokudo Konno serves a loaded shoyu ramen until midnight for the after-bath crowd. If you have a car, drive ten minutes up the valley to Hoheikyo Onsen for a big outdoor bath and the naan curry that keeps regulars driving out from the city. Q: What does the name Jozankei mean? A: The name Jozankei means jōzan's gorge. Q: Is Jozankei a good place to stay? A: Stay here if Kokusai is your hill and you want an onsen night between ride days. Couples and families who want baths more than bars will be happiest. Q: How do you get to Jozankei? A: The Kappa Liner bus runs direct from Sapporo Station in about 60 minutes. Otherwise take the Namboku subway to Makomanai and a Jotetsu bus for about 47 minutes. By car it is about 50 minutes from central Sapporo and 80 from New Chitose Airport. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/美泉定山 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/定山渓温泉 https://jozankei.jp/store/ https://jozankei.jp/store/koyotei/ https://jozankei.jp/store/konno/ https://jozankei.jp/store/karaku/ https://jozankei.jp/store/ichi/ https://jozankei.jp/store/exclamation/ https://jozankei.jp/store/kita-no-kappa/ https://jozankei.jp/store/cafebar-wall/ https://jozankei.jp/store/hoheikyo-onsen/ https://jozankei.jp/spot/ https://jozankei.jp/event/ https://jozankei.jp/access/ ### Kamifurano URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/kamifurano Type: Town Local name: 上富良野 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.46410, 142.46880 Kind: Town Population: 9,484 Konbini: Convenience stores along Route 237 through town. There is nothing above the town on the road to Tokachidake Onsen. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at Kamifurano Post Office. Rentals: Rent alpine gear at the Furano resort, about 20 minutes south. Touring rentals are best arranged through a guide service in advance. Groceries: Supermarkets in town. Shop here before driving up to the onsen lodges. Transport: JR Furano Line trains stop at Kamifurano between Asahikawa and Furano. A town bus climbs from the station to Tokachidake Onsen via Fukiage. By car, Asahikawa Airport is about 40 minutes away; the road to Tokachidake Onsen is steep and needs proper winter tyres. Summary: Kamifurano is a quiet farm town on the road up to Tokachidake Onsen, where the volcano tours start. In January Kamifurano's lavender and potato fields lie under a white grid of snow, with the Tokachidake range smoking on the eastern skyline. The volcano is close enough to matter. In 1926 an eruption sent a mudflow down the valley that killed 144 people, and the town still lives with hazard maps and monitoring. Most riders pass straight through on the climb to Tokachidake Onsen at about 1,290 metres, where the touring starts at the door of the Ryounkaku inn. Stay down in town if the lodges up the mountain are full or you want a supermarket and a choice of dinner. Teuchi Soba Mansaku makes hand-cut soba for a handful of seats at lunch, and Marumasu is the local place for yakiniku and tonkatsu made with Kamifurano pork. On the way up, Fukiage Roten-no-yu sits in the forest beside the road. Its two natural pools are free, and you strip in the snow. Q: What does the name Kamifurano mean? A: Kamifurano comes from the local name hura-nu-i, meaning upper Furano; Furano is 'the place that has a smell'. Kami (上) means upper. The town shares the Ainu root of Furano, hura-nu-i, which refers to the sulphur smell of the Furano River coming down from the Tokachidake volcanoes. The town's own hot spring, Furanui Onsen, keeps the older form of the name. Q: Is Kamifurano a good place to stay? A: Stay in Kamifurano for cheaper rooms within half an hour of Tokachidake's touring and the Furano resort. It suits splitboarders and ski tourers with a car. Q: How do you get to Kamifurano? A: JR Furano Line trains stop at Kamifurano between Asahikawa and Furano. A town bus climbs from the station to Tokachidake Onsen via Fukiage. By car, Asahikawa Airport is about 40 minutes away; the road to Tokachidake Onsen is steep and needs proper winter tyres. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/上富良野町 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/富良野市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/十勝岳温泉 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1009986/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1010290/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1012654/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1024153/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1020655/ ### Kutchan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/kutchan Type: Town Local name: 倶知安 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.90160, 140.74550 Kind: Town Population: 17,397 Konbini: Convenience stores are everywhere. 7-Eleven has three branches and Seicomart four, including one by the station. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs at the 7-Elevens take foreign cards, as do Japan Post Bank ATMs at Kutchan Post Office (Minami 1, Higashi 1). There is a SMART EXCHANGE currency machine inside MaxValu. Rentals: Most riders rent in Hirafu, either at the resort or from the rental shops in the village. Groceries: MaxValu and Coop Sapporo are the big supermarkets, and both cost far less than the Hirafu convenience stores. Transport: JR from Sapporo via Otaru takes about two and a half hours, and the Chuo Bus Niseko highway bus runs from Sapporo. The Jagarin-go town loop bus costs ¥100, and the bus to Hirafu takes about twenty minutes. Taxis cannot be hailed in the street; book or wait at the station, often 30 to 60 minutes at peak. Driving from Sapporo takes about two hours and ten minutes. Summary: The working town at the foot of the Niseko resorts gets over twelve metres of snow in an average winter and has the best local food in the valley. Kutchan is where Niseko lives when the lifts stop. The town sits on the valley floor a few kilometres below the Hirafu lifts. Low concrete buildings and car dealers line its grid of streets, and on the rare clear day Yotei fills the sky to the south-east. Kutchan averages 12.6 metres of snow a season, which is two and a half times Sapporo's total, and the official record depth is 312 centimetres from 1970. On a storm night the plows run constantly and the snowbanks along the main street grow taller than the shopfronts. About one resident in five now comes from overseas, according to the Hokkaido Shimbun, and the town is changing fast. The Hokkaido Shinkansen is due here eventually, with an elevated station planned and the line now expected in the late 2030s. Kutchan still feels like a farm town in the mornings, when older residents clear their own driveways before the buses start. Food here costs far less than in Hirafu, and the people at the next table live here. Kage is the pick for a long night, with binchōtan yakitori and Niseko oden in a second-floor room on Kita 2-jō. For lamb, go to Eijin, where thick-cut shoulder hits an iron dome until midnight. Late ramen means the shio bowl at Nakama. On a properly cold day the kamaage udon at Yuki Tei is what locals eat, and Koka's ankake yakisoba has a following well beyond town. As a base it suits anyone with a car or the patience for buses. The Hirafu bus takes about twenty minutes, and taxis are scarce at peak hours. In exchange you get supermarket prices and a walk home through a town where people live all year. Q: What does the name Kutchan mean? A: Kutchan comes from the local name kut-san-i, meaning the place where the river flows out of a pipe-like gorge. The town's own explanation. Kussani was the old name of the Kutosan River, a tributary of the Shiribetsu; the same word drifted into Kudosani for the river and Kutchan for the town, gazetted in 1893. Other readings exist: Nagata Hōsei had kutu-sani (a muddy river), Chiri Mashiho kut-san (a river leaving a cylinder-shaped landform), Matsuura Takeshirō a word for a fish trap, and Yamada Hidezō tentatively a river running out from a cliff. The 'hunter's hut' meaning often repeated in English comes from John Batchelor's kucha-un-nai and is not used by the town. Q: Is Kutchan a good place to stay? A: Base in Kutchan if you want local restaurants and supermarket prices, and you are happy to bus or drive twenty minutes to the lifts. Families on longer stays and riders on a budget do well here. Q: How do you get to Kutchan? A: JR from Sapporo via Otaru takes about two and a half hours, and the Chuo Bus Niseko highway bus runs from Sapporo. The Jagarin-go town loop bus costs ¥100, and the bus to Hirafu takes about twenty minutes. Taxis cannot be hailed in the street; book or wait at the station, often 30 to 60 minutes at peak. Driving from Sapporo takes about two hours and ten minutes. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/profile/gaiyou/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-history/history-gousetsumame/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/ogawara-museum/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-huudokan/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/sports-shisetsu/asahigaoka-ski/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/tourism/yukitopia-festival/yukitopia2026/ https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/tourism/access/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/倶知安町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1294644/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1005534/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1005185/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1003208/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1047884/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1055734/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1070407/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1061694/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1024786/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1056349/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1029071/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/kage/ https://niseko.co.jp/shops/garcon/ https://nisekotourism.com/listing/black-fox-beer https://www.navitime.co.jp/category/0201001001/01400/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6720.html ### Lake Shikotsu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/lake-shikotsu Type: Town Local name: 支笏湖 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.77390, 141.40330 Kind: Onsen town Konbini: Very limited in the onsen village. Shop in Chitose on the way in. ATM: Get cash in Chitose or at the airport; 7-Bank ATMs there take foreign cards. Rentals: None. The nearest lift-served riding is back toward Sapporo or Niseko. Groceries: Chitose has full supermarkets about forty minutes away. Transport: Hokkaido Chuo Bus runs from JR Chitose Station to Shikotsuko; allow about an hour. By car it is about 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport and roughly an hour from Jozankei over the mountain road. Parking lot 5 by the village charges ¥1,000. Summary: Lake Shikotsu fills a deep caldera forty minutes from the airport, and it never freezes, even in the coldest weeks of winter. Lake Shikotsu fills a caldera blown out by an eruption about 44,000 years ago. At 363 metres it is the second deepest lake in Japan, and so much warm water sits in the depths that the surface never freezes. No lake further north in Japan stays open all winter. On a still January morning the water turns an unreal blue against the snow while steam lifts off it into the cold. Tarumae's lava dome smokes quietly to the south. Shikotsuko Onsen is a small cluster of hotels and shops at the outlet of the Chitose River, and it goes quiet early. Most people eat at their hotel. For lunch, the buffet at the Tsuruga resort is open to everyone, and Okotobuki serves soba. Menus call the kokanee salmon raised in the lake since 1894 chippu, and it is worth ordering salt-grilled. Around the shore, Marukoma Onsen's rock bath sits right at lake level. From late January the Ice Festival builds sculptures from sprayed lake water and lights them in colour after dark. Q: What does the name Lake Shikotsu mean? A: Lake Shikotsu comes from the local name sikot-to, meaning the lake of the Shikot river, where si-kot means the great hollow. Ainu speakers called the lake sikot-to or sikot-toho, the lake at the head of the Shikot-pet (the river now called the Chitose). In formal speech it was Shikotem-ko-ean-parato, the broad lake that lies at the source of the Shikot River, according to Yamada Hidezō. The river and the district lost the name in 1805, when it was swapped for Chitose because Shikotsu sounded like 'dead bones'; the lake kept it. Q: Is Lake Shikotsu a good place to stay? A: Stay at Lake Shikotsu for a first or last night near the airport with a proper onsen, or a rest day between Niseko and the Sapporo hills. It suits couples and anyone who wants quiet. Q: How do you get to Lake Shikotsu? A: Hokkaido Chuo Bus runs from JR Chitose Station to Shikotsuko; allow about an hour. By car it is about 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport and roughly an hour from Jozankei over the mountain road. Parking lot 5 by the village charges ¥1,000. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/支笏湖 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/千歳市 https://www.city.chitose.lg.jp/docs/94-97353-160-826.html https://shikotsukovc.sakura.ne.jp/ https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/event/detail_11029.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1022820/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1001074/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1059917/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1047375/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010701/1066091/ ### Lake Toya URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/lake-toya Type: Town Local name: 洞爺湖 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Coordinates: 42.56420, 140.81780 Kind: Onsen town Population: 7,743 Konbini: Convenience stores in the onsen town; stock up properly in Date or on the way from Sapporo. ATM: Use 7-Bank ATMs at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office. Rentals: Rent at Rusutsu, about 40 minutes' drive. Groceries: Small shops in the onsen town. Larger supermarkets are in Date and Abuta. Transport: Limited express trains reach JR Toya Station from New Chitose Airport via Minami-Chitose in about 90 minutes, and Donan Bus or taxis cover the last stretch to Toyako Onsen. The Hokkaido Resort Liner runs to the onsen town in winter. Driving from Sapporo over Nakayama Pass on Route 230 takes about 2 hr 10 min. Summary: Toyako Onsen lines the south shore of a round caldera lake under the active Usu volcano, about an hour from Rusutsu. Lake Toya is a near-perfect circle of water about ten kilometres across, with a forested island in the middle and the crumpled, steaming flank of Mt. Usu on its southern shore. Usu last erupted in 2000, and the craters from that eruption sit just above the onsen town. Toyako Onsen itself is a strip of big hotels along the water. In winter it is quiet and a little faded. The hotels look north across the lake to a Yotei that seems close enough to touch, and the big baths are rarely crowded. Riders use it as a rest day between Niseko and Sapporo, or as a cheaper base for Rusutsu, which is about forty minutes up the road. Boyotei is a Showa-era yōshoku house whose name means 'looking at Yotei', and the hamburg steak set is the order. Matsumaeya does scallop bowls at lunch and dinner. The town's famous fireworks run from late April to October. In winter an illumination tunnel lights the onsen streets. Q: What does the name Lake Toya mean? A: Lake Toya comes from the local name to-ya, meaning the lakeshore. To-ya (lake, shore) was a common noun for the land along a lake, used for a settlement on the north shore. Japanese settlers wrote it 洞爺 and the word became the lake's name. The Ainu usually called the lake simply to (the lake) or kimun-to (the lake in the mountains). Locals still call the original north-shore Toya 'Muko-Toya' to tell it apart from Toyako Onsen on the south shore. The population figure is for Toyako town. Q: Is Lake Toya a good place to stay? A: Stay at Lake Toya for a big onsen hotel with a lake view and a rest day, within reach of Rusutsu. It suits couples and families breaking up the drive between Niseko and the airport. Q: How do you get to Lake Toya? A: Limited express trains reach JR Toya Station from New Chitose Airport via Minami-Chitose in about 90 minutes, and Donan Bus or taxis cover the last stretch to Toyako Onsen. The Hokkaido Resort Liner runs to the onsen town in winter. Driving from Sapporo over Nakayama Pass on Route 230 takes about 2 hr 10 min. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/洞爺湖 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/洞爺湖温泉 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.laketoya.com/restaurant/ https://www.laketoya.com/event/fireworks/ https://www.laketoya.com/event/illumination/ https://www.laketoya.com/access/ https://usuzan.hokkaido.jp/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0108/A010801/rstLst/?SrtT=rt ### Nayoro URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/nayoro Type: Town Local name: 名寄 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 44.34940, 142.46530 Kind: City Population: 24,168 Konbini: Seicomart and other convenience stores around the city. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at Nayoro Post Office. Rentals: Rent at Nayoro Piyashiri. Groceries: Supermarkets around the city. Transport: JR Soya Line limited express trains run from Asahikawa in about an hour and continue from Sapporo. By car, Asahikawa Airport is about an hour and a half away. Bring proper winter tyres; the roads are often icy in extreme cold. Summary: Nayoro sits at the far north of the Kamikawa basin, and its Piyashiri hill gets some of the coldest, lightest snow in Hokkaido. Nayoro is a long way north, about an hour past Asahikawa on the line toward Wakkanai, and it is properly cold. Clear winter mornings often drop below minus twenty, and the air fills with diamond dust that glitters over the frozen fields. The snow that falls here is about as dry as it gets in Japan. The city itself is quiet and practical, with mochi rice paddies around it and a university on the edge of town. Riders come to ride Nayoro Piyashiri, where the runs are long and the lift lines barely exist, and to say they rode the north. Mitsuboshi Shokudo across from the station is the ramen stop, and KING BEAR does soup curry. In the evening, yakitori at Tama-chan puts you at the counter with locals. On a clear night drive up to the city observatory at Kitasubaru, where Hokkaido University's large telescope points at a sky with very little light pollution. Q: What does the name Nayoro mean? A: Nayoro comes from the local name nay-or / nay-or-putu, meaning in the river; the mouth of that river. Nayoro is a shortened nay-or, 'the place in the river', which early records apply to the Nayoro River itself. Its junction with the Teshio River was nay-or-putu, 'the mouth of the Nayoro'. Edo-period explorers wrote it as Naero, Nayorofuto and Naibutsu; Matsuura Takeshirō noted that 'Naifuto' was a contraction of Nayorofuto. Nobody knows who chose the characters 名寄, which appear in official documents from 1897. Q: Is Nayoro a good place to stay? A: Stay in Nayoro for Piyashiri's dry snow and empty slopes on a road trip north. It suits riders who like the cold and the quiet. Q: How do you get to Nayoro? A: JR Soya Line limited express trains run from Asahikawa in about an hour and continue from Sapporo. By car, Asahikawa Airport is about an hour and a half away. Bring proper winter tyres; the roads are often icy in extreme cold. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.city.nayoro.lg.jp/section/museum/vdh2d10000004dzg.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/名寄市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1008991/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1026646/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1023372/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1066055/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1051400/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1061119/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010402/1035409/ ### Niseko Town URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/niseko-town Type: Town Local name: ニセコ町 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.80870, 140.68460 Kind: Town Population: 5,658 Konbini: 7-Eleven in Soga and Seicomart on Hondori near the station. ATM: The 7-Eleven's 7-Bank ATM takes foreign cards. There are Japan Post Bank ATMs at the post offices, including one by the station. Rentals: Village Sports in Niseko Village's Niseko-Yo street, plus rental at the Annupuri and Niseko Village bases. Groceries: A-Coop Niseko in town, and the farm shops at the Michi-no-Eki. Transport: JR Niseko Station is about 90 minutes from Otaru by local train. The Chuo Bus ski bus from the airport and Sapporo stops at Annupuri and Niseko Village. Around town, the Nikotto Bus runs on demand for ¥200 and needs a booking. Driving from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport takes about two hours. Summary: The quiet farm town on the south side of Annupuri has the Annupuri and Niseko Village slopes and some of the best farm food in the valley. Niseko Town is the other side of the mountain from Hirafu, and most visitors only pass through it on the way to Annupuri or the Hilton. The town proper is small and agricultural. A few streets cluster around the station and the Shiribetsu River. Potato and dairy farms stretch out under the snow beyond them, with Yotei standing over the whole valley to the east. In 1964 the town dropped its old name of Kaributo and took the mountain's. It is the base for Niseko Annupuri and Niseko Village, and for touring days at Chisenupuri and Moiwa further west, where the crowds thin out fast. Lunch at the Takahashi dairy farm is close to a ritual: a buffet with all the farm yogurt you want at Prativo, or a margherita next door at Mandriano made with the farm's own cheese. For dinner, book Loft Club for Genghis Khan. Jamii by the station serves soup curry and drinks until 2:00 for anyone still out late. Soaking at Kira no Yu beside the station costs ¥800 and makes the last train back to Kutchan feel shorter. Q: What does the name Niseko Town mean? A: Niseko Town comes from the local name nisey-ko-an-nupuri, meaning the mountain of the river that runs toward the cliffs. The town took its name from Niseko-Annupuri in 1964. The mountain in turn is named for the Niseko-anbetsu River that rises on its south-west slope, nisey-ko-an-pet, a river flowing toward a cliff or gorge; nupuri means mountain. The town's own gloss is 'the mountain with a sheer cliff and a river below it'. Before 1964 the town was Kaributo (狩太), from the Ainu makkari-putu, the mouth of the Makkari River, where it joins the Shiribetsu. Q: Is Niseko Town a good place to stay? A: Base here for Annupuri and Niseko Village and the quieter western peaks beyond them. It suits couples and families who want calm evenings and good food over nightlife. Q: How do you get to Niseko Town? A: JR Niseko Station is about 90 minutes from Otaru by local train. The Chuo Bus ski bus from the airport and Sapporo stops at Annupuri and Niseko Village. Around town, the Nikotto Bus runs on demand for ¥200 and needs a booking. Driving from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport takes about two hours. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニセコアンヌプリ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニセコ町 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニセコ https://www.town.niseko.lg.jp/about_niseko/gaiyo/ayumi/ https://www.town.niseko.lg.jp/arishima_museum/ https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1033771/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1056062/ https://loftclub1989.com/ https://delsoleniseko.com/ https://niseko-hanayoshi.com/ https://niseko-distillery.com/ https://nisekotourism.com/listing/ezo-pub https://niseko-ta.jp/hot-spring/ https://niseko-ta.jp/about/michinoeki/ https://niseko-village.com/niseko-yo/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6720.html https://www.navitime.co.jp/category/0201001/01395/ ### Noboribetsu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/noboribetsu Type: Town Local name: 登別 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Coordinates: 42.49510, 141.14410 Kind: Onsen town Population: 42,727 Konbini: A 7-Eleven in the onsen town itself, and more in Noboribetsu city below. ATM: The 7-Eleven's 7-Bank ATM in the onsen town takes foreign cards. Rentals: No board rental in the onsen town. Sanraiba Ski Area, the local hill, rents gear. Groceries: Small shops in the onsen town; the Arnis shopping centre and supermarkets are in Noboribetsu city. Transport: JR limited express trains stop at Noboribetsu Station, and Donan Bus runs up to the Noboribetsu Onsen bus terminal. By car it is about an hour from New Chitose Airport on the Do-o Expressway, and a little under an hour from Lake Toya. Summary: Hokkaido's best-known onsen town sits at the mouth of a steaming volcanic valley, with nine kinds of spring water and demon statues on every corner. Noboribetsu Onsen is built below Jigokudani, whose name means Hell Valley. Steam pours out of a raw crater of yellow and grey rock, and you can smell the sulphur from the car park. About ten thousand tonnes of hot water a day come up here in nine different types, and the big hotels pipe it straight into their baths. The town leans into the theme. Painted oni demons stand on street corners and outside shops, and at night the Oni-bi no Michi path of lanterns leads up from the town into the valley until 21:30. It is a soak destination more than a riding base, and it pairs well with Rusutsu or Lake Toya at the end of a trip. After the bath, try the Hell Ramen at Aji no Daiou, where you choose your level of chilli and people who finish the hottest get their names on the wall. Ramen Ajijiman has served miso ramen for over sixty years. NOBOJIN grills Genghis Khan over charcoal, and Bar Seventy One stays open until 3:00 for anyone the onsen has not put to sleep. Q: What does the name Noboribetsu mean? A: Noboribetsu comes from the local name nupur-pet, meaning the river of deep-coloured water. The Noboribetsu River runs milky and tinted from the hot springs, and the Ainu name describes that colour; Yamada Hidezō gives nupur-pet, 'dark-coloured river'. The explorer Mogami Tokunai wrote in the 1790s of a stream called Noboribetsu whose water looked as if white powder and blue pigment had been stirred into it, so that you could never see the bottom. The city was called Horobetsu (poro-pet, 'big river') until 1961, when it took the better-known name of its onsen. The population figure is for the whole city. Q: Is Noboribetsu a good place to stay? A: Stay in Noboribetsu for a big onsen hotel and the most varied hot spring water in Hokkaido. It suits rest days and the last night before a flight from New Chitose. Q: How do you get to Noboribetsu? A: JR limited express trains stop at Noboribetsu Station, and Donan Bus runs up to the Noboribetsu Onsen bus terminal. By car it is about an hour from New Chitose Airport on the Do-o Expressway, and a little under an hour from Lake Toya. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/登別市 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/登別温泉 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot-event/?filter=restaurant https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0189/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0198/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0206/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0201/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0213/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0190/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0228/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0207/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot1001/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0108/A010803/rstLst/?SrtT=rt ### Obihiro URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/obihiro Type: Town Local name: 帯広 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 42.91800, 143.20210 Kind: City Population: 159,294 Konbini: Seicomart and other chains everywhere. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs at 7-Elevens and Japan Post Bank ATMs take foreign cards; several around the station. Rentals: Rent at Sahoro or Tomamu. Groceries: Large supermarkets across the city. Transport: Limited express trains run from Sapporo via Tomamu and Shintoku. Tokachi-Obihiro Airport is about 40 minutes from the city by airport bus. Driving to Tomamu or Sahoro takes about an hour. Summary: The farming capital of the Tokachi plain is sunny and bitterly cold in winter, and it serves butadon and the world's only draft-horse racing. Obihiro is the city of the Tokachi plain, and in winter the plain is one of the sunniest corners of Japan as well as one of the coldest. Clear skies are normal from December to February and the snowfall is light. At night the cold settles on the plain hard enough to keep the ice festival sculptures crisp. The city is a flat, tidy grid first settled by the Banseisha company in 1883, with mountains on three horizons. Most riders pass through on the way to the hills. Sahoro and Tomamu are about an hour west, with Karifuri-dake above the Karikachi pass, and the Tokachi-Obihiro airport sits south of town. Stay a night for the food. Obihiro invented butadon, which is grilled pork on rice in a sweet soy glaze, and Pancho by the station has served it since the 1930s. In the evening walk to Kita no Yatai. About twenty tiny food stalls have shared the alley since 2001, and you drink your way from one to the next with a heater at your back. On the weekend go to Ban'ei Tokachi at the Obihiro racecourse, where huge draft horses haul iron sleds over two sand hills on a straight track. Nowhere else in the world runs races like it. Meetings run from Saturday to Monday, and an evening there is one of the strangest you will spend in Hokkaido. Q: What does the name Obihiro mean? A: Obihiro comes from the local name o-pere-perke-p, meaning the river whose mouth splits into many channels. The Obihiro River's Ainu name, o-pere-perke-p, describes a river mouth that splits again and again. Settlers took the first sounds as Obi and added hiro (wide) for the breadth of the Tokachi plain. Yamada Hidezō linked the word to operkep, an Ainu word for a girl, and read the doubled pere as the river splitting into many streams. The Obihiro Centennial City Museum's Ainu culture centre gives 'a river whose mouth divides and divides'. Q: Is Obihiro a good place to stay? A: Stay in Obihiro for a night of food and Ban'ei racing on a Tokachi road trip. It suits riders arriving at Tokachi-Obihiro airport on the way to Sahoro or Tomamu. Q: How do you get to Obihiro? A: Limited express trains run from Sapporo via Tomamu and Shintoku. Tokachi-Obihiro Airport is about 40 minutes from the city by airport bus. Driving to Tomamu or Sahoro takes about an hour. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.museum-obihiro.jp/riwka/place https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/帯広市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://obikan.jp/cat_spot/eat/ https://obikan.jp/post_pickup/post_pickup-19576/ https://obikan.jp/post_pickup/post_pickup-19574/ https://obikan.jp/page-7621/page-19227-2/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1000213/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1001575/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1056297/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1000130/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1010235/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1009878/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1000012/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011101/1001297/ ### Otaru URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/otaru Type: Town Local name: 小樽 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.19760, 140.99390 Kind: City Population: 102,385 Konbini: Seicomart and 7-Eleven both have stores around the station and along the main roads. ATM: 7-Bank ATMs in every 7-Eleven take foreign cards. There is also a Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office, and AEON runs a store at Wing Bay by the harbour. Rentals: Kiroro and Tenguyama both rent boards and boots on the hill. Rent at Kiroro if you are spending most days there. Groceries: AEON Otaru at Wing Bay and the markets around the station, including Sankaku Market for seafood. Transport: JR Rapid Airport trains run direct from New Chitose Airport and take about 75 minutes. Trains from Sapporo take around 35 to 45 minutes depending on the service. Winter buses run from Otaru to Kiroro, and city buses climb to the Tenguyama ropeway. Summary: Otaru made its fortune on herring, and its stone warehouses now house sushi counters forty minutes from Kiroro. Otaru made its money twice. The herring runs filled the warehouses at the end of the nineteenth century, then the port became the gateway for coal and trade out of Hokkaido. The banks and shipping houses built in stone and kept building. Most of it is still standing. Walk the canal after dark in January and the gas lamps throw orange light on banks of snow piled higher than the railings, while the warehouses across the water sit black against the sky. For riders it is a better base than it looks on a map. Kiroro is about forty minutes up into the hills behind town and catches some of the heaviest snowfall on the Sea of Japan side; buses run there from Otaru in winter. Teine is half an hour the other way. Tenguyama starts at the edge of the city with a ropeway up to the ski area and views over the harbour, so on a short day you can ride until lunch and be eating sushi by two. The sushi is the point. A whole street near the station is named for it, and Masazushi has run its counter on Sushiya-dori for more than eighty years. Isezushi takes bookings two months out and fills them. For something louder, Wakadori Jidai Naruto has been frying half chickens in a crackling seasoned crust since 1952, and you eat them with your hands at long tables full of locals. Ankake yakisoba is the other local habit. A plate of crisp noodles under a thick, glossy sauce costs very little and fills you up after a day in wet coastal snow. February brings the Snow Light Path, when the canal and the old Temiya railway line fill with candles and small snow lanterns for a week. The town gets busy with day trippers from Sapporo in the afternoon and empties out at night. Stay over and walk Sakaimachi once the shops have shut and the snow is falling straight down. The whisky bar in Denuki Koji is the place to finish. Q: What does the name Otaru mean? A: Otaru comes from the local name ota-or-nay, meaning the river in the sandy beach. The name first belonged to a different place. Ota-or-nay was the old Otarunai River near today's Sapporo boundary at the mouth of the Hoshioki River, where the Matsumae domain opened a trading post. That shore took the full force of the winter wind, so the post moved west to a sheltered cove the Ainu called Kuttar-us (where the giant knotweed grows), near today's Irifune. The post kept its old name, and the new site became Otarunai and then Otaru. Q: Is Otaru a good place to stay? A: Stay here for Kiroro on weekdays and the best sushi on the trip, with a real town to walk at night. It suits riders who want a base with character within an hour of Sapporo. Q: How do you get to Otaru? A: JR Rapid Airport trains run direct from New Chitose Airport and take about 75 minutes. Trains from Sapporo take around 35 to 45 minutes depending on the service. Winter buses run from Otaru to Kiroro, and city buses climb to the Tenguyama ropeway. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小樽市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://otaru.gr.jp/eat https://otaru.gr.jp/winter https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/masazushi_honten https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/isezushi https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/wakatorijidai-naruto-honten https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/otarusankakuichiba https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/nikka-bar-rita https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/letao_honten https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/otarubeer https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/syodai https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/otaruzaka https://www.masazushi.co.jp/ https://www.isezushi.com/ http://otaru-naruto.jp/ https://kitaichiglass.co.jp/shop/kitaichihall/ https://otarubeer.com/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/ja/access-winter/ ### Rishiri URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/rishiri Type: Town Local name: 利尻 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 45.24760, 141.21460 Kind: Town Population: 3,870 Konbini: A few convenience stores in Oshidomari and Kutsugata. Many shops and restaurants close for winter. ATM: Bring cash from Wakkanai or Sapporo. Japan Post Bank ATMs at the island post offices are the reliable option. Rentals: No board rental. Bring your own touring kit or arrange it with your guide. Groceries: Small supermarkets in Oshidomari and Kutsugata. Transport: Heart Land Ferry sails from Wakkanai to Oshidomari in about 1 hr 40 min. Flights to Rishiri Airport run from Sapporo Okadama through the year, while the New Chitose route is summer only. Limited express trains take about five hours from Sapporo to Wakkanai. Island buses and rental cars get you around. Summary: Rishiri-zan rises straight out of the Sea of Japan off Hokkaido's northern tip, and riders take the ferry from Wakkanai to tour it in spring. Rishiri is a single volcano that rises 1,721 metres out of the Sea of Japan off the northern tip of Hokkaido. The ferry from Wakkanai takes an hour and forty minutes. In winter the island is quiet to the point of emptiness. The kelp drying racks along the shore stand bare and the summer uni shops are shut. North winds bring snow squalls across the water one after another, and when a high-pressure system finally settles, the whole cone turns white from summit to shoreline. Riders come to tour Rishiri-zan, which has no lifts at all and long radial gullies that run almost to the sea. Most go with a local guide in late winter and spring, when the days lengthen and the snowpack settles. Stay in Oshidomari by the ferry port. Miraku in Kutsugata has twice been a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick, and people queue before opening for its yaki-shoyu ramen made with seared soy sauce. Have coffee at Porto by the harbour while you wait for the boat. Q: What does the name Rishiri mean? A: Rishiri comes from the local name ri-sir, meaning the high island. Ri (high) and sir (land, island) describe a volcano rising straight out of the sea. Both towns on the island, Rishiri and Rishirifuji, take their names from it. Many smaller place names around the coast are Ainu too: Oniwaki from onne-waki and Senposhi from chep-po-ushi ('where the small fish are plentiful'). The population is the combined total of Rishiri and Rishirifuji towns on 1 January 2026. Q: Is Rishiri a good place to stay? A: Come to Rishiri for a guided touring trip on a volcano that drops into the sea. It suits experienced backcountry riders with flexible dates, since ferries and flights both stop in bad weather. Q: How do you get to Rishiri? A: Heart Land Ferry sails from Wakkanai to Oshidomari in about 1 hr 40 min. Flights to Rishiri Airport run from Sapporo Okadama through the year, while the New Chitose route is summer only. Limited express trains take about five hours from Sapporo to Wakkanai. Island buses and rental cars get you around. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻島 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻町 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻富士町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.rishiri-plus.jp/shima-shop/ https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/access/detail_11160.html https://www.nap-camp.com/mag/103400 https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0109/A010906/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0109/A010906/1007519/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0109/A010906/1006362/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0109/A010906/1007522/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0109/A010906/1065274/ ### Rusutsu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/rusutsu-village Type: Town Local name: 留寿都 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.73730, 140.87560 Kind: Village Population: 2,062 Konbini: A 7-Eleven and a Seicomart in Izumikawa near the resort, plus a Lawson and a second Seicomart in the village centre. The resort also runs its own small shops. ATM: The 7-Eleven's 7-Bank ATM takes foreign cards. There is also a Japan Post Bank ATM at Rusutsu Post Office. Rentals: Rusutsu Resort runs rental stations at the base areas. Groceries: No large supermarket in the village. Shop in Kutchan or Sapporo on the way in, or use the convenience stores. Transport: No railway. The Big Runs Go bus from New Chitose Airport takes about two hours and costs ¥5,000 booked online (¥5,500 otherwise), running 28 November 2026 to 30 March 2027. The Rusutsu Express from Sapporo takes about 105 minutes for ¥3,000. Driving from Sapporo or the airport takes about 90 minutes. Summary: Rusutsu is a farm village of two thousand people that has wrapped itself around one of Hokkaido's best tree-riding resorts. Rusutsu village is mostly fields and farmhouses, and the resort dwarfs everything else. Three households came here in 1871 with the new Hongan-ji road, which later became Route 230, and the village still sits along that road under Yotei's south flank. In winter the resort hotel towers glow above the snowfields, and the Starlight Avenue of about a quarter of a million bulbs runs from sunset to 22:00. Most people stay inside the resort and never leave, which is a mistake. Drive a few minutes into Izumikawa for Mokumoku-ya, where thick-cut fresh lamb goes onto the grill and they take cash only. Hitsuji-chan down the road does hot pots and Genghis Khan sets every winter night. The village runs its own onsen for ¥500, and the Michi-no-Eki on Route 230 sells Rusutsu pork skewers with a full view of Yotei. Q: What does the name Rusutsu mean? A: Rusutsu comes from the local name ru-sut, meaning the road at the foot of the mountain. The village's own explanation: ru (road, path) and sut (base, foot). Rurubu's guide gives the same pair as 'the root of the road'. No reading by Yamada Hidezō or Chiri Mashiho turned up in this research. Q: Is Rusutsu a good place to stay? A: Stay at Rusutsu for the tree riding and night sessions, and for quieter lift lines than Niseko on a powder morning. It suits families and tree hunters who are happy with a self-contained resort and a short drive for dinner. Q: How do you get to Rusutsu? A: No railway. The Big Runs Go bus from New Chitose Airport takes about two hours and costs ¥5,000 booked online (¥5,500 otherwise), running 28 November 2026 to 30 March 2027. The Rusutsu Express from Sapporo takes about 105 minutes for ¥3,000. Driving from Sapporo or the airport takes about 90 minutes. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00000261.html https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/kanko/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/留寿都村 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://rusutsu.com/dining/ https://rusutsu.com/apres-nightlife/ https://rusutsu.com/winter-activities/ https://rusutsu.com/winter-lift-tickets/ https://rusutsu.com/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ https://rusutsu.com/access-shuttle-bus-sapporo/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1067130/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010603/1031575/ https://genbe.info/ https://www.navitime.co.jp/category/0201001/01397/ ### Sapporo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/sapporo Type: Town Local name: 札幌 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.06870, 141.35080 Kind: City Population: 1,954,588 Konbini: Seicomart, 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart on nearly every block. Seicomart is the Hokkaido chain, and its hot food counters are good for a cheap breakfast before the bus. ATM: Every 7-Eleven has a 7-Bank ATM that takes foreign cards, as do Japan Post Bank ATMs in post offices. Both are easy to find around Sapporo Station and Odori. Rentals: Teine and Kokusai both run full rental shops at the base, which is easier than carrying hire gear on the bus. Several specialist shops in town sell and tune boards. Groceries: Department store food halls under Sapporo Station and Odori for prepared food, plus supermarkets throughout the city including AEON and Coop Sapporo. Transport: Rapid Airport trains reach Sapporo Station from New Chitose Airport in about 40 minutes. Three subway lines and a streetcar loop cover the centre. Buses run to Teine and Kokusai in winter, and Kiroro and the Niseko resorts have their own winter shuttles from the city. Summary: Hokkaido's capital has five ski hills inside its own city limits and the island's deepest bench of ramen and soup curry. Most riders treat Sapporo as the place between the airport and the mountains, and most of them leave a day too early. Close to two million people live on a grid the colonial government laid out in the 1870s, so addresses read like map coordinates. South 5, West 3 puts you in the middle of Susukino. On a snowy night the plows grind down the avenues and the side streets fill with steam from ramen counters and charcoal grills. Teine, Bankei, Moiwayama, Fu's and Kokusai all sit inside the city boundary. Teine looks straight down on the Sea of Japan from the northwest suburbs and still has the runs from the 1972 Olympic slalom. Kokusai is the one to chase on a storm day. It sits up past Jozankei where the snow piles deeper and drier than anywhere near the coast, and its gondola gets you into it fast. Bankei and Moiwayama keep their lights on into the evening, and plenty of locals ride a few laps after work. Eat miso ramen at least once. Sumire has been serving its garlicky, lard-sealed bowls since 1964, and cooks who trained there went on to open shops like Menya Saimi out in Misono. Daruma has grilled mutton on little iron domes in Susukino since 1954; you sit at the counter, the ladies light your charcoal and you leave smelling of lamb fat for a day. Soup curry was born in Sapporo, and a bowl at Garaku or Suage+ will thaw your fingers after a cold session at Kokusai. The city has a late-night habit called shime parfait, where people finish a night of drinking with a tall glass of ice cream and fruit at a bar that opens at six in the evening. Try it once. If you are here for the Snow Festival in early February, book rooms months out and ride on the weekdays, when the hills empty and the city fills. Sapporo Pirka Kotan means the beautiful village of Sapporo in Ainu. The city's Ainu culture centre sits in Koganeyu on the road to Jozankei and Kokusai, and it is worth an hour on a flat-light afternoon. Q: What does the name Sapporo mean? A: Sapporo comes from the local name sat-poro-pet / sari-poro-pet, meaning either the dry, great river (sat-poro-pet) or the river with the vast reed beds (sari-poro-pet). Sapporo City gives both readings. Matsuura Takeshirō favoured sat-poro-pet, since the old Toyohira River ran almost dry in the dry season; Yamada Hidezō proposed sari-poro-pet. The name first appears in writing as さつほろ, a settlement three ri up the Ishikari River named in a Tsugaru domain report from Shakushain's War (1669). Katakana and then the characters 札縨 and 札幌 replaced the kana spelling through the late Edo and Meiji years. Q: Is Sapporo a good place to stay? A: Base here if you want variety and a real night out, with Teine and Kokusai as day trips and Kiroro or Niseko on the bus. It suits mixed groups where not everyone rides every day. Q: How do you get to Sapporo? A: Rapid Airport trains reach Sapporo Station from New Chitose Airport in about 40 minutes. Three subway lines and a streetcar loop cover the centre. Buses run to Teine and Kokusai in winter, and Kiroro and the Niseko resorts have their own winter shuttles from the city. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.city.sapporo.jp/city/aramashi/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/札幌市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.sapporo.travel/gourmet/feature/sapporo-gourmet-recommended-guide/ https://www.sapporo.travel/spot/feature/sapporo-nijo-market-curb-market/ https://www.menya-saimi.com/ http://best.miru-kuru.com/daruma/ https://s-garaku.com/ https://suage.info/ http://www.bar-yamazaki.com/ https://tsukitotaiyo.com/ https://www.snowfes.com/ https://mt-moiwa.jp/ https://www.sapporobeer.jp/brewery/s_museum/ https://www.city.sapporo.jp/shimin/pirka-kotan/ https://jozankei.jp/access/ ### Shintoku URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/shintoku Type: Town Local name: 新得 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 43.08240, 142.83250 Kind: Town Population: 5,476 Konbini: Convenience stores on the main road through town. ATM: Use a 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at Shintoku Post Office. Rentals: Rent at Sahoro Resort. Groceries: Supermarkets in town; Obihiro has a much wider choice. Transport: Limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro stop at Shintoku. Sahoro Resort is about 15 minutes by car or shuttle from the station. Obihiro is about 40 minutes east by train. Summary: Shintoku grows soba on the western edge of the Tokachi plain and serves as the station for Sahoro and the Karifuri-dake backcountry. Shintoku sits where the Tokachi plain runs into the Hidaka and Daisetsuzan mountains, and the trains slow down here before climbing through the Karikachi pass toward Tomamu. It is a quiet town of soba fields and dairy farms strung along a long, straight main street. On a clear winter night the cold drops hard off the hills behind it. It is the station for Sahoro, about fifteen minutes up the road, and a good base for touring Karifuri-dake and the ridges above the Karikachi pass. Shintoku calls itself a soba town, and lunch should be soba. Minatoya by the station does soba and tempura bowls until it sells out, and the Shintoku Soba no Yakata on the highway mills local buckwheat for its noodles. The Kyodo Gakusha farm's cheese shop, Mintaru, sells its award-winning cheeses year-round, though the café closes in winter. Q: What does the name Shintoku mean? A: Shintoku comes from the local name sittok, meaning an elbow; the jutting spur of a mountain. The town's explanation: Mt. Shintoku pushes out toward the Sahoro River like a bent elbow, and the Ainu called the spot sittok. The Obihiro Centennial City Museum's Ainu place-name guide gives the same word with the gloss 'elbow'. Q: Is Shintoku a good place to stay? A: Stay in Shintoku for cheap rooms near Sahoro and quick access to the Karifuri-dake touring zone. It suits riders travelling by train or splitboarders with a guide. Q: How do you get to Shintoku? A: Limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro stop at Shintoku. Sahoro Resort is about 15 minutes by car or shuttle from the station. Obihiro is about 40 minutes east by train. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.shintoku-town.jp/miryoku/donnamachi/ https://www.museum-obihiro.jp/riwka/place https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/新得町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1007506/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1025102/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1001634/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1055635/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1029708/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0111/A011102/1007119/ ### Sounkyo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/sounkyo Type: Town Local name: 層雲峡 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.72860, 142.94580 Kind: Onsen town Population: 3,013 Konbini: Very limited in the onsen village. Shop in Kamikawa or Asahikawa on the way. ATM: Bring cash. The nearest reliable foreign-card ATMs are in Kamikawa and Asahikawa. Rentals: Rent alpine gear in Asahikawa. Guides supply or arrange touring and avalanche gear. Groceries: Kamikawa town has supermarkets and a JA vegetable market. Transport: Dohoku Bus runs from Asahikawa in about 110 minutes and from JR Kamikawa Station in about 35. By car it is 66 km from Asahikawa on Route 39. Summary: Sounkyo's onsen village sits inside a basalt gorge at the foot of Kurodake, where a ropeway climbs into the Daisetsuzan. Sounkyo sits in a slot of a canyon cut by the upper Ishikari River, with columnar basalt cliffs rising a hundred metres or more on both sides. In winter the waterfalls along the walls freeze into blue columns, and the onsen village crowds into the narrow floor of the gorge at the base of the Kurodake ropeway. It is cold and dark early, and the light from the hotel windows bounces off the snow on the cliffs. Riders come for Kurodake, where a ropeway and a single chairlift put you on steep, ungroomed alpine terrain in the Daisetsuzan with some of the driest snow in Japan. It is serious ground and best ridden with a guide. Down in the village, Tozanken has served ramen since 1930 and is on its fourth generation, and Taisetsuzan Shokudo simmers its broth for sixteen hours. Beer Grill Canyon does pizza and grills for a casual dinner. From late January to early March the Ice Fall Festival builds lit ice halls and tunnels on the riverbank. Q: What does the name Sounkyo mean? A: Sounkyo comes from the local name so-un-pet, meaning the river with waterfalls; Sounkyo itself is a Japanese coinage meaning 'gorge of layered clouds'. The writer Ōmachi Keigetsu named the gorge in 1921. At its entrance flows the Sounbetsu River, so-un-pet in Ainu (waterfall, there is, river), and the Japanese name is thought to borrow that sound with new characters. The surrounding town of Kamikawa grew up at a place called Rubeshibe, from the Ainu ru-pespe, 'the path that goes down', meaning a pass. The population figure is for Kamikawa town. Q: Is Sounkyo a good place to stay? A: Stay in Sounkyo for Kurodake's steep backcountry and a big onsen hotel at the end of the day. It suits experienced riders who travel with a guide. Q: How do you get to Sounkyo? A: Dohoku Bus runs from Asahikawa in about 110 minutes and from JR Kamikawa Station in about 35. By car it is 66 km from Asahikawa on Route 39. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/層雲峡 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/層雲峡温泉 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/上川町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.sounkyo.net/eat/ https://sounkyo.net/go/detail.html?content=62 https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/event/detail_11005.html https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/20001100 https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1023711/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1071853/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1069361/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010405/1062495/ ### Tomamu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/tomamu-village Type: Town Local name: トマム (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 43.05590, 142.61090 Kind: Resort village Population: 653 Konbini: Shops inside the resort; the nearest full convenience stores are down the valley, so stock up on the drive in. ATM: There is a 7-Bank ATM on the ground floor of Tomamu The Tower. Rentals: Full rental at the resort, and Toyota Rent a Car has an office in The Tower. Groceries: Resort shops only. Bring anything specific from Sapporo or Obihiro. Transport: Tomamu Station on the JR Sekisho Line is served by limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro, which stop at Minami-Chitose for the airport, and a resort shuttle meets the trains. By car it is about an hour and a half from New Chitose Airport on the Do-to Expressway. Fill up before the last stretch; the resort warns that fuel is scarce on the approach. Summary: Hoshino Resorts runs Tomamu as a self-contained resort in the forests of Shimukappu, with its own station on the Sapporo–Obihiro line. Tomamu is a resort more than a village. Two pairs of tall hotel towers stand out of thick forest in the hills between Furano and Tokachi, and almost everyone here either works for the resort or is staying in it. The cold is the thing you remember. The valley traps it on clear nights and keeps the snow light and squeaky. In the mornings the trees near the top of the gondola wear a white coat of hoarfrost. The riding is better than its family reputation suggests, with tree runs and a powder area on Tomamu-san that open up after a storm, and Sahoro is about half an hour east if you want a change. Off the hill there is plenty to fill an evening. The Ice Village builds a frozen chapel and an ice bar on the snowfield from 20 December. Down on Hotaru Street at the base you can eat Garaku soup curry or Takezo ramen, and for a long night out, book the Italian tasting menu at Otto Sette in Risonare. Q: What does the name Tomamu mean? A: Tomamu comes from the local name tomam, meaning marsh, wetland. Tomam is a common Ainu word for marshy ground, and the district was written 苫鵡 before the katakana name took over. Tomamu lies in Shimukappu village, which Yamada Hidezō traced to si-mukap, 'the main Mu River', meaning the headwaters of the Mukawa. The village's own website prefers shimokap, 'a very quiet and peaceful upstream place', a reading Yamada thought unlikely as an Ainu place-name form. The population is the Tomamu district of Shimukappu at the end of September 2026; the whole village had 1,523 residents on 1 January 2026. Q: Is Tomamu a good place to stay? A: Stay at Tomamu for a self-contained ski holiday with reliably cold snow and plenty for non-riders. It suits families and anyone arriving by train from Sapporo or New Chitose. Q: How do you get to Tomamu? A: Tomamu Station on the JR Sekisho Line is served by limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro, which stop at Minami-Chitose for the airport, and a resort shuttle meets the trains. By car it is about an hour and a half from New Chitose Airport on the Do-to Expressway. Fill up before the last stretch; the resort warns that fuel is scarce on the approach. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/トマム駅 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/占冠村 http://www.vill.shimukappu.lg.jp/shimukappu/section/soumu/nmudtq0000001qzq.html https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/restaurant/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/icevillage/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/frosttree/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/access/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/minamina/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1065778/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1059223/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1065162/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1064128/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1041266/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1007440/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1059670/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0104/A010403/1068965/ ### Yoichi URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/yoichi Type: Town Local name: 余市 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.18640, 140.79470 Kind: Town Population: 16,676 Konbini: Convenience stores line Route 5 through town. ATM: Use the 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or the Japan Post Bank ATM at the post office. Rentals: Rent at Kiroro, which has full rental shops at both base areas. Groceries: Supermarkets along Route 5, and Kakizaki Shoten's ground-floor fish market by the station. Transport: JR local trains run from Otaru in about 25 minutes. Hokkaido Chuo Bus runs buses from Otaru and Sapporo. Kiroro is about half an hour's drive inland. Summary: Nikka built its first distillery in this fishing and orchard town on the Shakotan coast in 1934, and Kiroro is half an hour inland. Yoichi smells of the sea and of malt. Masataka Taketsuru chose it in 1934 because the cold, damp air off the Sea of Japan reminded him of Scotland, and the stone pagoda roofs of his kilns still sit beside the tracks in the middle of town. Snow settles on them thick enough to soften every edge. Behind the distillery the town runs out into apple orchards and vineyards that disappear under drifts by January. It works as a quiet base for Kiroro, which is about half an hour up the valley, and for touring days on Yoichi-dake when the forecast lines up. Eat seafood bowls at Kakizaki Shoten opposite the station, where a local fishing company sells the catch downstairs and serves it upstairs for well under Otaru prices. In the evening Hamazen does sweet shrimp and squid from the bay, and a glass of Yoichi wine is easy to find now that the town has become one of Hokkaido's main wine districts. Q: What does the name Yoichi mean? A: Yoichi comes from the local name i-ot-i, meaning the place where that thing abounds. The town takes its name from the Yoichi River. The usual reading is i-ot-i, where i (that thing) stands in for snakes, which Ainu speakers avoided naming directly. The Matsumae domain split the river mouth into the Kami-Yoichi and Shimo-Yoichi trading posts in 1599, and the Shimo-Yoichi unjōya trading house survives as the only one left in Hokkaido. Q: Is Yoichi a good place to stay? A: Base here if you want Kiroro with a cheaper room and a distillery tour on a storm day off. It suits drivers, since the trains are slow and infrequent. Q: How do you get to Yoichi? A: JR local trains run from Otaru in about 25 minutes. Hokkaido Chuo Bus runs buses from Otaru and Sapporo. Kiroro is about half an hour's drive inland. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/余市川 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/余市町 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://yoichi-kankoukyoukai.com/food/ https://yoichi-kankoukyoukai.com/kankouspot/ https://yoichi-kankoukyoukai.com/access/ https://www.nikka.com/distilleries/yoichi/ https://www.nikka.com/distilleries/yoichi/visit/ https://www.town.yoichi.hokkaido.jp/machi/syoukai/history.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/rstLst/?SrtT=rt https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/1028211/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/1000224/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0106/A010602/1065828/ ### Yubari URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/towns/yubari Type: Town Local name: 夕張 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Coordinates: 43.05090, 141.96740 Kind: City Population: 5,766 Konbini: A few convenience stores along the valley road; choice is limited at night. ATM: Use the 7-Bank ATM at a 7-Eleven or a Japan Post Bank ATM. Bring cash from Sapporo or the airport to be safe. Rentals: Rent at Mount Racey. Groceries: Small supermarkets in town; shop properly in Chitose or Sapporo on the way. Transport: The JR line into the old town closed in 2019, and the nearest station is Shin-Yubari on the Sekisho Line, served by limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro. Local buses run from Shin-Yubari up the valley to the Racey resort stop. By car it takes about 20 minutes from the Yubari IC on the Do-to Expressway. Summary: Yubari dug coal for a century and now grows melons, with the Mount Racey ski area rising from the top of the old town. Yubari dug coal for most of a century. In 1960 nearly 117,000 people lived along its narrow valleys. Fewer than 6,000 do today, which is one of the steepest falls of any town in Japan, and in 2007 the city went bankrupt. Walk the upper town in winter and you pass shuttered company housing and empty lots under deep snow, with the Mount Racey lifts climbing straight out of the old town centre. Riders come for Mount Racey, which is a compact hill with a hotel at its base. It rarely sees crowds and sits about an hour from New Chitose by car. The local dish is curry soba, which the miners loved: buckwheat noodles in a thick curry broth with pork belly and onion. The Bari Yatai food stall village in Suehiro serves it, and so does Kurishita Shokudo near Shin-Yubari Station. The Michi-no-Eki next door sells Yubari melon sweets year-round, long after the melons themselves are gone. Q: What does the name Yubari mean? A: Yubari comes from the local name yu-paro, meaning the place where mineral springs come up; literally the mouth of the hot water. The usual reading is yu-paro, where hot or mineral water flows out. Matsuura Takeshirō, who proposed the district names in 1869, recorded it as i-yu-paro, 'the mouth of the hot spring', with the Japanese reading Yūhari. Q: Is Yubari a good place to stay? A: Stay at Mount Racey for cheap, uncrowded laps a short drive from the airport. It suits families and anyone curious about Hokkaido's coal history. Q: How do you get to Yubari? A: The JR line into the old town closed in 2019, and the nearest station is Shin-Yubari on the Sekisho Line, served by limited express trains between Sapporo and Obihiro. Local buses run from Shin-Yubari up the valley to the Racey resort stop. By car it takes about 20 minutes from the Yubari IC on the Do-to Expressway. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/夕張市 https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/ss/tuk/900brr/index2.html https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spot/detail_11273.html https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010704/1009155/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010704/1034552/ https://tabelog.com/en/hokkaido/A0107/A010704/rstLst/?SrtT=rt ## Places to stay ### adex inn URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/adex-inn-noboribetsu Type: Stay Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.49450, 141.14340 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥ Meals: Room only; adex Bakery & Cafe on site Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 47 Best for: budget riders, onsen hoppers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.adexinn.com/en-top Summary: The old Takimoto Inn reopened in 2024 as a casual base with a drying room and free round-the-clock entry to Dai-ichi Takimotokan's baths. If you knew it as Takimoto Inn, this is the same building. It was refitted throughout in summer 2024 and renamed adex inn. It's the best-value bed in Noboribetsu for anyone carrying gear. There are 47 Western rooms with simple twins of about 22 square metres, and a drying room and coin laundry deal with wet kit. The house bath pours unfiltered sulphur water straight from the source. It's thick enough that yunohana (mineral flakes) settle on the bottom. Your stay also gets you into the Grand Bath at Dai-ichi Takimotokan for free from 04:00 to 01:00, and it's a short walk away. That entry costs day visitors ¥2,500, and it still works after you check out. Breakfast is whatever you pick up at the adex Bakery & Cafe. The café takes cards and e-money and no cash. Next door, adex base is the only outdoor shop in the onsen town and runs guided trips. Q: Are meals included at adex inn? A: adex inn: Room only; adex Bakery & Cafe on site. Q: Who is adex inn good for? A: adex inn suits budget riders, onsen hoppers. Q: Is adex inn ski-in ski-out? A: No. adex inn sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.adexinn.com/ https://www.adexinn.com/en-top https://www.adexinn.com/ja-onsen https://www.adexinn.com/ja-rooms https://www.adexinn.com/en-rooms https://www.adexinn.com/en-terms-conditions ### Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/akan-tsuruga-besso-hinanoza Type: Stay Local name: あかん鶴雅別荘 鄙の座 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Akan Coordinates: 43.43320, 144.09780 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast included; drinks included Check-in: 14:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 25 Best for: couples, rest days on an eastern loop Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hinanoza.com/ Summary: Every suite at this drinks-inclusive ryokan at Lake Akan has its own open-air onsen. Hinanoza is the Tsuruga group's top house at Akan. Every suite has an open-air onsen bath of its own, and some look across the lake while others face the village. Drinks are included. That covers what you order at dinner, the Za Bar lounge, most of the minibar and the drinks set out by the footbath and the main baths. Two large baths sit alongside the tubs in the rooms, and an art gallery opens off the lobby. The person making the booking has to be 18 or older. Akan is a long way from the big ski hills, so treat it as a rest stop on an eastern loop. Meakandake rises south-west of the lake and has been at alert level 2 since September 2025. That closes about 500 metres around its Ponmachineshiri crater to anyone thinking of touring. Q: Are meals included at Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza? A: Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza: Dinner and breakfast included; drinks included. Q: Who is Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza good for? A: Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza suits couples, rest days on an eastern loop. Q: Is Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza ski-in ski-out? A: No. Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hinanoza.com/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/105.html https://www.hinanoza.com/faq/ https://www.hinanoza.com/rooms/ ### Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/akan-yuku-no-sato-tsuruga Type: Stay Local name: あかん遊久の里 鶴雅 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Akan Coordinates: 43.43470, 144.08870 Kind: Onsen hotel From: ¥31,350 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Total for two adults sharing a standard room with buffet dinner and breakfast on the 120-day early-booking plan, March 2027. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included; buffet or kaiseki dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, Ainu culture Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥31,350 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.tsuruga.com/ Summary: The Tsuruga group's large lakefront hotel at Akan has a rooftop bath over the lake and rooms that draw on Ainu design. Yuku no Sato Tsuruga is the large lakefront hotel in Akan's onsen village, and Hinanoza is a short walk along the shore. The rooftop bath is called Ten no Hara and looks over Lake Akan and the mountains around it. A sauna with a view sits up there too. Some rooms are designed around Ainu culture, and the Ainu Kotan (village) is in the same neighbourhood. Dinner is the Hokkaido buffet or a kaiseki menu, and breakfast is a buffet. Through the 2026/27 winter the group runs a paid shuttle bus called the Akanko Express. Q: How much does Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga cost? A: Prices at Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga start at ¥31,350 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga? A: Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga: Dinner and breakfast included; buffet or kaiseki dinner. Q: Who is Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga good for? A: Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga suits families, Ainu culture. Q: Is Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga ski-in ski-out? A: No. Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.tsuruga.com/ https://www.tsuruga.com/access/ https://www.tsuruga.com/faq/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/tsurugagroup/tsuruga/search/?nights=1&r_num=1&num=2&show=plan&nights_unspecified=1 https://www.tsurugagroup.com/ ### Always Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/always-niseko Type: Stay Local name: オールウェイズ・ニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.85250, 140.70290 Kind: Hotel From: ¥34,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Elements restaurant on site serves all day; breakfast included on some rates Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: couples, budget-conscious groups, long stays Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥34,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.alwaysniseko.com/ Summary: Always Niseko is a 104-room apart-hotel in the Kabayama woods below Hirafu, and a free shuttle runs guests up to the lifts. Always Niseko sits in the forest at Kabayama below Hirafu village, and the lifts are about four minutes away by car. The free winter shuttle gets you to the Ace Gondola in about ten minutes and to King in about fifteen. On powder mornings, check the shuttle timetable the night before. Rooms are compact at 22 square metres, and the 43-square-metre Yotei Suite sleeps four. Only the ground-floor Zen room has a bathtub, so everyone else showers. Some Superior and Zen rooms have fans and no air conditioning. Elements downstairs serves meals all day. A standard room with breakfast cost about ¥34,000 a night in January 2024, and the peak weeks over New Year and in February carry a five-night minimum. For a soak, ride the shuttle up to the village and pay for a day bath. Q: How much does Always Niseko cost? A: Prices at Always Niseko start at ¥34,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Always Niseko? A: Always Niseko: Elements restaurant on site serves all day; breakfast included on some rates. Q: Who is Always Niseko good for? A: Always Niseko suits couples, budget-conscious groups, long stays. Q: Is Always Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: No. Always Niseko sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Always Niseko have an onsen? A: No. Always Niseko has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.alwaysniseko.com/ https://www.alwaysniseko.com/property-quickfacts https://www.alwaysniseko.com/location https://www.alwaysniseko.com/eat-and-drink https://www.niseko.co.jp/accommodations/always-niseko/ https://www.nisekotourism.com/listing/always-niseko https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Always%20Niseko&format=json https://www.alwaysniseko.com/room-types https://nisade.com/terms/winter2627 ### Aonobi Yuyu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/aonobi-yuyu Type: Stay Local name: 碧の美 ゆゆ (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Biei Coordinates: 43.47430, 142.64000 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥15,400 per person with buffet dinner and breakfast, two sharing a standard twin; the booking engine gives one rate for the whole year. Meals: Dinner and breakfast buffets with a live kitchen Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 49 Best for: onsen lovers, Tokachidake touring trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/ Summary: Shirogane Onsen's old Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel now trades as Aonobi Yuyu and pours its spring into the baths without heating or dilution. If you're searching for the Shirogane Onsen Hotel, look under its new name. Aonobi Yuyu took over the old Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel in the Shirogane village above Biei, near the Shirahige waterfall and the road to the Blue Pond. The baths are kakenagashi (free-flowing), so the spring reaches the tubs untouched. You hear the river from the rotenburo. There's a dry sauna at about 90°C. The outdoor bath and sauna close from midnight to 06:00. Dinner and breakfast are buffets in a blue-and-white dining room over the gorge. At night the live kitchen turns out Hokkaido beef steak and tempura, and in the morning it's omelettes and bread from Biei wheat. Ryounkaku and the Tokachidake trailhead are about half an hour up the road. Biei is one of the towns named in the Tokachidake level 3 warning from September 2026, so read the JMA page before you plan any touring. Q: Are meals included at Aonobi Yuyu? A: Aonobi Yuyu: Dinner and breakfast buffets with a live kitchen. Q: Who is Aonobi Yuyu good for? A: Aonobi Yuyu suits onsen lovers, Tokachidake touring trips. Q: Is Aonobi Yuyu ski-in ski-out? A: No. Aonobi Yuyu sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.biei-shiroganeonsen.com/ichiran.html https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/ https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/spa/ https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/meal/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/白金温泉 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/108.html https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/faq/ https://www.shiroganeonsen.com/room/ https://reserve.489ban.net/client/shiroganeonsen/0/plan ### AYA Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/aya-niseko Type: Stay Local name: 綾ニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.85770, 140.70280 Kind: Apartment From: ¥23,340 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Atelier room for two with breakfast on the Best Available Rate, early December 2026, with taxes and resort fee included. Meals: AYA Kitchen in the building serves breakfast; larger apartments have kitchens Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, newer riders, groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥23,340 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.ayaniseko.com/ Summary: AYA sits on the Ace Family run below the quad chair, so you ski from the door to the lift and come home to a natural onsen. AYA opened in 2016 on the Ace Family run below the chairlift, and you ski from the door to the Ace Family Quad. Families and newer riders get a gentle run home to the building every afternoon. Hirafu's restaurants are a short walk away when you want dinner out. Units start with 20-square-metre Atelier rooms and climb to penthouses of 373 square metres. The residences and penthouses have their own onsen. Everyone else shares the AYA Onsen. Its water is pumped from more than 700 metres underground into indoor and outdoor baths on the men's and women's sides, and the doors open from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to midnight. Private family baths cost ¥3,000 an hour and you book them at reception on the day. AYA Kitchen downstairs covers breakfast, and there's a ski valet with heated boot racks. Nomad Wellness runs a physio clinic in the building for the knees that need it after a week of tree runs. Q: How much does AYA Niseko cost? A: Prices at AYA Niseko start at ¥23,340 (2026). Q: Are meals included at AYA Niseko? A: AYA Niseko: AYA Kitchen in the building serves breakfast; larger apartments have kitchens. Q: Who is AYA Niseko good for? A: AYA Niseko suits families, newer riders, groups. Q: Is AYA Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. AYA Niseko is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ayaniseko.com/ https://www.ayaniseko.com/amenities/aya-onsen https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/aya-setsu-or-the-vale/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=AYA%20Niseko&format=json https://www.ayaniseko.com/about https://www.ayaniseko.com/terms-conditions https://stay.ayaniseko.com/search/listing/2c98902a50a6076e0150b6d1d6f0651d?i18n=en&n=2&offset=1&sv=1 ### Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/bourou-noguchi-noboribetsu Type: Stay Local name: 望楼NOGUCHI登別 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.50020, 141.14070 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki in private dining rooms) Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: couples, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.bourou.com/ Summary: Every suite at this adults-only ryokan in Noboribetsu has its own milky sulphur onsen with a view. Bōrō Noguchi takes no children aged 12 or under, and every room is a suite of 50 to 100 square metres with its own view bath filled from the spring. It opened in 2006 and marked its 20th year in 2026. The water is Noboribetsu's signature milky sulphur, and you smell it as soon as you step into the corridor. The GENSEN main bath adds a rotenburo and a dry sauna for when you want a change from your own tub. Dinner is kaiseki with some Western touches, and it's served in private dining rooms. Some of them have sunken kotatsu seating. Check-in runs from 15:00 to 19:00, so time the drive, and Rusutsu is well over an hour away when you want to ride. Q: Are meals included at Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu? A: Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki in private dining rooms). Q: Who is Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu good for? A: Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu suits couples, onsen lovers. Q: Is Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu ski-in ski-out? A: No. Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.noguchi-g.com/ https://www.bourou.com/ https://www.bourou.com/faq/ https://www.bourou.com/room/ https://www.bourou.com/spa/ https://www.bourou.com/clause/ https://www.noguchi-g.com/important/important-5837/ ### Club Med Kiroro Grand URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/club-med-kiroro-grand Type: Stay Local name: クラブメッド・キロロ グランド (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Akaigawa Coordinates: 43.07540, 140.98320 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: All-inclusive: buffet dining, open bar and lift pass Best for: families with young children, first-timers Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/kiroro-grand/w?locale=en-JP Summary: Club Med reopened the old Tribute Portfolio hotel at Kiroro as a family resort in 2023, and it keeps an outdoor onsen and kids' clubs from age four. Grand is the family half of Club Med's Kiroro pair. The building started life as Kiroro's Hotel Piano and spent 2015 to 2022 as The Kiroro, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. Club Med reopened it in 2023, so if you are searching for the Tribute Portfolio hotel, this is the place. Kids' clubs take children from age four, and care for younger ones costs extra. There is a rotenburo (outdoor bath) on natural hot spring water. Lift passes come with the stay, and the buffet mixes Japanese and French cooking. It sits in Kiroro Town beside Yu Kiroro, and Peak is up the road. Club Med sells it as ski-in, ski-out, so ask how the run home works from your wing. Transfers from New Chitose cost ¥10,700 each way for 2026/27 when they aren't in a package. Q: Are meals included at Club Med Kiroro Grand? A: Club Med Kiroro Grand: All-inclusive: buffet dining, open bar and lift pass. Q: Who is Club Med Kiroro Grand good for? A: Club Med Kiroro Grand suits families with young children, first-timers. Q: Is Club Med Kiroro Grand ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Club Med Kiroro Grand is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/kiroro-grand/w?locale=en-JP https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/キロロリゾート https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/ https://www.clubmed.co.jp/l/terms?locale=en-JP https://assets.dream.clubmed/pm_7531_919_919812-mnoe3ygb3b.pdf ### Club Med Kiroro Peak URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/club-med-kiroro-peak Type: Stay Local name: クラブメッド・キロロ ピーク (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Akaigawa Coordinates: 43.06740, 140.98900 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: All-inclusive: meals, open bar, lift pass and ski lessons Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: couples, teens and adults Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/kiroro-peak/w?locale=en-JP Summary: Club Med runs this ski-in, ski-out resort at the Kiroro base in the old Sheraton building and puts the lift pass, lessons, meals and drinks into one price. Peak occupies the old Kiroro Mountain Hotel. It opened with the ski area in 1991 and ran as Sheraton Hokkaido Kiroro Resort from 2015. Club Med took it over in 2022. You ski straight out of it at the base, and the package covers your lift pass, ski lessons, meals and an open bar. Club Med aims Peak at adults and older children. Its own pages give both an adults-only line and a minimum age of 12, so confirm before booking with teenagers. Families with small kids belong at Kiroro Grand. Rooms mix tatami touches with Western beds, and the baths run on natural hot spring water. Outside a package, the New Chitose transfer costs ¥11,400 each way for 2026/27. The shared bus can mean a long wait at the airport, so price up a private car. It takes about 90 minutes. Q: Are meals included at Club Med Kiroro Peak? A: Club Med Kiroro Peak: All-inclusive: meals, open bar, lift pass and ski lessons. Q: Who is Club Med Kiroro Peak good for? A: Club Med Kiroro Peak suits couples, teens and adults. Q: Is Club Med Kiroro Peak ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Club Med Kiroro Peak is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/kiroro-peak/w?locale=en-JP https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/キロロリゾート https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/ https://factsheets.clubmed/en-gb/factsheet_kipc_winter.pdf https://www.clubmed.co.jp/l/terms?locale=en-JP https://assets.dream.clubmed/pm_7531_919_919812-mnoe3ygb3b.pdf ### Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/club-med-sahoro Type: Stay Local name: クラブメッド・サホロ (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Shintoku Coordinates: 43.16990, 142.81100 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: All-inclusive: meals, open bar, lift pass and ski lessons Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, beginners and improvers Ski-in ski-out: Yes Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/sahoro-hokkaido/w?locale=en-JP Summary: Club Med's resort at the base of Sahoro wraps the lift pass, lessons, meals and an open bar into one price. Club Med Sahoro sits at the bottom of a quiet hill with wide groomers and north-facing bowls, and you ski out of the building. The package covers your lift pass, guided lessons, meals and an open bar. Kids' clubs start at age four, and care for younger children costs extra. Rooms spread over Buildings A to C, and the Deluxe rooms and suites are in B. The outdoor Canadian bath looks at the mountain, and there's an indoor pool. Onsen sessions and tea ceremonies cost extra. Transfers from Tokachi-Obihiro Airport cost ¥8,600 each way for 2026/27. From New Chitose it's ¥11,700 and a much longer ride, so fly into Obihiro if you can. Tomamu is close enough for a day trip. Q: Are meals included at Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido? A: Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido: All-inclusive: meals, open bar, lift pass and ski lessons. Q: Who is Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido good for? A: Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido suits families, beginners and improvers. Q: Is Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/sahoro-hokkaido/w?locale=en-JP https://factsheets.clubmed/en-gb/factsheet_saoc_winter.pdf https://assets.dream.clubmed/pm_7531_919_919812-mnoe3ygb3b.pdf ### Cross Hotel Sapporo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/cross-hotel-sapporo Type: Stay Local name: クロスホテル札幌 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Coordinates: 43.06410, 141.35340 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,750 (2026) Price: ¥¥ Prices: Room only for one adult in a semi-double room on a non-refundable plan, 1 December 2026; the flexible best rate that night is ¥12,500. Meals: Breakfast buffet available; restaurant hache and the meetlounge bar on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 181 Best for: design-minded couples, city nights between ski days Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥11,750 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://cross-sapporo.orixhotelsandresorts.com/ Summary: Cross Hotel sits five minutes on foot from Sapporo Station and keeps a rooftop bath for guests and rooms hung with work by Hokkaido artists. Cross Hotel suits riders who want the city to feel like part of the trip. It is a five-minute walk from Sapporo Station, and its 181 rooms come in three design styles. Some carry framed pieces and wallpaper by 13 Hokkaido artists drawing on local landscapes and Ainu culture. The top floor holds a large bath with an open-air section for hotel guests only. A lounge sits beside it, so you can cool off with the city lights below after a day at Teine. Susukino is about 15 minutes south on foot when it is time to eat. Breakfast is a buffet built on local produce. Teine is roughly 40 minutes by car and Kokusai a little over an hour, and the airport train leaves from the station up the road. Q: How much does Cross Hotel Sapporo cost? A: Prices at Cross Hotel Sapporo start at ¥11,750 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Cross Hotel Sapporo? A: Cross Hotel Sapporo: Breakfast buffet available; restaurant hache and the meetlounge bar on site. Q: Who is Cross Hotel Sapporo good for? A: Cross Hotel Sapporo suits design-minded couples, city nights between ski days. Q: Is Cross Hotel Sapporo ski-in ski-out? A: No. Cross Hotel Sapporo sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Cross Hotel Sapporo have an onsen? A: No. Cross Hotel Sapporo has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://cross-sapporo.orixhotelsandresorts.com/ https://cross-sapporo.orixhotelsandresorts.com/contents/public-bath-daiyokujou/ https://cross-sapporo.orixhotelsandresorts.com/page-8685/ https://cross-sapporo.orixhotelsandresorts.com/provisions/ https://go-ohr.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/ohr-xsapporo/plans?checkin_date=20261201&checkout_date=20261202&rooms=1&adults=1&sort=2 ### Dai-ichi Takimotokan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/dai-ichi-takimotokan Type: Stay Local name: 第一滝本館 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.49520, 141.14480 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; buffet or kaiseki Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Best for: onsen lovers, families Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/ Summary: Noboribetsu's founding inn has kept the springs beside Jigokudani since 1858, and its bathhouse holds 35 baths fed by five different springs. Kinzo Takimoto brought his wife Sata to the springs for a skin condition and became their bath keeper in 1858. He opened the inn in 1888, and the onsen town grew up around it. It took the name Dai-ichi Takimotokan in 1953. The Grand Bath is why you come. Its building covers about 1,500 tsubo (roughly 5,000 square metres) beside Jigokudani, and its 35 baths run on five spring types that range from milky acidic sulphur to an iron-red bicarbonate water. Yumori (bath keepers) watch the temperatures by hand. In a corner of the rotenburo, a small tub copies the one Kinzo built for Sata. It's a big, busy hotel with buffet and kaiseki dining, and the bathhouse also has a heated pool. Check-in is 14:00 and check-out 10:00. The whole hotel shuts from 5 to 15 April 2027 for maintenance. Rusutsu is the nearest major mountain and takes well over an hour to reach. Q: Are meals included at Dai-ichi Takimotokan? A: Dai-ichi Takimotokan: Dinner and breakfast plans; buffet or kaiseki. Q: Who is Dai-ichi Takimotokan good for? A: Dai-ichi Takimotokan suits onsen lovers, families. Q: Is Dai-ichi Takimotokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Dai-ichi Takimotokan sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/spa/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/history/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/faq/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/access/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/ja/faq/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/clause/ ### Freeride Lodge Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/freeride-lodge-niseko Type: Stay Local name: フリーライドロッジ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84040, 140.67290 Kind: Hostel From: ¥33,000 (2026) Price: ¥ Prices: Twin room per night for 2026/27 plus ¥300 per person per night in tax; a bed in the 7-bed dorm costs ¥9,500, and 14–20 December and 5–14 March cost less. Meals: Continental breakfast; large shared kitchen Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: solo riders, budget trips, backcountry crews Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥33,000 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/ Summary: Freeride Lodge rents dorm beds and twin rooms in the Higashiyama woods, and the Banzai lift at Niseko Village is an eight-minute walk. Freeride is where you stay when the money goes on lift tickets and guides. It's a backpacker lodge in the trees at Higashiyama, and the walk to the Banzai lift at Niseko Village takes about eight minutes. Dorms sleep four or seven, and the twins and four-person private rooms look out at the forest or the mountain. Bathrooms are shared and Western-style. Evenings happen in the big communal kitchen and the dining room, and the lounge has a bar for the post-mortem on the day's lines. Breakfast is continental. There's a drying room for wet gear and a small shop for snacks. In January 2024 a dorm bed cost about ¥7,000 a night and a forest-view twin about ¥23,000. Q: How much does Freeride Lodge Niseko cost? A: Prices at Freeride Lodge Niseko start at ¥33,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Freeride Lodge Niseko? A: Freeride Lodge Niseko: Continental breakfast; large shared kitchen. Q: Who is Freeride Lodge Niseko good for? A: Freeride Lodge Niseko suits solo riders, budget trips, backcountry crews. Q: Is Freeride Lodge Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: No. Freeride Lodge Niseko sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Freeride Lodge Niseko have an onsen? A: No. Freeride Lodge Niseko has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/ https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/lodge-accommodation https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/for-sale https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Freeride%20Pension&format=json https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/book https://book-directonline.com/properties/freeridelodgeniseko/policies https://book-directonline.com/properties/freeridelodgeniseko ### Furano Natulux Hotel URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/furano-natulux-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 富良野ナチュラクスホテル (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Coordinates: 43.34760, 142.39020 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Prices: Members-only rate on the official booking engine for two in a Casual Double without meals, December 2026. Meals: Breakfast plans (Japanese or Western); cheese-fondue dinner plan Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 72 Best for: train travellers, couples Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.natulux.com/lp/english Summary: Natulux is a calm design hotel one minute from JR Furano Station, and it has a condominium annex for longer stays. Natulux is the hotel to pick if you're arriving in Furano by rail. It's a minute's walk from JR Furano Station, and downtown bars and restaurants are close by. Asahikawa Airport is about 50 minutes by car. Rooms lean on soft furnishings and big windows, and the Supreme Twins add a sofa set and a proper desk. The condominium annex has kitchens and washing machines for longer stays. The baths use artificial spring water made with mineral stones and ceramic balls. The men's side has a sauna, and women get a ganbanyoku (heated stone bed) for ¥1,100 an hour if you book ahead. The Kitanomine side of the ski area is about ten minutes by car, and parking for 30 cars is free. Q: Are meals included at Furano Natulux Hotel? A: Furano Natulux Hotel: Breakfast plans (Japanese or Western); cheese-fondue dinner plan. Q: Who is Furano Natulux Hotel good for? A: Furano Natulux Hotel suits train travellers, couples. Q: Is Furano Natulux Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Furano Natulux Hotel sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Furano Natulux Hotel have an onsen? A: No. Furano Natulux Hotel has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.natulux.com/ https://www.natulux.com/lp/english https://www.natulux.com/spa/ https://www.natulux.com/access/ https://www.natulux.com/facility/ https://www.natulux.com/lp/english/facility/ https://d-reserve.jp/GSEA001F01300/GSEA001A01?hotelCode=0000002834&lang=en https://d-reserve.jp/calendar?hotelCode=0000002834&lang=en ### Ginrinsou URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/ginrinsou Type: Stay Local name: 料亭湯宿 銀鱗荘 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Otaru Coordinates: 43.18070, 141.03510 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; kaiseki dinner (check in by 18:00 to eat) Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 17 Best for: couples, architecture lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.ginrinsou.com/en/ Summary: A herring baron built this mansion in Yoichi in 1900, and since 1938 it has stood on Cape Hiraiso above Ishikari Bay as an inn. Ginrinsou is one of the few nishin goten (herring mansions) left on this coast where you can stay the night. Inomata Yasunojo built it in Yoichi in 1900 at the height of the herring boom. In 1938 it was taken down and raised again on Cape Hiraiso above Otaru, and the main building and the grill next door became registered tangible cultural properties in February 2023. Rooms are split between the old main building and a newer wing, and the sea fills most of the windows. The open-air bath looks across Ishikari Bay and the Otaru rooftops, and now and then a Hakodate Line train sounds its horn below. Dinner is the heart of a stay. The house calls itself a ryotei (a restaurant inn), and you need to check in by 18:00 to eat. Treat it as an evening more than a riding base. Asarigawa is the nearest hill and Kiroro is under an hour away. The inn runs a shuttle to JR Otaru-Chikko Station at check-in and check-out. The last pickup leaves at 18:00. Q: Are meals included at Ginrinsou? A: Ginrinsou: Dinner and breakfast plans; kaiseki dinner (check in by 18:00 to eat). Q: Who is Ginrinsou good for? A: Ginrinsou suits couples, architecture lovers. Q: Is Ginrinsou ski-in ski-out? A: No. Ginrinsou sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ginrinsou.com/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/en/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/concept/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/room/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/faq/list/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/en/access/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/en/room/ https://www.ginrinsou.com/pdf/en/yakkan.pdf ### Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/grand-hostel-ldk-sapporo Type: Stay Local name: GRAND HOSTEL LDK 札幌 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Coordinates: 43.05340, 141.34470 Kind: Hostel Price: ¥ Meals: No meals; shared kitchens on the 3rd and 10th floors Best for: solo riders, groups on a budget Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥ Website: https://gh-ldk.jp/sapporo/ Summary: This social hostel near Susukino offers dorms and private rooms for up to six, and it traded as The Stay Sapporo until April 2025. The Stay Sapporo reopened as Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo on 10 April 2025, so older reviews and blog posts still use the old name. LDK stands for living, dining and kitchen. The building leans into that with lounges open around the clock on the 3rd and 10th floors and kitchens big enough to cook whatever you carried back from the supermarket. Beds range from women-only and mixed dorms to private rooms that sleep up to six. That suits a crew splitting costs. Showers are on every floor, and if you want a proper soak there is a unit bath on the 10th floor you can rent. Washers and dryers sit up there too. Susukino subway station is eight minutes away on foot. By car, Teine is about 40 minutes and Kokusai a little over an hour. Q: Are meals included at Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo? A: Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo: No meals; shared kitchens on the 3rd and 10th floors. Q: Who is Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo good for? A: Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo suits solo riders, groups on a budget. Q: Is Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo ski-in ski-out? A: No. Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo have an onsen? A: No. Grand Hostel LDK Sapporo has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.thestaysapporo.com/ https://gh-ldk.jp/sapporo/ https://gh-ldk.jp/sapporo/en/ https://gh-ldk.jp/sapporo/rooms ### Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/higashiyama-niseko-village Type: Stay Local name: 東山ニセコビレッジ、リッツ・カールトン・リザーブ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84360, 140.68290 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Breakfast at Yukibana for a fee; Sushi Nagi omakase and Ume Lounge on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 50 Best for: couples, special occasions, families with small children Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/overview/ Summary: Ritz-Carlton keeps just 50 rooms at Higashiyama, and every one looks out at Mount Yotei or Niseko Annupuri through floor-to-ceiling glass. Ritz-Carlton put one of its Reserve hotels at Niseko Village and kept it to 50 rooms and suites. Floor-to-ceiling windows face either Mount Yotei or Niseko Annupuri, and the Yotei side is worth the extra. The bathrooms are built around an oversized soaking tub in the spirit of a home onsen. If you're bringing family, the two-bedroom Higashiyama Suite gives each bedroom its own bathroom and walk-in closet. Men and women bathe separately in indoor and outdoor baths that look over the gardens and the mountains. Both sides have saunas. You can also book a private onsen for the two of you after a long day on the Village side. Yukibana serves breakfast at an extra charge and runs all-day dining under a view of Yotei. Sushi Nagi seats an omakase counter and closes on Wednesdays and Sundays, so book it before you fly. The Niseko Gondola is about 400 metres from the hotel, and the Niseko Village Kids Club takes children from 18 months to nine years old. Q: Are meals included at Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve? A: Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve: Breakfast at Yukibana for a fee; Sushi Nagi omakase and Ume Lounge on site. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/overview/ https://www.ritzcarlton.com/ja/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/overview/ https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/dining/ https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/rooms/ https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/ctsrz-higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/spa/ https://www.niseko-village.com/onsen-spa-and-wellness/ https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/higashiyama-niseko-village-a-ritz-carlton-reserve/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Higashiyama%20Niseko%20Village&format=json ### Hilton Niseko Village URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/hilton-niseko-village Type: Stay Local name: ヒルトンニセコビレッジ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84650, 140.68480 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants in the hotel and next door at Niseko-Yo village Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 502 Best for: families, groups, Village-side riders Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsnvhi-hilton-niseko-village/ Summary: Hilton's big ski hotel stands next to the Niseko Gondola, and its outdoor onsen sits beside a carp pond with Mount Yotei across the fields. Hilton Niseko Village stands beside the Niseko Gondola, and the gondola carries you to the top of Mount Niseko Annupuri. Ski valet staff look after your board overnight. From the summit you can drop into the Village side or traverse over to Annupuri and Hirafu on the United pass. The outdoor onsen sits next to a pond full of carp and looks across to Mount Yotei. Indoors, the bath has wide windows onto the snow. The lobby centres on a hanging fireplace, and the shops and restaurants of Niseko-Yo are about 100 metres away when you want a change from the hotel menus. Parents can drop children at the Niseko Village Kids Club. A bus links the Hilton with Hirafu and JR Kutchan Station. Q: Are meals included at Hilton Niseko Village? A: Hilton Niseko Village: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants in the hotel and next door at Niseko-Yo village. Q: Who is Hilton Niseko Village good for? A: Hilton Niseko Village suits families, groups, Village-side riders. Q: Is Hilton Niseko Village ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hilton Niseko Village is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-village.com/en/ https://www.niseko-village.com/niseko-village-stay/ https://www.niseko-village.com/onsen-spa-and-wellness/ https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/hilton-niseko-village/ https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsnvhi-hilton-niseko-village/ https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsnvhi-hilton-niseko-village/hotel-info/ ### Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/hotel-bear-monte Type: Stay Local name: 旭岳温泉 ホテルベアモンテ (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Higashikawa Coordinates: 43.65080, 142.79910 Kind: Onsen hotel From: ¥17,730 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: One adult in a single room with dinner and breakfast on a December 2026 discount plan; two sharing a twin room only start at ¥32,204. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; plated main course with buffet at dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 56 Best for: Asahidake riders, groups Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥17,730 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.bearmonte.jp/ Summary: Bear Monte is a 56-room onsen hotel three minutes on foot from the Asahidake ropeway, and it has an outdoor sauna beside the main bath. Bear Monte is the closest bed to the lift. The Asahidake ropeway base station is three minutes away on foot, and the cabin climbs to 1,600 metres in about ten minutes, so first ride needs no car. Rooms are generous by Japanese standards, and twins start at 52 square metres. Some are maisonettes and others have mini-kitchens for longer stays. The onsen has more than a century of history behind it. Its water runs clear and soft, and locals have long called it a bath for healing cuts. An outdoor sauna sits beside the main bath. Dinner pairs a plated main course with a buffet, and the bar pours Hokkaido wine and sake. Asahikawa is about an hour away by car. Q: How much does Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte cost? A: Prices at Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte start at ¥17,730 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte? A: Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte: Dinner and breakfast plans; plated main course with buffet at dinner. Q: Who is Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte good for? A: Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte suits Asahidake riders, groups. Q: Is Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte ski-in ski-out? A: No. Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bear Monte sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.bearmonte.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/452341703 https://www.bearmonte.jp/english/ https://www.hamano-hotels.co.jp/provision/ https://www.hamano-hotels.co.jp/lang/hotel_bear_monte/en/faq/ https://bw.tripla.ai/booking/result?code=0192568e-b54e-7bcf-b12e-f015e7396d4c&adults=1&room_count=1&checkin=2026%2F12%2F08&checkout=2026%2F12%2F09&type=rooms&order=price_low_to_high&locale=ja&mcp_currency=JPY ### Hotel Kanronomori URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/hotel-kanronomori Type: Stay Local name: ニセコ昆布温泉 ホテル甘露の森 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84630, 140.62300 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Japanese-Western half-buffet dinner at Restaurant Karinet and a breakfast buffet Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: couples, Moiwa riders, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.kanronomori.com/ Summary: Kanronomori is a Konbu Onsen hotel at the foot of Moiwa with a rooftop rotenburo in the forest and three rooms that come with their own hot spring bath. Kanronomori stands in the woods at Niseko Konbu Onsen, and Moiwa's lifts are a few minutes up the road. Couples should book one of the two fourth-floor special rooms with a private indoor onsen, or the ground-floor special room that has its own rotenburo. They sleep up to five, so a small crew can split the cost. The water comes from a spring in the bed of a tributary of the Niseko Anbetsu River and carries a faint smell of sulfur. It runs almost clear. The Mori no Tenku rooftop rotenburo and the large indoor bath swap between men and women each day, so you get both over a two-night stay. Groups can hire a private bath with its own sauna for 90 minutes, and day visitors pay ¥1,800 to bathe. Dinner is a Japanese-Western half buffet at Restaurant Karinet, and local musicians play in the lobby from 19:30 every night. Most of the rooms are Japanese-Western twins of 44 square metres. The hotel's ski shuttle was still listed as in preparation for 2026/27 when we checked, so plan on driving to the lifts. Q: Are meals included at Hotel Kanronomori? A: Hotel Kanronomori: Japanese-Western half-buffet dinner at Restaurant Karinet and a breakfast buffet. Q: Who is Hotel Kanronomori good for? A: Hotel Kanronomori suits couples, Moiwa riders, onsen lovers. Q: Is Hotel Kanronomori ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Kanronomori sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kanronomori.com/ https://www.kanronomori.com/onsen.html https://www.kanronomori.com/room.html https://www.kanronomori.com/access.html https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E7%94%98%E9%9C%B2%E3%81%AE%E6%A3%AE&format=json https://www.kanronomori.com/faq.html ### Hotel Three M URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/hotel-three-m Type: Stay Local name: ホテルスリーエム (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Kutchan Coordinates: 42.90240, 140.74670 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,000 (2026) Price: ¥ Prices: Room only for one guest in a standard single on the ski-season plan for 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2027; 29 December to 3 January costs more. Meals: No meals; free guest lounge with a microwave and a supermarket across the street Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 26 Best for: solo riders, train travellers, budget trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥11,000 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://hotel3m.com/ Summary: Hotel Three M is a 26-room business hotel a minute's walk from JR Kutchan Station with twins from about ¥16,500. Three M is a plain business hotel one minute from JR Kutchan Station. It suits a rider on a budget who arrives by train and buses up to Hirafu each morning, and Kutchan's izakaya and ramen shops are all within walking distance at night. Twenty-four of the 26 rooms were renovated in December 2019, and every room has its own bathroom. Ask for the second or fifth floor, because the third and fourth floors allow smoking. Check-in runs from 14:00 to midnight. There's no breakfast. The free lounge has a microwave for whatever you pick up at the supermarket across the street. Official rates start at ¥9,500 for a single and ¥16,500 for a twin with tax included, and they move with the season. The nearest onsen is about 15 minutes away by car. Q: How much does Hotel Three M cost? A: Prices at Hotel Three M start at ¥11,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Hotel Three M? A: Hotel Three M: No meals; free guest lounge with a microwave and a supermarket across the street. Q: Who is Hotel Three M good for? A: Hotel Three M suits solo riders, train travellers, budget trips. Q: Is Hotel Three M ski-in ski-out? A: No. Hotel Three M sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Hotel Three M have an onsen? A: No. Hotel Three M has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hotel3m.com/ https://hotel3m.com/room/ https://hotel3m.com/faq/ https://hotel3m.com/facility-guide/ https://www.niseko.co.jp/accommodations/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Hotel%20Three%20M%20Kutchan&format=json https://reserve.489ban.net/client/hotel3m/0/plan https://reserve.489ban.net/client/hotel3m/0/detail/1110060 ### Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/jozankei-yurakusoan Type: Stay Local name: 定山渓 ゆらく草庵 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Jozankei Coordinates: 42.96650, 141.16590 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥28,600 per adult with dinner and breakfast, two sharing a twin, on the 60-day early plan for winter 2026/27. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (Japanese kaiseki dinner) Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 102 Best for: Kokusai days, couples Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoos: Private baths only Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/yurakusoan/ Summary: Every room at this Kyoritsu Resort ryokan in Jozankei has its own hiba-wood onsen tub, and four private baths are free around the clock. Yurakusoan is the easy answer to a day at Sapporo Kokusai. The resort is about 25 minutes up Route 230, so you can be back in a yukata before dark. Every one of the 102 rooms has a tub of fragrant hiba wood filled with natural onsen, and that means a soak never involves a queue. Four private baths sit off the corridors, and they take no booking. Check the lamp at the door, and if it shows empty, go in. After the bath the lounge sets out ice lollies and drinks, and late in the evening it hands out free bowls of yonaki soba (late-night noodles). Kyoritsu's rule bars tattoos of any size from the main baths. The tub in your room and the private baths make that easy to live with here. Dinner is kaiseki, and you choose an early or late sitting when you book. Q: Are meals included at Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan? A: Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan: Dinner and breakfast included (Japanese kaiseki dinner). Q: Who is Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan good for? A: Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan suits Kokusai days, couples. Q: Is Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://jozankei.jp/hotel/ https://www.hotespa.net/hotels/yurakusoan/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/yurakusoan/hotspring/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/yurakusoan/rooms/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/yurakusoan/cuisine/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/yurakusoan/facilities/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/faq/ https://dormy-hotels.com/reserve/plan-detail/4207 ### JR Inn Asahikawa URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/jr-inn-asahikawa Type: Stay Local name: JRイン旭川 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Asahikawa Coordinates: 43.76450, 142.35810 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥ Meals: Breakfast buffet ¥1,800 Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: train and bus riders, budget trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/en/ Summary: JR Inn Asahikawa is reached through the AEON Mall from the station's north exit, and its shared bath has a semi-open-air tub. JR Inn is where you stay if you're riding Asahikawa's hills by train and bus. From the station's north exit you walk into the AEON Mall, and the hotel is reached through it. You never need to wheel a board bag through the snow. Singles are 17 square metres with a 140 cm Simmons mattress, and semi-doubles work for two. The shared bath includes a semi-open-air tub, and it's the best thing about the place after a cold day at Kamui. Breakfast is a Japanese and Western buffet for ¥1,800. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 10:00. Q: Are meals included at JR Inn Asahikawa? A: JR Inn Asahikawa: Breakfast buffet ¥1,800. Q: Who is JR Inn Asahikawa good for? A: JR Inn Asahikawa suits train and bus riders, budget trips. Q: Is JR Inn Asahikawa ski-in ski-out? A: No. JR Inn Asahikawa sits away from the lifts. Q: Does JR Inn Asahikawa have an onsen? A: No. JR Inn Asahikawa has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/facilitys/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/access/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/rooms/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/qa/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/qa_en/ https://www.jr-inn.jp/asahikawa/agreement_en/ ### JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/jr-tower-hotel-nikko-sapporo Type: Stay Local name: JRタワーホテル日航札幌 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Coordinates: 43.06820, 141.35240 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants in the tower and the station below Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 330 Best for: arrival and departure nights, riders using the train Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Not allowed Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.jrhotels.co.jp/tower/ Summary: JR Tower Hotel Nikko stands on top of Sapporo Station and runs a natural onsen spa on its 22nd floor. Step off the airport train and ride the escalators straight up to the front desk. JR Tower Hotel Nikko sits directly above Sapporo Station, so the board bag never has to cross a slushy pavement on the night you land. The rooms are high in the tower, and on a clear morning you can see the snow on the hills west of the city before breakfast. The reason to pay up is the spa on the 22nd floor. Prau Blanc runs on sodium chloride water from a spring under the station's south exit, and both sides have a Finnish sauna and a cold plunge. Hotel guests pay ¥2,150 and can go back as often as they like until the 06:00–09:00 morning session ends. Tattoos are refused at the door. Teine is about 40 minutes away by car and Kokusai a little over an hour, so this works best on the first and last nights of a trip. Expect some construction noise for now. The station's redevelopment is running for years, and the road outside the main entrance is closed until around March 2031. Q: Are meals included at JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo? A: JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants in the tower and the station below. Q: Who is JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo good for? A: JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo suits arrival and departure nights, riders using the train. Q: Is JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo ski-in ski-out? A: No. JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo with tattoos? A: No. The baths at JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.jrhotels.co.jp/tower/ https://www.jrhotels.co.jp/tower/spa/ https://www.jrhotels.co.jp/tower/guestroom/ https://okura.com/japan/sapporo/jr-tower-hotel-nikko-sapporo ### Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/kasara-niseko-village-townhouse Type: Stay Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84600, 140.67680 Kind: Chalet Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Self-catering; each townhouse has a full kitchen and Niseko Village restaurants are a short walk away Best for: families, groups of six, long stays Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.niseko-village.com/niseko-village-stay/ Summary: Kasara's eight three-bedroom townhouses borrow the look of late Edo merchant houses and sit a two-minute walk from the Niseko Village lifts. Kasara suits a group of six who want their own front door at Niseko Village. There are eight townhouses at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri. Every one spreads three bedrooms and three bathrooms over several floors. The designers modelled them on the houses that craftsmen and merchants built near the end of the Edo period, so a tatami dining room sits next to a modern kitchen behind timber shutters. They are new builds, and each bedroom has its own designer bathroom. The lifts are about a two-minute walk, and each house has heated ski storage and a garage. A concierge and an on-call driver cover Niseko Village, and a free shuttle runs to Hirafu and Kutchan when you want a night out. For a soak, guests can use the open-air onsen at the Green Leaf and the Hilton. Q: Are meals included at Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse? A: Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse: Self-catering; each townhouse has a full kitchen and Niseko Village restaurants are a short walk away. Q: Who is Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse good for? A: Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse suits families, groups of six, long stays. Q: Is Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse ski-in ski-out? A: No. Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse have an onsen? A: No. Kasara Niseko Village Townhouse has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-village.com/en/ https://www.niseko-village.com/niseko-village-stay/ https://www.oxfordski.com/luxury-ski-chalets-hotels/japan/niseko/kasara-niseko-village-townhouse/ https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/kasara-niseko-village-townhouses/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Kasara%20Niseko&format=json ### Ki Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/ki-niseko Type: Stay Local name: 木ニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.86330, 140.70130 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast depending on the rate; An Dining serves a modern Japanese tasting menu Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: dawn-patrol riders, families, couples Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.kiniseko.com/ Summary: Ki Niseko sits next to the King Gondola base and opens its onsen at 4 a.m. for riders who want a soak before first chair. Ki sits beside the King Gondola base in upper Hirafu, and the nearest lift is about ten metres from the door. GoSnow lessons meet next door, so ski school drop-off is a short walk in your boots. The World Ski Awards named Ki Japan's best boutique ski hotel in 2025. The onsen runs from 4 to 10 a.m. and again from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m., so you can soak in the dark and still make first chair. Its water comes from the hotel's own spring source on Mount Niseko Annupuri. Each side has an indoor bath and a stone rotenburo outside, plus a Finnish sauna and a cold plunge. Hotel guests also get one free 40-minute session per stay in the Hinoki or Momiji private bath. The 96 rooms run from 25-square-metre hotel rooms up through one- and two-bedroom condos with kitchens and washer-dryers to a five-bedroom penthouse. Pick a condo for a longer stay. Book An Dining for at least one night of its modern Japanese tasting menu built on Hokkaido produce. Q: Are meals included at Ki Niseko? A: Ki Niseko: Room only or with breakfast depending on the rate; An Dining serves a modern Japanese tasting menu. Q: Who is Ki Niseko good for? A: Ki Niseko suits dawn-patrol riders, families, couples. Q: Is Ki Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Ki Niseko is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kiniseko.com/ https://www.kiniseko.com/onsen https://www.kiniseko.com/faq https://www.oxfordski.com/luxury-ski-chalets-hotels/japan/niseko/ki-niseko/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E6%9C%A8%E3%83%8B%E3%82%BB%E3%82%B3&format=json https://www.kiniseko.com/terms-and-conditions ### La Vista Daisetsuzan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/la-vista-daisetsuzan Type: Stay Local name: ラビスタ大雪山 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Higashikawa Coordinates: 43.64790, 142.79350 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥13,000 per person sharing a room for two, room only, on 8 December 2026. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; French course dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 85 Best for: Asahidake riders, couples Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Not allowed Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_daisetsuzan/ Summary: Kyoritsu built this mountain lodge at Asahidake Onsen around a lobby fireplace, and dinner is a French course. La Vista Daisetsuzan sits in the small hot-spring hamlet at the end of the road below the Asahidake ropeway. It's built to feel like an old mountain lodge. Heavy timber doors open onto a lobby with a fire going, and Asahidake shows through the windows almost everywhere you walk. There are 85 rooms over five floors, and the second-floor baths run on Asahidake Onsen water. The standard two-meal plan brings a creative French course built on Hokkaido produce. Asahikawa is about an hour away by car, and the hotel runs a shuttle bus and rents ski wear. Kyoritsu's rule bars tattoos of any size from the public baths. Q: Are meals included at La Vista Daisetsuzan? A: La Vista Daisetsuzan: Dinner and breakfast plans; French course dinner. Q: Who is La Vista Daisetsuzan good for? A: La Vista Daisetsuzan suits Asahidake riders, couples. Q: Is La Vista Daisetsuzan ski-in ski-out? A: No. La Vista Daisetsuzan sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at La Vista Daisetsuzan with tattoos? A: No. The baths at La Vista Daisetsuzan turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_daisetsuzan/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_daisetsuzan/facilities/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/faq/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_daisetsuzan/faq/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_daisetsuzan/rooms/ https://dormy-hotels.com/reserve/search-plan?keyword=%E3%83%A9%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%AA%E5%B1%B1&checkin=2026-12-08&search_by_tag=plan&number_of_nights=1&number_of_rooms=1&number_of_adults[]=2&number_of_children_need_futons[]=0&number_of_children_no_need_futons[]=0&tags=&brands=&order_by=price_asc ### La Vista Hakodate Bay URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/la-vista-hakodate-bay Type: Stay Local name: ラビスタ函館ベイ (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Hakodate Coordinates: 41.76760, 140.71900 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Breakfast buffet included on most plans Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 335 Best for: food lovers, road trips through the south Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Not allowed Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_hakodate/ Summary: This big Kyoritsu onsen hotel on Hakodate's bay front is known for its seafood breakfast and rooftop baths facing Mount Hakodate. La Vista Hakodate Bay stands on the bay front at Toyokawa-cho. JR Hakodate Station is about 15 minutes away on foot and the airport 20 minutes by car. Breakfast is the famous part. You build your own kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) at the counter, and Hakodate squid is on the line. Guest reviews have ranked it the best hotel breakfast in Hokkaido seven years running. The baths are up on the 13th-floor roof. The open-air pools face Mount Hakodate, and the water flows straight from the source. Each side has a dry sauna and a cold plunge. Late in the evening the hotel hands out free yonaki soba (late-night noodles). Hakodate Nanae Snow Park is roughly 40 minutes north by car, so this makes a good stop when you're driving the south of the island. There are 335 rooms. Kyoritsu bars tattoos of any size from the public baths. Q: Are meals included at La Vista Hakodate Bay? A: La Vista Hakodate Bay: Breakfast buffet included on most plans. Q: Who is La Vista Hakodate Bay good for? A: La Vista Hakodate Bay suits food lovers, road trips through the south. Q: Is La Vista Hakodate Bay ski-in ski-out? A: No. La Vista Hakodate Bay sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at La Vista Hakodate Bay with tattoos? A: No. The baths at La Vista Hakodate Bay turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_hakodate/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_hakodate/hotspring/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_hakodate/facilities/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/faq/ https://dormy-hotels.com/resort/hotels/la_hakodate/rooms/ ### Lodge Moiwa 834 URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/lodge-moiwa-834 Type: Stay Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84810, 140.62880 Kind: Hostel Price: ¥ Prices: Capsules sell per person: one capsule with breakfast cost ¥10,320 on 7 December 2026 and ¥20,580 on 3 February 2027, tax included. Meals: Breakfast and dinner at the on-site restaurant Raphael; bar Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: solo riders, budget trips, Moiwa regulars Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥ Website: https://niseko-moiwa.jp/accommodation/ Summary: Lodge Moiwa 834 rents oversized capsules across from the Moiwa base so budget riders can walk to the first lift. Moiwa's own lodge stands across from the base of the hill, and you sleep in capsules about 1.8 times the size of a city capsule hotel's. Each pod is 1.3 metres wide and 2.1 metres long with a coded safe and a light panel you can set to seven colours. From your capsule it's a short walk across to the first chair. Families can take a room with a double bed and two upper capsules for the kids. Groups of four get a capsule room to themselves, and two of those connect through an inside door for parties of up to eight. The showers are private rooms stocked with shampoo and body wash. For a soak, Kanronomori and Yugokorotei sell day baths a few minutes down the road. Raphael serves breakfast and dinner, and there's a bar for the evening. Ski lockers sit by the entrance, and parking for 250 cars is free. The 2026/27 season runs from 5 December to 31 March. Book through the lodge's own site or the big booking platforms. Q: Are meals included at Lodge Moiwa 834? A: Lodge Moiwa 834: Breakfast and dinner at the on-site restaurant Raphael; bar. Q: Who is Lodge Moiwa 834 good for? A: Lodge Moiwa 834 suits solo riders, budget trips, Moiwa regulars. Q: Is Lodge Moiwa 834 ski-in ski-out? A: No. Lodge Moiwa 834 sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Lodge Moiwa 834 have an onsen? A: No. Lodge Moiwa 834 has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/accommodation/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/2026/07/25/3810/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Lodge%20Moiwa%20834&format=json https://niseko-moiwa.jp/accommodation/lodge-agreement/ https://go-lodgemoiwa834.reservation.jp/en https://go-lodgemoiwa834.reservation.jp/ja https://go-lodgemoiwa834.reservation.jp/en/plans?adults=1&rooms=1&checkin_date=20261207&checkout_date=20261208&dayuseFlg=0&sort=2&dateUndecidedFlg=0 ### Marukoma Onsen Ryokan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/marukoma-onsen-ryokan Type: Stay Local name: 湖畔の宿支笏湖 丸駒温泉旅館 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Lake Shikotsu Coordinates: 42.78050, 141.31080 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: From ¥22,000 per adult with dinner and breakfast on the standard plan; winter 2026/27 dates are not on sale yet. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki dinner, breakfast buffet) Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 55 Best for: onsen lovers, couples Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.marukoma.co.jp/english Summary: Marukoma's rock-walled natural pool on the north shore of Lake Shikotsu rises and falls with the lake itself. Marukoma opened in 1917. Its founder Sasaki Hatsutaro had found the spring on the shore of Lake Shikotsu two years earlier. The famous bath is the noyu (natural pool) at the water's edge. Only a line of rocks separates it from the lake. Hot water seeps up through the gravel underfoot, and the depth shifts with the lake level through the year. The spring comes out clear and colourless at 54°C, and every bath in the house looks out on the lake. The inn is off the grid. It makes its own electricity and draws its water from Shikotsu, and the Finnish sauna lets you pour your own löyly before a cold plunge in lake water. Two private baths can be booked, and one of them has a barrel sauna. Dinner is kaiseki, and one course is cooked over an irori (charcoal hearth). Breakfast is a buffet. New Chitose is about an hour away by car, so this makes a strong first or last night. Rusutsu is roughly an hour west when you want a riding day. Q: Are meals included at Marukoma Onsen Ryokan? A: Marukoma Onsen Ryokan: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki dinner, breakfast buffet). Q: Who is Marukoma Onsen Ryokan good for? A: Marukoma Onsen Ryokan suits onsen lovers, couples. Q: Is Marukoma Onsen Ryokan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Marukoma Onsen Ryokan sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.marukoma.co.jp/ https://www.marukoma.co.jp/english https://www.marukoma.co.jp/hotspring/ https://www.marukoma.co.jp/info/ https://faq.marukoma.co.jp/faq?facility_cd=marukoma-qa&lang=en https://www.marukoma.co.jp/room https://reserve.489ban.net/client/marukoma/0/plan?plan_type=stay ### Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/morino-ryotei-biei Type: Stay Local name: 白金温泉郷 森の旅亭 びえい (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Biei Coordinates: 43.47390, 142.64340 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Per person with dinner and breakfast, from ¥24,750 when four share a Japanese-Western room on a winter weekday in 2026/27. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki in the dining room) Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 17 Best for: couples, private-bath seekers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://biei-hotel.com/ Summary: Most of the 17 rooms at this sukiya-style inn at Shirogane Onsen have their own open-air bath on free-flowing spring water. Morino Ryotei Biei has 17 rooms in sukiya style (timber architecture borrowed from tea houses). Five low buildings joined by covered corridors step down a slope of birch and spruce, and every room looks into the forest. Twelve rooms have a private rotenburo. The five hanare (detached cottages) have their own entrances and a channel of spring water running past the door. Rooms in the main building use blue hiba tubs and have a small balcony for cooling off. The shared bath runs on the same free-flowing spring. Dinner is a kaiseki course brought dish by dish to tables in the Mori no Bo dining room, and there's no in-room dining. Expect stairs everywhere, since the buildings follow the slope. Asahikawa Airport is about 40 minutes away and Furano about an hour. Q: Are meals included at Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei? A: Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei: Dinner and breakfast included (kaiseki in the dining room). Q: Who is Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei good for? A: Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei suits couples, private-bath seekers. Q: Is Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei ski-in ski-out? A: No. Shirogane Onsen Morino Ryotei Biei sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.biei-shiroganeonsen.com/ichiran.html https://biei-hotel.com/ https://biei-hotel.com/room/ https://biei-hotel.com/food/ https://biei-hotel.com/price/ https://biei-hotel.com/access/ https://www.biei-hotel.com/price/hp%20260801%20price.pdf ### Muwa Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/muwa-niseko Type: Stay Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.86340, 140.69970 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Breakfast buffet on a terrace above the slopes; two restaurants on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: couples, families, slopeside luxury Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Summary: Muwa is a ski-in, ski-out hotel in upper Hirafu whose best suites put an open-air bath on the balcony. Muwa stands in upper Hirafu about 200 metres from the King Gondola, and you can ski in and out of the building. The Michelin Guide gave it a Key in July 2024. The bars and restaurants of the upper village start at the front door. There are 113 rooms over eight floors, and every one has a mountain view. Book a suite with an open-air rotenburo on the balcony if you can, and the penthouses look out at Mount Yotei. Guests share indoor hot spring baths with a sauna, and there's a private infinity onsen too. Breakfast is a buffet on a terrace above the slopes. Two restaurants cover dinner. Valet parking costs ¥5,000 a night, and check-out comes early at 10:00. Q: Are meals included at Muwa Niseko? A: Muwa Niseko: Breakfast buffet on a terrace above the slopes; two restaurants on site. Q: Who is Muwa Niseko good for? A: Muwa Niseko suits couples, families, slopeside luxury. Q: Is Muwa Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Muwa Niseko is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/muwa-niseko/ https://www.expedia.com/Kutchan-Hotels-MUWA-NISEKO.h96991274.Hotel-Information https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Muwa%20Niseko&format=json https://www.muwaniseko.com/ https://www.muwaniseko.com/terms-and-conditions https://www.muwaniseko.com/invest/project-information ### Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/nikko-style-niseko-hanazono Type: Stay Local name: ニッコースタイルニセコHANAZONO (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.89310, 140.70170 Kind: Hotel From: ¥80,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast at Style Kitchen; many room types include the Nikko Club Lounge Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 234 Best for: families, couples, Hanazono on a smaller budget Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥80,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/ Summary: Nikko Style opened beside the Hanazono gondola in December 2024 and gives you a natural hot spring and a club lounge for much less than the Park Hyatt next door. Nikko Style opened in December 2024 on the plot next to the Park Hyatt, and the Hanazono gondola and the 308 base building are a few steps from the door. Superior rooms start at about 28 square metres. Spend more and the eighth-floor Premium Panorama Yotei View rooms add a hot spring view bath of your own, and the Nikko Style Suite comes with a 67-square-metre rooftop lounge. The shared baths downstairs hold a large indoor pool and an outdoor rotenburo, and the sodium chloride and bicarbonate water feels soft on the skin. Sauna people get a 90°C room with self-pour löyly and a cold plunge kept around 12°C. Bathing covers are allowed in the onsen and the sauna. If you have tattoos, ask the front desk how they handle it before you go in. Style Kitchen serves breakfast from 6:30 and an international menu through the day. Many room categories come with access to the Nikko Club Lounge for a continental breakfast and an evening drink. Hirafu is 15 to 20 minutes away by the resort shuttle or a taxi, so plan your village dinners around that. Q: How much does Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO cost? A: Prices at Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO start at ¥80,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO? A: Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO: Room only or with breakfast at Style Kitchen; many room types include the Nikko Club Lounge. Q: Who is Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO good for? A: Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO suits families, couples, Hanazono on a smaller budget. Q: Is Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/ https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/access/ https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/facilities-services/natural-hot-spring/ https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/nikko-style-hanazono/ https://japanactivity.com/where-to-stay-in-hanazono https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/rooms/ https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/accommodation-contracts/ https://nisekohanazono.nikkostyle.jp/transaction/ ### Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/niseko-northern-resort-annupuri Type: Stay Local name: ニセコノーザンリゾート・アンヌプリ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.85030, 140.64440 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Buffet dinner at ECLAT or table service at an-non; breakfast plans available Check-in: 14:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 151 Best for: families, Annupuri regulars, sauna fans Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Not allowed Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.niseko-northern.com/en/ Summary: Northern Resort sits on the Annupuri slopes with 151 rooms and a natural hot spring whose saunas were rebuilt in December 2025. Annupuri is the calmer corner of Niseko United, and Northern Resort puts you on its slopes in a hotel that has been here since 1985. The hotel sells itself as ski-in, ski-out. The lobby has a Nordic feel, and the Wilderness Library and Forester Lounge give you somewhere to sit with a cocktail after dinner. SPA NISEKO draws natural hot spring water from the Monparu source into an indoor bath and an outdoor bath that's lit at night. The saunas were redone in December 2025 with self-pour löyly, and the men's and women's sides each have their own. Guests with tattoos aren't allowed in the baths, and the hotel doesn't sell day-use entry. Most of the 151 rooms are standard or Hollywood twins, and the junior suites give you more space. The Deluxe Suite has its own Nordic cabin sauna. ECLAT lays on a buffet of more than 30 dishes with a 180-degree view, and an-non serves seasonal plates at the table. JR Niseko Station is about ten minutes away by taxi. Q: Are meals included at Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri? A: Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri: Buffet dinner at ECLAT or table service at an-non; breakfast plans available. Q: Who is Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri good for? A: Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri suits families, Annupuri regulars, sauna fans. Q: Is Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri is ski-in ski-out. Q: Can you use the baths at Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri with tattoos? A: No. The baths at Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-northern.com/ https://www.niseko-northern.com/en/ https://www.niseko-northern.com/hotspring/ https://www.niseko-northern.com/access/ https://www.niseko-northern.com/restaurants/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Niseko%20Northern%20Resort&format=json https://go-surfeelhotels.reservation.jp/en/hotels/nisekonorthern/plans/10054500?checkin_date=20270120&checkout_date=20270121&adults=2&rooms=1 https://go-surfeelhotels.reservation.jp/en/hotels/nisekonorthern/plans/10054456?checkin_date=20270120&checkout_date=20270121&adults=2&rooms=1 ### OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/omo7-asahikawa Type: Stay Local name: OMO7旭川 by 星野リゾート (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Asahikawa Coordinates: 43.77050, 142.36450 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥4,200 per person with two sharing on December 2026 dates; January and February dates start at ¥8,200. Meals: Breakfast buffet available; café by day and bar at night Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 237 Best for: hill-hopping trips, sauna fans Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/omo7asahikawa/ Summary: Hoshino Resorts' 237-room city hotel in Asahikawa pairs a proper sauna with an OMO Base desk full of local tips. OMO7 is the comfortable way to stay in Asahikawa and ride a different hill each day. Kamui Ski Links is about 40 minutes away and Asahidake roughly an hour. Santa Present Park sits inside the city. Rooms are compact. L-shaped beds leave room underneath for board bags. Some are themed on the polar bears at Asahiyama Zoo. The Sauna Plateau on site is the evening plan, and the OMO Base desk hands out local tips. Breakfast is a buffet. It's 13 minutes' walk from JR Asahikawa Station and about 30 minutes by car from Asahikawa Airport. Q: Are meals included at OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts? A: OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts: Breakfast buffet available; café by day and bar at night. Q: Who is OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts good for? A: OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts suits hill-hopping trips, sauna fans. Q: Is OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts ski-in ski-out? A: No. OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts sits away from the lifts. Q: Does OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts have an onsen? A: No. OMO7 Asahikawa by Hoshino Resorts has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/omo7asahikawa/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/omo7asahikawa/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/ja/hotels/omo7asahikawa/roomsearch/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/sp/faq/changebookings/cancel/ ### Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono Type: Stay Local name: パーク ハイアット ニセコ HANAZONO (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.89330, 140.69740 Kind: Luxury hotel From: ¥215,600 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; buffet breakfast in The Lounge and several restaurants on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Best for: families, mixed-ability groups, slopeside luxury Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥215,600 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hyatt.com/park-hyatt/en-US/ctsph-park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono Summary: The Park Hyatt stands at the base of Hanazono with a ski valet on the snow and enough restaurants under its roof to eat somewhere new every night of a week. Park Hyatt built its Niseko hotel at the bottom of Hanazono, and the ski valet lets you click in on the snow outside the door. The beginner area spreads out below the building. A family can split up after breakfast and regroup for lunch at the Hanazono 308 base building without anyone climbing onto a shuttle. Standard rooms come in at about 65 square metres with a separate living room and a walk-in closet, and the Mount Yotei side is the one to ask for. The shared onsen runs on natural hot spring water, and the Park and Signature Suites each have a private onsen of their own. The hotel allows guests with tattoos in its baths. When your legs give out there's also a 25-metre indoor pool. Robata grills seafood over open flame and Teppan cooks Japanese and French dishes on the hot plate. China Kitchen pulls noodles by hand for its Sichuan and Cantonese menu and does dim sum brunch at weekends. Kids get pizza classes at Olivio. When you want a bigger night, ask the concierge to book Molière Montagne or the Sushi Mitsukawa omakase counter in the Residences. A mountain-view king cost about ¥215,600 a night in January 2024, with a three-night minimum. Q: How much does Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono cost? A: Prices at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono start at ¥215,600 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono? A: Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono: Room only or with breakfast; buffet breakfast in The Lounge and several restaurants on site. Q: Who is Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono good for? A: Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono suits families, mixed-ability groups, slopeside luxury. Q: Is Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono is ski-in ski-out. Q: Can you use the baths at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.gltjp.com/en/directory/item/17196/ https://forbestravelguide.com/hotels/hokkaido-japan/park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono https://japanactivity.com/where-to-stay-in-hanazono https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter https://www.hyatt.com/park-hyatt/en-US/ctsph-park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono/hotel-info https://www.hyatt.com/park-hyatt/en-US/ctsph-park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono/faqs ### Pension Lavender URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/pension-lavender Type: Stay Local name: ペンション ラベンダー (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Coordinates: 43.34160, 142.36270 Kind: Pension From: ¥12,000 (2026) Price: ¥ Meals: Breakfast included; no dinner Best for: budget riders, early lifts Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥12,000 (2026) Price band: ¥ Summary: This family-run pension in Kitanomine village sits two minutes' walk from the lifts and serves breakfasts built on vegetables and herbs. Pension Lavender sits in the Kitanomine pension village, and the Furano ski area is two minutes away on foot. It has 11 rooms. The owners cook only breakfast and load it with vegetables and herbs. Dinner means a walk into Kitanomine or a short drive to town. A ski drying room and a coin laundry take care of wet gear, and the lounge has free tea and a massage chair. Rooms are simple with private bathrooms, and parking is free. Check-in opens at 15:00, and you need to be out by 10:00. Q: How much does Pension Lavender cost? A: Prices at Pension Lavender start at ¥12,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Pension Lavender? A: Pension Lavender: Breakfast included; no dinner. Q: Who is Pension Lavender good for? A: Pension Lavender suits budget riders, early lifts. Q: Is Pension Lavender ski-in ski-out? A: No. Pension Lavender sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Pension Lavender have an onsen? A: No. Pension Lavender has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.furanotourism.com/jp/spot/spot_S.php?kid1=4&kid2=14&kid3=63 https://www.furanotourism.com/jp/spot/spot_D.php?id=25&kid1=4&kid2=14&kid3=63 ### Queens Hotel Chitose URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/queens-hotel-chitose Type: Stay Local name: クイーンズホテル千歳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Chitose Coordinates: 42.82560, 141.65090 Kind: Hotel From: ¥11,186 (2026) Price: ¥ Prices: Total for two adults sharing one room on the cheapest official plan, late February 2027. Meals: Room only or with breakfast Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: late arrivals, early flights Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥11,186 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://queenshotel.jp/ Summary: Queens is a budget business hotel five minutes on foot from JR Chitose Station, and its free ground-floor bath is made for the night you land. Queens is the plain, cheap first night. It's five minutes on foot from JR Chitose Station, and New Chitose Airport is a short train or taxi ride away. The hotel has ended its airport shuttle bus, so plan on the train or a cab. Rooms are small and clean. Each one has an air purifier that also humidifies, and you'll want it in the dry winter air. The free large bath on the ground floor is the best part after a long flight. Breakfast plans are available, and the nearest convenience store is three minutes away. Rusutsu and Niseko are a couple of hours west in the morning. Q: How much does Queens Hotel Chitose cost? A: Prices at Queens Hotel Chitose start at ¥11,186 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Queens Hotel Chitose? A: Queens Hotel Chitose: Room only or with breakfast. Q: Who is Queens Hotel Chitose good for? A: Queens Hotel Chitose suits late arrivals, early flights. Q: Is Queens Hotel Chitose ski-in ski-out? A: No. Queens Hotel Chitose sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Queens Hotel Chitose have an onsen? A: No. Queens Hotel Chitose has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://queenshotel.jp/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/5592617242 https://queenshotel.jp/faq/ https://queenshotel.jp/room/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/s/queenshotel/search/?num=2 ### Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/risonare-tomamu Type: Stay Local name: 星野リゾート リゾナーレトマム (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Tomamu Coordinates: 43.06690, 142.63420 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Breakfast plans available; restaurants across the resort Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 200 Best for: families, groups who want space Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: No baths for guests Tattoos: Welcome Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/ Summary: Every room in Hoshino Resorts' all-suite tower at Tomamu covers at least 100 square metres and has its own sauna and a jet bath at the window. Every room at Risonare is a suite of 100 square metres or more, and each one has a private sauna and a jet bath set against the window. The twin suites sit on the 16th floor and above. Suite Quads for four people take 120 square metres, and there are four to a floor on the 15th floor and below. Hoshino added a Skier's Suite built around ski trips in December 2021. The Kumo Suite takes its theme from the sea of clouds that Tomamu's Unkai Terrace is known for. Rooms are shoes-off and non-smoking throughout. Hotel guests enter Kirin-no-Yu free as long as tattoos are covered with stickers. The Mina-Mina Beach wave pool is part of the same resort. Sahoro is about half an hour away. Q: Are meals included at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu? A: Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu: Breakfast plans available; restaurants across the resort. Q: Who is Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu good for? A: Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu suits families, groups who want space. Q: Is Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu is ski-in ski-out. Q: Does Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu have an onsen? A: No. Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu has no shared or private baths for guests. Q: Can you use the baths at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Tomamu welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/room.php https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/spa/kirin.php https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/risonaretomamu/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/faq/ https://www.hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/risonaretomamu/ ### Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/rusutsu-lodges-pension-lilla-huset Type: Stay Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Rusutsu Coordinates: 42.75000, 140.90340 Kind: Pension Price: ¥ Meals: Buffet breakfast available; shared kitchen Best for: budget trips, small groups, self-caterers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥ Summary: Lilla Huset is a ten-room pension in Rusutsu village that opens only in winter and sits a three-minute walk from the resort. Lilla Huset is Swedish for little house. This one belongs to the Rusutsu Lodges group and has ten rooms for about 30 guests across Route 230 from the Resort Hotel. It opens for the winter season only. Ask for one of the few ensuite rooms if you want your own bathroom. A shared kitchen lets you cook dinner, and breakfast is a buffet you can add on. The convenience store across the road covers beer and snacks. The resort is a three-minute walk, and the nearest lift is the Westin's Tower Pair up to East Mountain. For a soak, the Westin sells day entry to its hot spring for ¥1,500. The pension's website was down when we checked in October 2026, so call +81 136 46 3676 to book. Q: Are meals included at Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset? A: Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset: Buffet breakfast available; shared kitchen. Q: Who is Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset good for? A: Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset suits budget trips, small groups, self-caterers. Q: Is Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset ski-in ski-out? A: No. Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset have an onsen? A: No. Rusutsu Lodges Pension Lilla Huset has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/kanko/detail/00000123.html https://www.kayak.com/Rusutsu-Hotels-Rusutsu-Lodges-Pension-Lilla-Huset.676844.ksp https://rusutsu.com/en/onsen-wellness/westin-onsen/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Lilla%20Huset&format=json ### Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/rusutsu-pension-clydesdale Type: Stay Local name: ペンション クライスデール (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Rusutsu Coordinates: 42.75450, 140.92020 Kind: Pension From: ¥24,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Italian course dinner (¥4,400) and breakfast (¥1,980) by reservation Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 5 Best for: families, couples, food-led trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: No baths for guests Price from: ¥24,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://clydesdale.jp/ Summary: Clydesdale is a family-run pension a kilometre past the Rusutsu resort that cooks an Italian dinner with Rusutsu pork and bakes its own bagels for breakfast. Clydesdale sits on Route 230 about a kilometre past the resort, and the family who run it can cook. Dinner is a handmade Italian course at 19:00 built on Rusutsu pork and Rusutsu daikon, and it takes about an hour and a half. Book it two days ahead. Breakfast at 7:30 comes with bagels made in the kitchen. The five rooms are twins and loft twins that suit a family, and they share bathrooms and toilets. Two lockable family baths take the place of a public bath. The owners also hand out vouchers for the village-run Rusutsu Onsen, and it takes about ten minutes to drive there. A trailer house with a three-night minimum and two dome cottages sit on the property too. The lifts are three minutes away by car and too far to walk. The owners will drive you to the Rusutsu Resort bus stop and the ski area if you ask by the day before. Pickups pause during dinner and stop at 21:30. Reservations are online only, and room-only rates run from ¥12,000 to ¥24,000 per person. Preschoolers can't be booked on the dinner plan. Q: How much does Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale cost? A: Prices at Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale start at ¥24,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale? A: Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale: Italian course dinner (¥4,400) and breakfast (¥1,980) by reservation. Q: Who is Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale good for? A: Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale suits families, couples, food-led trips. Q: Is Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale ski-in ski-out? A: No. Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale sits away from the lifts. Q: Does Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale have an onsen? A: No. Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://clydesdale.jp/ https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/kanko/detail/00000123.html https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Clydesdale%20Pension&format=json https://clydesdale.jp/english.html https://clydesdale.jp/guestrooms.html https://clydesdale.jp/faq.html ### Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/rusutsu-resort-hotel-and-convention Type: Stay Local name: ルスツリゾートホテル＆コンベンション (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Rusutsu Coordinates: 42.75280, 140.90220 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Room only (three nights or more), breakfast or half-board packages; dozens of restaurants across the resort Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, West Mountain riders, big groups Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://rusutsu.com/en/rusutsu-resort-hotel-and-convention/ Summary: Rusutsu's main hotel stands at the foot of West Mountain, and its sixth-floor onsen has an outdoor bath 20 metres wide. This is the big resort hotel at the bottom of West Mountain, and the Family Course runs past the front doors. The West No.1 Quad loads about 20 metres away. When you want East Mountain, take the monorail from beside the South Wing front desk over to the Westin and ride the Tower Pair. The Kotobuki onsen opened in 2019 on the sixth floor of the North Wing. Its natural sodium bicarbonate water fills an outdoor bath 20 metres wide, a cave bath, a black-silica bath you lie down in and a sauna on each side. The South Wing bath runs on Mount Yotei spring water and has a self-pour löyly sauna with a cold plunge. Both are free for hotel guests from 6 to 9 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Standard twins measure 33 square metres. For more room, the seven Junior Suites run to 66 square metres and the two South Suites give each of their two bedrooms a bathroom. Kids get an indoor wave pool with an 84-metre water slide, and hotel guests ride the two-storey indoor carousel for free. Check-out is at 10:00, and an accommodation tax of ¥200 to ¥1,000 per person per night applies from April 2026. Q: Are meals included at Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention? A: Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention: Room only (three nights or more), breakfast or half-board packages; dozens of restaurants across the resort. Q: Who is Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention good for? A: Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention suits families, West Mountain riders, big groups. Q: Is Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/en/rusutsu-resort-hotel-and-convention/ https://rusutsu.com/en/information/hotel-closed-period/ https://rusutsu.com/en/onsen-wellness/kotobukinoyu/ https://rusutsu.com/en/onsen-wellness/south-wing-public-bath/ https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/ https://rusutsu.com/en/hotel-policy/ https://japanskiexperience.com/rusutsu/accommodation/rusutsu-resort-hotel-convention/ https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/kanko/detail/00000123.html https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E3%83%84%E3%83%AA%E3%82%BE%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88%E3%83%9B%E3%83%86%E3%83%AB&format=json ### Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/ryounkaku Type: Stay Local name: 十勝岳温泉 湯元 凌雲閣 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Kamifurano Coordinates: 43.41360, 142.64280 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥ Prices: From ¥6,600 per adult room only, or ¥12,100 per adult with dinner and breakfast, tax included; the booking page names no season. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (set dinner, breakfast buffet) Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: backcountry riders, onsen purists Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Welcome Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.ryounkaku.jp/ Summary: At 1,280 metres on the flank of Tokachidake, Ryounkaku is Hokkaido's highest onsen inn and the classic base for touring the volcano. Ryounkaku is the last building on the road up Tokachidake, and touring starts from its car park. Check the volcano before you book. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised Tokachidake to alert level 3 (entry restrictions) on 12 September 2026. The inn stayed open and has asked anyone who would struggle to evacuate quickly to hold off for now, and any touring above it depends on the restrictions in force on the day. Two springs feed the baths. One is iron-rich and turns a deep rusty brown, and the other is an acidic iron sulphate spring kept at a low temperature that regulars swear by. The men's and women's sides swap through the day, so you get both. In deep winter the outdoor bath can run cool and the acidic tub may close. Tattoos are fine in the baths if you cover them with a sheet or patch. Rooms are simple, and most share toilets down the hall. Only the 12-tatami room and the luxury room have their own bathroom, so book early if that matters. Dinner is a set meal built around Kamifurano pork at 18:00 or 18:30. The last 5 km climbs steeply, and the inn asks for 4WD with studless tyres in winter. Furano is 45 minutes down the hill and Asahikawa Airport an hour. Q: Are meals included at Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku? A: Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku: Dinner and breakfast included (set dinner, breakfast buffet). Q: Who is Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku good for? A: Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku suits backcountry riders, onsen purists. Q: Is Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at Tokachidake Onsen Yumoto Ryounkaku welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ryounkaku.jp/ https://www.ryounkaku.jp/rooms https://www.ryounkaku.jp/onsen https://www.ryounkaku.jp/foods https://www.ryounkaku.jp/access https://www.ryounkaku.jp/よくあるご質問 https://www.kamifurano.jp/rest/stay/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/108.html https://www.ryounkaku.jp/about-7 https://www.yado-sagashi.net/yoyaku/plan/index2.jsp?beg&all&yid=52124054246055 ### Sahoro Resort Hotel URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/sahoro-resort-hotel Type: Stay Local name: サホロリゾートホテル (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Shintoku Coordinates: 43.16680, 142.81370 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Room only or meal plans; Hokkaido buffet and several restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: value at Sahoro, sauna fans Baths: No baths for guests Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://sahoro-resort.com/hotel Summary: The resort hotel at Sahoro's base runs a Hokkaido buffet and a sauna where you pour your own löyly. Sahoro Resort Hotel is the other bed at the bottom of Sahoro. It opens for winter from 1 December to 31 March, and plans that include lift tickets are on sale for 2026/27. Rooms run from 26 to 60 square metres. Spa Refre has an outdoor tub of bakuhanseki (mineral stone) water and a cold plunge fed by Sahoro groundwater. It doesn't use natural onsen water. Next to it, the Tokachi Sauna lets you pour your own löyly and hands out vihta (birch bundles) for the full ritual. Hotel guests bathe free. Food runs from the Hokkaido Buffet to Hanamorikuma Cafe & Restaurant and Yukizasa, plus a canned-food bar called can-can. A free shuttle runs between JR Shintoku Station and the resort. Q: Are meals included at Sahoro Resort Hotel? A: Sahoro Resort Hotel: Room only or meal plans; Hokkaido buffet and several restaurants. Q: Who is Sahoro Resort Hotel good for? A: Sahoro Resort Hotel suits value at Sahoro, sauna fans. Q: Does Sahoro Resort Hotel have an onsen? A: No. Sahoro Resort Hotel has no shared or private baths for guests. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sahoro-resort.com/?lang=en https://sahoro-resort.com/hotel https://sahoro-resort.com/hotel/spa https://sahoro-resort.com/hotel/room https://sahoro-resort.com/faq ### Setsu Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/setsu-niseko Type: Stay Local name: 雪ニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.86140, 140.70700 Kind: Luxury hotel From: ¥44,850 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Studio for two adults on 1 December 2026, taxes included; the same studio averaged ¥143,520 a night for 3–8 February 2027, and peak dates need 3 nights. Meals: Room only or with breakfast; suites have kitchens and six restaurants and bars sit in the building Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: families, groups, food-led trips, long stays Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥44,850 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://setsuniseko.com/ Summary: Setsu gives Hirafu a full-service hotel of 190 kitchen-equipped suites built around a 750-square-metre wellness centre with natural onsen baths. Setsu opened in 2022 on the main road through Hirafu, and the gondola is a five-to-ten-minute walk up the hill. A free shuttle loops to the gondolas about every 20 minutes. You'll want it on rental days, because hauling skis and boots up that slope gets old by Tuesday. The big Lawson across the road covers beer and onigiri. Every suite has a kitchen and a living area, and the sizes run from studios up to four-bedroom penthouses. Ask for a unit facing Mount Yotei. Some of the larger suites have interior bedrooms without windows, so check the floor plan before you book for a group. The wellness centre covers 750 square metres with indoor and outdoor onsen baths plus saunas, and four private onsen rooms can be reserved. Book bath times early in peak weeks. Dinner can be a bowl of AFURI ramen or the counter at Tempura Araki, and Shinonome Niseko does Edomae seafood omakase for the big night. Luke's Alpine Club grills steaks. For something lighter, méli mélo serves all day. The popular tables fill fast, so reserve dinners when you book the room. The hotel holds a Michelin Key. Q: How much does Setsu Niseko cost? A: Prices at Setsu Niseko start at ¥44,850 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Setsu Niseko? A: Setsu Niseko: Room only or with breakfast; suites have kitchens and six restaurants and bars sit in the building. Q: Who is Setsu Niseko good for? A: Setsu Niseko suits families, groups, food-led trips, long stays. Q: Is Setsu Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: No. Setsu Niseko sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://setsuniseko.com/ https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/aya-setsu-or-the-vale/ https://scoutski.com/setsu-niseko https://japanactivity.com/where-to-stay-in-hanazono https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Setsu%20Niseko&format=json https://setsuniseko.com/en/faq/ https://setsuniseko.com/en/terms/ https://setsuniseko.com/en/book/search/ https://setsuniseko.com/en/accommodation/ ### Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/shikotsu-tsuruga-mizu-no-uta Type: Stay Local name: しこつ湖鶴雅リゾートスパ 水の謌 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Lake Shikotsu Coordinates: 42.77430, 141.40350 Kind: Onsen hotel From: ¥51,150 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Total for two in a dog-friendly room with buffet dinner and breakfast on the 120-day early plan, late winter 2026/27. Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; buffet or kaiseki dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 49 Best for: couples, airport nights Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoos: Private baths only Price from: ¥51,150 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.mizunouta.com/ Summary: Mizu no Uta is a 49-room Tsuruga resort in the Shikotsuko Onsen village, and its top rooms have their own open-air onsen. Mizu no Uta is the Tsuruga group's hotel at Lake Shikotsu, and water runs through the whole idea of the place. It has 49 rooms. The top categories come with their own open-air onsen bath, and others have view baths or indoor onsen tubs. The main bath is called Shikotsu Biyu and runs on the soft local spring. Both sides have a Finnish sauna. Dinner is the Amam buffet or kaiseki at Ten no Uta, and there is a smaller course restaurant called Chitose Sennen for something lighter. Free buses run from New Chitose Airport and JR Chitose Station on reservation, and parking is free. Tattoos keep you out of the main bath even under cover stickers, so book a room with its own onsen if that applies to you. Rooms with open-air baths check in from 14:00. Q: How much does Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta cost? A: Prices at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta start at ¥51,150 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta? A: Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta: Dinner and breakfast plans; buffet or kaiseki dinner. Q: Who is Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta good for? A: Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta suits couples, airport nights. Q: Is Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta ski-in ski-out? A: No. Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.mizunouta.com/ https://www.mizunouta.com/faq/ https://www.489pro-x.com/ja/tsurugagroup/mizunouta/search/?num=2 ### Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/shikotsuko-daiichi-suizantei Type: Stay Local name: 支笏湖第一寶亭留 翠山亭 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Lake Shikotsu Coordinates: 42.77490, 141.40270 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; two dining rooms Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: couples, private-bath seekers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/ Summary: Many rooms at this small, polished inn in the Shikotsuko Onsen village carry their own onsen, and the best suites have garden rotenburo. Suizantei stands in the little village at Shikotsuko Onsen. The buses from Chitose turn around in the village. The water here is a sodium bicarbonate spring that locals call bijin-no-yu (the beauty bath) for how soft it leaves your skin. The rooms are the reason to book. Five garden suites of 80 to 105 square metres each come with a private rotenburo, and below them sit view-bath rooms and twins with small outdoor tubs. The shared bath pairs a rock rotenburo with an indoor tub of ancient hinoki cypress. After the sauna, the cold plunge runs on water drawn from the lake. Two dining rooms handle the meals, and the inn makes its own tofu. A free car runs once a day from JR Chitose Station if you book it by 19:00 the day before. The inn takes guests aged 13 and over only, and it stopped day bathing in 2020. Check-in is from 15:00, and Rusutsu is about an hour away for a day on the hill. Q: Are meals included at Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei? A: Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei: Dinner and breakfast plans; two dining rooms. Q: Who is Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei good for? A: Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei suits couples, private-bath seekers. Q: Is Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei ski-in ski-out? A: No. Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/ https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/guestroom/ https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/onsen/ https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/faq/ https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/accommodation/ ### Shin Furano Prince Hotel URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/shin-furano-prince-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 新富良野プリンスホテル (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Coordinates: 43.32330, 142.35410 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; buffet and several restaurants Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: families, ski-in, ski-out convenience Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/ Summary: Furano's ski-in, ski-out hotel at the foot of the Furano Zone ropeway has its own onsen and the Ningle Terrace craft village in the forest behind it. This is the hotel at the bottom of the Furano Zone. The ropeway runs from beside it, and the slopes start outside the door. Seibu Prince runs it together with the ski area. Lesson sign-up is on the ground floor, and there's a rental counter in the building. The onsen is called Shisai no Yu, and its water comes up from 1,010 metres below ground. Dinner can be the buffet or one of the restaurants, and Top of Furano sits on the top floor. The writer Kuramoto So made Furano famous with a TV drama, and Soh's Bar carries his name. Ask for an upper-floor town-side twin if you want Tokachidake out the window. Tokachidake went to volcanic alert level 3 in September 2026. The hotel says it sits outside the restricted area and is operating as usual. The whole complex closes for maintenance from 4 to 26 November 2026. Q: Are meals included at Shin Furano Prince Hotel? A: Shin Furano Prince Hotel: Room only or with breakfast; buffet and several restaurants. Q: Who is Shin Furano Prince Hotel good for? A: Shin Furano Prince Hotel suits families, ski-in, ski-out convenience. Q: Is Shin Furano Prince Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Shin Furano Prince Hotel is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/ https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/guest-rooms/ https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/facilities/ https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2026/10/2026_メンテナンス休業_英語.pdf https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2026/09/20260914_十勝岳噴火警戒レベル「3（入山規制）」への引き上げに関するお知らせ.pdf https://www.princehotels.com/shinfurano/about-us/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/plan/26_12_cancellation/ https://www.seibuprince.com/ja/support/faq ### Skye Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/skye-niseko Type: Stay Local name: スカイニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.86310, 140.69840 Kind: Luxury hotel From: ¥104,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Breakfast included on winter bookings; Kumo restaurant and Skye Café Deli on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: families, groups, first-chair riders Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥104,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.skyeniseko.com/ Summary: Skye sits at the top of Hirafu village, and from its ski valet doors you can slide straight to the King Gondola. Skye's ski valet doors open onto the slope, and you can slide from them to the King Gondola and the King Holiday Pair Lift. The Ace Gondola is a short walk away. On deep mornings the hotel shuttle gets you to the GoSnow base at King in under five minutes. Winter bookings include breakfast. The suites range from Yotei-view studios to four-bedroom apartments finished in stone and wood. Penthouse guests get an onsen tub up on their own roof. A Yotei-view studio cost about ¥104,000 a night in January 2024, and a two-bedroom suite for four ran near ¥195,000. Hotel guests have the natural hot spring to themselves. The men's and women's sides each have an indoor bath and a Finnish sauna with a cold plunge beside it, and three private onsen rooms can be reserved for 50 minutes at no charge. Kumo on the ground floor cooks izakaya-style Japanese food from breakfast through après, so book ahead for dinner. Parking is limited and has to be reserved. Q: How much does Skye Niseko cost? A: Prices at Skye Niseko start at ¥104,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Skye Niseko? A: Skye Niseko: Breakfast included on winter bookings; Kumo restaurant and Skye Café Deli on site. Q: Who is Skye Niseko good for? A: Skye Niseko suits families, groups, first-chair riders. Q: Is Skye Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Skye Niseko is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.skyeniseko.com/ https://www.skyeniseko.com/wellbeing/onsen https://www.skyeniseko.com/faq https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E3%82%B9%E3%82%AB%E3%82%A4%E3%83%8B%E3%82%BB%E3%82%B3&format=json https://www.skyeniseko.com/terms-and-conditions ### Sounkyo Choyotei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/sounkyo-choyotei Type: Stay Local name: 層雲峡 朝陽亭 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Sounkyo Coordinates: 43.72570, 142.95180 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast buffets Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: Kurodake riders, onsen lovers Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.choyotei.com/ Summary: Noguchi Kanko's big onsen hotel in the Sounkyo gorge has a seventh-floor rotenburo facing Mount Choyo and the columnar cliffs. Choyotei is the base for riding Kurodake. The ropeway station is about a kilometre up the road, and the hotel's free car park holds around 120 cars. Baths are spread over three spots in the building. The seventh-floor sky rotenburo looks straight at Mount Choyo and the columnar-jointed cliffs of the gorge, and it swaps between men and women through the day so everyone gets the view. The second-floor Keigetsu bath was rebuilt in 2008 and has a sauna big enough for about 20 people. The water is piped from the Sasa-no-yu source about a kilometre away and comes out of the ground at 74°C. Dinner and breakfast are buffets in Hayamomiji, and the kitchen builds them on produce from northern Hokkaido. Noguchi Kanko runs reserved shuttle buses to Sounkyo from Sapporo and Asahikawa. Q: Are meals included at Sounkyo Choyotei? A: Sounkyo Choyotei: Dinner and breakfast buffets. Q: Who is Sounkyo Choyotei good for? A: Sounkyo Choyotei suits Kurodake riders, onsen lovers. Q: Is Sounkyo Choyotei ski-in ski-out? A: No. Sounkyo Choyotei sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.choyotei.com/ https://www.choyotei.com/onsen/ https://www.choyotei.com/cuisine/ https://www.choyotei.com/faq/ https://www.choyotei.com/clause/ ### Tabist Kaihorow Otaru URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/tabist-kaihorow-otaru Type: Stay Local name: Tabist 海宝楼 小樽 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Otaru Coordinates: 43.19500, 141.00320 Kind: Hotel Price: ¥¥ Prices: Room only for one guest in a standard twin on 8 December 2026; two guests pay from ¥10,530 and February nights run near ¥30,150. Meals: Breakfast included Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 19 Best for: Kiroro day trips, groups of four Ski-in ski-out: No Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://tabist.co.jp/en Summary: Kaihorow is a simple, well-priced hotel in Otaru's Shinonome district, and it puts Kiroro 40 minutes up the hill and the canal a short walk down. Kaihorow is where you sleep when the day splits between Kiroro powder and Otaru sushi. Kiroro is roughly 40 minutes up the hill by car, and the Otaru interchange is seven minutes away. The canal district sits a short walk downhill, so dinner never involves the car keys. Rooms are plain and practical. The deluxe quads hold a crew and its gear without anyone sleeping next to a board bag, and breakfast comes with the room. Parking costs ¥1,200 a night in the hotel's own lot and can't be reserved, so arrive early if you are driving. Check-in runs 15:00–22:00, and the city adds its accommodation tax at the desk. Q: Are meals included at Tabist Kaihorow Otaru? A: Tabist Kaihorow Otaru: Breakfast included. Q: Who is Tabist Kaihorow Otaru good for? A: Tabist Kaihorow Otaru suits Kiroro day trips, groups of four. Q: Is Tabist Kaihorow Otaru ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tabist Kaihorow Otaru sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://tabist.co.jp/en/search/prefecture/hokkaido?checkInDate=undefined&checkOutDate=undefined&guestPerRoom=1_0_0_0_0_0_0&roomCount=1 https://tabist.co.jp/en/h/N01HTBK https://tabist.co.jp/h/N01HTBK https://tabist.co.jp/en/guest-policy ### The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/the-forest-akan Type: Stay Local name: ザ フォレスト阿寒 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Akan Coordinates: 43.43370, 144.09670 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans; home-style cooking Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: couples, value at Akan Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.theforestakan.com/ Summary: Akan's former Hanayuuka now trades as The Forest Akan and keeps free-flowing onsen and a barrel sauna by the lake. If you're looking for Hanayuuka, its old web address now lands on The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort, so book it under the new name. The building is warm with timber inside, and big windows in the rooms look out over Lake Akan through the seasons. The onsen is free-flowing and easy on the skin, and a barrel sauna sits alongside it. The kitchen leans toward simple, home-style cooking. From October 2026 to March 2027 the Tsuruga group runs a paid shuttle bus called the Akanko Express to the lake. Q: Are meals included at The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort? A: The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort: Dinner and breakfast plans; home-style cooking. Q: Who is The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort good for? A: The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort suits couples, value at Akan. Q: Is The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort ski-in ski-out? A: No. The Forest Akan Tsuruga Resort sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.theforestakan.com/ https://www.theforestakan.com/access/ https://www.theforestakan.com/faq/ https://www.theforestakan.com/rooms/ https://www.theforestakan.com/files/images/pdf/yakkan_theforestakan.pdf ### The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/the-green-leaf-niseko-village Type: Stay Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84660, 140.67640 Kind: Hotel From: ¥30,163 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: King or twin guest room on 7 December 2026 with the 21% service charge included and taxes extra; the same room was ¥87,057 on 3 February 2027. Meals: Breakfast included with some room types; bar and lobby lounge on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 200 Best for: couples, onsen lovers, Village-side riders Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price from: ¥30,163 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsglup-the-green-leaf-niseko-village/ Summary: The Green Leaf reopens on 1 December 2026 with ski-in, ski-out access at Niseko Village and the outdoor rotenburo it's known for. The Green Leaf opened in 2010 at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri, and you can ski to the lifts from the front doors. The Upper Village Gondola loads beside the building. The shops and restaurants of Niseko-Yo are a short walk away. The hotel draws a mineral spring into an indoor bath and an outdoor rotenburo. Go out to the rotenburo on a snowing night after dinner. The on-site ski school and rental shop mean nobody in your group has to leave the building to get kitted out. Champalimaud Design redid the interiors, and the 200-room hotel now trades as part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection. It closed from April to November 2026 and reopens on 1 December. A deluxe room cost about ¥63,000 a night in January 2024. Q: How much does The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton cost? A: Prices at The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton start at ¥30,163 (2026). Q: Are meals included at The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton? A: The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton: Breakfast included with some room types; bar and lobby lounge on site. Q: Who is The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton good for? A: The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton suits couples, onsen lovers, Village-side riders. Q: Is The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-village.com/en/ https://www.niseko-village.com/niseko-village-stay/ https://www.niseko-village.com/onsen-spa-and-wellness/ https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/accommodation/green-leaf-hotel/ https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://overpass-api.de/api/interpreter https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsglup-the-green-leaf-niseko-village/ https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/ctsglup-the-green-leaf-niseko-village/hotel-info/ https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=CTSGLUP&arrivalDate=2026-12-07&departureDate=2026-12-08&room1NumAdults=2 https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/rooms/?ctyhocn=CTSGLUP&arrivalDate=2027-02-03&departureDate=2027-02-04&room1NumAdults=2 ### The Vale Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/the-vale-niseko Type: Stay Local name: ザ・ヴェールニセコ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.85800, 140.70350 Kind: Hotel From: ¥84,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; Vale Bar & Grill serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and après Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, first-timers, couples Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥84,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.thevaleniseko.com/ Summary: The Vale puts you on the Ace Family run a minute from the quad, and its best suites have an onsen tub on the balcony facing the piste. The Vale opened as Niseko's first condotel and it still holds one of the best spots in Hirafu. You walk out onto the Ace Family run and the Ace Family Quad loads about a minute away. The hotel runs free transfers to and from the Hirafu Welcome Centre. Book a Yotei suite for the view or an onsen suite for a private tub on the balcony looking up the slope. Hotel rooms and studios sleep two. The one-bedroom suites with a tatami or bunk room take a family of up to six, and the three-bedroom Yotei Panorama Penthouse stretches to 244 square metres. Downstairs there's a heated outdoor pool. The communal onsen and its sauna run from 20 December to 15 April and keep short hours (7 to 10 a.m. and 1 to 10 p.m.), so plan your soak around them. Vale Bar & Grill does breakfast through après. In January 2024 a deluxe hotel room with breakfast cost about ¥84,000 a night with a five-night minimum. Q: How much does The Vale Niseko cost? A: Prices at The Vale Niseko start at ¥84,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at The Vale Niseko? A: The Vale Niseko: Room only or with breakfast; Vale Bar & Grill serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and après. Q: Who is The Vale Niseko good for? A: The Vale Niseko suits families, first-timers, couples. Q: Is The Vale Niseko ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. The Vale Niseko is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.thevaleniseko.com/ https://www.thevaleniseko.com/quickfacts https://www.oxfordski.com/luxury-ski-chalets-hotels/japan/niseko/the-vale-niseko/ https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/aya-setsu-or-the-vale/ https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=The%20Vale%20Niseko&format=json https://www.thevaleniseko.com/the-property ### The Westin Rusutsu Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/the-westin-rusutsu-resort Type: Stay Local name: ウェスティン ルスツリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Rusutsu Coordinates: 42.74760, 140.90530 Kind: Luxury hotel Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; the Atrium buffet, Kazahana, Teppanyaki Kazahana and B Noodle Bar on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Best for: families, groups, East Mountain tree riders Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://rusutsu.com/en/the-westin-rusutsu-resort/ Summary: Every room at the Westin Rusutsu is a two-level maisonette, and the hotel's own Tower Pair lift carries you from the building onto East Mountain. Book the Westin if you came to Rusutsu for East Mountain. The Tower Pair lift loads at the hotel and takes you up onto East Mountain, and a monorail runs about five minutes over to the Resort Hotel and the West Mountain lifts. You can buy East Mountain passes at the Tower Pair. All 210 rooms are two-level maisonettes of 76 square metres or more, and each has a kitchenette and fold-down wall beds for extra bodies. Standard rooms sit on the lower floors and Luxury rooms take the upper-floor panoramas. Executive rooms fall in between. Big crews should look at the Luxury Five Bed, because it sleeps seven in 108 square metres. The natural hot spring on the second floor has indoor baths, dry saunas, an open-air bath lit blue at night and an aroma jacuzzi. Hotel guests bathe free from 5 to 10 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Atrium runs the buffet and Kazahana covers Japanese food and teppanyaki. For a quick bowl after the lifts close, go to B Noodle Bar. Winter stays for 2026/27 run from 1 December to 30 March. Q: Are meals included at The Westin Rusutsu Resort? A: The Westin Rusutsu Resort: Room only or with breakfast; the Atrium buffet, Kazahana, Teppanyaki Kazahana and B Noodle Bar on site. Q: Who is The Westin Rusutsu Resort good for? A: The Westin Rusutsu Resort suits families, groups, East Mountain tree riders. Q: Is The Westin Rusutsu Resort ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. The Westin Rusutsu Resort is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/en/the-westin-rusutsu-resort/ https://rusutsu.com/en/onsen-wellness/westin-onsen/ https://rusutsu.com/en/dining/ https://rusutsu.com/en/information/westin-closed-period/ https://www.vill.rusutsu.lg.jp/kanko/detail/00000123.html https://powderlife.com/find/rusutsu-accommodation/westin-rusutsu-resort/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/rusutsu/ski-lifts https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Westin%20Rusutsu&format=json https://rusutsu.com/en/westin-policy/ ### Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/tokachigawa-onsen-daiichi-hotel Type: Stay Local name: 十勝川温泉 第一ホテル (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Obihiro Coordinates: 42.93270, 143.29410 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast plans Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: Tokachi road trips, Obihiro flights Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.daiichihotel.com/ Summary: The Daiichi Hotel is the big name at Tokachigawa Onsen outside Obihiro, and it's known for its amber moor onsen. Tokachigawa Onsen is known for moor onsen (amber water carrying organic matter from ancient plants), and the Daiichi Hotel is the big name in town. It sits by the Tokachi River with the Hidaka range on the skyline, and your skin stays soft for hours after a soak. The main hotel is split into the Hosyutei and Toyotei wings, and Sanyoan is the small top-tier wing with its own entry in this guide. Obihiro Station is about 20 minutes by car. For riding, Sahoro is around an hour west, so this pairs best with a Tokachi road trip or a flight into Obihiro. Q: Are meals included at Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel? A: Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel: Dinner and breakfast plans. Q: Who is Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel good for? A: Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel suits Tokachi road trips, Obihiro flights. Q: Is Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.daiichihotel.com/ https://www.daiichihotel.com/access/ https://www.daiichihotel.com/accommodation/ https://www.daiichihotel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/accommodation-img03.png https://www.daiichihotel.com/company/ ### Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/tokachigawa-onsen-sanyoan Type: Stay Local name: 十勝川温泉 三余庵 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Obihiro Coordinates: 42.93270, 143.29410 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast included; crab kaiseki plans in winter Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 11 Best for: couples, a quiet end to a trip Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.daiichihotel.com/sanyoan/ Summary: Sanyoan keeps only 11 rooms at the top of the Tokachigawa Onsen Daiichi Hotel, and each one has its own moor onsen bath. Sanyoan is the quiet wing of the Daiichi Hotel. It has only 11 rooms, and moor onsen is piped into every one of them. The amber water leaves your skin soft, and having it in the room means you can soak whenever the mood takes you. Winter plans lean on kaiseki built around crab. The wing has its own lobby lounge and terrace, and the main hotel's baths are there when you want more room. Obihiro Station is 20 minutes by car, and Sahoro is around an hour away for a riding day. Q: Are meals included at Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan? A: Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan: Dinner and breakfast included; crab kaiseki plans in winter. Q: Who is Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan good for? A: Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan suits couples, a quiet end to a trip. Q: Is Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan ski-in ski-out? A: No. Tokachigawa Onsen Sanyoan sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.daiichihotel.com/sanyoan/ https://www.daiichihotel.com/access/ https://www.daiichihotel.com/accommodation/ https://go-tokachigawaonsen-daiichih.reservation.jp/ja/hotels/sanyoan/plans?checkin_date=20270120&checkout_date=20270121&adults=2&children=0&rooms=1&dayuseFlg=0&sort=1&dateUndecidedFlg=0 ### Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/tomamu-the-tower Type: Stay Local name: 星野リゾート トマム ザ・タワー (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Tomamu Coordinates: 43.06340, 142.63130 Kind: Hotel From: ¥24,600 (2026) Price: ¥¥ Meals: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants across the resort Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 535 Best for: families, value at Tomamu Baths: No baths for guests Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥24,600 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/ Summary: Tomamu's twin towers hold the resort's practical rooms, and guests get free entry to the Kirin-no-Yu outdoor bath. The Tower is the more affordable of the two Hoshino hotels at Tomamu, and it stands in the middle of the resort beside the GAO Outdoor Center. Rooms run from standard twins up to family rooms for five. Families with toddlers can book shoes-off Baby's Rooms with low beds, and there's a salmon-themed room for the kids who insist. Bathing happens at Kirin-no-Yu. Hotel guests ride the resort shuttle there and get in free for the snow-view outdoor bath and a 90°C sauna. Kirin-no-Yu doesn't use hot spring water, and tattoos must be covered with stickers. This season the hotel opens from 1 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, and check-in starts at 15:00. The free shuttle meets trains at JR Tomamu Station. Sign up for the Experts Only Powder Area if you want the ungroomed terrain, and Sahoro is about half an hour away for a change of scene. Q: How much does Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower cost? A: Prices at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower start at ¥24,600 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower: Room only or with breakfast; restaurants across the resort. Q: Who is Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower good for? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower suits families, value at Tomamu. Q: Does Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower have an onsen? A: No. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower has no shared or private baths for guests. Q: Can you use the baths at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower with tattoos? A: Yes. The baths at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower welcome bathers with tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/room.php https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/facility.php https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/spa/kirin.php https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/faq/ https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/tomamuthetower/ ### The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/toya-nonokaze-resort Type: Stay Local name: ザ レイクビュー TOYA 乃の風リゾート (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Lake Toya Coordinates: 42.56580, 140.82190 Kind: Onsen hotel From: ¥44,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥ Prices: Total for two adults in a twin room with buffet dinner and breakfast, 9 March 2027; early December nights start at ¥46,200. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included (buffet, kaiseki or French-Japanese dinner) Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Best for: couples, last night of a trip Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoos: Private baths only Price from: ¥44,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://nonokaze-resort.com/ Summary: Every room at this Noguchi Kanko resort on Lake Toya faces the water, and the TENQOO open-air bath seems to pour straight into the lake. Every room at Nonokaze looks across Lake Toya, and from the front of the building Mount Yotei rises on the far side. The headline bath is called TENQOO. It's an open-air pool built so the water appears to spill into the lake, and on a still evening the line between them disappears. A second bath called EZOFUJI looks toward Yotei, and Showa-no-yu dresses up as an old neighbourhood sento (public bath) for fun. Private baths with lake views can be reserved. Guests with visible tattoos are kept out of the public baths, so book a private bath or a room with its own view bath. Dinner runs four ways. You can eat at the lake-view buffet, take kaiseki in a private room, order the French-Japanese menu or book the restaurant where dogs can sit with you. The buffet serves 17:00–21:00, and buffet-plan guests who check in after 20:30 lose the meal. Rusutsu is about 35 minutes north, and reserved shuttle buses come in from Sapporo Station and New Chitose. Q: How much does The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort cost? A: Prices at The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort start at ¥44,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort? A: The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort: Dinner and breakfast included (buffet, kaiseki or French-Japanese dinner). Q: Who is The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort good for? A: The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort suits couples, last night of a trip. Q: Is The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort ski-in ski-out? A: No. The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://nonokaze-resort.com/ http://en.nonokaze-resort.com/ https://nonokaze-resort.com/spa https://nonokaze-resort.com/room https://nonokaze-resort.com/faq https://nonokaze-resort.com/yakkan https://book.noguchi-g.com/booking/result?code=2e3b7560ba862e0c2aee8924912b97ae&checkin=2027%2F03%2F09&checkout=2027%2F03%2F10&type=rooms&is_day_use=false&order=price_low_to_high&is_including_occupied=false&adults=2&kids_tiers=%5B%5D&room_count=1&mcp_currency=JPY ### Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/tsuruga-besso-moku-no-sho Type: Stay Local name: ニセコ昆布温泉 鶴雅別荘 杢の抄 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.83960, 140.62250 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥ Meals: Dinner and breakfast included; seasonal Japanese course dinner at Ryoriya Shorai Check-in: 15:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 24 Best for: couples, onsen lovers, food-led trips Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared and private baths Tattoos: Private baths only Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.mokunosho.com/ Summary: Moku no Sho is a 24-room ryokan at Konbu Onsen where most suites have an open-air bath on the deck and a free ski shuttle reaches Moiwa, Annupuri, Niseko Village and Hirafu. The Tsuruga group keeps this Niseko retreat to 24 rooms in the forest at Konbu Onsen, and you can hear the Niseko Anbetsu River from some of them. Book a suite with a private open-air bath. Most of the suites have one on a timber deck, and you can sit out there in falling snow with the water up to your chin. Meisen no Yu holds the shared indoor pool and rotenburo, and its sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring feels smooth on the skin. The hotel bars tattoos from Meisen no Yu and counts sticker tattoos too. Tattooed guests should book a room with its own bath or reserve the private Wasen no Yu at ¥2,000 for 50 minutes. Ryoriya Shorai brings dinner out one dish at a time from a seasonal Japanese course that changes daily, so a three-night stay never repeats. Breakfast is a set meal around Rankoshi rice. In winter the free ski shuttle runs morning and afternoon loops to Moiwa, Annupuri, the Hilton at Niseko Village and the Hirafu Welcome Centre. Book it by 20:00 the night before. The hotel also collects guests from JR Niseko Station on request. Q: Are meals included at Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho? A: Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho: Dinner and breakfast included; seasonal Japanese course dinner at Ryoriya Shorai. Q: Who is Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho good for? A: Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho suits couples, onsen lovers, food-led trips. Q: Is Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho ski-in ski-out? A: No. Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Niseko Konbu Onsen Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.mokunosho.com/ https://www.mokunosho.com/rooms/ https://www.mokunosho.com/spa/ https://www.mokunosho.com/dish/ https://www.mokunosho.com/access/ https://www.mokunosho.com/faq/ https://www.mokunosho.com/files/images/pdf/yakkan_mokunosho.pdf ### The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/windsor-hotel-toya Type: Stay Local name: ザ・ウィンザーホテル洞爺リゾート&スパ (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Lake Toya Coordinates: 42.59230, 140.75980 Kind: Luxury hotel From: ¥33,000 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Queen Premium Sea Side room on 7 December 2026 at the best available rate, taxes and fees included; IHG members pay ¥31,350. Meals: Room only or with breakfast; nine restaurants on site Check-in: 15:00, out by 12:00 Rooms: 386 Best for: luxury trips, families Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared baths Tattoos: Not allowed Price from: ¥33,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/ Summary: The G8-summit hotel on the ridge above Lake Toya runs its own ski slope in winter and a sukiya-style onsen looking toward Yotei. The Windsor sits on the ridge between Lake Toya and Uchiura Bay. It hosted the G8 summit in 2008, and the biggest suites still carry the summit's name. From late December 2026 the hotel joins IHG's Vignette Collection, so expect the name on booking sites to change. From December to March the hotel runs its own slope with a lift, and you can ski out of the building. It suits a warm-up lap or a day with the kids. New for 2026/27 is a private-slope package that reserves the hill for your first tracks. For proper terrain, Rusutsu is about 40 minutes away and Niseko about an hour and a quarter. The onsen is built in sukiya style. A cypress bath and a stone bath swap between men and women every day. The open-air bath sits on the cypress side, and both sides have a sauna. Tattoos keep you out of the onsen and the pool. Q: How much does The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa cost? A: Prices at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa start at ¥33,000 (2026). Q: Are meals included at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa? A: The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa: Room only or with breakfast; nine restaurants on site. Q: Who is The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa good for? A: The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa suits luxury trips, families. Q: Is The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa is ski-in ski-out. Q: Can you use the baths at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa with tattoos? A: No. The baths at The Windsor Hotel Toya Resort & Spa turn away bathers with visible tattoos. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/ https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/winteractivity/ https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/spa/ https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/stay/ https://www.windsor-hotels.co.jp/en/accommodation/ https://www.ihg.com/vignettecollection/hotels/us/en/toyako/spkto/hoteldetail https://www.ihg.com/vignettecollection/hotels/gb/en/find-hotels/select-roomrate?fromRedirect=true&qSrt=sBR&qSlH=SPKTO&qRms=1&qAdlt=2&qCiD=07&qCiMy=112026&qCoD=08&qCoMy=112026&qSHBrC=LX ### Yu Kiroro URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/yu-kiroro Type: Stay Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Akaigawa Coordinates: 43.07450, 140.98340 Kind: Apartment From: ¥56,520 (2026) Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Studio for two, room only, on the Winter Special rate for 1 December 2026, with taxes and fees included. Meals: Room only; Yukashi restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner Check-in: 15:00, out by 10:00 Best for: families, groups who want space Ski-in ski-out: Yes Baths: Shared and private baths Price from: ¥56,520 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://yukiroro.com/ Summary: Kiroro's condominium hotel has units from studios to a penthouse and a gondola leaving from outside the door. Yu Kiroro is the pick at Kiroro when your group wants room to spread out. Units run from studios to three-bedroom suites and a penthouse. Master bedrooms have king beds, and the bigger suites come with kitchens. The Yukashi restaurant downstairs covers the nights you don't want to cook. The building stands in Kiroro Town next to Club Med Kiroro Grand. A gondola leaves from in front of the hotel, and a free shuttle reaches the Mountain Center in about three minutes. The onsen on level 1 of Wing B is split by gender, and you can book a private onsen room when it's free. Kiroro has no ATM, and the nearest 24-hour fuel is about 30 minutes away in Otaru, so arrive with cash and a full tank. Check-out is 10:00. Buses from Sapporo take about 100 minutes and must be booked ahead. Q: How much does Yu Kiroro cost? A: Prices at Yu Kiroro start at ¥56,520 (2026). Q: Are meals included at Yu Kiroro? A: Yu Kiroro: Room only; Yukashi restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Q: Who is Yu Kiroro good for? A: Yu Kiroro suits families, groups who want space. Q: Is Yu Kiroro ski-in ski-out? A: Yes. Yu Kiroro is ski-in ski-out. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/stay/ https://yukiroro.com/ https://yukiroro.com/faq https://yukiroro.com/access https://be.synxis.com/?adult=2&arrive=2026-12-01&chain=32810&child=0¤cy=JPY&depart=2026-12-02&hotel=47289&level=hotel&locale=en-US&productcurrency=JPY&rooms=1 ### Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/yugokorotei Type: Stay Local name: ニセコアンヌプリ温泉 湯心亭 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84380, 140.63460 Kind: Onsen hotel Price: ¥¥ Meals: Dinner and Japanese set breakfast by reservation Check-in: 14:00, out by 10:00 Rooms: 17 Best for: onsen lovers, Annupuri and Moiwa riders, small groups Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Shared baths Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/en/ Summary: Yugokorotei is a 17-room onsen inn a few minutes below Annupuri, and its overnight guests can use the outdoor bath at any hour. Yugokorotei is a 17-room inn on the road below Annupuri, and people book it for the water. The spring comes out of the ground at 49°C and runs into the baths with nothing added. Overnight guests can use the outdoor bath around the clock, so you can sit in it at midnight while the snow comes down. The rooms are Japanese-style. Only the Japanese-Western rooms have their own bath and toilet, so book one of those if you'd rather not pad down the corridor at night. Dinner runs from 18:00 to 20:00 and must be reserved, as does the Japanese breakfast. In winter a free shuttle runs the three minutes up to Annupuri if you reserve it, and the Niseko area circuit bus stops at the Moiwa crossroads out front. Day visitors can bathe from 6 a.m. to midnight. The tonkatsu lunch counter was closed for a staff shortage when we checked, so don't plan lunch around it. Q: Are meals included at Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei? A: Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei: Dinner and Japanese set breakfast by reservation. Q: Who is Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei good for? A: Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei suits onsen lovers, Annupuri and Moiwa riders, small groups. Q: Is Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei ski-in ski-out? A: No. Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei sits away from the lifts. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/en/ https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=Yugokorotei&format=json https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/facilities/index.php https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/archives/info/2467 ### Zaborin URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/zaborin Type: Stay Local name: 坐忘林 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.90460, 140.67750 Kind: Ryokan Price: ¥¥¥¥ Prices: Per person with Zaborin's kaiseki dinner, two sharing a villa: 77,000 yen in early March 2027 and 158,000 yen from 15 January to February 2027. Meals: Dinner and breakfast included; nightly Kita Kaiseki tasting menu Check-in: 14:00, out by 11:00 Rooms: 15 Best for: couples, onsen lovers, food-led trips, post-trip recovery Ski-in ski-out: No Baths: Private baths Tattoos: Private baths only Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://zaborin.com/en/ Summary: Zaborin sets fifteen villas in the Hanazono forest, and its own hot spring fills an indoor bath and a covered outdoor tub in every one. Zaborin is where you go when you want every powder day to end in silence. Architect Makoto Nakayama set fifteen villas into the birch and pine a few minutes' drive below Hanazono, and the ryokan's private spring fills an indoor bath and a covered outdoor tub in each of them. You can slide into the outdoor one at two in the morning with snow coming off the eaves and see nobody at all. Chef Yoshihiro Seno cooks an eleven-course Kita Kaiseki each night from what local foragers and fishing boats bring in, and the menu moves with the harvest. Ask for a window table so you can watch the forest while you eat. Breakfast leans on vegetables picked that morning and grilled fish. After dinner the candlelit library pours Hokkaido wine and sake from the cellar, and the minibar in your villa carries Nikka whisky. Plan on a car or the hotel's driver for the short run up to Hanazono, since the villas sit deep in the trees well away from any lift. Staff collect guests from JR Kutchan Station at no charge. The Michelin Guide gives Zaborin two Keys, and in January 2024 a villa for two with dinner cost about ¥236,000 a night. Q: Are meals included at Zaborin? A: Zaborin: Dinner and breakfast included; nightly Kita Kaiseki tasting menu. Q: Who is Zaborin good for? A: Zaborin suits couples, onsen lovers, food-led trips, post-trip recovery. Q: Is Zaborin ski-in ski-out? A: No. Zaborin sits away from the lifts. Q: Can you use the baths at Zaborin with tattoos? A: Bathers with tattoos at Zaborin use the private baths only. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://zaborin.com/en/ https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/luxury-hotels/zaborin https://www.oxfordski.com/luxury-ski-chalets-hotels/japan/niseko/zaborin https://guide.michelin.com/en/hotels-stays/Kutchan/zaborin-ryokan-8795 https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/ https://japanactivity.com/where-to-stay-in-hanazono https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?q=%E5%9D%90%E5%BF%98%E6%9E%97&format=json https://zaborin.com/en/the-ryokan/guest-villas/ https://zaborin.com/en/booking-link/ https://d-reserve.jp/GSEA001F01300/GSEA001A01?hotelCode=0000003570 ## Guides and outfitters ### Alpine Backcountry Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/alpine-backcountry-guides Type: Operator Kind: Tour Languages: English Works in: Tomamu, Karifuri dake, Sahoro, Rishiri zan Website: https://alpinebackcountry.com.au/ Summary: Alpine Backcountry Guides packages week-long guided touring trips to Tomamu and Rishiri for small groups. Alpine Backcountry Guides sells week-long Hokkaido trips from Australia and prices them in Australian dollars. The Tomamu Explorer tours the northern Hidaka peaks above Tomamu for six nights. Karifuri-dake and Ochiai-dake are on the itinerary, and an optional day at Sahoro is 40 minutes away. The A$4,990 price covers lift tickets, onsen entry, breakfasts and dinners, and a private vehicle for the week. The Rishiri Explorer costs A$5,790 and sends two guides with every group of four to eight. It covers the Wakkanai ferry both ways and a few days of snowmobile access to the climbs. Both trips need four people to run at the quoted price, and smaller groups pay a A$500 supplement each. Q: Does Alpine Backcountry Guides speak English? A: Yes. Alpine Backcountry Guides works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://alpinebackcountryguides.wetravel.com/trips/tomamu-explorer-alpine-backcountry-guides-8638776444 https://alpinebackcountryguides.wetravel.com/trips/rishiri-explorer-alpine-backcountry-guides-5543064819 ### Big Runs buses (Kamori Kanko) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/big-runs Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Rusutsu, Sapporo teine Based in: Sapporo Website: https://rusutsu.com/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ Summary: Kamori Kanko's Big Runs buses link New Chitose with Rusutsu and Sapporo's hotels with Teine. Kamori Kanko runs Rusutsu and Sapporo Teine, and its Big Runs buses serve both. From New Chitose the Big Runs Go takes about two hours to Rusutsu for ¥5,000 booked online. Seven winter departures leave between 10:15 and 17:00. You have to book by midnight seven days out, and international arrivals need to land by 15:20 to make the last connection. In Sapporo the Teine bus collects from ten central hotels between 7:55 and 8:35, and ¥11,000 covers the return ride and a lift ticket. Bookings close at 18:00 ten days before you ride. The free winter shuttle between Sapporo and Rusutsu becomes a paid service from 28 November 2026, and Rusutsu hadn't posted fares when we checked. Q: How much does Big Runs buses (Kamori Kanko) charge? A: Big Runs buses (Kamori Kanko) lists Big Runs Go, New Chitose Airport to Rusutsu from ¥5,000 per person (2026) (about 2 hours). Q: Does Big Runs buses (Kamori Kanko) speak English? A: Yes. Big Runs buses (Kamori Kanko) works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ https://rusutsu.com/information/shuttle-bus-sapporo/ https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access ### Black Diamond Tours URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/black-diamond-tours Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Certifications: IFMGA/AMGA-supervised operation, HeliCat Canada affiliate member, AST 1/2 course provider Works in: Niseko range, Niseko village, Niseko grand hirafu, Chisenupuri Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://blackdiamondtours.com/ Summary: Black Diamond Tours guides touring and lift-assisted days around Niseko and sells seats on the Shimamaki and Chisenupuri cats. Black Diamond Tours has guided backcountry days around Niseko since 2003. Touring days go up on skins, and splitboarders are part of the plan from the start. The lift-assisted Powder Hunter and Mushroom Trip days use the resort to save the climb. If you're travelling alone, the scheduled multi-day trips take single bookings and run up to twelve guests with several guides. Prices stay off the website, so ask by phone or through the inquiry form. Group day trips open for booking seven days out, and the FAQ asks for a two-day minimum. BDT describes the same IFMGA and AMGA supervision and HeliCat Canada membership as Hokkaido Backcountry Club, and both sell seats on the Shimamaki and Chisenupuri cats. Niseko Basecamp rents touring gear from inside the BDT office in Higashiyama. Its own site said it was closed for 2025/26, so confirm rentals before you fly. Q: Does Black Diamond Tours speak English? A: Yes. Black Diamond Tours works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.blackdiamondtours.com/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/backcountry-day-tours/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/faqs/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/rental/ https://nisekoskisnowboardrentals.com/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-central-hokkaido ### Budget Rent a Car (Japan) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/budget-rent-a-car Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Based in: Chitose Website: https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/ Summary: Budget rents 4WD cars on studless tires from New Chitose and sells the Hokkaido Expressway Pass at the counter. Idex Auto Japan runs Budget in Japan, and its New Chitose store in Bibi opens from 8:00 to 20:00. Every Hokkaido car comes on studless tires from about November to April. At the New Chitose and Sapporo Station North Exit stores four-wheel drive comes standard as well. The New Chitose store sells the Hokkaido Expressway Pass at the counter, and Budget also has desks at Okadama, Asahikawa, Hakodate and Memanbetsu airports. One-way drops within Hokkaido carry a fee. Chains can't be rented. Ship your luggage to the hotel, since the store won't take deliveries. Q: Does Budget Rent a Car (Japan) speak English? A: Yes. Budget Rent a Car (Japan) works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/ https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/feature/hkd-winter/ https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/shop/hokkaido/shin-chitose-airport/ ### Chisenupuri Snowcats (Hokkaido Backcountry Club) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/chisenupuri-snowcats Type: Operator Kind: Cat skiing Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Chisenupuri Based in: Rankoshi Website: https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/ Summary: Hokkaido Backcountry Club runs snowcats over the closed Chisenupuri ski area about 30 minutes from Niseko Village. Rankoshi town built the Chisenupuri ski area in 1977 and closed it in 2012, and Hokkaido Backcountry Club now runs snowcats up the old runs. The cat drops riders at 832 m. A typical run gives you about 280 m of vertical, and a full day averages around 3,360 m. Up to fourteen people ride in each cat. Every run finishes at the same base, so this suits mixed groups and riders still learning powder. HBC sells the shared day as unguided riding with patrollers watching the terrain. A seat costs ¥175,000 for 2026/27 with lunch and transfers from Niseko, and shared days need six bookings to run. The Yukichichibu onsen ticket comes with the day, and that bath closes on Tuesdays. A private cat for up to fourteen lists at ¥2,100,000. Q: How much does Chisenupuri Snowcats (Hokkaido Backcountry Club) charge? A: Chisenupuri Snowcats (Hokkaido Backcountry Club) lists Shared cat day from ¥175,000 per person (2026) (08:15 Niseko pickup, 09:30 first run, 16:00 return). Q: Does Chisenupuri Snowcats (Hokkaido Backcountry Club) speak English? A: Yes. Chisenupuri Snowcats (Hokkaido Backcountry Club) works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/group-cat-skiing/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/about-us-en/ski-guides/ https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/chisenupuri-cat-skiing.aspx ### Hokkaido Chuo Bus ski buses URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/chuo-bus-ski-bus Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: Japanese Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Sapporo kokusai Based in: Sapporo Website: https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/course/7768 Summary: Hokkaido Chuo Bus runs reservation-only ski buses from Sapporo and New Chitose to Niseko and from Sapporo to Kokusai. Chuo Bus runs the Niseko Ski Bus from New Chitose and Sapporo Station, and every seat needs a reservation. In 2025/26 a one-way seat cost ¥6,000 and a return ¥10,000. The airport run took about three and a half hours to Hirafu because it calls at Annupuri and the Village first. Book by 18:00 the day before. Online bookings still pay at a counter or in cash on board. For Kokusai the company runs a ski line from Sapporo Station via Makomanai and Jozankei. It costs ¥1,800 one way from the city, and ¥8,800 buys the return trip with a day ticket. Boards travel in the hold only inside a bag or with sole covers, and you can't board in ski or snowboard boots. The 2026/27 timetables were due around October. Q: How much does Hokkaido Chuo Bus ski buses charge? A: Hokkaido Chuo Bus ski buses lists Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort Line from ¥1,800 per person (2026) (1 hr 37 min from Sapporo Station). Q: Does Hokkaido Chuo Bus ski buses speak English? A: Hokkaido Chuo Bus ski buses works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/course/7768 https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/ https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/ja/course/12403 https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ ### Furano Snow School (Sportpia) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/furano-snow-school Type: Operator Kind: School Languages: English Works in: Furano Based in: Furano Website: http://www.spfurano.com/en/furanosnowschool.html Summary: Furano Snow School teaches English-language ski and snowboard lessons from the Kitanomine gondola base. Sportpia runs Furano Snow School from the Kitanomine Terminal at the gondola base, and every instructor teaches in English. Adult group classes last two hours at 10:00 or 13:30 and cost ¥14,000. If you book alone you pay the two-person rate. Private lessons are priced by group size up to six. Two hours for one rider costs ¥27,000, and adding a second person only takes it to ¥34,000. The first-timer class with board and boots included costs ¥25,000 and caps at eight. Q: How much does Furano Snow School (Sportpia) charge? A: Furano Snow School (Sportpia) lists First Timer's group lesson from ¥13,000 per person (2026) (2 hours). Q: Does Furano Snow School (Sportpia) speak English? A: Yes. Furano Snow School (Sportpia) works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.spfurano.com/en/winter.html http://www.spfurano.com/en/furanosnowschool.html https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ ### GoSnow Niseko URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/gosnow-niseko Type: Operator Kind: School Languages: English Works in: Niseko grand hirafu Based in: Hirafu Website: https://www.gosnowniseko.com/ Summary: GoSnow runs Grand Hirafu's English-language ski and snowboard school from the King Gondola base. GoSnow is the official international school for Grand Hirafu, and it works from the King Gondola base with its own magic carpet area for first-timers. Lessons run in English. Adult snowboard groups top out at six riders, and a full day costs ¥22,000 in regular season and ¥25,000 in the peak weeks. A private takes up to six riders of similar ability for one flat price. Six hours starts at ¥81,000 in the value weeks of early December and March. The one-hour First Tracks private starts at 8:30. Privates stay inside the resort boundary, and the instructor won't take you through the Niseko United gates. Q: How much does GoSnow Niseko charge? A: GoSnow Niseko lists Adult group lesson, half day from ¥15,000 per person (2026) (10:00–12:30). Q: Does GoSnow Niseko speak English? A: Yes. GoSnow Niseko works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.gosnowniseko.com/ https://www.gosnowniseko.com/lessons/private-lessons https://www.gosnowniseko.com/lessons/adult-group-lessons ### Hanazono Powder Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hanazono-powder-guides Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Works in: Niseko hanazono, Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Niseko range Based in: Kutchan Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/backcountry-guiding Summary: Hanazono runs its own resort guiding desk for private lift-assisted days through the Niseko gates. Hanazono Powder Guides is the resort's own guiding desk, and it has led groups out of the Niseko United gates since the 2011/12 season. Most of its guides have lived in Niseko for more than a decade, and a few have been there over thirty years. A private tour costs ¥130,000 for up to four riders with free pickup anywhere in Niseko. The 7:30 First Tracks start needs booking by 4 pm the day before. You need to hold a line on black runs and in deep trees, and a helmet is compulsory. Bring a powder board, because the booking notes warn that a cambered park deck will struggle. A fifth rider joins for ¥20,000 if everyone rates Level 4 on the resort's off-piste chart, and groups of five to seven add a tail guide for ¥60,000. Lift tickets are on you. Q: How much does Hanazono Powder Guides charge? A: Hanazono Powder Guides lists Tail guide from ¥60,000 per group (2026) (about 6 hours). Q: Does Hanazono Powder Guides speak English? A: Yes. Hanazono Powder Guides works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/backcountry-guiding https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities ### Hokkaido Backcountry Club URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hokkaido-backcountry-club Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English, Japanese Certifications: IFMGA, AMGA, AMGA Splitboard Guide, CSGA, JMGA, CAA, AST 1/2 course provider (Avalanche Canada), HeliCat Canada affiliate member Works in: Niseko range, Mt yotei, Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Rusutsu, Sapporo kokusai, Kiroro, Chisenupuri Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/ Summary: Hokkaido Backcountry Club guides touring days around the Niseko range and runs the snowcats at Chisenupuri. Hokkaido Backcountry Club works out of Higashiyama on the Niseko Village side, and more than twenty guides appear on its roster. Six of them hold full IFMGA mountain guide status. Four more are AMGA splitboard guides, so a board crew can ask for a guide who skins on one too. The lift-assisted day costs ¥184,000 for up to five riders and starts with a 4WD pickup at your door, and the guide chooses the resort from the morning report anywhere within two hours of Niseko. Rankoshi town's old ski area at Chisenupuri now belongs to the club's snowcats. A shared seat lists at ¥175,000 with lunch and a Yukichichibu onsen ticket included, and patrollers watch the old runs while you ride them without a guide. Yotei summit days sit on a standby list because calm, clear windows on that cone come and go fast. The two-day AST 1 course follows the Avalanche Canada curriculum for ¥40,000, and two of the 2026/27 sessions are taught in Japanese. Q: How much does Hokkaido Backcountry Club charge? A: Hokkaido Backcountry Club lists AST 1 avalanche course from ¥40,000 per person (2026) (2 days). Q: Does Hokkaido Backcountry Club speak English? A: Yes. Hokkaido Backcountry Club works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/about-us-en/ski-guides/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/guided-tours/lift-assisted-backcountry-trips/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/guided-tours/yotei-summit-tours/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/group-cat-skiing/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/private-cat-skiing/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/shimamaki-snowcats/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/avalanche-courses-en/ast-1-2/ https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/chisenupuri-cat-skiing.aspx https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko ### Hokkaido Backcountry Guys URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hokkaido-backcountry-guys Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese Certifications: JMGA Works in: Kiroro, Yoichi dake, Niseko range Based in: Akaigawa Website: https://namaranokuni.com/ Summary: Satoshi Tsukahara's Akaigawa club runs low-cost Japanese-language backcountry tours around Kiroro and Yoichi-dake. Satoshi Tsukahara runs this Japanese guiding club from a backpackers' lodge in Akaigawa village below Kiroro. He holds JMGA mountain and ski guide certification and is vice chair of the national guides' association. Keisuke Yoshida rides as sub-guide and has a pro snowboarding career behind him. The club runs on membership and a published winter schedule. Day tours cost ¥8,000 to ¥15,000 a head and step up from five-hour beginner outings with 200–300 m of climbing to long days of 800 m or more on steep ground. One guide takes six to eight guests. Packs that carry a board and snowshoes are available to borrow, and only members and trip guests can sleep in the lodge dorms. Expect to book in Japanese. Q: How much does Hokkaido Backcountry Guys charge? A: Hokkaido Backcountry Guys lists Backpackers lodge in Akaigawa from ¥4,000 per person (2026) (night). Q: Does Hokkaido Backcountry Guys speak English? A: Hokkaido Backcountry Guys works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://steep.jp/en/guideclub/hokkaido-backcountry-guides https://namaranokuni.com/ https://namaranokuni.com/about-us/ https://namaranokuni.com/schedule/ ### Hokkaido Powder Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hokkaido-powder-guides Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Certifications: IFMGA, BMG, NZMGA, ACMG Works in: Furano, Tokachidake, Asahidake, Niseko range Based in: Furano Website: https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com/ Summary: Hokkaido Powder Guides runs private powder days and week-long Daisetsuzan trips from an office in Kitanomine. Hokkaido Powder Guides keeps its office in Kitanomine below the Furano gondola, and it says it has guided the island for 22 years. Tim Oliver and Michal Sekelský are IFMGA guides through the British and Slovak associations. Callum Grant holds the same ticket through New Zealand, and the roster adds ski guides certified in New Zealand and Canada. Every day is private and priced per head. Two riders pay ¥88,000 each, and the per-head price falls to ¥34,000 once six come along. Tokachidake and lift-served Asahidake headline the Furano day tours. The Daisetsuzan Backcountry Week runs eight days. Snowmobiles tow the group across the long approaches on some of them, and you sleep at a hotel with an outdoor hot spring. The rate table carries no season and the banner still mentioned 24/25 in October 2026, so ask for current pricing. Q: How much does Hokkaido Powder Guides charge? A: Hokkaido Powder Guides lists Private day guiding, 2 guests from ¥88,000 per person (2026) (full day). Q: Does Hokkaido Powder Guides speak English? A: Yes. Hokkaido Powder Guides works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com/ https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com/japan/ski/guides/ https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com/niseko-furano-ski-guide/furano-day-tours/furano-area/ https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com/daisetsuzan/backcountry/week/guide/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-central-hokkaido ### Hokkaido Resort Liner (Hokkaido Access Network) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hokkaido-resort-liner Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko village, Rusutsu, Furano, Tomamu, Sapporo kokusai Based in: Chitose Website: https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/ Summary: Hokkaido Access Network's Resort Liner coaches run from New Chitose to Niseko, Rusutsu, Furano and Tomamu all winter. Hokkaido Access Network runs the Resort Liner coaches between New Chitose and the big ski towns, and Niseko Central resells its seats. For 2026/27 the airport runs operate daily from 1 December to 30 March. A seat to Niseko or Furano costs ¥6,000 and Rusutsu costs ¥5,500. Hirafu is about 2 hr 45 min away, and the first of seven daily departures leaves the domestic terminal at 10:00. Each passenger gets one set of ski gear plus one other bag in the hold, so travel with the board bag and a single suitcase. The same network's Powder Belt Liner links Tomamu with Furano for ¥5,500 and with Asahikawa for ¥6,000. Tomamu routes only run when someone books at least nine days ahead. When the expressway shuts in a storm the coaches take the ordinary roads and arrive about 40 minutes late. Q: How much does Hokkaido Resort Liner (Hokkaido Access Network) charge? A: Hokkaido Resort Liner (Hokkaido Access Network) lists Asahikawa Airport to Furano from ¥4,000 per person (2026). Q: Does Hokkaido Resort Liner (Hokkaido Access Network) speak English? A: Yes. Hokkaido Resort Liner (Hokkaido Access Network) works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.access-n.jp/ https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/ https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/101chitose_rusutsu_niseko.html https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/chitose_furano.html https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/asahikawa_ap_furano.html https://www.snowtomamu.jp/bus_26w/index_en.html https://www.nisekocentral.com/concierge/niseko-transfers/niseko-transfers-public-bus https://www.niseko-village.com/getting-here/ ### Hoshino Resorts Tomamu (Karifuri snowcat and guided tours) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/hoshino-resorts-tomamu Type: Operator Kind: Cat skiing Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Tomamu, Karifuri dake Based in: Tomamu Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ Summary: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu runs the weekend Karifuri snowcat and a menu of guided backcountry sessions from the hotel towers. Tomamu sells its out-of-bounds riding through the resort. On winter weekends the group leaves the hotels at 8:40 for the ridge between Soshubetsu-dake and Karifuri-dake, and a heated snowcat does the climbing from there. Up to twelve riders get four to six runs of 200–500 m and lunch in a yurt partway up. The 2026/27 price is ¥110,000. It was ¥74,800 in 2025/26, and bookings for the new season were pushed back to early November. Beacon, shovel, probe and pack are lent free, and Gentemstick boards rent for a fee. Riki Nakajima's team runs the guided side from 11 January to 1 April 2027. The two-hour Step to Back Country session costs ¥20,000 a head and stays in the resort-controlled zone. Guiding Tomamu takes five hours and falls to ¥16,000 each when six ride together. The Sunrise BC Tour starts climbing at 3:00 for ¥30,000 once you've done one of the longer tours. Q: How much does Hoshino Resorts Tomamu (Karifuri snowcat and guided tours) charge? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu (Karifuri snowcat and guided tours) lists Step to Back Country from ¥20,000 per person (2026) (2 hours). Q: Does Hoshino Resorts Tomamu (Karifuri snowcat and guided tours) speak English? A: Yes. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu (Karifuri snowcat and guided tours) works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/guide-tour/ ### Iwanai Resort Cat Skiing URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/iwanai-resort-cat-skiing Type: Operator Kind: Cat skiing Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Iwanai Based in: Iwanai Website: https://iwanairesort.com/en/home/catski-niseko Summary: Iwanai Resort runs snowcat days on Mt. Iwanai with long runs facing the Sea of Japan. Iwanai Resort sits on Mt. Iwanai at the western end of the Niseko range, and on a clear day the runs finish with the Sea of Japan in front of you. One pair lift serves three beginner runs. The rest of the mountain belongs to the cats, and the operation says guests average 5,000 vertical metres a day. Pickup runs between 7:00 and 7:30 from Kutchan or the Niseko villages about 40 minutes away, and lunch is at the Three Birds restaurant. Powderhounds lists 2026/27 seats at ¥200,000 per person, up from ¥150,000 in 2024/25. A private cat for up to twelve costs ¥2,500,000 with Niseko transfers. Iwanai asks for advanced riders, and bookings go through the YukiKamui email address on the resort site. Q: How much does Iwanai Resort Cat Skiing charge? A: Iwanai Resort Cat Skiing lists Mixed-group cat day from ¥200,000 per person (2026) (07:00–07:30 pickup, about 15:30 return). Q: Does Iwanai Resort Cat Skiing speak English? A: Yes. Iwanai Resort Cat Skiing works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://iwanairesort.com/en/home/catski-niseko https://iwanairesort.com/en/cat-tour/niseko https://iwanairesort.com/en/catski-package https://iwanairesort.com/en/lift/iwanai https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/cat-skiing/iwanai-resort/iwanai-cat-skiing.aspx ### Japan C.R.C. Hokkaido Powder Belt camper plan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/japan-crc-powder-belt-camper Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: Japanese Works in: Tomamu, Furano, Kamui ski links Based in: Chitose Website: https://japan-crc.com/hoshino-hpb-campingcar/jp/ Summary: Japan C.R.C. rents 4WD campers from New Chitose on a Hoshino Resorts plan that bundles Tomamu lift tickets and baths. Japan C.R.C. teamed up with Hoshino Resorts on a camper plan that loops the Powder Belt from New Chitose. The 2026/27 version runs from 25 December to 21 March. Two nights cost ¥44,200 a head for a pair or ¥35,450 each for four, and the price covers a 4WD camper on studless tires with bedding and a kitchen kit. At Tomamu you get a two-day lift ticket, breakfast, parking and a soak at Kirin-no-Yu after the wave pool. OMO7 Asahikawa adds breakfast and a session in its sauna. Furano and Kamui tickets cost extra. An FF heater keeps the cabin warm with the engine off. The plan page is in Japanese, and bookings close three days before pickup. Q: How much does Japan C.R.C. Hokkaido Powder Belt camper plan charge? A: Japan C.R.C. Hokkaido Powder Belt camper plan lists Camper plan, 4 riders from ¥35,450 per person (2026) (2 nights, 3 days). Q: Does Japan C.R.C. Hokkaido Powder Belt camper plan speak English? A: Japan C.R.C. Hokkaido Powder Belt camper plan works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://japan-crc.com/ https://japan-crc.com/hoshino-hpb-campingcar/jp/ https://japan-crc.com/en/ https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ ### JR Hokkaido URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/jr-hokkaido Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Sapporo teine, Tomamu, Sahoro, Furano Based in: Sapporo Website: https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/index.html Summary: JR Hokkaido trains link New Chitose with Sapporo and run limited expresses into the Tokachi and Furano ski country. The Rapid Airport train reaches Sapporo from New Chitose in 33 minutes at best, and six run each hour through the middle of the day. The fare is ¥1,230, or ¥2,230 for a reserved seat in car 4. Some services carry on to Otaru. Riders bound for Kutchan and Niseko change there to the slow line west. For Tomamu and Shintoku the limited express Tokachi and Ozora run through Minami-Chitose, and every seat on them is reserved. A board bag rides free in a case, and the rules let sports gear exceed the length limit if you can stand it upright in the luggage space. Visitors on a non-Japanese passport can buy the five-day Hokkaido Rail Pass ahead for ¥22,000. The four-day Sapporo-Furano Area Pass covers the run to Furano for ¥11,000. Q: How much does JR Hokkaido charge? A: JR Hokkaido lists Rapid Airport, New Chitose to Sapporo from ¥1,230 per person (2026) (33 min fastest). Q: Does JR Hokkaido speak English? A: Yes. JR Hokkaido works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/index.html https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/railpass/index.html https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/airport.html https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/faq/faq02.html https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/regular/index.html ### Mountain Flow (Hokkaido Mountain Guide Office) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/mountain-flow Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese, English Certifications: JMGA, IML (UIMLA) Works in: Kurodake, Kurodake bc, Tokachidake, Asahidake bc Based in: Aibetsu Website: https://mountain-flow.com/ Summary: Michiko Aoki guides small Daisetsuzan backcountry groups from Aibetsu in Japanese or English. Michiko Aoki founded Mountain Flow in 2014 and lives in Aibetsu at the foot of the Daisetsuzan range. She worked as a park ranger at Asahidake before she started guiding. Her JMGA tickets cover ski guide stage I and mountain guide stage II, and she holds the international mountain leader qualification as well. She guides in Japanese and English. Private days run six hours and start at ¥40,000 for one rider or ¥60,000 for four. She takes groups to Kurodake and the Tokachidake area and keeps clear of Asahidake in January and February when the ropeway crowds build. The BC Beginner public days on 3 January and 6 February 2027 cost ¥15,000 and cap at four. You need a past avalanche course to join, and you bring your own touring setup. Q: How much does Mountain Flow (Hokkaido Mountain Guide Office) charge? A: Mountain Flow (Hokkaido Mountain Guide Office) lists Avalanche refresher from ¥4,500 per person (2026) (09:00–12:00). Q: Does Mountain Flow (Hokkaido Mountain Guide Office) speak English? A: Yes. Mountain Flow (Hokkaido Mountain Guide Office) works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://mountain-flow.com/ https://mountain-flow.com/?page_id=486 https://mountain-flow.com/?page_id=25 https://mountain-flow.com/?page_id=2451 https://mountain-flow.com/?page_id=6876 https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-central-hokkaido ### Nippon Rent-A-Car URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/nippon-rent-a-car Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Based in: Chitose Website: https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/nrglobal/ Summary: Nippon Rent-A-Car rents winter-shod cars from an office about ten minutes from the New Chitose terminal. Nippon Rent-A-Car meets you at the rental counter by arrival gate 3 on the first floor of the domestic terminal. A shuttle then takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach the office in Bibi. Give your airline and flight number when you book, because flights landing outside office hours can't be booked. Every Hokkaido car runs on winter tires from 1 November to 20 April, and a winter season rate is added to the base price. Ski carriers and chains aren't available. In heavy snow some expressway and national route sections require chains even on winter tires, so check road conditions before you set out. Staff support English, Chinese, Korean and Thai, and a 24-hour phone interpreter backs them up. Q: How much does Nippon Rent-A-Car charge? A: Nippon Rent-A-Car lists Standard class from ¥7,810 (2026) (up to 6 hours). Q: Does Nippon Rent-A-Car speak English? A: Yes. Nippon Rent-A-Car works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/nrglobal/ https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/car_price/option/studless-tire.html https://store.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/b/nrs/info/810034/?BT3=selectReserveOfficeWithRecommendation&teikei_cd=&ret=3&multilang=1 ### Niseko Backcountry Tours URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-backcountry-tours Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Works in: Niseko range Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://www.nisekobackcountrytours.com/ Summary: Niseko Backcountry Tours sells private touring and lift-access days around Niseko at one flat group price. Niseko Backcountry Tours keeps its menu short. Touring days and lift-access days both cost ¥135,000 for a private group of up to five. The intro day for first-timers sits at the same price. The company books by email or WhatsApp and also sells private lessons for ¥125,000 a day. An avalanche kit rents for ¥4,500. The site names no guide certifications and gives no season for these prices, so ask about both before you pay. Q: How much does Niseko Backcountry Tours charge? A: Niseko Backcountry Tours lists Avalanche kit rental from ¥4,500 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Niseko Backcountry Tours speak English? A: Yes. Niseko Backcountry Tours works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nisekobackcountrytours.com/ https://www.nisekobackcountrytours.com/booking-calendar/backcountry-tour ### Niseko Photography & Guiding URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-photography-guiding Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Works in: Niseko range, Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Niseko moiwa, Chisenupuri Website: https://www.nisekophotography.com/ Summary: Niseko Photography & Guiding pairs a guide with a photographer for powder days around Niseko. Niseko Photography & Guiding sends a photographer out with the guide, and the retouched files reach your inbox within the week. A backcountry day for up to five costs ¥160,000 with transport from your accommodation. Adding the photographer takes it to ¥220,000. Bring your own splitboard or touring skis along with a beacon, shovel, probe and pack, and the office will help sort rentals if you're short. Resort days run three or six hours with photos included, and the guide picks the resort that suits the day's snow. For cat days the company works only with Hokkaido Backcountry Club. A seat costs ¥121,000 with lunch, an onsen ticket, avalanche gear and door-to-door transport in the price. The company says its guides do not teach, so book coaching elsewhere. Q: How much does Niseko Photography & Guiding charge? A: Niseko Photography & Guiding lists Resort tour with photography from ¥100,000 per group (2026) (3 hours). Q: Does Niseko Photography & Guiding speak English? A: Yes. Niseko Photography & Guiding works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nisekophotography.com/ https://www.nisekophotography.com/niseko-backcountry-tours/ https://www.nisekophotography.com/niseko-resort-ski-snowboard-tour/ https://www.nisekophotography.com/niseko-cat-skiing-tours/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko ### Niseko Sports URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-sports Type: Operator Kind: Rental Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Niseko hanazono, Niseko grand hirafu Based in: Hirafu Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/rental-and-retail/rental-niseko-sports Summary: Niseko Sports rents boards and walk-in avalanche sets from four counters around Hanazono and Hirafu. Niseko Sports is the Hanazono resort group's rental chain, and its four counters sit at Hanazono 308, Hirafu Zaka, The Vale and Muwa. For 2026/27 a premium board with boots costs ¥10,500 a day, and the Sports Economy range for newer riders is ¥8,500. Online booking closes four days before your start date. After that you walk in. The Hanazono 308 and Hirafu Zaka stores rent an avalanche set of beacon, shovel, probe and pack for ¥7,500 a day or ¥37,500 for a week. These sets can't be reserved, so pick one up the afternoon before a gate day. The 20 percent early-bird code for the Hirafu Zaka store expired on 31 July 2026. Q: How much does Niseko Sports charge? A: Niseko Sports lists Helmet from ¥2,500 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Niseko Sports speak English? A: Yes. Niseko Sports works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/rental-and-retail/rental-niseko-sports https://hanazononiseko.com/en/special-offers/niseko-sports-early-bird-specials-winter-2026-27 ### Niseko United Shuttle Bus URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-united-shuttle Type: Operator Kind: Shuttle Languages: Japanese Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri Website: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ Summary: The Niseko United shuttle carries All Mountain pass holders free between Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri. Niseko Bus runs the shuttle that ties the Niseko United resorts together. All Mountain pass holders ride free, and scanning a day pass on the bus counts as a day of use (a time-based pass loses an hour). Everyone else pays the regular fare posted inside the bus. It lets you start the day in Hirafu and finish at Annupuri or the Village without moving a car. Timetables change each season, and the 2026/27 version sits as a PDF on the Niseko United access page. Questions go to Niseko Bus on +81 136-44-2001. Q: How much does Niseko United Shuttle Bus charge? A: Niseko United Shuttle Bus lists Inter-resort shuttle from Free. Q: Does Niseko United Shuttle Bus speak English? A: Niseko United Shuttle Bus works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ https://www.niseko-village.com/getting-here/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/your-ultimate-guide-to-getting-lift-passes-at-niseko-united/ ### Niseko Weiss Powder CATS URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-weiss-powder-cats Type: Operator Kind: Cat skiing Languages: English Works in: Niseko weiss Based in: Kutchan Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing Summary: Hanazono runs the Weiss snowcats for twelve riders a day on mellow powder near Niseko. Niseko Hanazono Resort runs the snowcats at Weiss, and its own figures put the cat base at 450 m with drop-offs at 930 m. The longest run drops 450 m. Pitches average about 20 degrees and the steepest reaches 30, so a strong intermediate on a powder board will be comfortable. Expect six or seven runs. Only twelve guests ride each day. A shared seat costs ¥190,000 in peak season from 5 January to the end of February and ¥175,000 outside it, and the group cat only goes out once seven people have booked. Lunch at Chalet Ivy Weiss and pickup on the Hirafu side of the mountain come in the price. Riders aged 12 to 15 need a guardian along. Q: How much does Niseko Weiss Powder CATS charge? A: Niseko Weiss Powder CATS lists Group cat tour, regular from ¥175,000 per person (2026) (full day, 6–7 runs). Q: Does Niseko Weiss Powder CATS speak English? A: Yes. Niseko Weiss Powder CATS works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities ### Niseko Zen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niseko-zen Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Works in: Niseko range, Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Furano, Asahidake, Tokachidake Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://www.nisekozen.com/ Summary: Niseko Zen guides private groups of up to four on backcountry days around Niseko and longer trips into central Hokkaido. Niseko Zen prices everything for a private group of up to four, and most days come to ¥160,000 before lift tickets and rentals. The menu reaches past the range. A day around Sapporo and Otaru runs up to ten hours for ¥170,000, and the central Hokkaido trip books three straight days at ¥175,000 each for Furano and the Daisetsuzan volcanoes. Boarders tour on a splitboard or on snowshoes with collapsible poles. The company keeps a small splitboard fleet that you reserve by email at least a day ahead. Every backcountry day needs a three-antenna beacon, shovel, probe and a pack of 20 litres or more, and the set rents for ¥5,500 a day. A fifth or sixth rider brings a tail guide at ¥70,000. Q: How much does Niseko Zen charge? A: Niseko Zen lists Avalanche kit rental from ¥5,500 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Niseko Zen speak English? A: Yes. Niseko Zen works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nisekozen.com/ https://www.nisekozen.com/powderguiding ### Hanazono Snowsports School (NISS) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/niss-hanazono Type: Operator Kind: School Languages: English Works in: Niseko hanazono Based in: Kutchan Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/ski-school Summary: Hanazono's NISS school teaches English-language ski and snowboard lessons in adult groups of four or fewer. Hanazono brands its snowsports school NISS, and it checks riders in at Hanazono 308 at the base. Adult group classes cap at four and run from 10:00 to 15:30. Teaching is in English and covers Levels 1 to 4, and stronger riders go private. A group day costs ¥32,000 in regular season and ¥37,000 over Christmas and New Year and again from 6 to 12 February. Private lessons cost the same for one rider or six. The six-hour Niseko Classic is ¥93,000 in regular season and ¥120,000 at peak. A 4:30 pm twilight session under the lights runs ¥35,000–38,000. In peak weeks only full days can be booked ahead, and you can ask for a non-English instructor in the booking notes. Q: How much does Hanazono Snowsports School (NISS) charge? A: Hanazono Snowsports School (NISS) lists Adult group lesson (15+) from ¥32,000 per person (2026) (10:00–15:30 with lunch break). Q: Does Hanazono Snowsports School (NISS) speak English? A: Yes. Hanazono Snowsports School (NISS) works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/ski-school/private https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/ski-school/group https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities ### ORIX Rent-A-Car URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/orix-rent-a-car Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Website: https://car.orix.co.jp/eng/ Summary: ORIX Rent-A-Car sells a discounted Hokkaido autumn-winter plan with ETC and navigation in every car. ORIX runs a Hokkaido autumn-winter plan from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2027 that cuts its rates on the island. A small SA-class car costs ¥8,415 for the first 24 hours and ¥6,732 for each day after, outside the 26 December to 2 January peak. A seven-seat WA wagon costs ¥19,261 for the first day. Navigation and an ETC unit come standard, and basic insurance is in the price. The collision damage waiver costs ¥1,100 a day on top. The plan page doesn't mention winter tires or four-wheel drive, so confirm both before you drive into the mountains. Q: How much does ORIX Rent-A-Car charge? A: ORIX Rent-A-Car lists Hokkaido Special Autumn-Winter Plan, SA class from ¥8,415 (2026) (24 hours). Q: Does ORIX Rent-A-Car speak English? A: Yes. ORIX Rent-A-Car works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://car.orix.co.jp/eng/ https://car.orix.co.jp/eng/campaign/hkd2026winter.html ### Powder Company Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/powder-company-guides Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Niseko range, Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://powcom.net/guide/en/ Summary: Powder Company is a Japanese guiding crew that has led Niseko backcountry and carving days since 1999. Powder Company set up in Niseko in 1999, and Tomoki Takaku leads a crew of seven Japanese guides from a base in Niseko town. The menu runs from an entry backcountry day up to private plans. On the resort side the crew teaches a carving class and runs day and night cruising sessions. Prices aren't on the English site, so call 0136-54-2820 or email. Full payment confirms the booking, and cancelling two to seven days out costs half. The company also runs a demo centre and a tune-up shop. Q: Does Powder Company Guides speak English? A: Yes. Powder Company Guides works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://powcom.net/guide/en/ https://powcom.net/guide/en/booking-info/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko ### Rera Mosir (Rishiri Nature Guide Service) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/rera-mosir Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese Certifications: JMGA Works in: Rishiri zan Based in: Rishiri Website: https://steep.jp/en/guideclub/rishiri-nature-guide-service Summary: Toshiya Watanabe guides Rishiri's volcano by snowmobile and skins from his family's pension in Oshidomari. Toshiya Watanabe was born on Rishiri and came home in 2003 to help with the family hotel. A year later he started guiding winter backcountry tours on the island's volcano, and he runs them with his wife Maki from Pension Rera Mosir in Oshidomari. In the 2019 winter he took out more than 800 guests, and over 70 percent of them came from overseas. Days run six to eight hours. A snowmobile drops the group at the foot of the climb, and he chooses the descent from that morning's snow. Prices aren't published, so write to the pension or book through a mainland outfit's Rishiri week. The ferry from Wakkanai takes about 1 hr 40 min and cancels in rough seas, so pad the trip with spare days. Q: Does Rera Mosir (Rishiri Nature Guide Service) speak English? A: Rera Mosir (Rishiri Nature Guide Service) works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/en/feature/watanabetoshiya https://steep.jp/en/guideclub/rishiri-nature-guide-service https://steep.jp/en/guideclub/rishiri-natureguide-service/ https://visit-hokkaido.jp/en/adventure-travel/traveltrade-press/courses/multiple-day/r5-06_backcountry_rishiri_meitetsu/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-classic-ski-tour-route ### Rhythm Japan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/rhythm-japan Type: Operator Kind: Rental Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Niseko moiwa, Kiroro, Furano, Sahoro, Kamui ski links, Asahidake Based in: Hirafu Website: https://rhythmjapan.com/ Summary: Rhythm rents premium boards and splitboards in Hirafu and Furano and sells guided touring days. Rhythm runs its main Niseko store in Hirafu and a second at Setsu, and it has a Furano shop as well. For 2026/27 a standard board with boots costs ¥9,500 a day and the premium package ¥11,800. Booking online at least 48 hours ahead takes 10 percent off. You get fitted in store, and a free shuttle collects you from the resort pickup zones on the first day if you call ahead. The guiding side sells a touring day for up to five at ¥170,000, and it includes the avalanche kit and door-to-door transport. Lift Access Backcountry days cost ¥140,000 on Niseko United, and the Explorer upgrade adds Kiroro or Moiwa. Rental splitboards come with pin-style bindings, so step-in boots won't fit them. Rhythm is part of the evo group. Q: How much does Rhythm Japan charge? A: Rhythm Japan lists Boots, jacket or pants from ¥3,800 each (2026) (day). Q: Does Rhythm Japan speak English? A: Yes. Rhythm Japan works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rhythmjapan.com/ https://rhythmjapan.com/winter-rentals-services https://rhythmjapan.com/winter-guided-adventures/backcountry-touring https://rhythmjapan.com/winter-guided-adventures/lift-accessed-backcountry https://rhythmjapan.com/niseko-partners ### Rising Sun Backcountry Rentals URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/rising-sun-backcountry-rentals Type: Operator Kind: Rental Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri, Niseko moiwa, Niseko range Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-rental/splitboard-rentals/ Summary: Rising Sun rents splitboards and avalanche kits to the public from its Niseko office. Rising Sun's rental fleet is open to riders who aren't booked on a tour. Boards come from Salomon, Prior, Korua, Stranda and Burton and go out on Spark R&D bindings. Each package includes skins and adjustable poles. Day one costs ¥12,000, and the rate falls to ¥6,600 a day after the fifth. An avalanche kit with pack, probe, shovel and transceiver adds ¥6,000 for the first day. Collect from the office between 8:00 and 10:00, or after 15:00 the day before. A van delivers around Niseko United between 16:00 and 19:00, and rental-only orders need to reach ¥40,000 for it. Bring your own snowboard boots, since Rising Sun doesn't rent them. Q: How much does Rising Sun Backcountry Rentals charge? A: Rising Sun Backcountry Rentals lists Avalanche safety kit from ¥6,000 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Rising Sun Backcountry Rentals speak English? A: Yes. Rising Sun Backcountry Rentals works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-rental/splitboard-rentals/ https://risingsunguides.com/ast-1/ ### Rising Sun Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/rising-sun-guides Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English, Japanese Certifications: ACMG, AMGA, AMGA Splitboard Guide, NZMGA, CSGA, CAA, JAN, AST 1/2 course provider (Avalanche Canada) Works in: Niseko range, Mt yotei, Shiribetsu dake, Niseko moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Yoichi dake, Asahidake bc, Kurodake bc, Tokachidake, Rishiri zan Based in: Niseko Town Website: https://risingsunguides.com/ Summary: Rising Sun guides ski and splitboard touring days from Niseko and Higashikawa with ACMG and AMGA-certified leads. Rising Sun splits its guiding between two homes. The Niseko crew works the range and Yotei and drives to Rusutsu and Kiroro when the snow is better there. A second team lives in Higashikawa and heads for the Daisetsuzan volcanoes when the weather allows. Owner Andrew Spragg is an ACMG ski guide. Trevor Husted holds AMGA splitboard guide certification, and two more crew members carry the splitboard guide title. A private day costs ¥149,000 for one to three riders with door-to-door transport and a 6:1 ratio. Book in March and the price drops 15 percent. Splitboards are the preferred way up for boarders on these tours, and the company's own rental shop fits Spark R&D bindings to Salomon, Prior, Korua, Stranda and Burton decks. The AST 1 course runs over two days under Avalanche Canada for ¥39,000, and splitboarders are welcome on it. Q: How much does Rising Sun Guides charge? A: Rising Sun Guides lists AST 1 avalanche course from ¥39,000 per person (2026) (2 days, 09:00–17:00). Q: Does Rising Sun Guides speak English? A: Yes. Rising Sun Guides works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://risingsunguides.com/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-touring/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-touring/sw-hokkaido-backcountry-touring/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-touring/central-hokkaido-backcountry-touring/ https://risingsunguides.com/the-crew/ https://risingsunguides.com/ast-1/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-rental/splitboard-rentals/ https://risingsunguides.com/agent-inquiry/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko ### Rusutsu Resort Ski & Snowboard School URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/rusutsu-ski-snowboard-school Type: Operator Kind: School Languages: Japanese Works in: Rusutsu Based in: Rusutsu Website: https://rusutsu.com/snowboard-lessons/ Summary: Rusutsu Resort's Japanese-language school teaches snowboarding and sells expert mountain guiding at the resort. Rusutsu's school runs its lessons in Japanese, and the instructors are Japanese. A two-hour group snowboard class costs ¥9,000 and takes up to four riders. Older teens and adults can book a carving or grab-trick session at the same rate. For experts the school sells Mountain Guiding. One instructor takes up to six skiers and boarders together for ¥67,000 over three hours or ¥97,500 for the 9:00–16:00 day. Helmets are compulsory, and the instructor can turn the session into a lesson if the group can't handle the terrain. Same-day booking works until 30 minutes before the start if a slot is free. Q: How much does Rusutsu Resort Ski & Snowboard School charge? A: Rusutsu Resort Ski & Snowboard School lists General snowboard group lesson from ¥9,000 per person (2026) (2 hours). Q: Does Rusutsu Resort Ski & Snowboard School speak English? A: Rusutsu Resort Ski & Snowboard School works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/ https://rusutsu.com/snowboard-lessons/ https://rusutsu.com/mountain-guiding/ ### SkyExpress private transfers URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/skyexpress-niseko Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: English Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Niseko hanazono, Niseko village, Niseko annupuri Website: https://www.nisekocentral.com/concierge/niseko-transfers/niseko-transfers-private-skyexpress Summary: SkyExpress drives private transfers between New Chitose or Sapporo and Niseko in vehicles for three to fifteen people. SkyExpress runs private vans and Alphards between New Chitose and Niseko, and Niseko Central takes the bookings. For winter 2026/27 a MAX3 for up to three costs ¥57,000 one way. A MAX8 for four to eight costs ¥75,000, and Sapporo pickups cost the same as the airport. Groups of seven or more with board bags should book the MAX15 at ¥105,000. A one-hour supermarket stop on the way in costs ¥12,000 and must be booked ahead. Payment is due a week before arrival, and a cancelled flight still counts as a cancellation, so buy travel insurance that covers it. SkyExpress can hand the run to another company without telling you. Q: How much does SkyExpress private transfers charge? A: SkyExpress private transfers lists Supermarket stop from ¥12,000 (2026) (up to 1 hour). Q: Does SkyExpress private transfers speak English? A: Yes. SkyExpress private transfers works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nisekocentral.com/concierge/niseko-transfers/niseko-transfers-private-skyexpress ### Sportpia Furano Rental URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/sportpia-furano-rental Type: Operator Kind: Rental Languages: English, Japanese Works in: Furano Based in: Furano Website: http://www.spfurano.com/en/rentalski.html Summary: Sportpia rents standard and premium snowboard packages at the Kitanomine gondola base in Furano. Sportpia rents boards and clothing at the Kitanomine Terminal in Furano, and its snow school works out of the same building. You can walk in without a booking. For 2026/27 a standard board with boots costs ¥8,900 a day, and the Superior package is ¥12,800. Multi-day rates bring a week of standard gear down to ¥40,400. Gloves and goggles aren't for hire, so pack your own. Rental customers can leave boards overnight for free. The list carries no touring or avalanche gear, so splitboarders in Furano should rent through Rhythm or Whiteroom. Q: How much does Sportpia Furano Rental charge? A: Sportpia Furano Rental lists Clothing package (jacket, pants, helmet) from ¥7,700 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Sportpia Furano Rental speak English? A: Yes. Sportpia Furano Rental works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.spfurano.com/en/rentalski.html http://www.spfurano.com/en/winter.html https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ ### TAKT (Yasuko Kikuchi) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/takt Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese, English Certifications: JMGA Works in: Asahidake, Asahidake bc, Kurodake bc, Mt yotei, Niseko range, Kiroro, Rusutsu, Furano Based in: Sapporo Website: https://takt-sapporo.com/english/ Summary: Yasuko Kikuchi guides small groups from Sapporo to Asahidake and the Niseko range under the TAKT name. Yasuko Kikuchi guides out of Sapporo under the name TAKT and has been at it for about fifteen years. Her site lists her with the Japan Mountain Guides Association. An Asahidake day costs ¥50,000 for a solo rider and drops to ¥15,000 a head once four or five ride together. Hotel or airport pickup adds ¥10,000. The seven-day tour moves between Yotei, Kiroro, Furano and Asahidake and stays in Japanese inns at about ¥12,000–15,000 a night on top of the guide fee. Winter tours run January to March. Her gear notes ask for powder skis over 95 mm underfoot, so boarders should check the plan before they book. Q: How much does TAKT (Yasuko Kikuchi) charge? A: TAKT (Yasuko Kikuchi) lists Asahidake day tour (guide fee) from ¥50,000 per group (2026) (full day). Q: Does TAKT (Yasuko Kikuchi) speak English? A: Yes. TAKT (Yasuko Kikuchi) works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://takt-sapporo.com/english/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko ### TENGU Cat-Ski Guides URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/tengu-cat-ski Type: Operator Kind: Cat skiing Languages: Japanese Certifications: IFMGA, JMGA, JAN professional member, HeliCat Canada affiliate member Works in: Kita taisetsu cat ski Based in: Engaru Website: https://www.tengucat.jp/ Summary: TENGU Cat-Ski Guides runs small guided cat groups over the abandoned Kita-Taisetsu race hill near Engaru. TENGU runs its cats on the old Kita-Taisetsu ski area above Shirataki. The lifts there stopped after the 2009/10 season. Suzuki Shokai owns the hill and contracts TENGU to manage it from December to April. Each guide takes up to five guests, and the operation lists IFMGA, JMGA and Japan Avalanche Network affiliations along with HeliCat Canada membership. A public day costs ¥85,000 with lunch and usually adds up to six or seven runs. Those prices come from a November 2023 update, so confirm them for 2027. Public tours take ages 18 to 69 in groups of three to ten. Anyone younger or older books a private cat at ¥770,000 a day. Bring a board that floats in deep snow, because the guides turn away anything else. Repeat guests who book through the site's own form get 5 percent off. Q: How much does TENGU Cat-Ski Guides charge? A: TENGU Cat-Ski Guides lists Public day tour from ¥85,000 per person (2026) (full day, about 6–7 runs). Q: Does TENGU Cat-Ski Guides speak English? A: TENGU Cat-Ski Guides works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.tengucat.jp/ https://www.tengucat.jp/detail.html ### Times Car Rental URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/times-car-rental Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Website: https://www.timescar-rental.com/en/ Summary: Times Car Rental books in English online and closed its Obihiro Airport and Hakodate Station stores in September 2026. Times takes bookings around the clock on its English site with instant confirmation, and Times Club members get up to 20 percent off the base rate. The English pages explain Japan's licence rules and the insurance options before you pay. Check which counter you're booking. Times closed its Hakodate Station and Obihiro Airport stores on 30 September 2026, so riders flying into Tokachi-Obihiro for Tomamu or Sahoro will need another company there. Q: Does Times Car Rental speak English? A: Yes. Times Car Rental works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.timescar-rental.com/en/ https://www.timescar-rental.com/en/aboutlink/ https://rental.timescar.jp/ https://rental.timescar.jp/topics/2026/09/014005.html ### ToCoo! Car Rental URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/tocoo Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Website: https://www2.tocoo.jp/en/ Summary: ToCoo! compares Japanese rental companies in English and sells its own Hokkaido expressway pass with the booking. ToCoo! compares and books rental cars across Japan in English. Its list of companies includes Nippon, Budget, Toyota, Times and ORIX, and New Chitose shows up as a pickup point. Filter for the winter tire plans when you book Hokkaido. ToCoo! sells its own Hokkaido expressway pass with the ETC card included. A travel blog's table after the October 2024 price rise put it at ¥6,830 for four days against ¥8,030 for NEXCO's pass with card rental added, and the official page lists it from ¥4,030. You collect the ETC card at a convenience store or post office near the airport. Q: How much does ToCoo! Car Rental charge? A: ToCoo! Car Rental lists ToCoo! Expressway Pass, Hokkaido from ¥4,030 (2026) (rental period). Q: Does ToCoo! Car Rental speak English? A: Yes. ToCoo! Car Rental works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www2.tocoo.jp/en/ https://www2.tocoo.jp/en/options/tep https://www2.tocoo.jp/en/guide/2019/03/19/partnerswanted-4/ https://www.travelclassroom.net/eng/hokkaido-expressway-pass.html ### Tokachi Adventure Club (TAC) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/tokachi-adventure-club Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: Japanese Works in: Sahoro Based in: Shintoku Website: http://www.tac-go-go.com/tour/bc.html Summary: Tokachi Adventure Club leads low-cost snowshoe-and-ride backcountry tours in the hills around Shintoku and Sahoro. Tokachi Adventure Club runs winter backcountry tours out of Shintoku, and Sahoro's hotel lists them at its activity desk. The guides choose a zone each morning in the Hidaka or Tokachi hills and promise local spots. A tour costs ¥16,500 a head and lasts five to six hours. Snowshoes and an avalanche kit are lent free if you ask when you book. Bookings happen in Japanese by phone on 0156-65-2727 or through the club's site. You need two people to run a tour, and everyone must be of high-school age or older. Boarders without a splitboard climb on the loaner snowshoes. Book by 17:00 the day before. Q: How much does Tokachi Adventure Club (TAC) charge? A: Tokachi Adventure Club (TAC) lists Backcountry tour from ¥16,500 per person (2026) (5–6 hours). Q: Does Tokachi Adventure Club (TAC) speak English? A: Tokachi Adventure Club (TAC) works in Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.tac-go-go.com/tour/bc.html http://www.tac-go-go.com/ https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/activity-w ### Tokachi Sahoro Snow School URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/tokachi-sahoro-snow-school Type: Operator Kind: School Languages: Japanese, English Works in: Sahoro Based in: Shintoku Website: https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/school Summary: Sahoro's resort school teaches level-based snowboard groups and offers English-language privates. Sahoro renamed its ski school the Tokachi Sahoro Snow School, and it teaches boarders in groups sorted by level. A full day costs ¥13,000 and a half day ¥8,000. Half-day sessions start at 10:00 and 13:00. Take any lesson and the adult day ticket drops to half price. The current page lists it at ¥4,650. Privates are sold by the hour at ¥13,000 for one rider and ¥28,000 for four. English costs an extra ¥1,000 and is only offered on private lessons. Bookings for 2026/27 were due to open in mid-November. Q: How much does Tokachi Sahoro Snow School charge? A: Tokachi Sahoro Snow School lists Lesson-holder day ticket from ¥4,650 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Tokachi Sahoro Snow School speak English? A: Yes. Tokachi Sahoro Snow School works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/school ### Toyota Rent a Car URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/toyota-rent-a-car Type: Operator Kind: Car rental Languages: English, Japanese Website: https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/ Summary: Toyota Rent a Car takes English bookings for compacts and 4WDs across Hokkaido. Toyota's English site lists a C1 compact in the Vitz or Roomy class at ¥10,340 for 24 hours and ¥8,690 for each extra day. Four-wheel drive adds ¥1,650 a day across passenger classes. Winter tires carry their own seasonal rate where they come fitted as standard, so read the Hokkaido quote line by line. An ETC card costs ¥550 per rental, and you settle the tolls when you return the car. The licence page spells out the rules. Japan accepts only 1949 Geneva Convention permits, and drivers from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan need an official Japanese translation of their licence instead. If you came through an automated passport gate, ask an officer for an entry stamp, because Toyota can't rent you a car without proof of your landing date. Phone support runs 8:00 to 20:00. Q: How much does Toyota Rent a Car charge? A: Toyota Rent a Car lists C1 compact (Vitz, Passo, Roomy class) from ¥10,340 (2026) (24 hours). Q: Does Toyota Rent a Car speak English? A: Yes. Toyota Rent a Car works in English and Japanese. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/ https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/pricelist_minicompact.aspx https://rent.toyota.co.jp/global_eng/service/option.html https://rent.toyota.co.jp/global_eng/drive/ https://rent.toyota.co.jp/global_eng/faq/ ### Whiteroom Backcountry Rentals URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/whiteroom-backcountry-rentals Type: Operator Kind: Rental Languages: English Works in: Niseko grand hirafu, Furano Website: https://www.whiteroomtours.com/backcountry-ski-touring-splitboard-rental-furano-niseko/ Summary: Whiteroom rents Weston splitboards and Mammut airbag packs from its Niseko and Furano bases. Whiteroom's rental store sits online, and you collect the gear at its Niseko or Furano base. The splitboards are Weston models on Spark bindings. A package with skins and poles costs ¥15,000 for the first day and ¥13,000 after that. An avalanche kit costs ¥6,000 on day one. Swap the pack for a Mammut airbag and it's ¥12,000. Bring boots, since Whiteroom doesn't rent them. The 10 percent discount applies when you book gear through the reservations team alongside a tour before 1 December, and the 2026/27 price list still read coming soon in October. Q: How much does Whiteroom Backcountry Rentals charge? A: Whiteroom Backcountry Rentals lists Avalanche kit from ¥6,000 per person (2026) (day). Q: Does Whiteroom Backcountry Rentals speak English? A: Yes. Whiteroom Backcountry Rentals works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.whiteroomtours.com/backcountry-ski-touring-splitboard-rental-furano-niseko/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/ ### Whiteroom Tours URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/whiteroom-tours Type: Operator Kind: Guide Languages: English Certifications: Professional-level avalanche qualifications (all guides), Remote first aid, NZMSC-accredited avalanche courses Works in: Niseko range, Mt yotei, Shiribetsu dake, Niseko moiwa, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Sapporo kokusai, Sapporo teine, Tenguyama, Yoichi dake, Shirai dake, Okuteine ridge, Furano, Kamui ski links, Tomamu, Asahidake, Sahoro, Furanodake, Tokachidake, Pippu, Kurodake Website: https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ Summary: Whiteroom sells private guiding days from Niseko and Furano with transport included and splitboards for hire. Whiteroom runs its Hokkaido guiding from two bases. From Niseko a guide will drive up to about 1 hr 45 min for the day's snow, so Kiroro and Kokusai are both in range. The Furano base reaches Tokachidake and Asahidake, and on an inland storm day the guide may head for Tomamu or Sahoro. Every booking is a private group with one guide for up to five riders, and the flat rate covers pickup from your accommodation. For 2026/27 the page lists ¥175,000 a day in the peak powder weeks from 15 January to the end of February and ¥110,000 for the first ten days of March. The same page still calls some of the season's rates provisional, so get the figure in writing. Whiteroom rents Weston splitboards on Spark bindings through a separate rental store. Its two-day Avalanche Awareness course costs ¥35,000, and the Furano sessions take splitboarders. Q: How much does Whiteroom Tours charge? A: Whiteroom Tours lists Avalanche Awareness course from ¥35,000 per person (2026) (2 days). Q: Does Whiteroom Tours speak English? A: Yes. Whiteroom Tours works in English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.whiteroomtours.com/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/avalanche-courses/avalanche-awareness/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-central-hokkaido ### Yamato Transport Ski TA-Q-BIN URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/operators/yamato-ski-ta-q-bin Type: Operator Kind: Transport Languages: Japanese, English Website: https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/ Summary: Yamato's Ski TA-Q-BIN forwards board bags to and from your resort hotel so you can travel light. Yamato's ski service sends a board bag from a staffed counter to your resort hotel and charges it at the 180 size rate. Ship it two days before you ride, or three for some areas, and the front desk hands it over when you arrive. Convenience stores won't take skis or boards, so use a Yamato office or an agent that handles the service. Boards must travel in a bag or in Yamato's own ¥600 cover, and anything over 30 kg is refused. Booking the return leg at the same time earns a small discount, and that return slip stays valid for a month. Q: Does Yamato Transport Ski TA-Q-BIN speak English? A: Yes. Yamato Transport Ski TA-Q-BIN works in Japanese and English. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/ https://www.global-yamato.com/en/hands-free-travel/ ## Mountains ### Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/akan-lakeside Numbers: 280 m vertical, top 766 m, base 486 m, 2 runs, 2 lifts, adult day ¥4,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 国設阿寒湖畔スキー場 ウタラ (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Akan Address: 4-4 Shurikomabetsu, Akan-cho, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0000 Coordinates: 43.42480, 144.08550 Season: 25 December to early April (5 April 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:00; ticket counter from 08:30 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥4,000 adult Operator: Kushiro City Website: http://akan-ski.com Summary: Akanko Onsen's town hill runs one chair and two runs above Lake Akan with Mt. O-Akan across the ice. Akan Lakeside is the town hill for Akanko Onsen and sits five minutes up the road from the hot-spring hotels on Lake Akan. Kushiro City runs it as a nationally designated ski area with FIS homologation. The double chair climbs about 280 m, and from the top you look across the frozen lake at the cone of Mt. O-Akan. Race camps book out the advanced run for whole days in some weeks of February. Two runs make up the mountain. Beginners stick to the 900 m Left Wing. The Right Wing runs 1.2 km at a 16° average and pitches to 26°. The board park packs kickers up to 6 m along with a rainbow rail and a fat box, and a day ticket costs ¥4,000. The trailhead for Hakuto-yama starts next to the runs. Check in with patrol before you head up and again when you get back. The route travels outside the pistes, and the gate shuts around 16:30. A morning on the chair fits neatly around a stay in the Akanko Onsen hotels. Tips: - Prepay day or 4-hour tickets online with the Webket IC card to skip the counter. - Check the website before you go in February. The Right Wing closes for race camps on some days, such as 16–20 February 2026. - The free Marimu shuttle from Akanko Onsen runs once a day. The walk from the hotels takes about 20 minutes. Q: How big is Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara)? A: Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) has 2 runs and 2 lifts over 280 m of vertical, from 486 m at the base to 766 m at the top. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara)? A: At Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara): The Hakuto-yama trailhead sits beside the runs. Register with ski patrol before you leave and when you come back, and travel outside the pistes. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara)? A: An adult day ticket at Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) costs ¥4,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) have night riding? A: No. Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara)? A: Akan Lakeside National Ski Area (Utara) usually opens 25 December and closes early April (5 April 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://akan-ski.com http://akan-ski.com/course-facility/ http://akan-ski.com/ski-area-guide/ http://akan-ski.com/tickets-passes/ http://akan-ski.com/access-info/ http://akan-ski.com/2026/02/11/light-wing-course-usage-restrictions/ http://akan-ski.com/2026/03/27/rope-tow/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31901/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/kokusetsu-akankohan/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/kokusetsu-akankohan/ski-lifts/ ### Akan Royal Valley URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/akan-royal-valley Numbers: 99 m vertical, top 134 m, base 35 m, 1 lifts, 0.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 15.8° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: 阿寒ロイヤルバレイ (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.10699, 144.13584 Q: How steep is Akan Royal Valley? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Akan Royal Valley is about 15.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/1056644213 ### Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/asahidake Numbers: 500 m vertical, top 1600 m, base 1100 m, 4 runs, 1 lifts, 6.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 23.1° over 60 m Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 大雪山旭岳ロープウェイ (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Higashikawa Address: Asahidake Onsen, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido Coordinates: 43.65290, 142.79840 Season: Mid-December, when the ropeway reopens on 11 December after its autumn maintenance break to Early May for skiing; the ropeway runs year-round apart from maintenance closures Best snow: January to February for powder; March to May for summit and plateau tours Hours: 09:00–15:40 from 11 December through February; 09:00–16:00 in early March; 09:00–17:00 from mid-March to May. Cars leave every 20 minutes and take about 10 minutes. Night riding: No Terrain: 0% / 52% / 48% Operator: Wakasa Resort Website: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/ Summary: A hundred-person tram lifts you to 1,600 m on the flank of Hokkaido's highest volcano, and the gladed bowls on either side of the line hold some of the coldest powder on the island. Asahidake is the high point of Hokkaido at 2,291 m, and it still steams. The ropeway leaves Asahidake Onsen at about 1,100 m and climbs to Sugatami Station on the edge of the plateau in ten minutes. From the top you can watch the Jigoku-dani fumaroles venting a few hundred metres to the east while you strap in. Calling it a ski area is generous. Courses A to D are narrow cat tracks that wind back through the birch and fir to the base, and they exist mostly to get you home. The skiing is in the glades between them. Tennyo and Ura-ten fall away to skier's right of the ropeway line, and Ohiroma and Bannosawa open up to skier's left. On a cold morning after a storm the snow in all of them is as light as anything in Japan. The weather here is the harshest in Hokkaido's mountains, and it turns in minutes. Higashikawa town prints a Winter Survival Guide Map for the ropeway, and two of its warnings are in red capitals. One says that if you head north off the plateau you will not get back. The other marks the slopes south of the summit, where people go missing often. Windchill can drop below minus 20, and nobody patrols any of it. Midwinter cars run every 20 minutes from 09:00, with the last one down at 15:40, and a return ride costs ¥2,800 in cash. The Ideyu-go bus comes up from Asahikawa Station by way of the airport, and the drive from Asahikawa takes about an hour. The village at the bottom is a handful of lodges and hotels with onsen. Staying there puts you on the 09:00 car without the hour-long drive. Tips: - Load an offline map and turn on location services while you wait in the ropeway queue; the town's survival map suggests exactly that. - Bring cash for the ropeway, as the operator doesn't take credit cards. - Check the operating calendar before you drive up; the ropeway shut for maintenance on 11–13 March and 14–22 May in 2026. - Save the summit and the plateau for spring, when the days are long and the weather settles. - Book a guide who knows Daisetsuzan for your first day; Whiteroom Tours runs Asahidake for advanced riders only. Q: How big is Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway? A: Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway has 4 runs and 1 lifts over 500 m of vertical, from 1,100 m at the base to 1,600 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 6.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway is about 23.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway? A: Nothing up here is patrolled or avalanche controlled, and once you leave the cat-track courses you are in Daisetsuzan National Park terrain that is open to anyone who files a plan and carries the kit. Q: Does Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway have night riding? A: No. Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway? A: Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway usually opens mid-December, when the ropeway reopens on 11 December after its autumn maintenance break and closes early May for skiing; the ropeway runs year-round apart from maintenance closures. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February for powder; March to May for summit and plateau tours. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/ https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/ https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf https://wakasaresort.com/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6776.html https://steep.jp/en/mountain/38373/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-asahidake-volcanic-steam-vent-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/asahidake-to-nakadake-onsen-loop-ski-tour https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/asahidake/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Otaru Asarigawa Onsen Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/asarigawa Numbers: 520 m vertical, top 660 m, base 140 m, 9 runs, 5 lifts, 7.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,500 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 朝里川温泉スキー場 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Otaru Address: 1-394 Asarigawa Onsen, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0154 Coordinates: 43.14360, 141.03670 Season: mid-December to early April Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–17:00 from late December to 1 March; 09:00–16:00 before and after Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥5,500 adult Terrain: 30% / 40% / 30% Operator: Sasson Co., Ltd. (株式会社Sasson) Website: https://asari-ski.com/ Summary: Otaru's onsen-valley ski hill sits five minutes off the expressway, and its long runs look straight out over the Sea of Japan. Asarigawa opened in 1968 in the hot-spring valley behind Otaru, about fifteen minutes from the canal and five from the Asari interchange. The runs face the sea, and on a clear morning you ride straight down toward the water. The longest line strings Purple into Yellow for about three kilometres. The steep stuff sits on the ungroomed courses. Orange pitches to 35 degrees. Blue winds 1,500 metres through forest at up to 29, while Green A is left to grow moguls. Two tree-run zones open off the Tree Run Gate near the top of the Purple lift. One sits at the summit and the other halfway down, and you need a helmet to go in. Hotel Musashitei and Hotel Classe in the onsen village below both sell day baths for under ¥1,000. In December 2025 a five-year-old died after being caught in the outdoor conveyor at the base. Police searched the operator's offices, and a third-party committee reported in April 2026 that the automatic stop may have been disabled by staff. Tips: - Ride the Purple lift first on a clear day for the long run with the sea in front of you. - Hokkaido residents get a cheaper day ticket, so bring ID if you live here. - The Chuo Bus Asarigawa Onsen line stops at Onsen-minami, and the lifts are a five-minute walk from there. - Parking is free for about 800 cars. - Stop for a day bath in Asarigawa Onsen on the way back to Otaru for dinner. Q: How big is Otaru Asarigawa Onsen? A: Otaru Asarigawa Onsen has 9 runs and 5 lifts over 520 m of vertical, from 140 m at the base to 660 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 7.3 km of piste there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Otaru Asarigawa Onsen? A: An adult day ticket at Otaru Asarigawa Onsen costs ¥5,500 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: How do you get to Otaru Asarigawa Onsen from New Chitose Airport? A: Otaru Asarigawa Onsen is about 1 hr by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Otaru Asarigawa Onsen? A: Otaru Asarigawa Onsen usually opens mid-December and closes early April. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://asari-ski.com/ https://asari-ski.com/slopes/ https://asari-ski.com/slopes/pdf/slope_map_en.pdf https://asari-ski.com/news-list/ https://asari-ski.com/news-list/news-detail.php?id=14 https://asari-ski.com/news-list/news-detail.php?id=19 https://asari-ski.com/news-list/news-detail.php?id=30 https://asari-ski.com/common/pdf/sakudo_report_v02.pdf https://asari-ski.com/img/access-train-bus_img.jpg https://asari-ski.com/img/access-car_img_en.jpg https://www.city.otaru.lg.jp/docs/2020100700219/file_contents/R7ski-ichiran.pdf https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31502/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/朝里川温泉スキー場 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/asarigawa-onsen/ https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1262694/ https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1307354/ https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1344539/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/hokkaido-back-country-skiing-mt-yoichi-akai-kawa-route ### Canmore Ski Village URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/canmore-ski-village Numbers: 250 m vertical, top 452 m, base 202 m, 8 runs, 2 lifts, 4.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥3,000 (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: キャンモアスキーヴィレッジ (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Higashikawa Address: Nishi 5-go Kita 44, Higashikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 071-1405 Coordinates: 43.73090, 142.54080 Season: Late December to Mid to late March (20 March in 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–20:30 Night riding: 16:30–20:30 Day ticket: ¥3,000 adult Terrain: 25% / 50% / 25% Website: https://www.canmore-ski.jp/ Summary: Fifteen minutes from Asahikawa Airport, this Higashikawa hill runs eight short courses and charges ¥500 for a night session. Canmore Ski Village is the closest ski hill to Asahikawa Airport, about 15 minutes by car, and it makes a good first afternoon if you land early and want to shake out your legs. The runs carry Canadian names like Rocky, Caribou, Marmot and Buffalo, and the longest is Rocky at 1,570 m through the trees. Most of the terrain is gentle, with a couple of short ungroomed pitches for stronger riders. Death Valley is the steepest at 31 degrees and only 103 m long, so treat it as a quick hit off the top. Night riding from 16:30 costs ¥500, and Higashikawa town and the road up to Asahidake are both a short drive away. Tips: - Stop here on the way from Asahikawa Airport to Asahidake Onsen for an evening session at ¥500. - A free bus runs from Sentopure in Higashikawa on set days in January and February. - Buy tickets online ahead and collect them with the QR code at the window. Q: How big is Canmore Ski Village? A: Canmore Ski Village has 8 runs and 2 lifts over 250 m of vertical, from 202 m at the base to 452 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 4.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Canmore Ski Village? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Canmore Ski Village is about 27.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.6 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Canmore Ski Village? A: An adult day ticket at Canmore Ski Village costs ¥3,000 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Canmore Ski Village have night riding? A: Yes. Canmore Ski Village runs night lifts 16:30–20:30. Night ticket ¥500 for adults and children. Night sessions are cancelled on some days in late season. Q: When is the season at Canmore Ski Village? A: Canmore Ski Village usually opens late December and closes mid to late March (20 March in 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.canmore-ski.jp/ https://www.canmore-ski.jp/price/ https://www.canmore-ski.jp/guide/ https://www.canmore-ski.jp/access/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/canmore-ski-village-higashikawa/ ### Chisenupuri Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/chisenupuri Numbers: 280 m vertical, top 832 m, base 555 m, 4 runs, adult day ¥175,000 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: チセヌプリスキー場 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.86870, 140.59580 Season: late December (23 Dec for 2026/27) to mid March (15 Mar for 2026/27) Best snow: January to February Hours: Niseko pickup 08:00, riding from 09:30, back about 16:00 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥175,000 adult Operator: JRT Trading (lease holder since 2016), cats run with Hokkaido Backcountry Club Website: https://www.chisenupuri.com/ Summary: Chisenupuri's chairlift stopped years ago, and today snowcats and skinning tourers share the old runs below Chisenupuri's summit. Rankoshi town opened Chisenupuri in 1977. It closed the lift in 2012 and took the hotel down, and JRT Trading has held the lease since 2016. The operator runs snowcats with Hokkaido Backcountry Club and says it will keep doing so until it can work out how to pay for a new lift. The cat drops at the 832 m knob on the south ridge, and each run gives about 280 m of vertical down to the old base at 555 m. Expect around a dozen laps and close to 3,400 m over the day. Lunch is in the old warming hut, and the ticket includes a soak at Yukichichibu Onsen afterwards. Plenty of people know Chisenupuri only as a trailhead. The car park at the old base fills on busy weekends because the south face of Chisenupuri starts right there. It is about 540 m of climbing to the 1,134 m summit, and Shakunage-dake lies beyond it to the west. Public cat bumps cost ¥3,000 cash at 08:00 and 08:30 for the terrain behind the ski area. Tips: - Yukichichibu Onsen closes on Tuesdays, so book your cat day for another day of the week if the soak matters to you. - Carry cash for the public cat bump. - Arrive before 9:00 on weekends if you want a space in the car park. - A taxi from Hirafu costs about ¥6,500, and the drive from Niseko Village takes about 15 minutes. Q: How big is Chisenupuri? A: Chisenupuri has 4 runs over 280 m of vertical, from 555 m at the base to 832 m at the top. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Chisenupuri? A: At Chisenupuri: The old ski area doubles as the main trailhead for the western Niseko Range. Tourers skin the orange-marked uptrack on the far skier's left and keep off the yellow-marked cat runs. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Chisenupuri? A: An adult day ticket at Chisenupuri costs ¥175,000 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Chisenupuri have night riding? A: No. Chisenupuri closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Chisenupuri from New Chitose Airport? A: Chisenupuri is about 2 hr 15 min via Niseko by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Chisenupuri? A: Chisenupuri usually opens late December (23 Dec for 2026/27) and closes mid March (15 Mar for 2026/27). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.chisenupuri.com/ https://www.chisenupuri.com/about https://www.chisenupuri.com/cat-skiing https://www.chisenupuri.com/public-use https://www.chisenupuri.com/jp https://www.chisenupuri.com/blog https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/homepage/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/chisenupuri-south-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/chisenupuri-southeast-face https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/チセヌプリ https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kokuyu_rinya/kokumin_mori/katuyo/reku/rekumori/news/index.html https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Engaru Rock Valley Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/engaru-rock-valley Numbers: 270 m vertical, top 405 m, base 135 m, 6 runs, 1 lifts, 6.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥3,200 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: えんがるロックバレースキー場 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Address: 150-1 Nogami, Engaru-cho, Monbetsu-gun, Hokkaido 099-0344 Coordinates: 44.02110, 143.49590 Season: late December (20 December 2025) to early April, weekends only after March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:00 Sunday–Tuesday and holidays; 09:00–20:00 Wednesday–Saturday until 28 February; 10:00–17:00 on March weekdays Night riding: to 20:00 Wednesday–Saturday until 28 February; to 20:00 Wednesday–Friday in March until mid-month Day ticket: ¥3,200 adult Terrain: 48% / 24% / 28% Operator: Engaru Town Tourism Association Website: https://engaru-mori-no-okhotsk.jp/skiing/ Summary: Engaru Rock Valley runs one chair straight off the back of a roadside station that sits a minute from the expressway. Engaru Rock Valley sits a minute off the Engaru exit of the Asahikawa–Monbetsu Expressway. The second floor of the roadside station Michi-no-Eki Mori no Okhotsk opens straight onto the slope, so you can buy lunch and click in without crossing a car park. One pair lift built in 2019 climbs about 270 m in seven minutes. From the top the view runs over Engaru toward the Sea of Okhotsk. The steepest pitch hits 33°, and the advanced runs carry names like Kokabe and Champion. One course stretches past a kilometre. Lights run from the summit for night sessions until 20:00, Wednesday to Saturday through February, and a day ticket costs ¥3,200. Anyone driving east from Asahikawa toward the Okhotsk coast can stop here for a few laps. Tips: - Night tickets cost ¥1,800. After 16:00 the counter sells only night, 6-ride and single tickets. - Sundays to Tuesdays close at 16:00 with no lights, so plan a night session for Wednesday to Saturday. - There is no terrain park, so leave the park board at home. Q: How big is Engaru Rock Valley? A: Engaru Rock Valley has 6 runs and 1 lifts over 270 m of vertical, from 135 m at the base to 405 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 6.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Engaru Rock Valley? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Engaru Rock Valley is about 30.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.1 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Engaru Rock Valley? A: An adult day ticket at Engaru Rock Valley costs ¥3,200 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Engaru Rock Valley have night riding? A: Yes. Engaru Rock Valley runs night lifts to 20:00 Wednesday–Saturday until 28 February; to 20:00 Wednesday–Friday in March until mid-month. The hill has been lit from the summit since the new lift opened in 2019. Q: When is the season at Engaru Rock Valley? A: Engaru Rock Valley usually opens late December (20 December 2025) and closes early April, weekends only after March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://engaru-mori-no-okhotsk.jp/skiing/ https://engaru-mori-no-okhotsk.jp/uploads/2025/12/4eceb8972b6e0b7288161bcceca429ed.jpg https://engaru-mori-no-okhotsk.jp/uploads/2026/05/040a432b399b0869e58c1abb2cbfb067.pdf https://engaru-mori-no-okhotsk.jp/uploads/2022/11/b7e9c02e2fa0620c8819f49974fb22d0-1024x953.jpg https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31710/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/engaru-rock-valley/ ### Furano Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/furano Numbers: 839 m vertical, top 1074 m, base 235 m, 28 runs, 11 lifts, 31.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 富良野スキー場 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Address: Nakagoryo, Furano, Hokkaido 076-8511 Coordinates: 43.32330, 142.35410 Season: Late November for the Furano Zone (29 November in 2025); late December for the Kitanomine Zone to Early May for the Furano Zone (6 May in 2026); late March for the Kitanomine Zone (22 March in 2026) Best snow: January to mid-February Hours: 08:30–sunset in the regular season; 09:00–16:00 in spring Night riding: 16:00–18:00 weekdays; 16:00–19:30 weekends, holidays and 28 December–5 January Day ticket: ¥8,000 adult Passes: Ikon Terrain: 40% / 40% / 20% Operator: Prince Hotels (Prince Snow Resorts) Website: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ Summary: Two linked zones above Furano give you 839 m of fall line in cold, dry inland snow, plus five patrol-managed exits into the forest. Furano sits in the middle of Hokkaido far from either coast, so the storms that make it this far have wrung out most of their moisture and the snow lands cold and light. Locals call it fuwa-fuwa yuki (fluffy snow), and it hardly compacts under your boots. A 101-person ropeway hauls you up the Furano Zone from the New Furano Prince Hotel. Over on the town side, Kitanomine's six-seat gondola runs almost 3 km up from the old ski village, and the H1 run and a connector chair tie the two halves together near the top. Kitanomine closes in late March, and the ropeway side keeps running on spring snow into early May. The trail map labels every run with a letter and a number, so A3 and K2 are the names you'll know by lunch. A3 drops 1,770 m down the far side of the Furano Zone at up to 30 degrees and holds soft bumps long after the groomers have set up. K2 on Kitanomine is short, and its ungroomed moguls tip to 34 degrees. Patrol opens the Premium Zone next door only when the snowpack allows, and on those days its 830 m of ungroomed fall line is the best powder inside the ropes. Furano kept its boundary shut for years before it began letting riders out through designated exits, and the rules have tightened again since. In fiscal 2024 the number of people who got into trouble in the forest beside the resort jumped from 3 to 23, and for 2025/26 the resort closed some exits and printed five access points on the map. Each time you head out you hand the resort's climbing-plan form to the nearest patrol hut, then unclip and walk through so nobody follows your track. Patrol can hold your ticket if you skip a step. A drone pad on the roof of the ropeway summit station now helps them find lost parties. Night laps run until 18:00 on weekdays and 19:30 on weekends from mid-December. Furano town is about 7 km from the Furano Zone base and holds most of the restaurants, and a taxi between the two costs around ¥1,600. If you'd rather walk to dinner, stay in Kitanomine, where pensions and izakaya sit a few minutes from the gondola. Tips: - Fill in a fresh climbing-plan form for every outing and drop it at the patrol hut nearest the access point you plan to use. - Ride A3 first on a storm morning; the far side of the Furano Zone keeps soft bumps well into the afternoon. - The Kitanomine Gondola has no beginner way down from the top, so new riders should start on the Furano side. - Kitanomine shuts in late March, and spring riding after that happens off the Furano Ropeway until early May. - Kids of elementary age and younger ride free, though they still need a ticket from the counter. - Book First Tracks by 17:00 a week ahead; the session meets at the ropeway base at 6:00 and drops in at 6:30. - A Seibu Prince Global Rewards membership takes ¥1,400 off a regular-season day ticket. Q: How big is Furano? A: Furano has 28 runs and 11 lifts over 839 m of vertical, from 235 m at the base to 1,074 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 31.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Furano? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Furano is about 31.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Furano? A: At Furano: Five designated access points lead out of the ski area, and every outing needs the resort's own climbing-plan form handed to the nearest patrol hut first. The resort closed some exits for 2025/26 after the count of people needing help in the forest beside it jumped from 3 to 23 in fiscal 2024. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Furano? A: An adult day ticket at Furano costs ¥8,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥6,500 early or late in the season. Ikon holders ride here too. Q: Does Furano have night riding? A: Yes. Furano runs night lifts 16:00–18:00 weekdays; 16:00–19:30 weekends, holidays and 28 December–5 January. Night runs open on the Furano Zone from mid-December and on Kitanomine from late December, through 21 March in 2025/26. Night ticket ¥2,900 weekdays and ¥3,600 weekends and holidays. Q: How do you get to Furano from New Chitose Airport? A: Furano is about 2 hr by expressway (tolls under ¥2,000) by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Seasonal Hokkaido Resort Liner coach from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Furano? A: Furano usually opens late November for the Furano Zone (29 November in 2025); late December for the Kitanomine Zone and closes early May for the Furano Zone (6 May in 2026); late March for the Kitanomine Zone (22 March in 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to mid-February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/winter/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/winter/coursemap/ https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=496649 https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/ https://www.mountainwatch.com/Snow-news/mountainwatch-guide-to-furano https://www.characrosstheworld.com/furano-ski-resort-guide/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/furano/ https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/furano/ https://scoutski.com/furano-ski-resort ### Fu's Snow Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/fus-snow-area Numbers: 300 m vertical, top 563 m, base 260 m, 6 runs, 3 lifts, 3.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥3,300 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: フッズスノーエリア (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Address: 473-1 Fujino, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 061-2271 Coordinates: 42.95460, 141.27650 Season: mid-December to late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–21:00 (15:00 on 31 December and 1 January) Night riding: 16:00–21:00 Day ticket: ¥3,300 adult Terrain: 30% / 40% / 30% Operator: Sapporo Resort Development Public Corporation (札幌リゾート開発公社), designated manager for the City of Sapporo Website: https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/en/winter Summary: Fu's charges ¥3,300 for a day on the road to Jozankei, and its Dynamic course averages 28 degrees for 1,200 metres. Fu's sits in Fujino on Route 230, about half an hour from central Sapporo on the way to Jozankei. It opened in 1963 as Fujino Healthland Kokusai and took the Fu's name in 2001. The City of Sapporo owns it, and the company that runs Sapporo Kokusai manages it. Dynamic is the run worth the drive. It drops 200 metres over 1,200 metres of fall line and never eases below 25 degrees. The steepest pitch reaches 38. Panorama next to it stays between 22 and 28. Everything else is friendly, and a day costs ¥3,300 before the lifts carry on under lights until 21:00 for another ¥1,700. The luge track on the same hill was built in 1970 as the backup course for the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, and the public can ride it in January and February. The Core House restaurant lists its extra-large curry and braised-pork shoyu ramen among the favourites. Tips: - Buy online for ¥100 off the day and night tickets. - The day ticket stops at 16:00. Buy a separate night ticket if you plan to stay on. - A weekend and holiday shuttle ran from Makomanai subway station from late December to late March in 2025/26. - Parking is free for about 300 cars. - Ride Dynamic early while the corduroy holds. At a 28-degree average it scrapes off fast. Q: How big is Fu's Snow Area? A: Fu's Snow Area has 6 runs and 3 lifts over 300 m of vertical, from 260 m at the base to 563 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Fu's Snow Area? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Fu's Snow Area is about 27.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.9 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Fu's Snow Area? A: An adult day ticket at Fu's Snow Area costs ¥3,300 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Fu's Snow Area have night riding? A: Yes. Fu's Snow Area runs night lifts 16:00–21:00. The night ticket starts at 16:00 and the last lift goes at 20:45. 2025/26 night ticket ¥1,700 (¥1,600 online). How much of the hill is lit is not published. Q: When is the season at Fu's Snow Area? A: Fu's Snow Area usually opens mid-December and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/fee https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/trailmaps https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/access https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/fus/wp-content/themes/fus/pdf/FUS2026_ja.pdf https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/en/winter https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/archives/news/19310 https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/efforts https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/fus/wp-content/themes/fus/img/winter/trail/map3_2026.jpg https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/フッズスノーエリア https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31412/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/fujino-healthland-kokusai/ https://www.sapporo.travel/find/sports/fus_snow_area/ https://www.gutabi.jp/event/detail/3389 ### Hakodate Nanae Snowpark URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/hakodate-nanae Numbers: 745 m vertical, top 943 m, base 198 m, 8 runs, 3 lifts, 14.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 23.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,800 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 函館七飯スノーパーク (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Hakodate Address: 666 Higashi-Onuma, Nanae-cho, Kameda-gun, Hokkaido 041-1351 Coordinates: 41.98640, 140.74690 Season: mid-December to late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–17:00 Night riding: 17:00–21:00 Day ticket: ¥5,800 adult Passes: Suzuki G-Pass Terrain: 60% / 20% / 20% Operator: Suzuki Shokai (株式会社鈴木商会) Website: https://hakodate-nanae.jp/ Summary: Hakodate's ski hill rides a 3.3-kilometre gondola to 943 metres, where Komagatake fills the view across Lake Onuma. Hakodate Nanae sits on the slopes east of Lake Onuma, about fifty minutes north of Hakodate. A six-seat gondola climbs 3,319 metres to the top at 943 metres. From there Hokkaido Komagatake stands across the lake with its broken volcanic crown. The Seibu group opened the area in 1984, and the 1996 eruption of Komagatake closed it for a while. Suzuki Shokai has run it since the late 2000s as one of six ski areas across Hokkaido and Tohoku. Most of the terrain is gentle. Shirakaba winds about four kilometres from the top, and the steepest pitch on the mountain reaches 29 degrees on Todomatsu. Strong riders will be done with the groomers by lunch. Come for the gondola and the empty runs. On Fridays to Sundays the lights stay on until 21:00. In 2025/26 a free shuttle met trains at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, where the Hokkaido Shinkansen ends, and at Onuma-Koen station. You can step off the train and be riding within the hour. The official website went offline after unauthorised access, and a new site is due in early December 2026. Komagatake went back to volcanic alert Level 2 on 2 October 2026. The warning covers about 4 km around the crater, and the ski area sits roughly 10 km away. Tips: - Ride the gondola on a clear morning. The view of Komagatake over Lake Onuma is the reason to come. - Buy the 1DAY Free Pass if you plan to stay for the lights on a Friday to Sunday. - Primary-school children and younger ride free. - Parking is free for about 2,000 cars, and Onuma-Koen IC is 15–20 min away. - PEAK CAFE at the top of the gondola runs year-round. Q: How big is Hakodate Nanae Snowpark? A: Hakodate Nanae Snowpark has 8 runs and 3 lifts over 745 m of vertical, from 198 m at the base to 943 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 14.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hakodate Nanae Snowpark? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hakodate Nanae Snowpark is about 23.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hakodate Nanae Snowpark? A: At Hakodate Nanae Snowpark: The pass terms ban entry to closed and out-of-bounds areas, and the resort publishes no off-piste or backcountry access. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hakodate Nanae Snowpark? A: An adult day ticket at Hakodate Nanae Snowpark costs ¥5,800 in the 2025/26 main season. Suzuki G-Pass holders ride here too. Q: Does Hakodate Nanae Snowpark have night riding? A: Yes. Hakodate Nanae Snowpark runs night lifts 17:00–21:00. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 27 December 2025 to 1 March 2026, except 31 December and 1 January. Night ticket ¥3,500 in 2025/26. Q: When is the season at Hakodate Nanae Snowpark? A: Hakodate Nanae Snowpark usually opens mid-December and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hakodate-nanae.jp/winter/ https://hakodate-nanae.jp/pdf/terms_2026_2027.pdf https://hakodate-nanae.jp/pdf/form_2026_2027_nne.pdf https://hakodate-nanae.jp/gondola/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/32301/ https://www.gutabi.jp/event/detail/3689 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/函館七飯スノーパーク https://www.tour.ne.jp/j_special/ski/161/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/VK20261004160000_113.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/VJ20261002073000_113.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/北海道駒ヶ岳 ### Iwanai Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/iwanai Numbers: 690 m vertical, top 1085 m, base 210 m, 3 runs, 1 lifts, 2.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 20.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥200,000 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: いわないリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Iwanai Address: 350 Aza-Notsuka, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai-gun, Hokkaido 045-0024 Coordinates: 42.94710, 140.51480 Season: late December (28 Dec 2025 for the lift area; cat season from about 20 Dec) to mid March (15 Mar 2026) Best snow: mid January through February Hours: Lift area 09:00–15:30; cat guests are collected 07:00–07:30 and dropped back about 16:30 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥200,000 adult Operator: YukiKamui Co., Ltd. Website: https://iwanairesort.com/ Summary: Iwanai Resort runs snowcats on a coastal volcano west of Niseko, and its bowls and glades hold 30 to 40 degrees above the Sea of Japan. Iwanai had seven lifts in the bubble years. By the time the town took it over in the early 2000s only one still turned, and YukiKamui bought the lodge and grounds in spring 2017 to build a cat operation on Mt Iwanai. The terrain is steep for cat skiing. The cats work open bowls and the glades along the old ski runs at 30 to 40 degrees, and a good day adds up to around 5,000 m of vertical over seven to nine runs. The longest drops 690 m from top to bottom. Each cat carries a lead guide and a tail guide besides the driver, and the operator takes advanced riders only because the traverses wear snowboarders down. The single chairlift still runs for the public, and a day on its three groomed runs costs ¥3,000. Touring parties sign in at the lodge before climbing Iwanai-dake by the route that leaves from the resort. Raiden Resort & Spa on the coast nearby pairs with Iwanai Resort for riders who want to stay out this way. Tips: - Snowboarders should bring poles or a splitboard for the traverses. - Free shuttles leave Kutchan, Hanazono, Hirafu and Niseko Village between 07:00 and 07:30. - Book early. Cancellations inside 14 days get no refund. - Iwanai Kogen Hotel is a separate business nearby and does not run the cats. Q: How big is Iwanai? A: Iwanai has 3 runs and 1 lifts over 690 m of vertical, from 210 m at the base to 1,085 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Iwanai? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Iwanai is about 20.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Iwanai? A: Tourers climbing Iwanai-dake sign in at the lodge with photo ID, a phone number and their car's plate, and the main northern bowl belongs to the cats. Iwanai town has asked the resort to lead search and rescue on this side of the mountain. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Iwanai? A: An adult day ticket at Iwanai costs ¥200,000 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Iwanai have night riding? A: No. Iwanai closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Iwanai? A: Iwanai usually opens late December (28 Dec 2025 for the lift area; cat season from about 20 Dec) and closes mid March (15 Mar 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January through February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://iwanairesort.com/ https://iwanairesort.com/en/home/catski-niseko https://iwanairesort.com/en/cat-ski-niseko-japan https://iwanairesort.com/en/catski-package https://iwanairesort.com/en/terrain-niseko https://iwanairesort.com/en/faq- https://iwanairesort.com/en/lift/iwanai https://iwanairesort.com/en/private-cat-niseko https://iwanairesort.com/en/terms-and-conditions-snowcat https://iwanairesort.com/en/get-here-31iwanairesort https://iwanairesort.com/en/contact-us https://iwanairesort.com/jp/mountain-rules/iwanairesort-1 https://iwanairesort.com/jp/hutte https://weathernews.jp/s/ski/spot/31614/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/iwanai-dake https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/iwanai-dake-ne-ridge https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/岩内岳_(岩内町) https://iwanai-h.com/ https://www.raidenresort.com/ https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Kamui Ski Links URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/kamui-ski-links Numbers: 601 m vertical, top 751 m, base 150 m, 26 runs, 6 lifts, 25.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,300 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: カムイスキーリンクス (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Asahikawa Address: 112 Nishioka, Kamui-cho, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 074-1181 Coordinates: 43.70470, 142.18700 Season: Mid-December (13 December in 2025) to Late March (31 March in 2026) Best snow: Late December to early February Hours: 09:00–17:00 daily in season; Lift 5 stops at 15:00 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥5,300 adult Passes: Hokkaido Powder Belt Terrain: 35% / 30% / 35% Operator: Taisetsu Kamui Mintara DMO Website: https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/en/ Summary: Asahikawa's ski hill catches some of the coldest, driest snow in Hokkaido and leaves about a third of its 26 courses ungroomed for powder and trees. Kamui sits in the hills about 30 minutes west of central Asahikawa. January highs in the city average around minus 3 and the nights fall to about minus 12, and snow that settles in that cold stays so dry you can't press it into a snowball. The gondola climbs 2,327 m from the Center House to the 751 m summit, where Trattoria Monte751 serves pizza and pasta at lunch. Five double chairs spread out below. Gold is the signature cruiser and runs up to 150 m wide, and the far side of the hill under Lift 5 is where the pitch gets serious: Dynamic is groomed and tips to 35 degrees, and Deep Powder beside it is left alone. The tree courses are what bring strong riders here on a storm day. Treerun and Bumps drop off gates beside the Rindo logging road, and Todomatsu has its own gate on Renraku. Royal Powder is easier to find because it runs through the woods right next to the gondola at up to 35 degrees. Expect fallen logs and sudden steps under the snow in all of them. Everything outside the boundary is off limits. A day here costs ¥5,300, about two-thirds of the walk-up rate at Furano. Dohoku Bus route 455 runs from Asahikawa Station in about 40 minutes for ¥1,000, and Sapporo is roughly 90 minutes away by car. Order the Asahikawa shoyu ramen in the Center House at lunch, and watch the clock on the far side because Lift 5 shuts at 15:00. Tips: - Lift 5 stops at 15:00, and Renraku from its base can't take you back to the gondola, so finish your Dynamic laps early. - Ride the gondola and look down into Royal Powder on the way up to judge the snow in the trees. - Asahikawa shoyu ramen at Sanroku in the Center House costs ¥1,000 and comes out fast. - Dohoku Bus 455 (Kaisoku Santa Links) runs from Asahikawa Station and also from Asahikawa Airport. - Keep the IC card after your last run and feed it back to the machine for your ¥500 deposit. Q: How big is Kamui? A: Kamui has 26 runs and 6 lifts over 601 m of vertical, from 150 m at the base to 751 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 25.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kamui? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kamui is about 31.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 6.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kamui? A: At Kamui: Riding outside the ski area boundary is prohibited. The tree and powder courses inside the boundary are entered through expert-only gates and open when the snow allows. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kamui? A: An adult day ticket at Kamui costs ¥5,300 in the 2026/27 main season. Hokkaido Powder Belt holders ride here too. Q: Does Kamui have night riding? A: No. Kamui closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Kamui from Sapporo? A: Kamui is about 90 min via the Do-o Expressway to Fukagawa IC, then Route 12 by car from Sapporo. By bus: Hokkaido Access Network highway bus, no transfer. Q: When is the season at Kamui? A: Kamui usually opens mid-December (13 December in 2025) and closes late March (31 March in 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes late December to early February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/ https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/ https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/today/ https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/wp/wp-content/themes/Circles/images/course-image2024.webp https://livejapan.com/ja/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-asahikawa/article-a1000346/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/kamui-ski-links/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Kiroro Snow World URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/kiroro Numbers: 660 m vertical, top 1180 m, base 520 m, 23 runs, 9 lifts, 25.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 34.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,800 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: キロロスノーワールド (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Akaigawa Address: 128-1 Aza-Tokiwa, Akaigawa-mura, Yoichi-gun, Hokkaido 046-0593 Coordinates: 43.07580, 140.98220 Season: late November to early May Best snow: mid January to late February Hours: 09:00–15:30 (16:00 from mid-February); Gateway Express from 08:30. In 2025/26 the gondola itself ran 09:00–15:00, to 15:30 from 14 February Night riding: 16:00–19:00 Day ticket: ¥8,800 adult Passes: Indy Pass, Powder Alliance Snowfall: 21.0 m a season (summit; 12–16 m at the base in 2014–19) Terrain: 14% / 44% / 42% Operator: Kiroro Resort (lifts and hotels owned by Fosun Group, parent of Club Med, since 2021) Website: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/ Summary: Kiroro collects some of the heaviest snowfall in Hokkaido in a basin above Akaigawa, and its 3.3-kilometre gondola feeds long groomers and signed tree-run areas. Kiroro sits in a high basin on the western side of Asari-dake, about forty minutes inland from Otaru by road. Yamaha opened it in 1991 and added the 3.3-kilometre gondola the following winter. The basin catches north-westerly storms coming off the Sea of Japan and wrings them out. Kiroro quotes an annual average of 21 metres measured near the top, and in a cold January week the groomers can be buried again every morning. The map gives you three tops. Asari Peak stands highest at 1,180 metres and holds the best terrain. The gondola reaches it in one long ride while the Asari No.2 Lift laps the steep upper face. From the top, Asari Dynamic winds 4,050 metres to the base. Expert A and B are left ungroomed and peak at close to 35 degrees, and Asari 2-C pitches to nearly 37. The map marks a Freeride World Qualifier venue on the slope beside it. Across the basin, Nagamine Peak reaches 1,090 metres and Nagamine 2-A holds the steepest average pitch on the map over its one-kilometre length. Yoichi Peak tops out at 900 metres above the Yoichi lifts. Yoichi-dake is a different mountain entirely; it rises to 1,488 metres south of the resort and you get there on skins. Off-piste inside the boundary happens in signed tree-run areas. In 2025/26 there were four of them: Powder Ridge and Orange Light off the top of Asari, Flashman in the Yoichi area and Barcode on Nagamine. They open from 09:00 to 14:30. Install the yukiyama app before you duck in; patrol uses it to locate riders who need help, and any rescue inside a tree area is billed to you. In recent seasons Kiroro has shut the gondola and the top lifts in moderate wind. Flashman sits off the Yoichi No.1 Express, which can keep running at reduced speed when the gondola stops. A Thai developer called Property Perfect bought Kiroro in 2012. In 2021 it sold the hotels and lifts to Fosun Group, which owns Club Med, and both hotels now fly the Club Med flag. Kiroro Peak sits at the foot of the main lifts for adults and teens and joined Club Med's Exclusive Collection in winter 2025. Families go to Kiroro Grand, which runs Club Med's kids' club. The Yu Kiroro condominiums connect to the slopes by the Gateway Express. For lunch, Brasserie Akaigawa at the gondola base does ramen and curry. Evenings stay quiet up here, and Otaru's sushi counters are forty minutes down the road. Tips: - On a wind-hold day, ride Flashman off the Yoichi No.1 Express. It is the tree area most likely to stay reachable when the gondola stops. - The Kiroro Powder Express bus from Sapporo includes First Track gondola boarding from 08:45, fifteen minutes before the public. - Keep your KIROCA card for your next visit or hand it back at day's end for the ¥500 deposit. - Yoichi Peak (900 m) on the trail map and Yoichi-dake (1,488 m) are different places. Only the second needs a touring setup and a climbing plan. - Tree-run areas shut at 14:30. The lifts keep turning for at least another hour. - Cafe Crest on top of the Nagamine No.1 Express pours proper coffee. - No taxis wait at the resort. A cab from Otaru costs from ¥12,000 one way, so book your return before you go up. Q: How big is Kiroro? A: Kiroro has 23 runs and 9 lifts over 660 m of vertical, from 520 m at the base to 1,180 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 25.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Kiroro? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Kiroro is about 34.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kiroro? A: At Kiroro: Inside the boundary, off-piste riding is limited to signed tree-run areas open 09:00–14:30. To go past the boundary you leave through a designated gate after filing a climbing plan with Hokkaido Police. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kiroro? A: An adult day ticket at Kiroro costs ¥8,800 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,500 early or late in the season. Indy Pass and Powder Alliance holders ride here too. Q: Does Kiroro have night riding? A: Yes. Kiroro runs night lifts 16:00–19:00. High season only (13 Dec 2025 – 5 Apr 2026) and not every night, so check the calendar. The Center Express runs until 19:00 and the map marks night courses in the Center area. Night pass ¥3,000 in 2026/27. Q: How do you get to Kiroro from New Chitose Airport? A: Kiroro is about 1 hr 45 min via the Hokkaido Expressway, Sasson Expressway (Asari IC) and Route 393 by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Kiroro? A: Kiroro usually opens late November and closes early May. The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/lift_price/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/operating_hours/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/dashboard/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/guide_map/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/map_260730_en-002.jpg https://www.kiroro.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/743f0de36e348ec89f2e1a3b698c6bd4.jpg https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/snowworld/ https://www.city.otaru.lg.jp/docs/2020100700219/file_contents/R7ski-ichiran.pdf https://livejapan.com/ja/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-sapporo_chitose/article-a1000334/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31609/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/kiroro/ https://www.powderlife.com/blog/club-med-owner-buys-niseko-neighbor-kiroro-ski-resort/ https://skiasia.com/news/hokkaido-snowiest-ski-resort-gets-luxe-upgrade-and-new-terrain/ https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/why-kiroro-is-probably-the-best-destination-ski-resort-in-asia-for-a-day-trip/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kiroro-1107m-992m-peaks https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/hokkaido-back-country-skiing-mt-yoichi-akai-kawa-route https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/キロロリゾート https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Kiroro/Ski-Resort.aspx ### TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/kita-taisetsu-cat-ski Numbers: adult day ¥85,000 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 北大雪スキー場 TENGU CAT-SKI (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Address: Shirataki Tengudaira, Engaru-cho, Monbetsu-gun, Hokkaido Coordinates: 43.83890, 143.08530 Season: January to March Best snow: January to February Hours: Full-day guided tours Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥85,000 adult Operator: TENGU CAT-SKI GUIDES (organised by NPO Engaru Geo Club) Website: https://www.tengucat.jp/ Summary: A snowcat carries small guided groups over an abandoned championship ski area above Shirataki. Kita-Taisetsu opened in 1979 on the northeast slope of Ko-Tengu above Shirataki, and in 1992 it hosted the national downhill and super-G championships. The lifts have stood still since the 2009/10 season. Since 2010/11 the old runs and the bowls around them have belonged to a snowcat. TENGU Cat-Ski Guides runs the show with one guide for every five guests. A public day costs ¥85,000 and usually adds up to six or seven runs and about 4,500 m of descent, mostly in open bowls. The two-day trip works more tree riding into the mix for groups who can handle it. The terrain holds no extreme steeps or big gullies, and the appeal lies in long fall lines of cold, untracked snow. Temperatures drop below −20°C and the operator rents nothing, so arrive kitted out. The area sits next to the Oku-Shirataki interchange on the Asahikawa–Monbetsu Expressway. Public tour dates for 2027 go up on the website, and private days for January to March are booked by email. Tips: - Book direct through the website form. Repeat guests and second trips in the same season each earn 5% off. - The cat does not wait for late arrivals, and missed runs are not refunded. - Pack your warmest layers. Clothing is not available to rent. Q: Can you ride off-piste at TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu? A: At TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu: The former ski area is closed to independent entry from 1 December to 30 April. Riding happens only on guided cat tours. Q: How much is a lift ticket at TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu? A: An adult day ticket at TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu costs ¥85,000 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu have night riding? A: No. TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu? A: TENGU Cat-Ski at Kita-Taisetsu usually opens january and closes march. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.tengucat.jp/detail.html https://www.tengucat.jp/outline.html https://www.tengucat.jp/schedule.html https://www.tengucat.jp/reservation.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/北大雪スキー場 ### Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/kurodake Numbers: 220 m vertical, top 1520 m, base 1300 m, 4 runs, 2 lifts, 1.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 21.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,200 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 大雪山層雲峡・黒岳ロープウェイ (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Sounkyo Address: Sounkyo, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido Coordinates: 43.72400, 142.94700 Season: Early December (planned for 1 December 2026) to Early May (planned for 5 May) Best snow: January to February for powder; April for spring snow Hours: Ski area 09:00–15:20; ropeway 08:00–16:00, last uphill car 40 minutes before closing Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥5,200 adult Terrain: 56% / 44% / 0% Operator: Rinyu Kanko Website: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ Summary: A ropeway and one double chair lift you out of Sounkyo gorge to 1,520 m on Kurodake, where a small ski area ends at a single gate onto serious alpine terrain. Sounkyo is a gorge town of large onsen hotels under sheer rock walls, and the Kurodake Ropeway leaves from the middle of it. Seven minutes takes you from 670 m to the 5th Station at 1,300 m, close to treeline. A short walk brings you to a double chair that climbs 1,100 m of cable to the 7th Station at 1,520 m on the shoulder of Kurodake. The ski area itself is a gentle ridge with a steep start. Slalom drops from the top as a short red, then the slope splits into the Seppi course along the cornice and two greens through the trees and under the lift. Strong riders treat it as the approach. The operator's own map rings the marked runs with cliff symbols and danger triangles. The Kurodake Gate opens onto a 1,984 m peak on the northern rim of the Daisetsuzan plateau. Hokkaido Wilds describes the northeast ridge and the main face as serious backcountry terrain with good snow down from about 1,750 m and hard windpack above it. Kurodake-sawa beside it runs through gorges and unmarked cliffs. Whiteroom Tours guides it only on request with a second guide, and from 2026/27 the operator sells the ropeway as a single round trip to stop people lapping the slope beneath it. Sign in at the 5th Station before you go, or download the Mountain Entry Consent from the Rinyu site and hand it in at the ticket window. Kurodake-no-yu in the village has rooftop outdoor baths a short walk from the ropeway. Sounkyo is about 65 km east of Asahikawa by expressway to the Kamikawa-Sounkyo interchange, and winter buses stop five minutes downhill from the ropeway. Tips: - Download the Mountain Entry Consent from the Rinyu website and hand it in at the ropeway ticket window to skip the paperwork at the 5th Station. - From 2026/27 the day pass covers one ropeway round trip, so plan to finish the day back at Kurodake Station. - Bring your own touring kit; rental gear is banned beyond the boundary and staff will take it off you. - Carry ski crampons for the windpack above about 1,750 m on the summit ridge. - The lift runs only for people carrying skis or a board in winter, and nobody rides it downhill. Q: How big is Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway? A: Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway has 4 runs and 2 lifts over 220 m of vertical, from 1,300 m at the base to 1,520 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 1.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway is about 21.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway? A: At Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway: Anyone heading beyond the boundary signs the forest entry register and a Mountain Entry Consent form at the 5th Station building, then leaves through the Kurodake Gate at the top of the lift. The operator does not rescue anyone outside the controlled area. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway? A: An adult day ticket at Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway costs ¥5,200 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway have night riding? A: No. Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway? A: Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway usually opens early December (planned for 1 December 2026) and closes early May (planned for 5 May). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February for powder; April for spring snow. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/ https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/map-2025.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/caution.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/mountain-entry-permission-en.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/precautions-06.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/information/02/p0070.htm https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/information/02/p0053.htm https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kurodake-backcountry-skiing https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/daisetsuzan-kurodake-sounkyo/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Memuro URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/memuro Numbers: 151 m vertical, top 316 m, base 165 m, 2 lifts, 3.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 25.1° over 60 m Type: Resort Local name: メムロスキー場 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 42.83123, 142.98494 Q: How steep is Memuro? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Memuro is about 25.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.4 km of the mapped total. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/934301491 ### Yubari Mount Racey URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/mount-racey Numbers: 404 m vertical, top 702 m, base 298 m, 18 runs, 5 lifts, 13.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: マウントレースイ (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Yubari Address: 2-4 Suehiro, Yubari, Hokkaido 068-0411 Coordinates: 43.05080, 141.96960 Season: early December to late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:00 (gondola 09:00–15:30 when running) Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥6,000 adult Passes: Hokkaido Ski Season Net Terrain: 20% / 40% / 40% Operator: Yubari Resort Operation Co. (夕張リゾートオペレーション株式会社), leasing from Yubari Resort Holdings Website: https://yubari-resort.co.jp/ Summary: Yubari's old coal-town ski hill holds 45-degree ungroomed pitches and very few people, and in 2025/26 it ran without its gondola all winter. Mount Racey opened in 1972 on land the Yubari coal mines left behind. The city bought it in 2002 and went bankrupt five years later. Kamori Kanko ran it for a decade before a Chinese developer bought it in 2017, and a Hong Kong company took it over in 2019 and renamed the holding company Yubari Resort. Operations stopped in December 2020. A new operating company reopened the hill a year later. The 2025/26 season was rough. A brake and grip fault in March 2025 sent all 76 gondola cabins away for factory overhaul, so the gondola stayed shut all winter and the summit Sky Station stayed closed. Then two quad chairs broke down in early January. By 21 January the Swingers 2 double was the last lift turning, and it served eight runs. The season ended on 29 March with an apology for the repeated faults. The operator says it aims to have the gondola back in December 2026. As of October nothing had been announced for the 2026/27 season. The terrain is steep when the lifts all run. Raccoon Line drops off Reisui-yama at 45 degrees and Carving Line at 43, and the resort leaves both ungroomed. Deer Line and Thrilling Line run through the trees, and the map lets you ride the orange off-course zones at your own risk. New Chitose is 50 to 60 minutes away by car. Hotel Mount Racey is due to reopen under the TUI Hotels & Resorts brand in November 2026. Tips: - Check the official news page before you drive out. Lift status changed week to week in 2025/26. - Hokkaido residents pay ¥4,800 for a day instead of ¥6,000, so bring ID. - The free airport shuttle was suspended in 2025/26. Plan to drive. - Restaurant Tanpopo in the Center House takes cash only and serves lunch 11:00–14:00. - With the gondola down, the upper runs were groomed for hike-up access. Bring skins or a split if you want the top. Q: How big is Yubari Mount Racey? A: Yubari Mount Racey has 18 runs and 5 lifts over 404 m of vertical, from 298 m at the base to 702 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 13.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Yubari Mount Racey? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Yubari Mount Racey is about 32.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 4.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Yubari Mount Racey? A: At Yubari Mount Racey: Zones marked orange on the trail map lie inside the boundary away from the courses; you ride them at your own risk and the resort accepts no liability. Purple zones lie outside the boundary and the resort will not rescue you there. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Yubari Mount Racey? A: An adult day ticket at Yubari Mount Racey costs ¥6,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Hokkaido Ski Season Net holders ride here too. Q: Does Yubari Mount Racey have night riding? A: No. Yubari Mount Racey closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Yubari Mount Racey from New Chitose Airport? A: Yubari Mount Racey is 50–60 min by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Yubari Mount Racey? A: Yubari Mount Racey usually opens early December and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://yubari-resort.co.jp/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/news_post/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/2025_2026_gdr_suspended/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/close_2025_2026/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/company/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/mt_racey_overview/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/price/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/gm_c_guide/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/access/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/facility/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/qa/ https://yubari-resort.co.jp/inquiry/ https://pre-pub.yubari-resort.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/racey_ski_slope_map_2025-scaled.jpg https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31608/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/マウントレースイスキー場 https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1248465/ ### Nayoro Piyashiri Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/nayoro-piyashiri Numbers: 480 m vertical, top 673 m, base 193 m, 13 runs, 3 lifts, 8.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 28.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥4,300 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 名寄ピヤシリスキー場 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Nayoro Address: Nisshin, Nayoro, Hokkaido 096-0066 Coordinates: 44.37000, 142.45670 Season: Mid-December (11 December in 2025 and 2026) to Late March (22 March in 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:30 Night riding: 16:30–20:30 Day ticket: ¥4,300 adult Terrain: 50% / 20% / 30% Operator: Nayoro Shinko Kosha Website: https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/ Summary: Nayoro's town hill sits in one of the coldest basins in Hokkaido and opens about 1,400 m of tree runs to riders who sign in for an armband. Nayoro calls itself the town with the best snow in Japan, and the claim rests on cold. Winter nights here can fall below minus 30, and the powder that settles on Piyashiri's western foot is about as dry as Hokkaido gets. From Asahikawa it's about two hours' drive north. The reason to make the drive is the tree-run areas. Four zones open inside the boundary, and the longest gives you about 1,400 m of uninterrupted forest down to the Eastern course. You sign in at the admin building and wear an armband and a helmet, and the band goes back by 15:30. Patrol won't sweep the trees at closing, so bring a partner. Nayoro Onsen Sunpillar sits beside the base and reopened in 2022 with a new bath and sauna. The hill also runs night sessions on Thursdays and Fridays in midwinter, and anyone of junior high age or younger rides free. Tips: - Register for the tree areas as soon as you arrive; they close at 15:00 and the armband is due back by 15:30. - Buy the web day ticket for ¥3,800 instead of paying ¥4,300 at the window. - The onsen pack adds a bath at Sunpillar for ¥300 more than a day ticket. - Night riding happens only on Thursdays and Fridays, so check the calendar before you plan an evening. Q: How big is Nayoro Piyashiri? A: Nayoro Piyashiri has 13 runs and 3 lifts over 480 m of vertical, from 193 m at the base to 673 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 8.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Nayoro Piyashiri? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Nayoro Piyashiri is about 28.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Nayoro Piyashiri? A: At Nayoro Piyashiri: The tree-run areas inside the boundary need an entry at the admin building, where you sign in and collect an armband to wear while you ride them. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Nayoro Piyashiri? A: An adult day ticket at Nayoro Piyashiri costs ¥4,300 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Nayoro Piyashiri have night riding? A: Yes. Nayoro Piyashiri runs night lifts 16:30–20:30. Thursdays and Fridays only, 17 December to 26 February in 2025/26; no night session on 31 December or 1 January. Night ticket ¥1,300. Q: How do you get to Nayoro Piyashiri from Sapporo? A: Nayoro Piyashiri is about 3 hr by car from Sapporo. Q: When is the season at Nayoro Piyashiri? A: Nayoro Piyashiri usually opens mid-December (11 December in 2025 and 2026) and closes late March (22 March in 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/ https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/season/ https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/news/527/ https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/news/916/ https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ピヤシリスキー場ツリーランエリア利用規則.pdf https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/名寄ピヤシリスキー場 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/nayoro-piyashiri/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-piyashiri-summit-hut-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan ### Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-annupuri Numbers: 756 m vertical, top 1156 m, base 400 m, 13 runs, 6 lifts, 10.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 30.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコアンヌプリ国際スキー場 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Address: 485 Niseko, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1511 Coordinates: 42.84760, 140.64800 Season: late November (Niseko United opened on 4 Dec 2025 after a slow start) to early May (6 May 2026) Best snow: late December to late February Hours: 08:30–16:00 in early season, 08:30–16:30 in spring and 09:00–16:00 in the final weeks; lifts run on into the night session in the regular season Night riding: 16:30–19:30 Day ticket: ¥7,000 adult Passes: Ikon, Mountain Collective Terrain: 23% / 46% / 31% Operator: Chuo Bus Niseko Kanko Kaihatsu (Hokkaido Chuo Bus group) Website: https://www.annupuri.info/en/ Summary: Annupuri sells the cheapest single-resort ticket in Niseko United and opens four gates into the Osawa valley above wide groomers that look across at Yotei. Annupuri feels older than the rest of Niseko United. Its six-seat gondola went in during 1985 and the Jumbo quad in 1992, and the ski area itself first opened in 1972. An adult day here cost ¥7,000 at the counter in 2025/26. That was the lowest single-resort price in Niseko United. The groomers are wide and steady. Utopia and Shirakaba roll down the middle of the hill toward a clear view of Yotei, and the lower runs spread out enough for a family to ride side by side. After a storm Champion under Jumbo #3 and #4 turns into an open powder field. Fukayuki-rinkan translates as deep-snow forest run, and it pitches to 34 degrees through the trees above the base. Many locals ride Annupuri for its gates. G1 goes by the name L-ji and was the first gate Niseko ever installed. It sits just below the top of Jumbo #4, and G2 at the top of the same chair leads into the Osawa bowl and the natural half-pipe running down its middle. The Osawa runs come out at Annupuri, so you can climb back on the gondola and go again. When Jumbo #4 is closed G8 at the gondola top still gets you into lower Osawa through the trees, and G7 off the middle of the mountain is the gentle gate for a first look. Night riding runs 16:30–19:30 on four lower runs, and Dynamic is the steepest of them at 33 degrees. Ikoino Yuyado Iroha and Niseko Northern Resort Annupuri both stand at the base with their own onsen, and a soak at either after the lights go off ends the day well. Tips: - If you only plan to ride the west side, the Annupuri + Village ticket (¥10,500 in 2025/26) costs less than the All Mountain pass. - G8 at the top of the gondola stays useful on days when Jumbo #4 is closed. - Leave the G2 summit bootpack for firm spring days and a guide; it takes 30 minutes or more and the top is often icy. - The base has about 80 free parking spaces, so arrive early on a powder weekend. - Annupuri plans to replace its 1985 gondola before 2028/29, lifting uphill capacity from about 1,440 to about 2,800 riders an hour. Q: How big is Niseko Annupuri International? A: Niseko Annupuri International has 13 runs and 6 lifts over 756 m of vertical, from 400 m at the base to 1,156 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Niseko Annupuri International? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Niseko Annupuri International is about 30.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.5 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko Annupuri International? A: Four gates lead out of Annupuri. G1 and G2 at the top of Jumbo #4 open into the Osawa valley and its natural half-pipe. G8 at the gondola top reaches lower Osawa through the trees when Jumbo #4 is shut, and G7 in the middle of the mountain gives intermediates their easiest look at Niseko sidecountry. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko Annupuri International? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko Annupuri International costs ¥7,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,200 early or late in the season. Ikon and Mountain Collective holders ride here too. Q: Does Niseko Annupuri International have night riding? A: Yes. Niseko Annupuri International runs night lifts 16:30–19:30. Family, Paradise, Junior and Dynamic, served by the Jumbo Quad and Dream Quad, through the regular season. Annupuri night ticket ¥3,700 in 2026/27. Q: How do you get to Niseko Annupuri International from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko Annupuri International is about 2 hr (110 km via Route 276 and Bifue Pass) by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Chuo Bus ski bus to Niseko Annupuri, about 3 hr; Hokkaido Resort Liner to Niseko hotels, ¥6,000 in 2025/26. Q: When is the season at Niseko Annupuri International? A: Niseko Annupuri International usually opens late November (Niseko United opened on 4 Dec 2025 after a slow start) and closes early May (6 May 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes late December to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.annupuri.info/ https://www.annupuri.info/en/ https://www.annupuri.info/en/gelande/ https://www.annupuri.info/gelande/ https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/ https://www.annupuri.info/en/facility/ https://www.annupuri.info/about/ https://www.annupuri.info/safety/index.php https://www.annupuri.info/en/gelande/img/gelande_map_en.pdf https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/map/annupuri/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/ja/map/annupuri/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/niseko-uniteds-lift-network-gets-a-major-boost/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/whats-new-this-winter-in-niseko-united-2025-26-2/ https://niseko.nadare.info/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ja/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/hsn2526.pdf https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/niseko-annupuri/ https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/NisekoAnnpuriKokusai/6day/mid https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/niseko-backcountry-guide/ https://www.samuraisnow.com/node/543 https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united https://www.mountaincollective.com/destinations/niseko-united https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu Numbers: 940 m vertical, top 1200 m, base 260 m, 22 runs, 9 lifts, 29.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥11,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコ東急 グラン・ヒラフ (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Address: 1-jo 2-chome 9-1 Niseko Hirafu, Kutchan-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 044-0080 Coordinates: 42.86150, 140.69780 Season: late November (planned 29 Nov 2025; a slow start pushed opening to 4 Dec) to early May (6 May 2026) Best snow: late December to late February Hours: 08:30–16:30, extended to 19:00 during the night-riding period Night riding: 16:00–19:00 Day ticket: ¥11,000 adult Passes: Ikon, Mountain Collective Terrain: 41% / 27% / 32% Operator: Tokyu Resorts & Stay (Niseko Tokyu Resort) Website: https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/ Summary: Niseko's biggest lift network climbs from a village full of bars and ramen counters to the G3 gate under Annupuri's summit, and the lower mountain stays lit until seven most of the winter. Most people meet Niseko at Hirafu, and the mountain carries that load every morning. Two gondolas pull out of the village at 8:30. Up top, King Single #4 is the old one-seater locals call the pizza box, and it is the only way to the peak gates, so on a clear morning after snow half the town queues for the same 526 metres of cable. Storms usually keep the peak gates shut, and the wind often holds King #4 as well. The middle and lower mountain ski well regardless. Super runs straight down the fall line under the Ace Gondola at up to 35 degrees and refills along its ridge between laps, and Kokutai beside the King Gondola gives a long sustained pitch when the upper lifts are on hold. You will be glad of the Ace Gondola's heated ten-seat cabins on a dumping minus-twelve morning. It replaced the old Center Four quad in December 2024 and moves about 2,800 people an hour, and King #3 became a hooded, heated six-seater for 2025/26. A bluebird morning after a refresh belongs to the peak. Ride King #3 and then King #4 to G3 at 1,180 m and you are 20 to 50 minutes of bootpacking from the 1,308 m summit of Niseko Annupuri. Yotei fills the whole view to the east. The Higashi-One ridge heads off from the gate toward Hanazono, and the north face and the Back Bowl at Kozan-no-sawa sit over the summit. G4 opens an hour after G3 and drops into Fujiwara-no-sawa. That valley comes out at the bottom of Hanazono #3, and from there two chairs take you back to the gate. The village climbs the hill from the Hirafu junction to the gondola bases and holds the nightlife the rest of Niseko goes looking for. Night riding runs 16:00–19:00 from mid-December to late March and the day ticket carries straight into it. When snow keeps falling after dark the lit lower half of Super can ride better at six than it did at two, and on Fridays fireworks go up over the slope. NEST813 at the top of the Ace Gondola and the Powderhood brewpub in the village were both new for 2025/26. Tips: - Read the Niseko Avalanche Information report at niseko.nadare.info before you ride. It is written from 6:00 observations, and the gate status boards at the lift bases have the final word. - G4 opens 60 minutes after G3. Spend the first hour at the peak on Higashi-One or the bowls and save Fujiwara-no-sawa for the second lap. - On a busy bluebird day the King #4 line can eat a lot of the morning. Some guides ride the trees near G5 at Hanazono first and come back to King #4 once the line has thinned. - Your day ticket already covers the 16:00–19:00 night session, so there is no need to buy the ¥6,000 night ticket on top. - Buy online for about 5% off and keep the IC card, since the first online purchase carries a ¥500 card fee. - The free Hanazono shuttle leaves the Welcome Center about every 20 minutes when you want the other side of the hill without riding over the top. Q: How big is Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu? A: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu has 22 runs and 9 lifts over 940 m of vertical, from 260 m at the base to 1,200 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 29.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu is about 32.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu? A: Hirafu holds the two highest gates in Niseko. G3 at the top of King Single #4 opens onto the Higashi-One ridge, the summit of Niseko Annupuri and the bowls beyond it, and G4 drops into Fujiwara-no-sawa an hour after G3 opens. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu costs ¥11,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥7,700 early or late in the season. Ikon and Mountain Collective holders ride here too. Q: Does Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu have night riding? A: Yes. Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu runs night lifts 16:00–19:00. Nightly from 13 Dec 2025 to 22 Mar 2026 on the Ace and King gondolas. Twelve runs are lit, including the lower Super, Kokutai, Furiko, Kogen and Holiday. Day tickets stay valid into the night session. Fireworks most Fridays from late December to March. Some third-party listings give the start as 16:30. Q: How do you get to Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu is about 2 hr (112 km via Route 276 and Bifue Pass) by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hokkaido Resort Liner to the Hirafu Welcome Center, about 3.5 hr, ¥6,000 one way in 2025/26; Chuo Bus and White Liner also run winter ski buses. Q: When is the season at Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu? A: Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu usually opens late November (planned 29 Nov 2025; a slow start pushed opening to 4 Dec) and closes early May (6 May 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes late December to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/ https://www.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/ https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/ https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/news/a3-renewal/ https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/green/access/ https://www.grand-hirafu.jp/datas/files/2026/10/07/983fbe900f181d7ff43696aacb99e3d429827cbc.pdf https://www.tokyu-rs.co.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/20251111【ニセコ】2025-2026冬季シーズンオープン-.pdf https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ikonpass/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/mountain-collective/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/?p=9050 https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/night-skiing-at-all-4-resorts-of-niseko-united/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/whats-new-this-winter-in-niseko-united-2025-26-2/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/how-much-did-it-snow-in-niseko-this-winter/ https://niseko.nadare.info/ https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-niseko_rusutsu/article-a1000161/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31605/ https://www.pricey.jp/web/articles/4152 https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/lift-pass/ https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/niseko-backcountry-guide/ https://rhythmjapan.com/our-stories/unlocking-niseko-gate-system https://www.skiing-hokkaido.com/?p=4054 https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united https://www.mountaincollective.com/destinations/niseko-united https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Niseko HANAZONO Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-hanazono Numbers: 724 m vertical, top 1032 m, base 308 m, 12 runs, 4 lifts, 12 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥11,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコHANAZONOリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Kutchan Address: 328-36 Aza-Iwaobetsu, Kutchan-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 044-0082 Coordinates: 42.89150, 140.69940 Season: late November (planned 29 Nov 2025; low snow delayed opening to 5 Dec) to mid April (12 Apr 2026) Best snow: late December to late February Hours: 08:30–16:30; Black Pass holders load from 07:30 Night riding: 16:00–19:00 Day ticket: ¥11,000 adult Passes: Ikon, Mountain Collective Terrain: 25% / 67% / 8% Operator: Nihon Harmony Resorts KK (Pacific Century Premium Developments) Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort Summary: Hanazono runs fast heated lifts out of a polished base beside the Park Hyatt, and its trees and parks keep people busy on the days the peak above stays shut. Hanazono takes up the northeast shoulder of Niseko Annupuri, about ten minutes' drive from Kutchan Station. A lot of money has gone into it. Hana 1 is a heated six-seat chair with a bubble that climbs 1,615 m in about six minutes, and the Symphony Gondola has carried riders in leather seats since the 2021/22 season. The base building is called Hanazono 308 after its height above the sea. On a storm day a good share of Niseko ends up here. The trees beside Hana 1 and the gondola give you shapes to read when the light goes flat, and the lifts sit lower and more sheltered than King #4 across the hill. Riders reach the gladed zone everyone calls Strawberry Fields from Hanazono #2. It does not appear on the official map, so ask patrol whether it is open before you drop in. Legend of Shinya is the one run Hanazono never grooms, and after a storm it is the first place to look. A clear morning sends people up Hanazono #3 to the top of the resort at about 1,030 m. G5 is right behind the lift. It drops into lower Fujiwara-no-sawa and brings you back to the bottom of the same chair, so you can lap it for as long as patrol keeps it open. Keep riding up King #4 at Hirafu if you want G3 and the summit. Families base here because the easy terrain is laid out well. Juicy Fruit starts at the gondola mid-station and stays lit for the night session. A kid who outgrows the mini park on Mango Salad can move on to Gondola Park and then the bigger kickers on Stomping Ground. Evenings are quieter than in Hirafu, and the free shuttle runs to the Hirafu Welcome Center about every 20 minutes until 19:28 when you want dinner in the village. Tips: - The Black Pass loads from 07:30 with priority lanes. On a powder morning that hour puts you in the G5 trees before the general public reaches the top of Hanazono #3. - Expect G9 Waterfall to stay closed until enough snow buries the waterfall at the bottom of the gully. - The base has around 200 free parking spaces. Car navigation MAPCODE 398 504 798*71 finds the lot. - Hanazono also runs Weiss cat skiing next door, and you check in for it at Hanazono 308. - The Hokkaido Resort Liner and the Niseko Direct Shuttle both drop at Hanazono's hotels from the airport for ¥6,000. Q: How big is Niseko HANAZONO? A: Niseko HANAZONO has 12 runs and 4 lifts over 724 m of vertical, from 308 m at the base to 1,032 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 12 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Niseko HANAZONO? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Niseko HANAZONO is about 33.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko HANAZONO? A: At Niseko HANAZONO: G5 sits behind the top of Hanazono #3 and drops into lower Fujiwara-no-sawa, and G9 near Hanazono #2 opens a gully once snow has buried the waterfall at its foot. The peak gates G3 and G4 are a ride up Hanazono #3 and King #4 away. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko HANAZONO? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko HANAZONO costs ¥11,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥7,700 early or late in the season. Ikon and Mountain Collective holders ride here too. Q: Does Niseko HANAZONO have night riding? A: Yes. Niseko HANAZONO runs night lifts 16:00–19:00. 13 Dec 2025 to 22 Mar 2026 on the Symphony Gondola, covering Colly's Folly, Juicy Fruit and Gondola Park. For 2026/27 the night session runs to 20:00. Q: How do you get to Niseko HANAZONO from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko HANAZONO is about 2 hr 10 min via Route 276 and Bifue Pass by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hokkaido Resort Liner to Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono and Nikko Style, about 3.5 hr, ¥6,000; Niseko Direct Shuttle nonstop to Nikko Style, about 2.5 hr, ¥6,000 (2025/26). Q: When is the season at Niseko HANAZONO? A: Niseko HANAZONO usually opens late November (planned 29 Nov 2025; low snow delayed opening to 5 Dec) and closes mid April (12 Apr 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes late December to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/lift-tickets https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/courses https://hanazononiseko.com/ja/winter/resort/courses https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/terrain-parks https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/maps https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/powder-safety https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/access https://hanazononiseko.com/en/company https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/hanazono-new-features-2025-26-winter https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/opening-2025-26-winter https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/nisekoRule-scaled.jpg https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-27_NU_Trail-Map_EN-scaled.jpg https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31618/ https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/hanazono/ https://rhythmjapan.com/our-stories/unlocking-niseko-gate-system https://www.skiing-hokkaido.com/?p=133 https://skiasia.com/news/niseko-hanazono-gets-luxe-upgrade-with-new-lifts-and-terrain/ https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Niseko https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Niseko Moiwa Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-moiwa Numbers: 460 m vertical, top 790 m, base 330 m, 8 runs, 3 lifts, 6.9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 31.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥13,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコモイワスキーリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Address: 448 Aza-Niseko, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1511 Coordinates: 42.84880, 140.63090 Season: early December (5 Dec 2025 on Pair #2; the Quad opened 13 Dec) to early April (5 Apr 2026) Best snow: mid January to late February Hours: 08:30–16:00 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥13,000 adult Terrain: 25% / 37% / 38% Operator: Moiwa Resorts Operation Co., Ltd. Website: https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ Summary: Moiwa runs three chairs on its own at the western end of the Niseko lifts, and riders pay more than an All Mountain pass costs for birch glades that stay quiet well into the morning. Moiwa stands apart from Niseko United at the western end of the lifts, and you need its own ticket to ride it. Three chairs reach 790 m from a base at 330 m, and the longest run is two kilometres. In 2025/26 a regular-season day cost ¥13,000 at the counter. The four-resort All Mountain pass cost ¥12,000, and Moiwa's price helps keep the crowd thin. Locals have treated it as their powder hill for years. Giant Run is an ungroomed open face under the gates that pitches up to 35 degrees. The two Shirakaba slopes stay ungroomed through the birch, and on a storm day you can lap them off the Quad alongside the same handful of regulars. Lodge Moiwa 834 at the base has rooms, and Hotel Kanronomori is a short walk down the road. Everything depends on the Quad. In 2025/26 it opened on 13 December, stopped for weeks, came back on 24 January and closed for the season around 25 March, and G6 stays shut whenever the Quad is down. Beyond that gate lie Moiwa's summit and the Mikaeri-no-sawa valley. The routes out run long and pass cliff bands, and the Niseko avalanche reports have flagged full-depth slides in the Moiwa bowl around 800 m. Tips: - Check the Quad status before you drive over. Pairs #1 and #2 only reach the lower mountain, and G6 needs the Quad running. - Buy online for about 10% off the counter price. - The Moiwa Banked Slalom runs in late March; the sixth edition was set for 27 March 2026. - The car park is free and holds about 250 cars. - The Hokkaido Resort Liner stops at Hotel Kanronomori. From there it is a 15-minute walk or a 3-minute taxi to the lifts. Q: How big is Niseko Moiwa? A: Niseko Moiwa has 8 runs and 3 lifts over 460 m of vertical, from 330 m at the base to 790 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 6.9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Niseko Moiwa? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Niseko Moiwa is about 31.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko Moiwa? A: Moiwa follows the Niseko Rules and uses the Niseko-wide gate numbers. G6 beside the top of the Quad leads toward Moiwa's summit and the Mikaeri-no-sawa valley, and G10 on the west side opens above the Anbetsu valley. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko Moiwa? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko Moiwa costs ¥13,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥8,400 early or late in the season. Q: Does Niseko Moiwa have night riding? A: No. Niseko Moiwa closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Niseko Moiwa from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko Moiwa is about 2 hr via Route 276 and Bifue Pass by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hokkaido Resort Liner to the Hotel Kanronomori stop, then a 15-minute walk. Q: When is the season at Niseko Moiwa? A: Niseko Moiwa usually opens early December (5 Dec 2025 on Pair #2; the Quad opened 13 Dec) and closes early April (5 Apr 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/slope/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/company/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/about-moiwa/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/2026/01/24/3370/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/2025/12/12/3213/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/wp-content/themes/moiwa/images/slope-map.jpg https://niseko-moiwa.jp/wp-content/themes/moiwa/images/slopemap.pdf https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ja/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/hsn2526.pdf https://niseko.nadare.info/ https://niseko.nadare.info/2026/03/25/ https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/niseko-moiwa/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/moiwa/ https://www.skiing-hokkaido.com/?p=5055 https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Niseko-Moiwa/6day/mid https://www.powderlife.com/blog/little-brother-moiwa-kicks-on/ https://www.powderlife.com/blog/moiwa-ski-resort-sold-again/ https://uchijapan.com/resorts/niseko-moiwa https://uchijapan.com/news/aman-niseko-sets-2030-opening-date-for-mount-moiwa-resort https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/lift-pass/ https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Niseko Village Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-village Numbers: 890 m vertical, top 1170 m, base 280 m, 29 runs, 9 lifts, 15.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.9° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,700 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコビレッジスキーリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Address: Higashiyama Onsen, Niseko-cho, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1521 Coordinates: 42.84700, 140.68420 Season: late November (Niseko United opened on 4 Dec 2025 after a slow start) to early April (5 Apr 2026) Best snow: late December to late February Hours: 08:30–16:30 (the Japanese site lists 16:00) Night riding: 16:00–19:00 Day ticket: ¥9,700 adult Passes: Ikon, Mountain Collective Terrain: 44% / 26% / 30% Operator: YTL Hotels (Niseko Village) Website: https://www.niseko-village.com/ Summary: Niseko Village keeps its steepest gladed runs and the controlled valley of Mizuno-no-sawa above a quiet base built around the Hilton and the Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Niseko Village takes up the southern flank of Niseko Annupuri between Hirafu and Annupuri. YTL runs it as a hotel resort, so the Niseko Gondola loads beside the Hilton and the Village Express starts below the Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Higashiyama. Evenings at the base run to hotel bars and the shops and restaurants along Niseko-yo, and anyone after a louder night takes the shuttle over to Hirafu. The riding that brings people back starts at the top of the Niseko Gondola. Superstition drops from the top station and links through Jagaimo into Misoshiru for about two kilometres of ungroomed powder, and Zangi and Konbu are short steep pitches close by. Misoshiru averages 25 degrees and holds the steepest sustained pitch in the Village. When wind closes the Wonderland chairs above, these trees give you definition in flat light and the gondola keeps you out of the weather between laps. Many of the names come from Hokkaido dialect and the kitchen: jagaimo is potato, misoshiru is miso soup, zangi is the local fried chicken and namara is how people here say very. G11 is a short hike from the Niseko Gondola top on the way toward the Wonderland base, and it opens into Mizuno-no-sawa. Patrol controls that valley for avalanches and lets advanced riders in when conditions allow. The runs come out through a gully to the lower Village. Guides working out of the Village are allowed through G11 and no other gate. On a clear day take the Wonderland single chairs to the top of the resort at about 1,170 m. Wonderland itself is a 960 m cruiser above the Shiribetsu River valley. Snorkel next to it is the highest ungroomed run in the Village and faces south, so spring sun softens it early in the day. If you want the mountain to yourself, First Tracks cat skiing runs 6:45–8:00 for up to ten advanced riders before the lifts open, and Village Express and Banzai Chair keep turning for night riding until 19:00. Tips: - The Niseko United shuttle links the Village with Hirafu and Annupuri and is free with an All Mountain pass. - If you only plan to ride the west side, the Annupuri + Village ticket (¥10,500 in 2025/26) costs less than the All Mountain pass. - Book First Tracks cat skiing ahead. It runs 6:45–8:00 for up to ten advanced riders. - From 2026/27 the eight-seat Shin Mori-no Gondola replaces the old Mori-no Chair, and phase two takes it higher in 2027. - At peak times the gondola queue reaches about 20 minutes. Those peaks fall between Christmas and late January and again around Chinese New Year. Q: How big is Niseko Village? A: Niseko Village has 29 runs and 9 lifts over 890 m of vertical, from 280 m at the base to 1,170 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 15.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Niseko Village? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Niseko Village is about 29.9° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 3.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko Village? A: G11 is the Village's only gate and it leads into Mizuno-no-sawa below the Niseko Gondola. Patrol controls that valley for avalanches and opens it to advanced riders, and the off-limits valleys of Haru-no-taki and Yu-no-sawa sit on either side of the resort. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko Village? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko Village costs ¥9,700 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥6,700 early or late in the season. Ikon and Mountain Collective holders ride here too. Q: Does Niseko Village have night riding? A: Yes. Niseko Village runs night lifts 16:00–19:00. Village Express and Banzai Chair, mid-December to late March. The 2026/27 English page lists 16:30–19:00. Q: How do you get to Niseko Village from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko Village is about 2 hr (110 km via Route 276) by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hokkaido Resort Liner or Niseko Snow Express to the Village hotels, about 2.5–3.5 hr, ¥6,000 on the Resort Liner in 2025/26. Q: When is the season at Niseko Village? A: Niseko Village usually opens late November (Niseko United opened on 4 Dec 2025 after a slow start) and closes early April (5 Apr 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes late December to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-village.com/ https://www.niseko-village.com/getting-here/ https://www.niseko-village.com/destination/ https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Lift-Pass-26-27.pdf https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NV-Gate-11.pdf https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Niseko-Village-Resort-Map-2020-2021-2.pdf https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/092126-NV-Winter-Catalogue-26-27.pdf https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/map/village/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/ja/map/village/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/niseko-uniteds-lift-network-gets-a-major-boost/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/whats-new-this-winter-in-niseko-united-2025-26-2/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/night-skiing-at-all-4-resorts-of-niseko-united/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/how-much-did-it-snow-in-niseko-this-winter/ https://niseko.nadare.info/ https://niseko-moiwa.jp/ja/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/hsn2526.pdf https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/niseko-village/ https://japanskiexperience.com/blog/niseko-backcountry-guide/ https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/NisekoHigashiyama/6day/mid https://japanactivity.com/attractions/niseko/niseko-village https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united https://www.mountaincollective.com/destinations/niseko-united https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Niseko Weiss Powder CATS URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/niseko-weiss Numbers: 450 m vertical, top 930 m, base 450 m, adult day ¥175,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ニセコワイスパウダーCAT (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Kutchan Coordinates: 42.90640, 140.66650 Season: late December (28 Dec 2025 on Hanazono's listing) to early March (8 Mar 2026) Best snow: January to mid February Hours: Hotel pickup from 07:20, check-in at Hanazono 308, back in Niseko 15:00–15:30 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥175,000 adult Operator: Niseko HANAZONO Resort (Nihon Harmony Resorts KK) Website: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing Summary: Hanazono runs a 12-seat PistenBully up the old Weiss ski area on Weisshorn, and the gentle pitches suit riders taking their first real powder days. A small ski area once ran lifts up the east face of Weisshorn north of Hanazono, and the old lift lines still cut through the trees above Route 58. Hanazono bought the land and now runs cat skiing there with a 12-seat PistenBully cabin. The cat drops at about 930 m and the runs finish near 450 m, so the longest lap gives you around 450 metres of vertical. Hanazono pitches Weiss at intermediates and riders new to powder. The steepest slope is about 30 degrees and most of it averages about 20. On a deep day that angle keeps a nervous rider moving and lets them learn to float without much speed. A day runs six or seven laps with lunch at Chalet Ivy Weiss. Strong riders after more pitch should look at Iwanai Resort. Its cat terrain runs 30 to 40 degrees. Weiss suits the friend in your group who has carved groomers for years and has never ridden a bottomless morning. Tips: - In 2026/27 group days only run with seven or more guests, so book early and keep your dates flexible. - Check in at Hanazono 308 after the 07:20 pickup. - The Weisshorn summit tour from the Route 58 plow end is a separate, unguided objective with its own avalanche exposure. - Book through book.hanazononiseko.com or bookings@harmonyresorts.com. - Hanazono has announced a gondola link and three lifts for Weiss with no date attached, so ride the cat while it runs. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Niseko Weiss Powder CATS? A: At Niseko Weiss Powder CATS: The Weiss terrain is ridden on Hanazono's guided cat tours. Independent tourers climb Weisshorn by a separate route from the Route 58 plow end near Hanazono. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Niseko Weiss Powder CATS? A: An adult day ticket at Niseko Weiss Powder CATS costs ¥175,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥165,000 early or late in the season. Q: Does Niseko Weiss Powder CATS have night riding? A: No. Niseko Weiss Powder CATS closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Niseko Weiss Powder CATS from New Chitose Airport? A: Niseko Weiss Powder CATS is about 2 hr 10 min to Hanazono by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hokkaido Resort Liner or Niseko Direct Shuttle to Hanazono, ¥6,000 one way (2025/26). Q: When is the season at Niseko Weiss Powder CATS? A: Niseko Weiss Powder CATS usually opens late December (28 Dec 2025 on Hanazono's listing) and closes early March (8 Mar 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to mid February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing https://hanazononiseko.com/ja/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ワイスホルン https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/weisshorn https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/weisshorn-ski-touring https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Northern Arc Resort Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/northern-arc-resort Numbers: 216 m vertical, top 306 m, base 90 m, 4 runs, 2 lifts, 3.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 22.6° over 60 m, adult day ¥4,000 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: ノーザンアークリゾートスキー場 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Address: 829 Tanno-cho Niku, Kitami, Hokkaido 099-2102 Coordinates: 43.86840, 143.92650 Season: late December (20 December 2025) to mid-March (15 March 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–17:00 Night riding: 17:00–21:00 Day ticket: ¥4,000 adult Terrain: 25% / 50% / 25% Operator: Northern Arc Resort Website: http://northernarcresort.co.jp/contents/golfski/ski.html Summary: Kitami's main ski hill sits half an hour from Memanbetsu Airport and keeps its lights on until 21:00. Northern Arc Resort is the biggest ski hill around Kitami and shares its land with a golf course in Tanno, about 20 minutes from Kitami Station. It used to go by the name Ski Möbius. Four runs named for instruments drop 216 m, and the longest stretches 1,350 m. A new quad chair started turning in December 2025. Viola is the advanced run, with moguls and a 26° pitch. There is a snow park, and the lights stay on until 21:00. Memanbetsu Airport is 30 minutes away, so a few hours here can fill the gap before an evening flight. Tips: - Board rental costs ¥4,500 a day, so bring your own if you are flying in for drift-ice country. - The 2-hour ticket at ¥2,000 suits a quick session after a day of sightseeing in Kitami or Abashiri. Q: How big is Northern Arc Resort? A: Northern Arc Resort has 4 runs and 2 lifts over 216 m of vertical, from 90 m at the base to 306 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 3.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Northern Arc Resort? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Northern Arc Resort is about 22.6° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.5 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Northern Arc Resort? A: An adult day ticket at Northern Arc Resort costs ¥4,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Northern Arc Resort have night riding? A: Yes. Northern Arc Resort runs night lifts 17:00–21:00. Q: When is the season at Northern Arc Resort? A: Northern Arc Resort usually opens late December (20 December 2025) and closes mid-March (15 March 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://northernarcresort.co.jp/contents/golfski/ski.html https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31703/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/日本のスキー場一覧 ### Nukabira Gensenkyo Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/nukabira-gensenkyo Numbers: 290 m vertical, top 860 m, base 570 m, 7 runs, 2 lifts, adult day ¥4,500 (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: ぬかびら源泉郷スキー場 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Address: 75 Nukabira Gensenkyo Minami-ku, Kamishihoro-cho, Kato-gun, Hokkaido 080-1403 Coordinates: 43.36390, 143.18710 Season: late December (30 December 2025) to late March (21 March 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–15:00 Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥4,500 adult Website: https://ichida54.wixsite.com/nukabiraskijyo Summary: Nukabira runs its lower slopes only these days, and the onsen village inside Daisetsuzan National Park is a short walk from the lifts. Nukabira Gensenkyo is a hot-spring village inside Daisetsuzan National Park, and the ski area sits close enough to walk from the inns. The national forestry agency bills its snow as some of the best powder in Japan. On a clear day you look out over the East Taisetsu peaks and Lake Nukabira as far as Mt. Meakan. The mountain used to run 660 m of vertical from the top of Onsen-zan. Prince Hotels sold it in 2007 and the buyer went bankrupt the next year. A local hotel then took it on and gave it its current name. The second and third lifts have been suspended since 2015, so riding now happens on the lower courses only. In late March the area closes to the public for national junior alpine races. Seven inns in the village open their baths to day visitors and take ¥100 off with a day ticket. Getting here takes commitment. The bus from Obihiro Station runs about 100 minutes, and drivers have 55 km from the Otofuke-Obihiro interchange toward Mikuni Pass. Tips: - Bring cash. The ticket office takes nothing else. - Lifts stop at 15:00, earlier than most Hokkaido hills, so start early and save the afternoon for the baths. - Check the website before a late-March visit; in 2026 the area closed to the public from 22 to 29 March for junior races. Q: How big is Nukabira Gensenkyo? A: Nukabira Gensenkyo has 7 runs and 2 lifts over 290 m of vertical, from 570 m at the base to 860 m at the top. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Nukabira Gensenkyo? A: An adult day ticket at Nukabira Gensenkyo costs ¥4,500 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Nukabira Gensenkyo have night riding? A: No. Nukabira Gensenkyo closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Nukabira Gensenkyo? A: Nukabira Gensenkyo usually opens late December (30 December 2025) and closes late March (21 March 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ichida54.wixsite.com/nukabiraskijyo https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ぬかびら源泉郷スキー場 https://www.kamishihoro.jp/sp/nukaski https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kokuyu_rinya/kokumin_mori/katuyo/reku/rekumori/nukabira.html https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/32002/ https://getslopes.com/resorts/nukabira_gensenkyo ### Pippu Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/pippu Numbers: 330 m vertical, top 580 m, base 250 m, 9 runs, 3 lifts, 10.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 24.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥3,800 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: ぴっぷスキー場 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Address: Kita 7-sen 17-go, Pippu-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 078-0327 Coordinates: 43.93400, 142.50110 Season: Mid-December to Late March (season passes ran to 22 March in 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:00 (opens 10:00 on 1 January); Lift 6 until 15:45 Night riding: 16:00–20:30 Day ticket: ¥3,800 adult Terrain: 45% / 34% / 21% Operator: Town of Pippu (Commerce and Tourism Section) Website: http://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/ski/top.html Summary: A town-run hill north of Asahikawa where ¥3,800 buys a day of riding and a soak at the bathhouse next door. Pippu is a farming town 26 km north of Asahikawa, and its ski hill looks back across the Kamikawa basin toward the Daisetsuzan range. The longest run is the 2,200 m Strawberry course, and the town describes it like the fruit, smooth at the start with a little bite at the end. Two chairs and a rope tow run the whole hill. Two courses keep strong riders interested. Golden is a mogul wall that reaches 30 degrees, and the Shinsetsu Veteran course goes steeper at 36 degrees with bumps and gaps that hold deep snow after a storm. Lift 6 costs two ride credits for the long ride up, so a 12-ride card runs down quickly there. Every day and night ticket comes with entry to Yuyu Pippu beside the base, where the baths are dosed with Komyo mineral stone and there's a sauna and a restaurant. A free shuttle meets the 8:50 departure from JR Pippu Station, and Dohoku buses come up from Asahikawa Station in about an hour. Tips: - Catch the free shuttle from JR Pippu Station; it leaves at 8:50 and reaches the hill at 9:20. - Keep your ticket for the bath at Yuyu Pippu after your last run. - Night riding stops at the end of February, so plan any evening sessions before March. - The family pack gets one adult and one child day ticket for ¥4,500. Q: How big is Pippu? A: Pippu has 9 runs and 3 lifts over 330 m of vertical, from 250 m at the base to 580 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Pippu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Pippu is about 24.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Pippu? A: An adult day ticket at Pippu costs ¥3,800 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Pippu have night riding? A: Yes. Pippu runs night lifts 16:00–20:30. Through the end of February on the Kappa and Silver courses and part of Golden. Closes at 16:00 on 31 December. Night ticket ¥1,200 with an onsen bath included. Q: How do you get to Pippu from Sapporo? A: Pippu is about 2 hr via the Do-o Expressway (155 km) by car from Sapporo. Q: When is the season at Pippu? A: Pippu usually opens mid-December and closes late March (season passes ran to 22 March in 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: http://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/ski/top.html https://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/ski/lift.html https://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/ski/course.html https://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/ski/access.html https://www.town.pippu.hokkaido.jp/cms/section/shoko/p1rhin000000267t.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ぴっぷスキー場 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/pippu/ ### Rusutsu Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/rusutsu Numbers: 594 m vertical, top 994 m, base 400 m, 37 runs, 18 lifts, 37.3 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 36.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥16,200 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: ルスツリゾート (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Rusutsu Address: 13 Izumikawa, Rusutsu-mura, Abuta-gun, Hokkaido 048-1711 Coordinates: 42.74940, 140.90010 Season: late November (29 Nov 2025) to end of March (31 Mar 2026) Best snow: mid January to late February Hours: 09:00–16:30 Night riding: 16:00–20:00 Day ticket: ¥16,200 adult Passes: Epic Terrain: 27% / 32% / 41% Operator: Kamori Kanko Website: https://rusutsu.com/en/ Summary: Rusutsu spreads spaced birch and long groomers over three mountains southeast of Yotei, and its hotels and amusement park make the base feel like a small town. Rusutsu sits about half an hour southeast of Niseko by car, and Mt Yotei stands between them. The resort credits the volcano with blocking the cold northwest wind and the nearby Pacific with bringing frequent clear days. Kamori Kanko has run it since 1981, and in 2025 it won Japan's Best Ski Resort at the World Ski Awards for the sixth time. The ski area covers three mountains. West Mountain is the small one behind the Rusutsu Resort Hotel and the Ferris wheel, and it carries the night riding. Gondolas lift you from the hotel and the Westin up East Mountain to 868 m. Mt Isola is the biggest of the three, and you reach its 994 m top by riding Furikozawa to the Isola base and boarding the Isola Gondola. Rusutsu built its name on trees. You can ride the forest between the marked runs anywhere inside the boundary, and the resort leaves a long list of official runs ungroomed. Super East pitches to 40 degrees on East Mountain, and Heavenly Canyon follows a creek line on the back of Isola. In a storm the snow piles into the valleys and onto the south and east faces, and once the sun returns the north-facing slopes of Isola and East Mountain hold it longest. The Heavenly runs on Isola and the trees between Vivaldi and Tignes on East Mountain are the usual places to look. Lift rides hit a record 4,958,488 in 2024/25, up 12 percent on the year before, so get to Isola early on a powder morning. The Across pairs bring you back from Isola to East Mountain. On selected days a Mt Isola First Track ticket loads the gondola at 8:45 for 60 riders. The Westin is ski-in ski-out, and its monorail takes about five minutes to reach the Resort Hotel and West Mountain. Families get a lot out of the place. Kids can ride the lit West Mountain runs until 20:00, and Samurai Kids Park sits on the hill for the smallest ones. Kamori's free Rusutsu-Go bus ran from Sapporo through 2025/26, and its BIGRUNS bus reaches the airport in about two hours. Tips: - Buy online. The 2025/26 adult day cost ¥12,000 online and ¥16,200 at the window. - Epic Pass holders get five consecutive days. Redeem at a ticket window, since the My Epic phone pass does not scan at the lifts. - Ride Furikozawa to the Isola base early and get in the Isola Gondola line before mid-morning. - The Rusutsu Powder Day Trip bus left the Hirafu Welcome Center at 8:30 in January and February 2026 and reached East Mountain at 9:15, for ¥9,000 return. - Point-ticket holders ride the Across No.1 and No.2 pairs, East Gondola No.1 and the Tower pair for free. - Shiribetsu-dake's south face starts from the resort car park. It is serious avalanche terrain and a guided objective. Q: How big is Rusutsu? A: Rusutsu has 37 runs and 18 lifts over 594 m of vertical, from 400 m at the base to 994 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 37.3 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Rusutsu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Rusutsu is about 36.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 10.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Rusutsu? A: Rusutsu runs no gate system and lets riders into the trees inside the ski-area boundary. The trail map marks a tree zone on West Mountain and many official runs stay ungroomed, and beyond the boundary the mountain is unpatrolled and ridden at your own risk. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Rusutsu? A: An adult day ticket at Rusutsu costs ¥16,200 in the 2025/26 main season. Epic holders ride here too. Q: Does Rusutsu have night riding? A: Yes. Rusutsu runs night lifts 16:00–20:00. West Mountain only, last ride 19:45, mid-December to 31 March. Lit runs: Family, White Lover, Bambi, Eva, Rainbow, Dynamic and Sky. Night ticket ¥3,800. Q: How do you get to Rusutsu from New Chitose Airport? A: Rusutsu is about 1 hr 30 min by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Kamori's BIGRUNS bus, about 2 hr, ¥5,000 booked online at least 7 days ahead or ¥5,500 otherwise; Hokkaido Resort Liner, ¥5,500 to the Rusutsu stops (2025/26). Q: When is the season at Rusutsu? A: Rusutsu usually opens late November (29 Nov 2025) and closes end of March (31 Mar 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/en/ https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/ https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/ https://rusutsu.com/en/news-and-topics/25h-ticket/ https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/ https://rusutsu.com/trail-map/ https://rusutsu.com/en/rusutsu-in-winter/ https://rusutsu.com/en/lift-and-trail-status/ https://rusutsu.com/en/corporate-overview/ https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-sapporo/ https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-niseko/ https://rusutsu.com/en/by-car/ https://rusutsu.com/en/mountain-guiding/ https://rusutsu.com/en/events/mt-isola-fast-track/ https://rusutsu.com/en/terrain-parks/freedom-park/ https://rusutsu.com/en/the-westin-rusutsu-resort/ https://rusutsu.com/wp-content/uploads/trail-map-winter_en-1.jpg https://news.vailresorts.com/2018-12-03-Rusutsu,-Japan-Joins-the-Epic-Pass-for-the-2019-20-Winter-Season https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/rusutsu-resort https://steep.jp/en/mountain/49159 https://japanskiexperience.com/rusutsu/lift-pass/ https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-niseko_rusutsu/article-a1000366/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/rusutsu/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ルスツリゾート https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusutsu_Resort https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1157094/ https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face https://www.openstreetmap.org/ ### Tokachi Sahoro Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/sahoro Numbers: 610 m vertical, top 1030 m, base 420 m, 21 runs, 8 lifts, 23.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,800 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 十勝サホロリゾート (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Shintoku Address: Karikachi Kogen, Shintoku-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 081-0039 Coordinates: 43.16730, 142.81260 Season: 1 December to early April Best snow: mid-January to late February Hours: 09:00–16:00; the 1st high-speed lift in front of the hotel from 08:45 Night riding: 16:00–18:00 on weekends and holidays, 20 December–22 March (2025/26) Day ticket: ¥8,800 adult Passes: K-Winter Pass Terrain: 30% / 30% / 40% Operator: Kamori Kanko Website: https://sahoro-resort.com/ Summary: Sahoro packs steep fall-line runs and a block of ungroomed north-facing powder into 610 m of quiet, cold Tokachi mountain. Sahoro spreads down the Shintoku flank of Sahoro-dake. The mountain is the northernmost peak of the Hidaka Range, and below it the Tokachi plain runs out toward Obihiro. Snow falls cold and dry this far inland, and it keeps. Most guests at the two hotels are beginners and intermediates, so lines stay short and fresh snow lasts. The grades run steeper than the vertical suggests. Ten of the 21 courses carry an advanced rating. North Way pitches to 39° next to the mogul course. Central Avenue drops 590 m from the gondola top over 2.8 km and touches 35° on the way. Catch it on a cold blue morning right after the groomers have been through and it carves as well as anything in Tokachi. In 2016/17 the resort opened a block of north-facing runs under the Sahoro Express and left them for powder. The map outlines N1 to N5 in yellow. N1 Downhill runs 1,655 m with no easy way out once you drop in, and the N runs carry stumps and brush that need deep cover. Sahoro has no gate system, and Powderhounds reports that riding outside the marked courses is officially off limits. The Sahoro Express does not run every day, so check the lift board before you plan a morning around the N runs. Club Med opened its first Japanese resort here in 1987, and its packages bundle the lift pass with lessons. Kamori Kanko runs the ski area and the Sahoro Resort Hotel next door. JR Shintoku sits 15 minutes away on the limited express line, with Tomamu one stop back toward Sapporo, so the two resorts pair easily on a rail trip. The free station shuttle carries overnight guests only, and day-trippers off the train should budget for a taxi. Tips: - The 1st high-speed lift in front of the hotel starts at 08:45, fifteen minutes ahead of the rest of the mountain. - Book the free Shintoku station shuttle by 17:00 the day before on 0156-64-5151. It is for overnight guests; a winter taxi costs about ¥4,800. - The Bluebird Day Session from Donkoro outdoor school starts at 08:00 on fresh corduroy before the gondola opens, for ¥5,000 plus a ¥2,200 two-ride gondola ticket. - Take a lesson with the Tokachi Sahoro Snow School and your day ticket drops to half price. - Tokachi Adventure Club runs ¥16,500 backcountry days on nearby passes (0156-65-2727), chosen each morning to suit the conditions. - Tomamu is about 40 minutes by road over Route 38, so a split stay covers both mountains. Q: How big is Tokachi Sahoro? A: Tokachi Sahoro has 21 runs and 8 lifts over 610 m of vertical, from 420 m at the base to 1,030 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 23.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Tokachi Sahoro? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Tokachi Sahoro is about 32° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 7.8 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Tokachi Sahoro? A: Sahoro publishes no gate or registration system, and Powderhounds reports that riding off the marked courses is officially not permitted. The ungroomed powder sits on the in-bounds N1–N5 runs, and Tokachi Adventure Club guides backcountry days on nearby passes. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Tokachi Sahoro? A: An adult day ticket at Tokachi Sahoro costs ¥8,800 in the 2025/26 main season. K-Winter Pass holders ride here too. Q: Does Tokachi Sahoro have night riding? A: Yes. Tokachi Sahoro runs night lifts 16:00–18:00 on weekends and holidays, 20 December–22 March (2025/26). One lit slope. Q: How do you get to Tokachi Sahoro from New Chitose Airport? A: Tokachi Sahoro is 1 hr 50 min (154 km) by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Sahoro Express airport bus for hotel and Club Med guests, about 2 hr 55 min, ¥11,300 adult (2026/27; book 10 days ahead). Q: When is the season at Tokachi Sahoro? A: Tokachi Sahoro usually opens 1 December and closes early April. The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid-January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sahoro-resort.com/ https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/course-info https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/school https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/activity-w https://sahoro-resort.com/access https://sahoro-resort.com/access/sougei_bus https://sahoro-resort.com/access/bus_chitose https://sahoro-resort.com/access/bus_obihiro https://sahoro-resort.com/kwp https://sahoro-resort.com/info/22081 https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/sahoro-hokkaido/w https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/sahoro/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/sahoro/ski-lifts/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/sahoro/trail-map/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31202/ https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/sahoro/ https://jr-group.jp/ozora-stop/ https://jr-group.jp/ozora-ryokin/ https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ https://pedia.3rd-in.co.jp/wiki/サホロリゾート https://www.atpress.ne.jp/news/172295 ### Asahikawa Santa Present Park URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/santa-present-park Numbers: 160 m vertical, top 330 m, base 170 m, 6 runs, 3 lifts, 5.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 22.3° over 60 m, adult day ¥4,200 (2026/27) Type: Resort Local name: 旭川サンタプレゼントパーク (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Asahikawa Address: 555-2 Tomioka, Kamui-cho, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 070-8025 Coordinates: 43.75850, 142.29920 Season: Early to mid-December (19 December in 2025) to Late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–21:00 (31 December 09:00–16:00; 1 January 11:00–21:00) Night riding: 16:00–21:00 Day ticket: ¥4,200 adult Website: https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/ Summary: Asahikawa's floodlit hill sits 15 minutes from the station and runs until 21:00 with the city spread out below. Santa Present Park is the hill Asahikawa rides after work. It sits 15 minutes by car from JR Asahikawa Station, and the six runs stay lit until 21:00, so the city's lights fill the view on every chair ride after dark. The hill opened in 1969 as Sun Valley and took its Christmas name in 1995, and it has hosted the FIS Snowboard World Cup more than once. Three double chairs cover 160 m of vertical, and the longest run is about a kilometre. Loading carpets at the chairs and a separate free kids' slope make it an easy place to teach children. The winter bus that serves it carries on to Kamui Ski Links, so you can ride Kamui by day and come here for the lights. Tips: - Buy a night ticket for ¥1,800 and ride from 16:00 as the city lights come on. - The free Kids Gelände beside the main slope lets small children sled and practise without a lift ticket. - Rental needs photo ID, and the shop doesn't take reservations, so arrive early on weekends. Q: How big is Asahikawa Santa Present Park? A: Asahikawa Santa Present Park has 6 runs and 3 lifts over 160 m of vertical, from 170 m at the base to 330 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 5.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Asahikawa Santa Present Park? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Asahikawa Santa Present Park is about 22.3° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Asahikawa Santa Present Park? A: An adult day ticket at Asahikawa Santa Present Park costs ¥4,200 in the 2026/27 main season. Q: Does Asahikawa Santa Present Park have night riding? A: Yes. Asahikawa Santa Present Park runs night lifts 16:00–21:00. The floodlit runs look over the lights of Asahikawa. Night ticket ¥1,800 (child ¥1,100). Q: When is the season at Asahikawa Santa Present Park? A: Asahikawa Santa Present Park usually opens early to mid-December (19 December in 2025) and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/ https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/cont1/main.html https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/cont1/8.html https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/cont1/10.html https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/cont1/23.html https://www.asahikawasantapresentpark.com/map.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/サンタプレゼントパーク https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/santa-present-park/ ### Sapporo Bankei Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/sapporo-bankei Numbers: 283 m vertical, top 483 m, base 200 m, 17 runs, 4 lifts, 10.1 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 33.4° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: さっぽろばんけいスキー場 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Address: 410 Bankei, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 064-0945 Coordinates: 43.03060, 141.27810 Season: mid-December to late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–21:00 (Saturdays to 22:00) Night riding: 16:00–21:00 (Saturdays to 22:00) Day ticket: ¥7,000 adult Passes: Bankei × Moiwa common day pass, Hokkaido Ski Season Net Terrain: 30% / 40% / 30% Operator: Sapporo Bankei Co., Ltd. (札幌ばんけい株式会社, Taiyo Group) Website: https://www.bankei.co.jp/ Summary: Sapporo's closest ski hill sits twenty minutes from the station, and its FIS halfpipe hosted the 2026 Snowboard World Cup. Bankei is the ski hill Sapporo reaches without thinking about it. The base sits 8.5 kilometres from Sapporo Station. The Bankei Bus climbs from Maruyama-Koen subway station in thirteen minutes, and a taxi from downtown runs about ¥3,000. The lifts turn until 21:00 on weeknights and 22:00 on Saturdays. A day ticket carries straight into the night session, and the night ticket alone costs ¥2,000. The halfpipe is the reason riders from outside the city know the name. At about 180 metres the ban.K pipe is FIS-certified. Japan had gone ten seasons without a World Cup halfpipe before Bankei staged one in March 2026. Sapporo's Ryusei Yamada grew up riding here and took bronze in halfpipe at the Milano-Cortina Olympics a month earlier. Away from the park, the Slalom Bahn averages 30 degrees over 270 metres of ungroomed snow, and the FIS mogul course holds 27. On a weeknight the car park fills with office workers and kids fresh out of school. Panke on the second floor of the Center Lodge serves miso ramen and a ban.K burger, and the kitchen takes last orders at 20:00. In September 2026 Bankei opened Hokkaido's first quarterpipe for summer halfpipe training. Tips: - Buy the night ticket for ¥2,000 and ride from 16:00. It is one price for all ages. - Hokkaido residents save ¥1,300 on a day ticket with ID. - The Bankei Bus from Maruyama-Koen takes 13 minutes, and on Saturday night sessions a late bus leaves the hill at 22:19. - Public access to the halfpipe can be delayed around competitions, so check the news page before you bring a pipe board. - Parking is free for about 1,000 cars. - Rentals are walk-in only at the Salomon Station; ski and board sets cost the same. Q: How big is Sapporo Bankei? A: Sapporo Bankei has 17 runs and 4 lifts over 283 m of vertical, from 200 m at the base to 483 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 10.1 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Sapporo Bankei? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Sapporo Bankei is about 33.4° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.4 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sapporo Bankei? A: At Sapporo Bankei: The terms of use keep riders inside the managed area and on designated courses, even within the boundary. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sapporo Bankei? A: An adult day ticket at Sapporo Bankei costs ¥7,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Bankei × Moiwa common day pass and Hokkaido Ski Season Net holders ride here too. Q: Does Sapporo Bankei have night riding? A: Yes. Sapporo Bankei runs night lifts 16:00–21:00 (Saturdays to 22:00). Mid-December to mid-March (15 December 2025 – 21 March 2026 planned, ended early in warm weather). Night ticket ¥2,000 at one price for all ages, and a day ticket stays valid through the night session. In 2025/26 the ban.K Night Park ran three kickers on Center B under the lights. Q: How do you get to Sapporo Bankei from New Chitose Airport? A: Sapporo Bankei is about 1 hr 20 min by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Sapporo Bankei? A: Sapporo Bankei usually opens mid-December and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.bankei.co.jp/winter/ski/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/liftprice/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/access/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/qanda/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/rental/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/restaurant/panke/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/news/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/home-english/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/early_season-ticket-nov/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/wp1512/wp-content/themes/biz-vektor/assets/img/common/skiarea-useterms.pdf https://www.bankei.co.jp/wp1512/wp-content/themes/biz-vektor/assets/img/access/timetable_winter2026.pdf https://www.bankei.co.jp/2025/12/10/2025-2026%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3open%e6%b1%ba%e5%ae%9a/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2025/12/14/%e3%83%8a%e3%82%a4%e3%82%bf%e3%83%bc%e5%96%b6%e6%a5%ad%e3%82%92%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b%e3%81%97%e3%81%be%e3%81%99%e3%80%82/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/03/02/%e4%bb%8a%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3%e3%81%ae%e3%83%8a%e3%82%a4%e3%82%bf%e3%83%bc%e5%96%b6%e6%a5%ad%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/03/29/2025-2026%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3%e7%b5%82%e4%ba%86%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/01/16/ban-k-%e3%83%8a%e3%82%a4%e3%82%bf%e3%83%bc%e3%83%91%e3%83%bc%e3%82%af%e3%80%80%e8%aa%95%e7%94%9f%ef%bc%81/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/01/31/%e3%81%b0%e3%82%93%e3%81%91%e3%81%84x%e3%82%82%e3%81%84%e3%82%8f%e3%80%80%e5%85%b1%e9%80%9a%e3%83%91%e3%82%b9%e8%b2%a9%e5%a3%b2%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2025/06/10/%e3%81%b0%e3%82%93%e3%81%91%e3%81%84%e3%82%b9%e3%82%ad%e3%83%bc%e5%a0%b4%e3%81%8c%e3%83%af%e3%83%bc%e3%83%ab%e3%83%89%e3%82%ab%e3%83%83%e3%83%97%e3%81%ae%e9%96%8b%e5%82%ac%e5%9c%b0%e3%81%ab%e6%b1%ba/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/02/14/%e4%bb%8a%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3%e3%81%ae%e3%83%8f%e3%83%bc%e3%83%95%e3%83%91%e3%82%a4%e3%83%97%e3%82%b3%e3%83%bc%e3%82%b9%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/02/17/%e3%83%9f%e3%83%a9%e3%83%8e%e3%83%bb%e3%82%b3%e3%83%ab%e3%83%86%e3%82%a3%e3%83%8a2026%e5%86%ac%e5%ad%a3%e3%80%80%e5%b1%b1%e7%94%b0%e7%90%89%e8%81%96%e9%81%b8%e6%89%8b%e9%8a%85%e3%83%a1%e3%83%80/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/09/02/%e5%8c%97%e6%b5%b7%e9%81%93%e5%88%9d%e3%82%af%e3%82%a6%e3%82%a9%e3%83%bc%e3%82%bf%e3%83%bc%e3%83%91%e3%82%a4%e3%83%97%e8%aa%95%e7%94%9f%ef%bc%81%ef%bc%81/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/10/03/%e3%82%b7%e3%83%bc%e3%82%ba%e3%83%b3%e5%88%b8%e7%99%ba%e5%a3%b2%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b/ https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31405/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/さっぽろばんけいスキー場 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/bankei/ https://www.sapporo.travel/find/sports/sapporo_bankei_ski_area/ https://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/450833/ https://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/468453/2/ https://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/SapporoBankei/6day/mid ### Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/sapporo-kokusai Numbers: 470 m vertical, top 1100 m, base 630 m, 7 runs, 4 lifts, 11.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥6,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 札幌国際スキー場 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Jozankei Address: 937 Jozankei, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 061-2301 Coordinates: 43.07220, 141.08280 Season: late November to early May Best snow: mid January to early March Hours: 09:00–17:00 (09:00–16:00 from 1 April) Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥6,000 adult Terrain: 31% / 41% / 28% Operator: Sapporo Resort Development Public Corporation (札幌リゾート開発公社) Website: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/ Summary: Sapporo's highest ski area sits above the Jozankei gorge with an eight-seat gondola to 1,100 metres and a natural-snow season that runs from late November into May. Kokusai is the high one. Its base sits at 630 metres and the gondola tops out at 1,100 on the north shoulder of Asari-dake. No other ski area inside Sapporo city limits reaches that high. It opened in 1978 under the name Jozankei Kogen. The resort runs on natural snow alone from late November to early May, and in 2018 it was the first area in Hokkaido to open for the season. The mountain is compact. Seven courses fan out from the SkyCabin8 gondola and three chairs. Strong riders come for Downhill and its 300-metre pitch at 30 degrees. Swing kicks up to 28. Echo drops off the summit, and the resort promotes it as its powder run. Everything between the courses is roped off as no-ski forest. Most visitors arrive from Jozankei. The onsen town is half an hour down the road, and its hotels sell stays with a day ticket waiting at the front desk plus a ski liner bus in midwinter. From Sapporo the reservation-only bus takes about an hour and a half via Makomanai. For lunch, Rabbit serves the Kokusai curry ramen that the resort's pamphlet ranks as its number one dish. At Owl you can eat your ramen sitting inside a retired gondola cabin out in the snow, weather permitting. The old six-seat gondola station is now Lounge THE 6, and the summit café is known for its soft-serve. Sapporo skiers have toured Asari-dake since the Taisho era. Locals call its broad summit plateau toward Yoichi-dake the airfield (hikojo), and blizzards up there have disoriented many parties. Kokusai's terms ban riding outside the managed area. Guided groups head out from the gondola top after lodging an entry notice at the resort, and in 2020 seven people on one of those tours had to be brought down by fire crews and patrol at dusk. Tips: - Buy online. In 2025/26 the web day ticket was ¥300 under the window price. - Sign up for the free Kurutoku Club if you will ride here more than once. Prices drop from the second visit and every five points earns a free day. - Weekend parking near the base fills by about 08:30. - The Otaru side of Route 1 closes nightly 19:00–07:00 from early November to mid-April, so a dinner run to Otaru means leaving the mountain in good time. - From April the lifts stop at 16:00, and the spring pass costs little enough that Sapporo locals ride into May on it. - Ask for the gondola ramen at Owl on a calm day. You eat it in an old cabin parked in the snow. - Kokusai sells no backcountry access and its terms prohibit out-of-bounds riding. If you want Asari-dake, book a local guide who knows the current arrangement. Q: How big is Sapporo Kokusai? A: Sapporo Kokusai has 7 runs and 4 lifts over 470 m of vertical, from 630 m at the base to 1,100 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 11.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Sapporo Kokusai? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Sapporo Kokusai is about 29.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.1 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sapporo Kokusai? A: At Sapporo Kokusai: Resort rules ban riding outside the managed area and in the roped forest blocks between runs, and hiking up the pistes is prohibited. Guided groups do tour onto Asari-dake and Shirai-dake from the gondola top after lodging an entry notice at the resort, so confirm the current arrangement before you go. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sapporo Kokusai? A: An adult day ticket at Sapporo Kokusai costs ¥6,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,500 early or late in the season. Q: Does Sapporo Kokusai have night riding? A: No. Sapporo Kokusai closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Sapporo Kokusai from New Chitose Airport? A: Sapporo Kokusai is about 1 hr 40 min by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Sapporo Kokusai? A: Sapporo Kokusai usually opens late November and closes early May. The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to early March. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/slopes/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/slopes/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/price/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/price/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/price/tourpack.php https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/kurutoku/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/access/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/access/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/qanda/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/content/restaurant/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/content/loungethe6/ https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/slopes/snow-playground.php https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/pamphlet/images/pamphlet_25_26.pdf https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/news/Earlybird_sales.html https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/course/12403 https://jozankei.jp/en/skiplan/ https://www.sapporo.travel/news/jozankei-skibus/ https://www.sapporo.travel/?p=119078 https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31403/ https://www.gutabi.jp/spot/detail/1493 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/sapporo-kokusai-jozankei-kogen/ https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/en/spot/detail_12809.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/札幌国際スキー場 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/朝里岳 https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1280490/ https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/movies/detail/5970296377001/ https://visit-hokkaido.jp/adventure-travel/traveltrade-press/courses/multiple-day/sapporo-backcountry-tour-led-by-a-local-guide-whos-a-former-member-of-the-japanese-antarctic-research-expedition/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2020-1-6 https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shirai-dake ### Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/sapporo-moiwayama Numbers: 358 m vertical, top 531 m, base 173 m, 10 runs, 5 lifts, 9 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 29.8° over 60 m, adult day ¥7,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 札幌藻岩山スキー場 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Address: 1991 Moiwashita, Minami-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 005-0040 Coordinates: 43.01240, 141.33060 Season: late December to mid-March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–21:00 Night riding: 16:00–21:00 Day ticket: ¥7,000 adult Passes: Bankei × Moiwa common day pass Terrain: 40% / 40% / 20% Operator: Hokkaido Square Inc. (北海道スクエア株式会社) with Rinyu Kanko; owned by the City of Sapporo Website: https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/ Summary: Sapporo's school-lesson hill on Mt. Moiwa let snowboarders in for the first time in 2025/26 and lights eight of its ten runs above the city until 21:00. Mt. Moiwa rises straight out of Sapporo's southern suburbs, and the city has run a ski area on it since 1960. Generations of Sapporo children learned to ski here on school lessons. In 1990 it sold about 2.87 million lift rides. For decades it was one of the few hills in Hokkaido that refused snowboards. A new operator, Hokkaido Square, took over in April 2025 and opened every course to snowboarders that winter. It also brought in IC gates and a Hokkaido-resident price that drops a day ticket to ¥4,100. Board rental had not started by the end of that first season, so bring your own. Lifts 1 and 2 are now being rebuilt, and the terrain stays closed until 20 December 2026. The steep runs sit on the north slope. Karamatsu tips to 38 degrees and keeps ungroomed sections. Dynamic is shorter and drops at 37 straight toward the city. Moguls build on Usagidaira's 35-degree pitch. The Kanko-doro course follows the Mt. Moiwa tourist road for 2,620 metres while it is closed to cars for winter. After dark eight runs stay lit until 21:00 over the city. M's Norte in the North Lodge does a ¥2,500 Moiwa Snow Mountain Curry heaped with fried food. Tips: - Bring your own board. There was no snowboard rental in 2025/26. - Hokkaido residents with ID pay ¥4,100 for a day and ¥1,600 for a night from 18:00. - The time tickets count down in one-hour blocks, so a 5-hour ticket covers several short evening sessions. - The shuttle from Makomanai subway station costs ¥1,000 and takes about 15 minutes; Sapporo primary-school pupils ride free. - Karamatsu and Rinkan go unlit at night. Ride them in daylight. - Check the website before you go in December 2026. Lift construction keeps the terrain closed until at least 20 December. Q: How big is Sapporo Moiwayama? A: Sapporo Moiwayama has 10 runs and 5 lifts over 358 m of vertical, from 173 m at the base to 531 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 9 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Sapporo Moiwayama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Sapporo Moiwayama is about 29.8° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sapporo Moiwayama? A: At Sapporo Moiwayama: Leaving the managed area and riding backcountry are prohibited, and the area can confiscate lift tickets and bill for search and rescue. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sapporo Moiwayama? A: An adult day ticket at Sapporo Moiwayama costs ¥7,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Bankei × Moiwa common day pass holders ride here too. Q: Does Sapporo Moiwayama have night riding? A: Yes. Sapporo Moiwayama runs night lifts 16:00–21:00. Eight of the ten courses are lit; Karamatsu and Rinkan are not. No night session on 31 December or 1 January. 2025/26 night tickets: ¥3,000 from 16:00 or ¥2,500 from 18:00, with Hokkaido-resident prices of ¥2,200 and ¥1,600. Q: How do you get to Sapporo Moiwayama from New Chitose Airport? A: Sapporo Moiwayama is about 1 hr 10 min by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Sapporo Moiwayama? A: Sapporo Moiwayama usually opens late December and closes mid-March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/ https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/ticket https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/skiareainformation https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/access https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/about https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/project/snowboard/ https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/project/ https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/restaurant https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/wp_moiwa_new/img/pdf/restaurant.pdf https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/rental https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/agreement/ https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/en/ https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/wp_moiwa_new/img/skiareainformation/img_area_north_bg_pc.jpg https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/wp_moiwa_new/img/skiareainformation/img_area_south_bg_pc.jpg https://www.city.sapporo.jp/sports/moiwa.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/札幌藻岩山スキー場 https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31406/ https://www.sapporo.travel/find/sports/sapporo_moiwayama_ski_area/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/01/31/%e3%81%b0%e3%82%93%e3%81%91%e3%81%84x%e3%82%82%e3%81%84%e3%82%8f%e3%80%80%e5%85%b1%e9%80%9a%e3%83%91%e3%82%b9%e8%b2%a9%e5%a3%b2%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b/ ### Sapporo Teine URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/sapporo-teine Numbers: 683 m vertical, top 1023 m, base 340 m, 15 runs, 9 lifts, 14.4 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 37.5° over 60 m, adult day ¥9,800 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: サッポロテイネ (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Sapporo Address: 593 Teine Honcho, Teine-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 006-0029 Coordinates: 43.09460, 141.21150 Season: late November to early May (Highland only after late March) Best snow: mid January to late February Hours: 09:00–16:00 (upper lifts close 15:30 until mid-January) Night riding: 16:00–20:00 Day ticket: ¥9,800 adult Passes: K-Winter Pass Terrain: 52% / 20% / 28% Operator: Kamori Kanko Website: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/ Summary: Sapporo's Olympic mountain looks straight down on the city, and it pairs steep race pistes at Highland with lit after-work slopes at Olympia. Teine is the ski hill Sapporo can see from its office windows. On a clear morning the Summit Express drops you at 1,023 metres with the whole city spread below and Ishikari Bay grey beyond it. The alpine races of the 1972 Winter Olympics were held on this mountain. Its women's giant slalom piste still carries the Olympic name, and the cauldron that held the flame stands above the Olympia base. Two older ski areas make up the resort. Kamori Kanko took over both in 2002 and joined them with an eight-seat gondola. Olympia sits at the bottom with gentle pitches and a Ferris wheel. Highland is where a strong rider spends the day. Kitakabe means north wall, and it falls 1,500 metres through forest at up to 36 degrees; the resort's own course notes tell anyone unsure of themselves to stay off it because there is no way out halfway down. The Olympic GS course gives you two kilometres of fall line that steepens toward the finish. Down at Olympia, Ocean Dive runs 520 metres under the cauldron. It touches 38 degrees and grows a mogul field that catches people out. Sapporo uses Teine as a commuter hill. The JR train reaches Teine Station in under twenty minutes from Sapporo Station, and a bus climbs from there to both bases. From early December to late March the Shirakaba lift at Olympia turns until 20:00 for the two lit runs under the Ferris wheel. Regulars buy the 25-hour pass online and spend it an hour at a time. Weekend mornings bring families and school groups up from the city in numbers. Hokkaido's mountain skiing started on this hill. The Paradise Hütte went up here in 1926 to a Swiss architect's design as Japan's first ski hut, and it was rebuilt to the original plans in 1994. Touring riders today get out through a single exit called the Teine Gate beside the summit patrol hut. Inside the boundary the only forest you may ride is the marked Nature Zone. Anyone caught leaving another way loses their ticket on the spot, and a rescue past the gate is billed in full. Tips: - Buy online. Since 2025/26 the web price for day and night tickets has run ¥1,000 under the window price. - Park at Highland if you came for the steeps. The Eight Gondola back up from Olympia stops at 15:30 until mid-January and 16:00 after that, and missing it leaves you at the wrong base. - For a short session the point tickets work well: the Summit Express and Eight Gondola cost three points a ride; every other lift costs one. - The night ticket covers 16:00–20:00 at Olympia only. The last chair on Shirakaba No.1 goes at 19:40. - From late March only Highland runs, and after early April the mountain opens on weekends and holidays with a free shuttle from the south exit of JR Teine Station. - Pick a clear day for the summit. The view over Sapporo and Ishikari Bay from the top of the Summit Express is worth waiting for. - Carry full avalanche kit and file a climbing plan before you use the Teine Gate. Q: How big is Sapporo Teine? A: Sapporo Teine has 15 runs and 9 lifts over 683 m of vertical, from 340 m at the base to 1,023 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 14.4 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Sapporo Teine? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Sapporo Teine is about 37.5° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.9 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sapporo Teine? A: At Sapporo Teine: The Teine Gate beside the summit patrol hut is the only legal way past the boundary. Inside the boundary you may leave the courses only in the marked Nature Zone, and riders who exit anywhere else lose their ticket. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sapporo Teine? A: An adult day ticket at Sapporo Teine costs ¥9,800 in the 2026/27 main season and ¥7,000 early or late in the season. K-Winter Pass holders ride here too. Q: Does Sapporo Teine have night riding? A: Yes. Sapporo Teine runs night lifts 16:00–20:00. Olympia Zone only, early December to late March (6 Dec 2025 – 29 Mar 2026). The Shirakaba No.1 lift lights Shirakaba Sunshine and Shirakaba Sunrise, last chair 19:40. In 2025/26 the Paradise lift and terrain park at Highland also ran a two-night April special. Night ticket ¥3,800 at the window or ¥2,800 online in 2025/26; night season pass ¥39,000. Q: How do you get to Sapporo Teine from New Chitose Airport? A: Sapporo Teine is about 1 hr via the expressway (Teine IC is 10 min from the resort) by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Sapporo Teine? A: Sapporo Teine usually opens late November and closes early May (Highland only after late March). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/ https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lift-time https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lift-fee/night-skiing https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/course?id=Map https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/wp-content/themes/teine-snow/files/course/course_map.pdf https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/wp-content/themes/teine-snow/files/course/gate_map.pdf https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/news/29794 https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/news/30447 https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/news/28097 https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/news/28036 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/サッポロテイネ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/手稲山 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/sapporo-teine/ ### Shintoku-yama Ski Area URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/shintoku-yama Numbers: 275 m vertical, top 465 m, base 190 m, 3 runs, 1 lifts, 2.8 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.2° over 60 m, adult day ¥2,000 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: 新得山スキー場 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Shintoku Address: 9 Shintoku, Shintoku-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido Coordinates: 43.09310, 142.83090 Season: early December to early March (8 March 2026) Best snow: January to February Hours: 10:00–16:00 weekdays; 09:30–16:00 weekends Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥2,000 adult Terrain: 35% / 30% / 35% Summary: Shintoku's town hill runs one double chair a ten-minute walk from the station, for ¥2,000 a day. Shintoku-yama is the town hill above Shintoku, ten minutes on foot from the JR station where every limited express stops. One fixed-grip double chair climbs about 275 m, and three courses cover every level. A day ticket costs ¥2,000. Nobody rents snowboards here, so carry your own board. The chair turns from 10:00 on weekdays and the season ends in early March. It makes a cheap half-day for anyone waiting on a train out of Shintoku. Tips: - Weekday lifts start at 10:00, half an hour later than weekends. - The season wraps up in early March, well before Sahoro closes. Q: How big is Shintoku-yama? A: Shintoku-yama has 3 runs and 1 lifts over 275 m of vertical, from 190 m at the base to 465 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.8 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Shintoku-yama? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Shintoku-yama is about 27.2° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.3 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Shintoku-yama? A: An adult day ticket at Shintoku-yama costs ¥2,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Shintoku-yama have night riding? A: No. Shintoku-yama closes its lifts at dusk. Q: When is the season at Shintoku-yama? A: Shintoku-yama usually opens early December and closes early March (8 March 2026). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31216/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/shintokuyama/ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/shintokuyama/ski-lifts/ https://jr-group.jp/ozora-stop/ ### Snow Cruise ONZE URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/snow-cruise-onze Numbers: 208 m vertical, top 308 m, base 100 m, 9 runs, 2 lifts, 2.6 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 27.1° over 60 m, adult day ¥5,000 (2025/26) Type: Resort Local name: スノークルーズオーンズ (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Otaru Address: 357 Harukacho, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0265 Coordinates: 43.14610, 141.13310 Season: mid-December to late March Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–23:00 Night riding: 17:00–23:00 Day ticket: ¥5,000 adult Terrain: 45% / 35% / 20% Operator: SNOW PARK RESORT Hokkaido Co., Ltd. (株式会社SNOW PARK RESORT北海道) Website: https://onze.jp/ Summary: A small hill on the Sapporo edge of Otaru keeps its quad running until 22:45 with Ishikari Bay and the city lights in front of you. ONZE sits above Zenibako on the boundary between Otaru and Sapporo, and it stays open later than any other hill around the city. The quad turns until 22:45. From the top at 308 metres the lights of Sapporo and Ishikari Bay spread out below you while you ride. The hill opened in 1965 as the Haruka Doshin ski area. Its 1989 name is the French word for eleven. Two chairs serve nine short courses. Downhill and Diving are the steep ones at 30 degrees, and Diving is left to grow moguls. It suits a late session after dinner more than a full day. A free shuttle introduced in 2025/26 runs from JR Zenibako Station and the Katsuraoka bus stop. Tips: - Come after 21:00 for the cheapest ticket of the night. - The free shuttle from JR Zenibako holds about 27 people, so arrive early on weekends. - Deer is the only course left dark at night. - Parking is free for about 700 cars, and Zenibako IC is ten minutes away. Q: How big is Snow Cruise ONZE? A: Snow Cruise ONZE has 9 runs and 2 lifts over 208 m of vertical, from 100 m at the base to 308 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 2.6 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Snow Cruise ONZE? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Snow Cruise ONZE is about 27.1° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 0.7 km of the mapped total. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Snow Cruise ONZE? A: An adult day ticket at Snow Cruise ONZE costs ¥5,000 in the 2025/26 main season. Q: Does Snow Cruise ONZE have night riding? A: Yes. Snow Cruise ONZE runs night lifts 17:00–23:00. The Panorama Quad runs until 22:45 and every course except Deer is lit. In 2025/26 an after-21:00 ticket cost ¥2,700. Q: How do you get to Snow Cruise ONZE from New Chitose Airport? A: Snow Cruise ONZE is about 1 hr by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Snow Cruise ONZE? A: Snow Cruise ONZE usually opens mid-December and closes late March. The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://onze.jp/ https://onze.jp/ticket/ https://onze.jp/course/ https://onze.jp/access/ https://onze.jp/bus/ http://onze.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/map-scaled.jpg http://onze.jp/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-cableway-safety-report.pdf https://www.city.otaru.lg.jp/docs/2020100700219/file_contents/R7ski-ichiran.pdf https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31616/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/スノークルーズ・オーンズ https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/snow-cruise-onze/ ### Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & Ski Resort URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/tenguyama Numbers: 321 m vertical, top 532 m, base 211 m, 5 runs, 1 lifts, 4.5 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 38° over 60 m, adult day ¥3,500 (2026/27) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 小樽天狗山スキー場 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Otaru Address: 2-16-15 Mogami, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0023 Coordinates: 43.17810, 140.97330 Season: late December to late March (weekends only in March) Best snow: January to February Hours: 09:00–16:00 (09:00–15:00 in late December) Night riding: No Day ticket: ¥3,500 adult Passes: Hokkaido Ski Season Net Terrain: 10% / 40% / 50% Operator: Chuo Bus Kanko Kaihatsu (Hokkaido Chuo Bus group) Website: https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/ Summary: Otaru's own ski hill drops a steep 40-degree pitch straight toward the harbour, and the ropeway beside it carries sightseers up for one of Hokkaido's famous night views. Tenguyama rises straight out of the back streets of Otaru, and its runs point at the harbour. The first All-Japan Ski Championships were held on this slope in 1923. Hokkaido's first ski lift went up here in 1952, and a small ski museum at the top of the ropeway keeps about 400 pieces from those years. Five courses come down off a single pair chair. The New course is the reason to bring a board. It drops at 40 degrees and stays ungroomed, and patrol can close it when the snow is unstable. The Old course next to it reaches 38 and carries SAJ certification. Everything else is short and friendly. The ropeway alongside does not take skis or boards, so it belongs to the tourists heading up for the night view over the city and the tengu masks in the summit hall. A day ticket costs ¥3,500, and bus 9 from Otaru Station climbs to the base in about twenty minutes for ¥240. That makes Tenguyama an easy morning before a sushi lunch in town, or an afternoon if Kiroro's gondola is on wind hold. Ride the ropeway at dusk afterwards for the view. It is counted among Hokkaido's three great night views. Tips: - Rub the nose of the hananade tengu in the summit hall for luck; in winter it moves indoors. - Check the New course status before you buy. It closes when the snow is unstable, and without it the hill is short. - Bus 9 to the Tenguyama Ropeway leaves from stop 4 at the Otaru Station terminal two or three times an hour. - Parking is free across five small lots holding about 100 cars. - The ropeway runs until 20:00 in winter, so time your ride for the harbour lights. Q: How big is Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &? A: Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & has 5 runs and 1 lifts over 321 m of vertical, from 211 m at the base to 532 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 4.5 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & is about 38° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 1.3 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &? A: At Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &: Riding off the courses is prohibited, and hiking up the hill is banned at all hours. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &? A: An adult day ticket at Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & costs ¥3,500 in the 2026/27 main season. Hokkaido Ski Season Net holders ride here too. Q: Does Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & have night riding? A: No. Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & closes its lifts at dusk. Q: How do you get to Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & from New Chitose Airport? A: Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & is about 1 hr 25 min by car from New Chitose Airport. Q: When is the season at Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway &? A: Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & usually opens late December and closes late March (weekends only in March). The deepest, most reliable snow comes january to February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/winter/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/hours-and-fees/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/access/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/ropeway/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/sacred/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/safety-report/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/ https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/assets/images/winter/ski_map.webp https://www.city.otaru.lg.jp/docs/2020100700219/file_contents/R7ski-ichiran.pdf https://weathernews.jp/ski/spot/31503/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小樽天狗山スキー場 https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/otaru-tenguyama/ ### Hoshino Resorts Tomamu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resorts/tomamu Numbers: 585 m vertical, top 1171 m, base 586 m, 29 runs, 6 lifts, 23.7 km of mapped piste, steepest pitch 32.7° over 60 m, adult day ¥8,000 (2025/26) Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Resort Local name: 星野リゾート トマム (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Tomamu Address: Naka-Tomamu, Shimukappu-mura, Yufutsu-gun, Hokkaido 079-2204 Coordinates: 43.06360, 142.63140 Season: 1 December to early April (5 April) Best snow: mid-January to late February Hours: 09:00–15:30 on the upper lifts; Tower Express from 08:45; Powder Express from 09:30 Night riding: until 18:00, 26 December–31 March Day ticket: ¥8,000 adult Passes: Hokkaido Powder Belt Terrain: 30% / 40% / 30% Operator: Hoshino Resorts Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ Summary: Tomamu pairs bitter inland cold with free in-bounds powder zones and a weekend snowcat on the Hidaka skyline. Tomamu sits in a high, empty valley in the middle of Hokkaido, and the cold hits you before anything else. The resort has recorded −35°C, and a January morning at 8 am averages −12°C. Snow that falls through air like that stays dry and light. On clear mornings the trees around the gondola top come out coated in rime, and the resort counted frost trees on 63% of days in 2025/26. The ski area spreads across two ridges. Tomamu Mountain carries the gondola and the fast quads, and every steep run on the map lives there. No Gravity tilts to 35° beside the Powder Express. Tower Mountain rises behind the hotel towers and handles the easy cruising and the night session. Twenty-nine courses and 585 m of vertical sound small next to the size of the hotels. Advanced riders seldom bother with the Tower side, so pitches like Grand Prix Z can hold powder into the afternoon. Most riders who know Tomamu come for the Experts Only Powder Area. From mid-January the resort opens designated off-piste zones in the trees on Tomamu Mountain, and it frames the whole idea as a Winter Mountain Liberation Declaration. Entry costs nothing. You check in on the yukiyama app, join the powder group, accept the terms and type in a password from the Snow Kart counter in the Resort Center. A helmet is compulsory, and the last entry is at 15:00. The resort also sells guided days with Riki Nakajima's team, from a two-hour Step to Back Country session in the resort-controlled zone at ¥20,000 up to a Sunrise BC Tour that starts hiking at 3:00 in the dark. On winter weekends a snowcat takes riders up Karifuri-dake about 20 minutes away for 4–6 laps of 200–500 m with lunch in a yurt. That day costs ¥110,000 for 2026/27. There is no town at the bottom, so the evenings happen in the hotels and along hotalu street. Down at the Tomamu Mountain base, Club Med runs its own all-inclusive village. Mina-Mina Beach keeps a 30 by 80 m wave pool above 30°C. Next door at Kirin-no-Yu you can soak outside in the snow, and in deep winter the Ice Village goes up with an ice bar and an ice hotel. The limited express from Sapporo reaches JR Tomamu in about 100 minutes, and a free bus meets every train. Tips: - Buy lift tickets online for ¥300 off the counter price. Multi-day passes cost the full day rate per day, so there is no saving in buying them up front. - Load a phone with its own data plan before you go for the Powder Area check-in. The app will not register you on hotel Wi-Fi alone. - The Powder Express starts at 09:30, half an hour after the gondola. Use the gap to lap the gondola and be at the Powder Express when it opens. - Between 20 January and 10 February the gondola runs from 07:45 for frost trees and diamond dust at the Terrace of Frosted Tree. Those early cabins are for viewing only. - Morning Glory puts a guided group on the hill from 08:00 to 09:30 before public opening, for ¥5,500 each with two or more people plus your lift ticket. - The Hoshino bus liners from Furano, Asahikawa, Sapporo and New Chitose only run when booked at least nine days ahead. - Guests of The Tower and RISONARE get ¥500 off lift tickets and free entry to Mina-Mina Beach. Q: How big is Hoshino Resorts Tomamu? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu has 29 runs and 6 lifts over 585 m of vertical, from 586 m at the base to 1,171 m at the top. OpenStreetMap maps 23.7 km of piste there. Q: How steep is Hoshino Resorts Tomamu? A: The steepest mapped pitch at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is about 32.7° over 60 m. We measure it from OpenStreetMap's run lines and the elevation model. Its advanced and expert runs add up to 2.6 km of the mapped total. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu? A: At Hoshino Resorts Tomamu: From mid-January the Experts Only Powder Area opens ungroomed tree zones inside the boundary to advanced riders who check in on the yukiyama app and wear a helmet. Terrain beyond the boundary is reached through the resort's guided tours and the Karifuri snowcat. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu? A: An adult day ticket at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu costs ¥8,000 in the 2025/26 main season and ¥5,000 early or late in the season. Hokkaido Powder Belt holders ride here too. Q: Does Hoshino Resorts Tomamu have night riding? A: Yes. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu runs night lifts until 18:00, 26 December–31 March. The Tower Express and Nipo Chair run late on the Tower Mountain side, where Moonshine is the steep night run. The After15 ticket covers 15:00–18:00. Q: How do you get to Hoshino Resorts Tomamu from New Chitose Airport? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is 1 hr 30 min via Chitose-higashi IC to Tomamu IC by car from New Chitose Airport. By bus: Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU Bus Liner, about 2 hr, ¥6,000 adult (2026/27; book 9 days ahead). Q: When is the season at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu usually opens 1 December and closes early April (5 April). The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid-January to late February. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/fuyuyama/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/guide-tour/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/slopestyle/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/sp/winter/ski/lift/?l=en https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/access/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/bus_26w/index_en.html https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/frosttree/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/minamina/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/icevillage/ https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/activity/10684 https://www.snowtomamu.jp/assets/ski/pdf/map2025.pdf https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20251120-3679378/ https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6845.html https://www.skiresort.com/en/ski-resort/hoshino-resorts-tomamu/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/星野リゾート_トマム ## Resort groups ### Niseko United URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resort-groups/niseko-united Type: Resort group Region: Niseko & Yotei Resorts: 4 Q: Which resorts make up Niseko United? A: Niseko United links 4 resorts: Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, Niseko HANAZONO Resort, Niseko Village Ski Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.annupuri.info/ https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/ https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort https://www.niseko-village.com/ ### Prince Snow Resorts URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/resort-groups/prince-snow-resorts Type: Resort group Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Resorts: 1 Q: Which resorts make up Prince Snow Resorts? A: Prince Snow Resorts links 1 resorts: Furano Ski Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ ## Backcountry ### Asahidake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/asahidake-bc Numbers: summit 2,291 m, faces west, north, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 旭岳 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.66360, 142.85410 Summit: 2,291 m Typical ascent: Ropeway laps of up to 500 m; about 690 m from Sugatami to the summit Tour time: 1.5 hours for the steam-vent loop; a full day for the summit; an overnight for the Nakadake Onsen loop Faces: W N Season: December to May; glades best January to February, summit and plateau March to May Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Sugatami Station (top of the Asahidake Ropeway) Trailhead height: 1,600 m Summary: A ropeway to 1,600 m on Hokkaido's highest volcano opens gladed bowls on both sides of the line, and the plateau above leads to the 2,291 m summit in spring. Ten minutes after you leave Asahidake Onsen the ropeway sets you down at 1,600 m on the edge of an exposed volcanic plateau, and your legs are still fresh. That ease of access brings a lot of people up here, and STEEP lists Asahidake as the area with the most mountain accidents in Hokkaido. Most days the skiing happens below Sugatami, and after a cold storm the snow in these glades is as dry as Hokkaido gets. Tennyo and Ura-ten sit to skier's right of the ropeway line. Ohiroma and the Bannosawa gullies open to skier's left, and every one of them drains back to the cat tracks that lead home. The town's winter map marks Bannosawa and Ura-ban beyond it as avalanche danger zones, so save them for stable days. Above the station the trees end, and the plateau has no markers. A short tour east takes you to the Jigoku-dani steam vents and back in about 90 minutes, and the summit is another 690 m up hard, icy slopes that want crampons. Higashikawa's survival map tells you to come down the west side. Parties who drop south from near Kinko-iwa go missing often, and anyone who wanders north toward Hisago Marsh finds there is no way back. Spring opens up the plateau. From March the days are long enough for the summit, and Hokkaido Wilds describes an overnight loop over Asahidake and the Ohachidaira rim to the Nakadake hot spring in the gully below, with a 762 m climb and nearly 15 km of travel. File a plan with police through Compass before any of it, and hire a guide who knows Daisetsuzan for your first day. Q: How long is a tour on Asahidake? A: A typical tour on Asahidake climbs ropeway laps of up to 500 m; about 690 m from Sugatami to the summit and takes 1.5 hours for the steam-vent loop; a full day for the summit; an overnight for the Nakadake Onsen loop. Q: When can you ski tour Asahidake? A: The touring season on Asahidake runs december to May; glades best January to February, summit and plateau March to May. Q: Do you need a guide for Asahidake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Asahidake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Asahidake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Asahidake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/ https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf https://steep.jp/en/mountain/38373/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-asahidake-volcanic-steam-vent-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/asahidake-to-nakadake-onsen-loop-ski-tour https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6776.html https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ https://direct.hokkaidowilds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/daisetsuzan-backcountry-map-overview-JA-Ver2.pdf ### Fuppushi-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/fuppushi-dake Numbers: summit 1,102 m, ascent 770 m, faces north, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 風不死岳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.71690, 141.35890 Summit: 1,102 m Typical ascent: 770 m Tour time: 4.5 hours Faces: N Season: January to April Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Kitaone (north ridge) trailhead Summary: Tarumae's steeper neighbour climbs straight off the Lake Shikotsu shore by its north ridge and looks down over the whole caldera lake. Fuppushi-dake stands at 1,102 metres beside Tarumae on the south shore of Lake Shikotsu. The Kitaone route climbs the north ridge from roadside parking and gains about 770 metres over a 5.3-kilometre round trip. Parts of it are very steep. Hokkaido Wilds advises leaving it alone after heavy snow. The descent faces north and holds its snow. From the top the whole caldera lake opens below you and Eniwa-dake stands on the far shore. Bears are common on this mountain once spring arrives, and two people were killed in an attack here in 1976. Q: How long is a tour on Fuppushi-dake? A: A typical tour on Fuppushi-dake climbs about 770 m and takes 4.5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Fuppushi-dake? A: The touring season on Fuppushi-dake runs january to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Fuppushi-dake? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Fuppushi-dake on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Fuppushi-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Fuppushi-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/hokkaido-back-country-skiing-mt-fuppushi-kitaone-route https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/風不死岳 ### Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/furano-nishidake Numbers: summit 1,331 m, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 富良野西岳 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.30920, 142.31170 Summit: 1,331 m Typical ascent: Lift-accessed; the 1,331 m summit is about 260 m above the resort's 1,074 m high point Season: December to March, while the lifts run Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Furano Ski Resort access points 1–5 Summary: Furano's five patrol-designated exits lead onto the forested flanks of Furano Nishi-dake, and every outing needs its own climbing-plan form handed to patrol. Furano Nishi-dake rises to 1,331 m on the western edge of the Furano basin, and the ski area covers its eastern slopes. For years the resort kept its boundary closed. It now prints designated exits on the trail map, and the 2025/26 map shows five of them spread across the top of both zones and the ridge between them. The rules changed again for 2025/26 after the number of people needing help beside the resort jumped from 3 to 23 in a single year. The resort closed some exits, and it now wants its own climbing-plan form handed to the nearest patrol hut every time you go out. At the exit you take your skis or board off and walk through, so nobody below follows your track into the woods. Treat it as real backcountry with a lift ride to the start. Carry full avalanche gear. Patrol also asks for a phone or radio and a device that shows your latitude and longitude, and you want someone with you who knows the gullies. Hokkaido Powder Guides and Whiteroom Tours both run guided days out of Furano. Q: How long is a tour on Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake)? A: A typical tour on Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake) climbs lift-accessed; the 1,331 m summit is about 260 m above the resort's 1,074 m high point. Q: When can you ski tour Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake)? A: The touring season on Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake) runs december to March, while the lifts run. Q: Do you need a guide for Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake)? A: We recommend a certified guide for Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake) unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake)? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Furano Resort Access Points (Furano Nishi-dake). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf https://www.princehotels.co.jp/file.jsp?id=496649 https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/ https://www.mountainwatch.com/Snow-news/mountainwatch-guide-to-furano https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/furano/ https://scoutski.com/furano-ski-resort https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Furano-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/furanodake Numbers: summit 1,912 m, faces northwest, north, northeast, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 富良野岳 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.39370, 142.63500 Summit: 1,912 m Typical ascent: 400–500 m typical tours; 1,190 m for Maefurano-dake Tour time: 4–4.5 hours; 8.5 hours for Maefurano-dake Faces: NW N NE Season: December to April; best January to March Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Furano-dake winter trailhead at the Hakuginso turn-off (Fukiage) Summary: Furano-dake's Giant Ridge and the bowls around it give the Tokachi range its sheltered storm-day skiing, and its usual trailheads sit inside the 2026 eruption closure. Furano-dake is the 1,912 m peak at the southern end of the Tokachidake horseshoe, about 20 km east of Furano town. The name trips people up because the ski resort is called Furano too. The resort sits on lower Furano Nishi-dake across the Furano basin, and its access points have their own entry under furano-nishidake. The classic line here is the Giant Ridge. You drop off a snowbank at the Hakuginso turn-off, cross the Nukkakushi-furano river and climb through old conifers to about 1,500 m, where the snow usually deteriorates. Below treeline the forest keeps the wind off, and the powder stays soft on days when the open slopes are blown to crust. On a stable day the Nishi-shamen off the ridge's west flank gives you up to 500 m of vertical in big trees. Kaun Bowl starts at the Ryounkaku car park with a steep bootpack down to the creek, then follows a narrow ridge past two waterfalls to a 1,700 m plateau. Above about 1,600 m the snow is usually rime, and the protected powder sits lower in the bowl. Maefurano-dake comes at the range from the Furano city side, and the 21 km day from Higashi-tomioka has no bus and very little phone signal. In October 2026 the Fukiage and Tokachidake Onsen trailheads are closed to climbing under Kamifurano's Level 3 restrictions, and Hakuginso is shut. Check the town's notices and the JMA bulletin before planning a trip, and file a police plan through Compass whenever the range reopens. Q: How long is a tour on Furano-dake? A: A typical tour on Furano-dake climbs 400–500 m typical tours; 1,190 m for Maefurano-dake and takes 4–4.5 hours; 8.5 hours for Maefurano-dake. Q: When can you ski tour Furano-dake? A: The touring season on Furano-dake runs december to April; best January to March. Q: Do you need a guide for Furano-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Furano-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Furano-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Furano-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/backcountry-skiing-mt-furanos-giant-ridge-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/furano-dake-nishi-shamen https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kaun-bowl https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/maefurano-dake https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34599/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34611/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/outdoor/safemountain/ https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/108.html https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com ### Haruka-yama URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/haruka-yama Numbers: summit 907 m, ascent 800 m, faces east, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 春香山 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.11350, 141.10380 Summit: 907 m Typical ascent: 800 m Tour time: 5 hours Faces: E Season: December to April Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Katsuraoka trailhead (Zenibako side) Summary: A short tour from the Otaru–Sapporo boundary climbs an easy ridge to 907 metres, and the best turns wait on the slope behind a university hut that closed in 2022. You can reach Haruka-yama by train from Sapporo. The trailhead sits above Katsuraoka on the Otaru side. A taxi from JR Zenibako covers the last 2.8 kilometres, and the climb gains about 800 metres on an easy east-facing line. Tokai University's Ginreiso hut sat just below the top and was the only hut in Hokkaido with a year-round caretaker. It closed at the end of March 2022. The approach follows a forest road that snowmobiles use, then climbs a wide ridge with little to steer by above 700 metres. Hokkaido Wilds warns that these gentle foothills near Sapporo catch beginners out when a whiteout rolls in on Siberian wind. The slope behind the old hut gives the best turns of the day. A second approach comes up from the south past the forest-road gate near Helvetia Hütte. Q: How long is a tour on Haruka-yama? A: A typical tour on Haruka-yama climbs about 800 m and takes 5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Haruka-yama? A: The touring season on Haruka-yama runs december to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Haruka-yama? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Haruka-yama on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Haruka-yama? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Haruka-yama. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-haruka-ginreiso-hut-overnight-ski-tour-otaru-city-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/back-country-skiing-only-30mins-out-of-town https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/春香山 https://nadare.jp/ ### Iwanai-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/iwanai-dake Numbers: summit 1,085 m, faces north, northeast, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 岩内岳 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.92310, 140.51220 Summit: 1,085 m Typical ascent: about 875–950 m Tour time: 4–5 hours Faces: N NE E Season: February to April Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Iwanai Resort lodge Trailhead height: 210 m Summary: Iwanai-dake rises straight above the fishing town of Iwanai, and tourers climb it from the cat-ski resort or along its northeast ridge for long runs down toward the sea. Iwanai-dake stands 1,085 m over the harbour town of Iwanai at the western edge of the Niseko area. Its main route leaves from Iwanai Resort and follows station markers up the old summer trail, and people ski down from the top in winter. The resort runs cats on the big bowl north of the summit, so tourers sign in at the lodge before setting off and keep out of that zone. Iwanai town has asked the resort to lead search and rescue on this side of the mountain. The NE Ridge is the quieter choice. It climbs 950 m from a forestry road east of the resort over 9 km and takes about four and a half hours, and its descents face east and northeast. Watch the wind. The summit catches storms straight off the Sea of Japan and builds cornices near the top. Below it the Ichinosawa gully cuts deep into the slope. Q: How long is a tour on Iwanai-dake? A: A typical tour on Iwanai-dake climbs about 875–950 m and takes 4–5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Iwanai-dake? A: The touring season on Iwanai-dake runs february to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Iwanai-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Iwanai-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Iwanai-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Iwanai-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/岩内岳_(岩内町) https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/iwanai-dake https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/iwanai-dake-ne-ridge https://iwanairesort.com/jp/mountain-rules/iwanairesort-1 https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Karifuri-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/karifuri-dake Numbers: summit 1,323 m, faces north, northeast, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 狩振岳 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 43.02530, 142.70920 Summit: 1,323 m Typical ascent: About 650 m to the summit from Kami-Tomamu, then 150–300 m laps that each finish with a climb back to the ridge. The resort snowcat runs 200–500 m pitches. Tour time: 4–7 hours self-guided; the snowcat day runs 08:20–16:00 Faces: N NE E Season: January to March; best January–February Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: End of snow clearing, Kami-Tomamu farming settlement Summary: Karifuri-dake catches deep east-facing powder southeast of Tomamu, and you reach it either on skins from Kami-Tomamu or aboard the resort's weekend snowcat. Karifuri-dake stands about nine kilometres southeast of the Tomamu towers at the north end of the Hidaka Range. From the lifts it reads as one more forested hump on the skyline. Its eastern slopes sit in the lee of the northwest winds that cross the island all winter, so storm snow piles up there and stays dry for days in the inland cold. The self-guided route begins where the plough gives up in the farming hamlet of Kami-Tomamu. Follow the buried road to a big clearing, climb onto the ridge under the power lines and keep heading southeast past the 1,233 m bump to the summit. Most parties drop the north side first for about 150 m before skinning back out and taking the east face for roughly 300 m into the gully. Each lap ends with a climb back to the ridge. Save some legs for the exit, because the northern ridge grows heavy cornices on its east side and the ridge you came up gets ugly quickly once the wind lifts. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu runs a guided snowcat operation on the Soshubetsu–Karifuri ridge on winter weekends. You ride a heated cabin up to pitches of 200–500 m through open bowls and trees, and lunch is a hot pot in a yurt partway up the mountain. The 2025/26 day cost ¥74,800. For 2026/27 the resort lists ¥110,000 for weekends between 16 January and 6 March 2027, with bookings opening in early November. Riders who would rather earn their turns should go with a guide who knows this snowpack. Q: How long is a tour on Karifuri-dake? A: A typical tour on Karifuri-dake climbs about 650 m to the summit from Kami-Tomamu, then 150–300 m laps that each finish with a climb back to the ridge. The resort snowcat runs 200–500 m pitches and takes 4–7 hours self-guided; the snowcat day runs 08:20–16:00. Q: When can you ski tour Karifuri-dake? A: The touring season on Karifuri-dake runs january to March; best January–February. Q: Do you need a guide for Karifuri-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Karifuri-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Karifuri-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Karifuri-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/karifuri-dake-ne-slopes https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/soshubetsu-dake-south-slopes https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/狩振岳 https://alpinebackcountryguides.wetravel.com/trips/tomamu-explorer-alpine-backcountry-guides-8638776444 https://steep.jp/en/custom/tomamu-cat-tour/ https://nadare.jp/ ### Konbu-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/konbu-dake Numbers: summit 1,045 m, faces north, south, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 昆布岳 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.71030, 140.65560 Summit: 1,045 m Typical ascent: 440 m to Nishikonbu-dake; about 1,120 m to Konbu-dake by the Northern Ridge Tour time: 2.5 hours for Nishikonbu-dake; 8–9 hours for Konbu-dake Faces: N S Season: January to March for the Northern Ridge; February to April from the Toyoura side Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Northern Ridge start near Niseko Golf Course Trailhead height: 158 m Summary: Konbu-dake stands alone south of Niseko town, and reaching its narrow summit takes a long day up the Northern Ridge or a shorter climb from Nishikonbu-dake on the Toyoura side. Drive south out of Niseko town toward Toyoura and Konbu-dake stands out on the skyline away from the rest of the range. The Northern Ridge climbs about 1,120 m from the road near Niseko Golf Course and covers 16 km. Allow eight hours, or nine in deep midwinter snow. The upper ridge narrows to a knife edge near the summit, and most parties strap on crampons from about 890 m. Snowmobiles use the lower ridge, and the east faces open glide cracks as the season goes on. Hokkaido Wilds grades the route 7.5 out of 10. The south side gives a gentler day. Nishikonbu-dake climbs 437 m from a small cleared spot on Prefectural Road 914 in about two and a half hours, and strong parties carry on to Konbu-dake for three more hours with crampons on the final ridge. Q: How long is a tour on Konbu-dake? A: A typical tour on Konbu-dake climbs 440 m to Nishikonbu-dake; about 1,120 m to Konbu-dake by the Northern Ridge and takes 2.5 hours for Nishikonbu-dake; 8–9 hours for Konbu-dake. Q: When can you ski tour Konbu-dake? A: The touring season on Konbu-dake runs january to March for the Northern Ridge; February to April from the Toyoura side. Q: Do you need a guide for Konbu-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Konbu-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Konbu-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Konbu-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/昆布岳 https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/konbu-dake-northern-ridge https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nishikonbu-dake https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Kurodake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/kurodake-bc Numbers: summit 1,984 m, faces northeast, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 黒岳 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.69760, 142.92030 Summit: 1,984 m Typical ascent: About 460 m from the top of the lift; about 640 m from the ropeway top when the lift is closed Tour time: 3–4.5 hours Faces: NE E Season: January to April; the ropeway and lift run from early December to early May Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Kurodake Gate, 7th Station (top of the Kurodake lift) Trailhead height: 1,520 m Summary: One gate at the top of Kurodake's chair opens onto a 1,984 m alpine peak on the rim of Daisetsuzan, and the operator makes everyone sign in before they leave. Kurodake rises straight out of Sounkyo gorge to 1,984 m on the northern rim of the Daisetsuzan plateau. A ropeway and a single double chair do the first 850 m for you, and the Kurodake Gate sits on your left as you step off the lift at the 7th Station. Past it you're in the national park, and nobody patrols. The standard line climbs the northeast ridge to a summit that's usually rocky and scoured. Hokkaido Wilds finds the snow best from about 1,750 m down and describes the main east-northeast face as a good descent when conditions allow. Kurodake-sawa beside it runs through gorges and cliffs that don't appear on the map, and Hokkaido Wilds warns that getting bluffed out there is common. Before you go you fill in the forest entry register and a Mountain Entry Consent at the 5th Station, or hand in the consent form at the ticket window, and you file a separate plan with police. Rental snowshoes and skis are banned past the boundary. From 2026/27 the day pass includes a single ropeway round trip, because more people were getting hurt skiing the slope beneath it, and Whiteroom Tours only takes groups here on request with a second guide. Sounkyo makes a good base. Kurodake-no-yu has rooftop outdoor baths a short walk from the ropeway, and the village hotels are lined up along the gorge. For a bigger objective, Daisetsuzan's Higashi-dake starts from Taisetsu Plaza 273 on Route 273, about 15 minutes from Sounkyo by taxi. Q: How long is a tour on Kurodake? A: A typical tour on Kurodake climbs about 460 m from the top of the lift; about 640 m from the ropeway top when the lift is closed and takes 3–4.5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Kurodake? A: The touring season on Kurodake runs january to April; the ropeway and lift run from early December to early May. Q: Do you need a guide for Kurodake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Kurodake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Kurodake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Kurodake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/ https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/map-2025.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/caution.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/mountain-entry-permission-en.pdf https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/information/02/p0070.htm https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kurodake-backcountry-skiing https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/daisetsuzan-higashi-dake https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Muine-yama URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/mt-muine Numbers: summit 1,464 m, faces north, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 無意根山 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.93080, 141.04060 Summit: 1,464 m Typical ascent: about 900 m on the Motoyama route; about 1,070 m from the Nakayama side Tour time: 6 hours (Motoyama route); a long full day from the Nakayama side Faces: N E Season: December to March; March to April for the Kimobetsu-dake traverse Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Toyoha mine (Motoyama) trailhead Trailhead height: 600 m Summary: Muine-yama rises to 1,464 metres behind Jozankei with a broad summit plateau and the worst avalanche record in the Sapporo region. Muine-yama stands at 1,464 metres on the boundary between Sapporo and Kyogoku, south-west of Jozankei. The usual winter approach starts at the old Toyoha mine at about 600 metres, where a ski lift once carried mine workers until it closed in 2000. Winter parking is only allowed at the end of the private plowed road, and a taxi from Jozankei takes about half an hour. The climb takes about two hours to Senjaku Plateau. Beyond it the route dips through Uma-no-se (the horse's back) beneath a cornice and then climbs a long whaleback to the summit. Wind strips the top bare. In cloud the plateau gives you nothing to steer by, and the Japanese guidebook warns how easy it is to lose your way. Muine has killed more people in avalanches than any other mountain around Sapporo. The east faces are steep and empty into deep gullies, and the north bowl on Senjaku Plateau is the one to leave alone on a bad day. In March and April strong parties link Muine to Kimobetsu-dake and finish at a layby below Nakayama Pass. The traverse takes about seven hours and needs a car at each end. Q: How long is a tour on Muine-yama? A: A typical tour on Muine-yama climbs about 900 m on the Motoyama route; about 1,070 m from the Nakayama side and takes 6 hours (Motoyama route); a long full day from the Nakayama side. Q: When can you ski tour Muine-yama? A: The touring season on Muine-yama runs december to March; March to April for the Kimobetsu-dake traverse. Q: Do you need a guide for Muine-yama? A: We recommend a certified guide for Muine-yama unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Muine-yama? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Muine-yama. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/muine-yama-toyoha-motoyama-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-muine-muine-hut-ski-touring-sapporo-city-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/muine-yama-to-kimobetsu-dake-traverse-ski-tour https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/無意根山 https://nadare.jp/ ### Mt. Yotei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/mt-yotei Numbers: summit 1,898 m, faces north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 羊蹄山 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.82670, 140.81140 Summit: 1,898 m Typical ascent: 950–1,050 m to treeline laps around 1,300 m; 1,550–1,600 m to the summit Tour time: 5 hours for treeline routes; 8–9 hours for a summit and crater day Faces: N NE E SE S SW W Season: December to May; most reliable skiing sits below 1,300–1,400 m, and summit and crater days are best from March to early May Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Makkari route (Yotei Shizen Koen car park) Trailhead height: 291 m Summary: Yotei stands 1,898 m high on its own above the Niseko valley, and ski routes climb every face of the cone to treeline forest and the summit crater. Yotei rises alone between Niseko and Rusutsu, and on a clear morning you see it from every lift in the valley. Its 1,898 m summit has a prominence of 1,878 m. Nothing on it is controlled or patrolled. Most of the reliable skiing sits below about 1,300 m in old forest and open terraces, and the cone above that belongs to wind and ice for much of the winter. The south side is where most people start. The Makkari route climbs from the big plowed car park at Yotei Nature Park to the 1000 m Terrace. That old-growth plateau under the cone is the main ski zone, and the Jinja-no-sawa route next door leads to the Delta Slope. Riders lap that 30-degree fan from 600 m up to around 1,250 m. Both of those named features sit below heavily corniced ridges, so watch what hangs above you in spring. Kimobetsu on the southeast side climbs a broad, even slope between gullies, and Kyogoku on the northeast needs a reliable base before it is worth the drive. The summit is a spring objective for most parties. Guides favour mid-March to early May for the long days and settled snow, and a summit round trip takes about eight hours before you add half an hour to ski into the crater. The Hirafu route on the west face climbs 1,550 m and passes the refuge hut near 1,700 m. On the north side the 148 Gully drops 1,300 m from the rim in one long terrain trap. Ride either of those only with a guide and a stable forecast. Yotei has killed people in recent seasons. A member of a ten-person tour died in an avalanche near the sixth station of the Hirafu route in January 2023, and in March 2024 a slide on the Kutchan side killed two New Zealanders during a warm spell. Check the Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for the Niseko area before every trip and file a climbing plan through Compass. Q: How long is a tour on Mt. Yotei? A: A typical tour on Mt. Yotei climbs 950–1,050 m to treeline laps around 1,300 m; 1,550–1,600 m to the summit and takes 5 hours for treeline routes; 8–9 hours for a summit and crater day. Q: When can you ski tour Mt. Yotei? A: The touring season on Mt. Yotei runs december to May; most reliable skiing sits below 1,300–1,400 m, and summit and crater days are best from March to early May. Q: Do you need a guide for Mt. Yotei? A: We recommend a certified guide for Mt. Yotei unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Mt. Yotei? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Mt. Yotei. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/羊蹄山 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Yōtei https://hokkaidowilds.org/mt-yotei-backcountry-ski-routes https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-makkari-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-jinja-no-sawa-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-backcountry-skiing-makkimo-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-kimobetsu-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-kyogoku-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-hirafu-route-ski-touring https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-148-gully https://hokkaidowilds.org/a-mount-yotei-south-side-success https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2023-8-1 https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2019-125-1 https://hokkaidowilds.org/backcountry-ski-guides-in-niseko https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/guided-tours/yotei-summit-tours/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/backcountry-ski-guides/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-touring/sw-hokkaido-backcountry-touring/ https://www.whiteroomtours.com/guided-japan-tours/hokkaido-backcountry-tour/ https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest https://www.police.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/info/chiiki/sangaku/sangaku-top.html https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Niseko Range URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/niseko-range Numbers: summit 1,134 m, faces north, northeast, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: ニセコ連峰 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.88810, 140.59670 Summit: 1,134 m Typical ascent: 300–700 m for most day tours; 2,000–2,500 m over the full Haute Route Tour time: 3–5 hours for most day tours; 1–4 days for the Haute Route Faces: N NE SE S SW W NW Season: December to April; road-access tours from the Yusato Gate and Goshiki Onsen are best January to March, and the Haute Route goes in March and April Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Old Chisenupuri ski area base (Rankoshi) Trailhead height: 552 m Summary: West of the Niseko lifts a chain of rounded volcanic peaks runs toward the Sea of Japan, and short climbs from plowed road ends reach tree runs and open faces that see a fraction of the resort traffic. The Niseko Range carries on west from Annupuri as a line of low volcanoes. Iwaonupuri and Nitonupuri rise right above the Goshiki hot springs with Chisenupuri just beyond them, and Shakunage-dake and Mekunnai-dake stretch the line toward the coast. None of them tops 1,220 m. The climbs are short, and the hard part is the weather that comes straight off the Sea of Japan. Winter road closures decide where you can start. Route 66 over the Panorama Line closes for 18.3 km and is plowed from the Rankoshi side only as far as the Yusato Gate above Chisenupuri village, so Shinsen-numa is out of reach. The Goshiki Onsen spur stays open to a big lot just past the onsen. Those two road ends and the old Chisenupuri ski area put you within three or four hours of most summits in the range. Chisenupuri's south face is the gentlest start. It climbs about 540 m from the ski-area car park on an uptrack marked in orange. Nitonupuri gives three faces from the Yusato Gate, and a 2009 avalanche on the steep first slope above the road buried four people. Iwaonupuri is the one with teeth. Its south ridge takes about three hours from Goshiki, and the northeast chute drops about 200 m at 35 to 40 degrees under a convex roll that loads with wind slab. Late in the season the whole range links into the Niseko Haute Route. It runs 31 km from Goshiki Onsen to Shikishimanai on the Raiden coast, and spring parties do it in one or two days with a camp at the old Niimi Onsen site. Annupuri's north face also connects to Goshiki through Gate 2 or Gate 3 and gives resort riders a first taste of the range. Read the Niseko avalanche bulletin and file a plan through Compass before any of it. Q: How long is a tour on Niseko Range? A: A typical tour on Niseko Range climbs 300–700 m for most day tours; 2,000–2,500 m over the full Haute Route and takes 3–5 hours for most day tours; 1–4 days for the Haute Route. Q: When can you ski tour Niseko Range? A: The touring season on Niseko Range runs december to April; road-access tours from the Yusato Gate and Goshiki Onsen are best January to March, and the Haute Route goes in March and April. Q: Do you need a guide for Niseko Range? A: We recommend a certified guide for Niseko Range unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Niseko Range? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Niseko Range. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/チセヌプリ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニトヌプリ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/イワオヌプリ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ニセコアンヌプリ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/目国内岳 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/シャクナゲ岳 https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/chisenupuri-south-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/chisenupuri-southeast-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shakunage-dake https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shakunage-dake-south-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nitonupuri-summit https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nitonupuri-southeast-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nitonupuri-west-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-iwaonupuri-mt-io-ski-tour-day-trip-foot-goshiki-hot-springs https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/iwaonupuri-ne-chute https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/niseko-annupuri-kita-shamen-to-goshiki-onsen-loop https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-mekunnai-ski-tour-niseko-range-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mekunnai-dake-south-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/maemekunnai-dake-south-approach https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/weisshorn-ski-touring https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/niseko-haute-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/region/niseko-region https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kokuyu_rinya/kokumin_mori/katuyo/reku/rekumori/news/index.html https://niseko.nadare.info/ https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-rules/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/cat-skiing/chisenupuri-snowcats/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/backcountry-ski-guides/ https://risingsunguides.com/backcountry-touring/sw-hokkaido-backcountry-touring/ https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/ https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/nissho-pass Numbers: summit 1,532 m, faces east, north, south, southeast, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 日勝峠 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 42.94250, 142.75940 Summit: 1,532 m Typical ascent: 380 m (Nissho Peak) to 820 m (Pekerebetsu-dake) Tour time: 2–4 hours Faces: E N S SE Season: January to April; March is the pick Grade: advanced Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Pekerebetsu-dake pull-out on Route 274, Tokachi side of the pass Trailhead height: 665 m Summary: Three Hidaka peaks start straight from the plowed lots along Route 274 as it climbs to 1,022 m between Sapporo and Obihiro. Route 274 tops out at 1,022 m where it crosses the Hidaka Range at Nissho Pass. Few paved roads in Hokkaido climb higher. Trucks grind over it day and night between Sapporo and Obihiro, and the plowed parking areas along the way let you step from the car onto three good peaks. It runs cold up here and the season lasts into May. Wind regularly strips the exposed slopes between storms. Pekerebetsu-dake is the main event. You leave a ten-car pull-out about 7 km below the summit of the pass on the Tokachi side, follow a forestry road and the creek for an hour, then pick a ridge. The Centre Ridge goes straight at the 1,532 m summit and finishes very steep. On the North Ridge you gain the spur by a 300 m gully that faces due west before a steep last 100 m to the top. The big east face gives direct lines and excellent powder on the right day, and from the summit you can see across the Tokachi plain to the Daisetsuzan peaks in the northeast. Nissho Peak is the quick option. From the lot at the west end of the Nissho Tunnel it takes about an hour and a half to climb its north ridge to 1,445 m, and the north side often holds powder when the summit is scoured. Soshubetsu-dake starts lower at the Chisaka parking area and climbs a forestry road and then forest to an open, gentle summit slope at 1,383 m. Tomamu's snowcats run up its far side, so keep off their track and away from guided groups. No avalanche bulletin covers these peaks directly. Read the Japan Avalanche Network forecast for Daisetsu and Tokachi, which comes out three times a week, and file a climbing plan on Compass before you go. Q: How long is a tour on Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak)? A: A typical tour on Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak) climbs 380 m (Nissho Peak) to 820 m (Pekerebetsu-dake) and takes 2–4 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak)? A: The touring season on Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak) runs january to April; March is the pick. Q: Do you need a guide for Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak)? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Nissho Pass (Pekerebetsu-dake and Nissho Peak) on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/pekerebetsu-dake https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nissho-peak-ski-touring-nissho-pass-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/soshubetsu-dake-south-slopes https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ペケレベツ岳 https://store.avenza.com/products/pekerebetsu-dake-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan-hokkaidowildsorg-map https://nadare.jp/ ### Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/okuteine-ridge Numbers: summit 1,023 m, faces north, south, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 奥手稲山 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.08730, 141.15320 Summit: 1,023 m Typical ascent: 650 m over 25 km Tour time: 8–11 hours Faces: N S E Season: January to April Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort car park (north-east corner) Trailhead height: 630 m Summary: A full-day traverse inside Sapporo city links Kokusai to Teine over the Okuteine plateau and the summit of Teine-yama, then skis down toward the city. This traverse never leaves Sapporo city limits. It starts in the Sapporo Kokusai car park, crosses the high plateau behind Jozankei and Teine, tops out on Teine-yama at 1,023 metres and finishes with a run down toward Nishino. Hokkaido Wilds recommends going west to east because you get more downhill that way. The full route covers 25 kilometres with about 650 metres of climbing. The first ten kilometres to Hoshioki-yama are mellow, apart from a steep pull up Tsuge-yama. The plateau between is broad and featureless, and in cloud you will be steering by GPS. From Hoshioki-yama the ridge narrows to short icy ledges you have to boot up, and the line to Teine finishes with a steep traverse under the cliffs on the mountain's north side. Fast sidecountry riders from the resort use that same traverse. Two university huts break the day. Hokkaido University's Helvetia Hütte was first built in 1927 and sits about halfway along the approach. It opens to the public on weekends. Okuteine Yama-no-Ie below Okuteine-yama is run by students and has a wood stove. Most parties take ten or eleven hours including the walk out to Miyanosawa subway station. Start on the first bus to Kokusai. Q: How long is a tour on Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse)? A: A typical tour on Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse) climbs 650 m over 25 km and takes 8–11 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse)? A: The touring season on Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse) runs january to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse)? A: We recommend a certified guide for Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse) unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse)? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Okuteine ridge (Kokusai to Teine traverse). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kokusai-to-teine-ski-traverse https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/手稲山 https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/wp-content/themes/teine-snow/files/course/gate_map.pdf https://www.whiteroomtours.com/guided-japan-tours/southern-hokkaido-tour/ https://nadare.jp/ ### Piyashiri-yama URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/piyashiri-yama Numbers: summit 989 m, ascent 800 m, faces northwest, west, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: ピヤシリ山 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 44.43370, 142.58410 Summit: 989 m Typical ascent: 800 m Tour time: About 5 hours (3.5 up, 1.5 down); many parties overnight in the summit hut Faces: NW W Season: December to April Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Nayoro Piyashiri Ski Area Summary: Nayoro's local summit is a long, cold valley-and-ridge tour from the ski area to a free log hut at 966 m, close to the coldest corner of Hokkaido. Piyashiri-yama stands above Nayoro within 30 km of the coldest place in Hokkaido, and in late January the air can fill with diamond dust. The tour starts at the Nayoro Piyashiri ski area and follows the Piyashiri River before climbing a steep bank onto a wide ridge. At about 750 m you reach the sightseeing road, buried for the winter, and follow its easy grade to the top. The emergency hut beside the summit is open all year and costs nothing. It's drafty and has a small wood stove that needs about three hours before the room warms much, and the door may need digging out. Hokkaido Wilds recorded a whiteout under 30 m and windchill around minus 25 on its overnight, so carry a map and compass even on a short day. Nayoro Onsen Sunpillar sits across the road from the trailhead for the soak afterwards. Q: How long is a tour on Piyashiri-yama? A: A typical tour on Piyashiri-yama climbs about 800 m and takes about 5 hours (3.5 up, 1.5 down); many parties overnight in the summit hut. Q: When can you ski tour Piyashiri-yama? A: The touring season on Piyashiri-yama runs december to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Piyashiri-yama? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Piyashiri-yama on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Piyashiri-yama? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Piyashiri-yama. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-piyashiri-summit-hut-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/ ### Raiden-yama URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/raiden-yama Numbers: summit 1,211 m, faces north, south, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 雷電山 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.90360, 140.46940 Summit: 1,211 m Typical ascent: about 1,000–1,100 m Tour time: 4–6 hours Faces: N S Season: January to April from the south; March and April for the North Ridge Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Iwanai waste facility (North Ridge) Trailhead height: 136 m Summary: Raiden-yama anchors the western end of the Niseko Range above the Sea of Japan, and its long climbs from near sea level end on a wide plateau that disappears in coastal cloud. Raiden-yama sits where the Niseko Range meets the sea. Both main routes start close to sea level, so the 1,211 m summit asks for more climbing than its height suggests. The North Ridge leaves the road end at Iwanai's waste facility and gains about 1,100 m over 13.5 km. Allow six hours, and save it for March and April. The south side opens earlier. The Sabo Dam route starts on the Kokkuri-ko access road at 36 m and climbs 995 m to a 1,046 m point in about four hours, and it skis from January to April. Share the lower road with snowmobiles. Weather is the hazard that matters most here. Storms come straight in off the water, and the summit plateau has nothing on it to steer by once the cloud drops. Carry a GPS track and turn around early. Haute Route parties cross the Raiden plateau on their way down to Shikishimanai. Q: How long is a tour on Raiden-yama? A: A typical tour on Raiden-yama climbs about 1,000–1,100 m and takes 4–6 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Raiden-yama? A: The touring season on Raiden-yama runs january to April from the south; March and April for the North Ridge. Q: Do you need a guide for Raiden-yama? A: We recommend a certified guide for Raiden-yama unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Raiden-yama? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Raiden-yama. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Raiden https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/目国内岳 https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/raiden-yama-north-ridge https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/raiden-yama-sabo-dam-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/niseko-haute-route https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/rishiri-zan Numbers: summit 1,721 m, faces north, northwest, west, southeast, east, expert Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 利尻山 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 45.17860, 141.24190 Summit: 1,721 m Typical ascent: 1,000–1,600 m; the full summit route from Oshidomari climbs 1,594 m Tour time: 5–8 hours Faces: N NW W SE E Season: January to April; best March–April Grade: expert Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Rishiri-fuji Onsen, Oshidomari (classic north ridge) Summary: Rishiri is a lone volcanic cone in the Sea of Japan whose gullies run all the way to the coast, and the wind decides whether you get to ride them. Rishiri rises 1,721 m straight out of the Sea of Japan about 20 km off Hokkaido's northwest coast. From the ferry it looks like somebody set Mt. Fuji down in the ocean. Ridges and gullies fall off the cone on every side, and plenty of them finish near the coast road, so a full run can end with the fishing boats in view. The wind runs everything here. Winter monsoon air comes off Siberia with nothing in its way, and Hokkaido Wilds calls a clear windless day in January or February extremely rare. The snow in deep winter is light and cold. Most summit attempts happen in March and April once the days stretch out and storms space themselves apart. You still need crampons and an ice axe for the top, and the classic north ridge descent has a short section of front-pointing near 1,600 m. Two people died in backcountry accidents on Rishiri in February and March 2024. On 3 March an avalanche caught at least four members of a guided group. There is no avalanche bulletin for the island, and treeline sits low enough that most of every climb is in the open. Toshiya Watanabe grew up here and started guiding in 2004. He and his wife Maki run Pension Rera Mosir, and his snowmobiles cut out the long flat approaches to the bottom of the climbs. The ferry from Wakkanai to Oshidomari takes about 1 hr 40 min and sailings get cancelled when the sea is up, so leave a spare day at each end. A short flight from Sapporo's Okadama airport is the other way in. Week-long guided trips from mainland outfits build one or two weather days into the schedule. Q: How long is a tour on Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri)? A: A typical tour on Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri) climbs 1,000–1,600 m; the full summit route from Oshidomari climbs 1,594 m and takes 5–8 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri)? A: The touring season on Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri) runs january to April; best March–April. Q: Do you need a guide for Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri)? A: We recommend a certified guide for Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri) unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri)? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Rishiri-zan (Mt. Rishiri). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-classic-ski-tour-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-yamunaizawa-south-ridge-ski-tour https://hokkaidowilds.org/hut/rishiri-zan-emergency-hut https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/利尻山 https://powderguide.com/en/magazine/abenteuer-reisen/spotcheck-rishiri-japan https://www.afar.com/magazine/in-japan-skiing-the-volcanic-island-of-rishiri https://visit-hokkaido.jp/en/adventure-travel/traveltrade-press/courses/multiple-day/r5-06_backcountry_rishiri_meitetsu/ https://explore-share.com/trip/rishiri-1-day-backcountry-snowboarding-tours https://alpinebackcountryguides.wetravel.com/trips/rishiri-explorer-alpine-backcountry-guides-5543064819 https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/movies/detail/6348148461112/ ### Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/sahoro-dake Numbers: summit 1,060 m, faces south, west, north, east, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 佐幌岳 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 43.17330, 142.78110 Summit: 1,060 m Typical ascent: About 1,165 m of total climbing over the rolling ridge to Sahoro-dake; 425 m for Karikachi-yama Tour time: 3–6 hours Faces: S W N E Season: January to March for Sahoro-dake; February to April for Karikachi-yama Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Karikachi Pass rest area, Route 38 Trailhead height: 644 m Summary: A pass-top ridge tour leads to a summit shelter above the Sahoro lifts, and a short, steep neighbour waits across the road. Sahoro-dake is the northernmost peak of the Hidaka Range, and the Sahoro ski area spreads down its Shintoku side. A weather station stood on the summit during the war. Since 1978 a small bunker-style shelter with a wood stove has occupied the spot, so you can sleep on top and take a first-light run down the ski area before the lifts turn. The hut has a donation box, and 500 yen a head is about right. The winter route follows the summer trail north from the Karikachi Pass rest area at 644 m. The ridge rolls over Mt. Sakura at 950 m on the way, and Hokkaido Wilds logged the round trip at 15.5 km with about 1,165 m of climbing for a summit barely 420 m above the car. Stay toward the brushy western side, because the east edge carries cornices and cracks. When the wind is up, the more sheltered start from the sixth station keeps you in the trees for longer. A taxi from the Sahoro Resort Hotel to the top of the pass ran about ¥3,000 on that trip, with a 20-minute wait. Karikachi-yama sits on the Minamifurano side of the pass at 985 m and makes a three-hour outing. You climb the north ridge through forest to the 711 m point before it steepens toward the summit. Its south and east faces are open because avalanches keep them that way, so dig a pit before you commit. Q: How long is a tour on Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass? A: A typical tour on Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass climbs about 1,165 m of total climbing over the rolling ridge to Sahoro-dake; 425 m for Karikachi-yama and takes 3–6 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass? A: The touring season on Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass runs january to March for Sahoro-dake; February to April for Karikachi-yama. Q: Do you need a guide for Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Sahoro-dake (Mt. Sahoro) and Karikachi Pass on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-sahoro-sahoro-sanso-hut-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/karikachi-yama https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/佐幌岳 https://nadare.jp/ ### Sapporo-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/sapporo-dake Numbers: summit 1,293 m, ascent 850 m, faces north, east, south, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 札幌岳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.90030, 141.20060 Summit: 1,293 m Typical ascent: 850 m Tour time: 5–6 hours Faces: N E S Season: January to April Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Hiyamizu-sawa trailhead near Hoheikyo Dam Summary: Sapporo-dake gives a steady tour from Hoheikyo past a university hut to a 1,293-metre summit inside Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Sapporo-dake rises to 1,293 metres inside Shikotsu-Toya National Park, south of Jozankei. The trailhead is near Hoheikyo Dam. It has a large car park and a box for your registration slip, and the hot spring at Hoheikyo waits a couple of kilometres down the road. A taped summer trail follows the Hiyamizu stream up to Hiyamizu Hut at about 850 metres. The route crosses the water many times, and early in the season those snow bridges can be thin. There are no markers above the hut. A gully of about 100 metres opens into a bowl, and a broad ridge just above the trees leads to the top. Most of the descent faces north, so the snow keeps well after a cold spell. Hokkai Gakuen University owns the hut. It sleeps 30 for ¥350 a night on the first and third weekends of each month, and you need to book by phone. A night there turns the summit into an easy morning. The western slopes behind the hut can slide, and in cloud the open top makes it easy to set off down the wrong side. Q: How long is a tour on Sapporo-dake? A: A typical tour on Sapporo-dake climbs about 850 m and takes 5–6 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Sapporo-dake? A: The touring season on Sapporo-dake runs january to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Sapporo-dake? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Sapporo-dake on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Sapporo-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Sapporo-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-sapporo-and-hiyamizu-hut-ski-tour-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/hut/mt-sapporo-hiyamizu https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/札幌岳 https://nadare.jp/ ### Shirai-dake and Asari-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/shirai-dake Numbers: summit 1,301 m, faces north, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 白井岳・朝里岳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.04480, 141.07040 Summit: 1,301 m Typical ascent: about 680 m to Shirai-dake from the Kokusai base Tour time: 4.5 hours Faces: N Season: January to March Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort car park Trailhead height: 630 m Summary: The horseshoe of ridges behind Sapporo Kokusai leads up through old birch to Shirai-dake, and Asari-dake's flat summit plateau closes the far end. Shirai-dake sits at the south end of a horseshoe ridge that curls around Sapporo Kokusai from Asari-dake. With Yoichi-dake the two peaks make up the Yoichi Three Peaks, and Sapporo skiers have toured them since the Taisho era. The tour starts in the Kokusai car park. You walk past the bottom of the gondola through the staff parking and head up the Shiraidake-sawa stream. The lower half winds through a gully with two creek crossings and a steep-sided traverse around 730 metres. A third of the way up the forest thins into old white birch spaced wide enough to ride. The summit ridge meets you at about 1,100 metres, and the top is twenty minutes of flat walking from there. Ski the upper half of the north side, then keep off the gully floors on the way out. Kokusai's terms ban riding outside its managed area and hiking up its pistes. Climbing from the top lift toward Asari-dake is frowned upon, and the ridge from Asari-dake to Shirai-dake takes about two hours anyway. Guided groups do run tours onto Asari-dake from the gondola top after lodging an entry notice at the resort. Asari-dake's broad summit has a long history of parties walking in circles in blizzards. Q: How long is a tour on Shirai-dake and Asari-dake? A: A typical tour on Shirai-dake and Asari-dake climbs about 680 m to Shirai-dake from the Kokusai base and takes 4.5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Shirai-dake and Asari-dake? A: The touring season on Shirai-dake and Asari-dake runs january to March. Q: Do you need a guide for Shirai-dake and Asari-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Shirai-dake and Asari-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Shirai-dake and Asari-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Shirai-dake and Asari-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shirai-dake https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/白井岳_(北海道) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/朝里岳 https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/ https://visit-hokkaido.jp/adventure-travel/traveltrade-press/courses/multiple-day/sapporo-backcountry-tour-led-by-a-local-guide-whos-a-former-member-of-the-japanese-antarctic-research-expedition/ https://www.skiing-hokkaido.com/?p=4033 https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2020-1-6 https://www.whiteroomtours.com/guided-japan-tours/yuki-yama-backcountry-tour/ ### Shiribetsu-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/shiribetsu-dake Numbers: summit 1,107 m, faces south, southeast, southwest, west, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 尻別岳 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.77220, 140.91110 Summit: 1,107 m Typical ascent: 500–650 m Tour time: 2.5–4 hours Faces: S SE SW W Season: January to March for the south face and northwest gully; the west bowl from December to April Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Rusutsu Resort car park (South Face) Trailhead height: 423 m Summary: Shiribetsu-dake rises straight out of the Rusutsu car park as a short, steep cone with a reputation for avalanches, and it rewards careful parties with open bowls and Yotei across the valley. From the base of Rusutsu you look straight up at the 1,107 m cone of Shiribetsu-dake. Its Ainu name is Pinneshiri. The south face tour starts in the resort's own car park. Climb the ridge to the looker's right of the main bowl, then ride the bowl itself or one of the two narrower gullies to the east, and you are back at the car in about four hours. Hokkaido Wilds calls Shiribetsu-dake the most avalanche-prone mountain in Hokkaido, and the Hokkaido Shimbun once described it as an avalanche nest. The south bowl grows huge glide cracks and slides to the ground, and the summit ridge carries heavy cornices. A surface slide on the treeless west slope killed a member of a ski tour in January 2010 while avalanche and heavy-snow advisories were in force. On a stable day the bowls ski well, and Yotei fills the view to the west from the top. The West Bowl climbs 500 m from a farm road in about three hours and suits December to April, and the Northwest Gully comes up from Kimobetsu to the 989 m false peak. Hokkaido Backcountry Club also lands helicopters on the summit. Go with a guide or with a party that reads glide cracks well. Q: How long is a tour on Shiribetsu-dake? A: A typical tour on Shiribetsu-dake climbs 500–650 m and takes 2.5–4 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Shiribetsu-dake? A: The touring season on Shiribetsu-dake runs january to March for the south face and northwest gully; the west bowl from December to April. Q: Do you need a guide for Shiribetsu-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Shiribetsu-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Shiribetsu-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Shiribetsu-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/尻別岳 https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-west-bowl-backcountry-skiing https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-northwest-gully https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/644924/ https://blackdiamondtours.com/backcountry-ski-guides/ https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/homepage/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/avalanche-bulletins-in-niseko https://cyberjapandata2.gsi.go.jp/general/dem/scripts/getelevation.php ### Tarumae-zan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/tarumae-zan Numbers: summit 1,041 m, faces southeast, north, intermediate Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 樽前山 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 42.69060, 141.37670 Summit: 1,041 m Typical ascent: about 690 m to Higashi-yama (1,023 m) Tour time: 5 hours Faces: SE N Season: January to March Grade: intermediate Guide: Optional for experienced groups Trailhead: Route 141 / Route 276 junction (winter start) Summary: The active volcano above Lake Shikotsu gives a long, mellow tour to its outer rim at 1,023 metres beside a steaming lava dome. Tarumae-zan rises south of Lake Shikotsu between Tomakomai and Chitose, and its lava dome still steams at 1,041 metres. Climbing the dome is off limits. The local volcano disaster council treats everything inside the outer rim as a danger zone, and the Japan Meteorological Agency keeps a warning for gas and ash near the vents. Ski tours aim for Higashi-yama on the outer rim at about 1,023 metres. In winter the road to the 7th-station hut is closed, so the tour starts with 6.5 kilometres of road from the junction of Routes 141 and 276. Above the hut the slopes open out. Wind scours the upper ridges down to ice and rock, and most parties carry crampons. The skiing is gentle, and the reward is the view over the caldera to Lake Shikotsu and Eniwa-dake. The emergency-only hut at the 7th station is the last shelter. Q: How long is a tour on Tarumae-zan? A: A typical tour on Tarumae-zan climbs about 690 m to Higashi-yama (1,023 m) and takes 5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Tarumae-zan? A: The touring season on Tarumae-zan runs january to March. Q: Do you need a guide for Tarumae-zan? A: Experienced, equipped groups tour Tarumae-zan on their own, though a local guide finds better snow. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Tarumae-zan? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Tarumae-zan. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/tarumae-zan-ski-touring https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/樽前山 https://www.data.jma.go.jp/svd/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/109.html https://www.city.tomakomai.hokkaido.jp/files/00003300/00003303/20210706110855.pdf ### Tokachidake & Sandan-yama URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/tokachidake Numbers: summit 2,077 m, faces northwest, northeast, north, west, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 十勝岳・三段山 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Coordinates: 43.41790, 142.68630 Summit: 2,077 m Typical ascent: 500–770 m typical tours Tour time: 3.5–4.5 hours Faces: NW NE N W Season: December to May; best January to March, with Maetokachi's upper slopes best from mid-February Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Hakuginso Lodge (Fukiage Onsen) Trailhead height: 1,020 m Summary: The volcanic amphitheatre above Hakuginso and Tokachidake Onsen is Hokkaido's best-known touring ground, and since September 2026 a Level 3 eruption alert has closed every approach from Kamifurano. The Tokachi range runs south from the Daisetsuzan plateau as a chain of volcanoes, and Tokachidake at 2,077 m is the one that still smokes. The touring sits in a horseshoe of peaks above two onsen. Hakuginso is a public bathhouse and bunkhouse at 1,020 m, and the Sandan-yama route starts on the bed of an old ski hill right behind it. Ryounkaku at Tokachidake Onsen sits higher, about 1,260 m, with a public car park that fills by nine on weekends. Sandan-yama takes its name from its steps. The summer trail climbs 730 m to the 1,748 m top in about three hours, and from 1,500 m the Higashi-no-tani gully drops 150 m of steep, half-pipe walls before you rejoin the uptrack. Maetokachi's Kabawara ridge climbs 770 m through scorched stumps and scrub pine, and its top section needs the deep, settled snow of March. From Tokachidake Onsen, the Kamihoro valley and the steaming gully of Ansei crater hold short protected bowls you can lap after a few calm days of snow. As of October 2026 none of that is open. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised Tokachidake to Level 3 on 12 September after a run of large volcanic earthquakes that began in mid-August, and it warns of ballistic rocks within about 3 km of the crater. Kamifurano responded by banning all climbing from the Tokachidake Onsen and Fukiage trailheads and closing Hakuginso and the Fukiage bath. Ryounkaku and Kamihoroso stay open for guests. This range has closed terrain before, and the 1989 eruption ended the ski lifts that once climbed toward the Maetokachi hut. Check the JMA bulletin and the town's notices before you plan anything for 2026/27. When the range reopens, the paperwork is simple. Notify police of your plan, online through Compass or on paper, and write your party into the national forest entry log at the trailhead box. The town bus from JR Kami-Furano Station runs up three times a day for about ¥500. Hakuginso's winter bunks cost about ¥3,250 when it's open, and its outdoor baths are the largest in the area. Q: How long is a tour on Tokachidake & Sandan-yama? A: A typical tour on Tokachidake & Sandan-yama climbs 500–770 m typical tours and takes 3.5–4.5 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Tokachidake & Sandan-yama? A: The touring season on Tokachidake & Sandan-yama runs december to May; best January to March, with Maetokachi's upper slopes best from mid-February. Q: Do you need a guide for Tokachidake & Sandan-yama? A: We recommend a certified guide for Tokachidake & Sandan-yama unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Tokachidake & Sandan-yama? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Tokachidake & Sandan-yama. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/tokyo/STOCK/activity_info/108.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/VJ20260912093000_108.html https://www.data.jma.go.jp/vois/data/report/volinfo/VK20261005160000_108.html https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34599/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34611/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/outdoor/safemountain/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/hokkaido-ski-touring-mt-sandan-yama-and-maetokachi-dake-tokachi-region https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/sandan-yama-higashi-no-tani https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-maetokachi-kabawara-ridge-backcountry-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-maetokachi-taisho-crater-ski-touring-route-tokachi-dake-hut-hokkaido-japan https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/ansei-crater https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kaun-bowl https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1286170/ https://direct.hokkaidowilds.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/daisetsuzan-backcountry-map-overview-JA-Ver2.pdf https://www.hokkaidopowderguides.com https://www.whiteroomtours.com/japan-ski-snowboard-guiding/hokkaido-niseko-furano-guiding/ ### Unabetsu-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/unabetsu-dake Numbers: summit 1,419 m, ascent 1,300 m, faces northwest, west, north, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 海別岳 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.87690, 144.87670 Summit: 1,419 m Typical ascent: 1,300 m Tour time: 6–7 hours Faces: NW W N Season: Late January to early April; best March, with drift ice offshore from February to early March Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Forestry road T-junction west of the mountain, about 13 km east of central Shari Summary: Unabetsu-dake lets you ride broad Shiretoko slopes with the drift-ice-covered Sea of Okhotsk spread out below. Unabetsu-dake stands by itself at the base of the Shiretoko Peninsula and tops out at 1,419 m. In February and March drift ice from Siberia packs the Sea of Okhotsk below it, and the whole descent looks out over a white sea. Shari-dake rises to the southwest and the Shiretoko peaks run off to the northeast. Japanese guidebooks single out that view of the sea ice, and local riders talk about the mountain as a backcountry pilgrimage. There is no summer trail, so people climb it on snow. The usual line leaves a forestry-road junction about 13 km east of central Shari, crosses a field to a deer fence and follows an old logging road up the valley past a dam. About 750 m beyond the dam you climb onto Shuen Ridge (朱円尾根). It is broad and gentle and carries you most of the way to the summit ridge. Hokkaido Wilds counts 16 km and close to 1,300 m of climbing for the day. The mountain takes a lot of wind and gets relatively little snow. Crust is common, and on the Hokkaido Wilds visit the party turned around 300 m short of the top in wind and cloud. Come down the way you went up when the snowpack is unsettled. No avalanche service covers this corner of Hokkaido, and bears start moving in late March, so carry spray on spring tours. Q: How long is a tour on Unabetsu-dake? A: A typical tour on Unabetsu-dake climbs about 1,300 m and takes 6–7 hours. Q: When can you ski tour Unabetsu-dake? A: The touring season on Unabetsu-dake runs late January to early April; best March, with drift ice offshore from February to early March. Q: Do you need a guide for Unabetsu-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Unabetsu-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Unabetsu-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Unabetsu-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/unabetsu-dake-ski-tour-route https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/海別岳 https://www.minnacamera.com/spots/162 https://policies.env.go.jp/park/shiretoko/rausu-vc/guidetour/en/activity/002/ ### Yoichi-dake URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/backcountry/yoichi-dake Numbers: summit 1,488 m, faces northwest, north, east, advanced Before you go: read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/). A line on a map shows where someone travelled on one day, and a marked run tells you nothing about the snow beside it. Avalanche danger changes by the hour, and you leave the marked runs at your own risk. Read the day's avalanche bulletin before you set out and go with someone who knows the snowpack. This guide and the publishers of any line it draws accept no liability for how you use them. Type: Backcountry zone Local name: 余市岳 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Coordinates: 43.03280, 141.01940 Summit: 1,488 m Typical ascent: 950 m from the Kiroro base; 750 m for the shorter 1107 m peak Tour time: 6 hours in firm spring snow; 7–8 hours December to February Faces: NW N E Season: December to May; the summit push goes best on clear, firm days from March Grade: advanced Guide: Recommended Trailhead: Kiroro base (lowest resort buildings by Club Med Kiroro Peak) Trailhead height: 540 m Summary: The highest point in Sapporo city rises straight behind Kiroro, and the classic tour climbs 950 metres from the resort base to a wind-blasted summit plateau. Yoichi-dake is the highest point in Sapporo city at 1,488 metres, and Kiroro sits in its lap. With Asari-dake and Shirai-dake it makes up the Yoichi Three Peaks. Skiers first stood on the summit in winter in 1920. The standard route today leaves from the lowest buildings at Kiroro and climbs 950 metres over about thirteen kilometres. The climb follows the resort road and then the line of the summer trail through spaced forest. Above 1,000 metres a long rising traverse brings you onto the main ridge. The last kilometre to the top is exposed and often icy enough for crampons, so most parties ski from around 1,300 metres where the snow is better. The north-facing bowl off the ridge from about 1,350 metres is the prize run. It is avalanche terrain, and Hokkaido Wilds suggests a compression test before you commit. A clear forecast decides the day here, and in deep winter it rarely comes. Spring gives you firm snow and six hours car to car; in January plan on seven or eight and start in the dark. In 2020 police rescued two riders who had set out from Kiroro for the summit. They turned back in a storm and then lost the way down in fog. Kiroro wants everyone heading out from the resort to leave through a designated gate with a climbing plan already filed with Hokkaido Police. Hiking up inside the boundary is banned, and lift staff have turned away skiers looking for a free ride back up. Q: How long is a tour on Yoichi-dake? A: A typical tour on Yoichi-dake climbs 950 m from the Kiroro base; 750 m for the shorter 1107 m peak and takes 6 hours in firm spring snow; 7–8 hours December to February. Q: When can you ski tour Yoichi-dake? A: The touring season on Yoichi-dake runs december to May; the summit push goes best on clear, firm days from March. Q: Do you need a guide for Yoichi-dake? A: We recommend a certified guide for Yoichi-dake unless your group can read the snowpack and run its own rescue. Q: Where do you check avalanche danger for Yoichi-dake? A: Read the day's bulletin from Japan Avalanche Network (https://nadare.jp/) before every tour on Yoichi-dake. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/hokkaido-back-country-skiing-mt-yoichi-akai-kawa-route https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kiroro-1107m-992m-peaks https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/余市岳 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/朝里岳 https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/ https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2020-6-2 https://steep.jp/en/guideclub/hokkaido-backcountry-guides https://www.whiteroomtours.com/guided-japan-tours/yuki-yama-backcountry-tour/ https://risingsunguides.com/multi-day-packages/the-sapporo-session/ https://en.culmina.jp/hokkaido/yoichidake https://nadare.jp/ ## Lift passes ### Bankei × Moiwa common day pass URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/bankei-moiwa-common-day-pass Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 2 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Bankei × Moiwa common day pass? A: Bankei × Moiwa common day pass covers Sapporo Bankei Ski Area, Sapporo Moiwayama Ski Area. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.bankei.co.jp/winter/ski/ https://www.bankei.co.jp/2026/01/31/%e3%81%b0%e3%82%93%e3%81%91%e3%81%84x%e3%82%82%e3%81%84%e3%82%8f%e3%80%80%e5%85%b1%e9%80%9a%e3%83%91%e3%82%b9%e8%b2%a9%e5%a3%b2%e9%96%8b%e5%a7%8b/ ### Epic URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/epic Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 1 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Epic? A: Epic covers Rusutsu Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/ ### Hokkaido Powder Belt URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/hokkaido-powder-belt Type: Lift pass Season: 2026/27 Resorts here: 2 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Hokkaido Powder Belt? A: Hokkaido Powder Belt covers Kamui Ski Links, Hoshino Resorts Tomamu. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://livejapan.com/ja/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-asahikawa/article-a1000346/ https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ ### Hokkaido Ski Season Net URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/hokkaido-ski-season-net Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 3 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Hokkaido Ski Season Net? A: Hokkaido Ski Season Net covers Yubari Mount Racey, Sapporo Bankei Ski Area, Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway & Ski Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1248465/ ### Ikon URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/ikon Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 5 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Ikon? A: Ikon covers Furano Ski Resort, Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, Niseko HANAZONO Resort, Niseko Village Ski Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ikonpass/ ### Indy Pass URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/indy-pass Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 1 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Indy Pass? A: Indy Pass covers Kiroro Snow World. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/ https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/ ### K-Winter Pass URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/k-winter-pass Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 2 Q: Which resorts in this guide take K-Winter Pass? A: K-Winter Pass covers Tokachi Sahoro Resort, Sapporo Teine. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets ### Mountain Collective URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/mountain-collective Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 4 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Mountain Collective? A: Mountain Collective covers Niseko Annupuri International Ski Area, Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu, Niseko HANAZONO Resort, Niseko Village Ski Resort. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.mountaincollective.com/destinations/niseko-united https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/mountain-collective/ ### Powder Alliance URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/powder-alliance Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 1 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Powder Alliance? A: Powder Alliance covers Kiroro Snow World. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.powderlife.com/blog/club-med-owner-buys-niseko-neighbor-kiroro-ski-resort/ ### Suzuki G-Pass URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/lift-passes/suzuki-g-pass Type: Lift pass Season: 2025/26 Resorts here: 1 Q: Which resorts in this guide take Suzuki G-Pass? A: Suzuki G-Pass covers Hakodate Nanae Snowpark. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hakodate-nanae.jp/winter/ https://hakodate-nanae.jp/pdf/terms_2026_2027.pdf ## Onsen ### Akanko Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/akanko-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 阿寒湖温泉 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Akan Coordinates: 43.43280, 144.09610 Kind: Onsen town Hours: Hotel day-bathing hours vary. Free hand baths and a foot bath in town. Water: Fourteen sources: simple and sulphur springs, weakly alkaline to alkaline, 50–80°C. Colour: Clear to yellow-brown Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Website: https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/ Summary: Akan's lakeside onsen town sits beside the largest Ainu village in Hokkaido, with hotel baths that look over the frozen lake. Akanko Onsen runs along the south shore of Lake Akan in Akan-Mashu National Park, and the Ainu used these springs long before the first inn opened in 1902. The west end of town belongs to the Akanko Ainu Kotan, where about 120 people live and the Ikor theatre stages dance in the evenings. Fourteen sources feed the hotels, mostly simple and sulphur springs between 50 and 80°C. Some run clear and some come out tinged yellow-brown. The big lakefront hotels take day bathers, and Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga has a garden rotenburo set almost level with the lake. On winter mornings steam rises off the water. Akan claims to have invented the te-yu hand bath, and two of them sit free on the street for warming your fingers. Tattoo rules vary hotel by hotel. New Akan Hotel's rooftop Sky Garden Spa is a mixed pool where everyone wears swimwear. Q: Can you visit Akanko Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Akanko Onsen sells day entry. Q: What are the opening hours of Akanko Onsen? A: Akanko Onsen: hotel day-bathing hours vary. Free hand baths and a foot bath in town. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%98%BF%E5%AF%92%E6%B9%96%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/akanko https://onsenoni.com/en/places/c5b91fb3a7-akan-yuku-no-sato-tsuruga https://onsenoni.com/en/places/odidg989h7-new-akan-hotel ### Asahidake Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/asahidake-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 旭岳温泉 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Higashikawa Coordinates: 43.64850, 142.79110 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥1,140 (2026) Hours: Hotel Bear Monte day bathing 12:30–19:00, last entry 18:00 (¥1,140). Yukomanso sells day entry for ¥1,200; phone for hours. Water: Calcium-magnesium-sodium sulphate and chloride spring, clear and odourless. Yukomanso runs five of its own sources between 33 and 42°C without heating. Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,140 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/ Summary: Asahidake Onsen is the hamlet at the foot of the ropeway on Hokkaido's highest peak, where the inns pour an unusual clear sulphate spring. Asahidake Onsen sits at about 1,100 metres where the road runs out under Hokkaido's highest mountain. The ropeway climbs to 1,600 metres in roughly ten minutes, and from the top station the snowfields of Asahidake run up toward the steaming vents of Jigokudani. Riders come for the powder off that ropeway, and the inns at the bottom are where the day finishes. The springs here are an uncommon sulphate and chloride water, clear and odourless. At Yukomanso the inn owns five sources between 33 and 42°C and uses them without heating, so you pick a tub by temperature and can sit in the cooler ones for ages. Its two big bathrooms swap between men and women daily, and there's a rotenburo. Hotel Bear Monte is three minutes on foot from the ropeway base and sells day entry for ¥1,140 from half past twelve. It has no rotenburo, though it added an outdoor sauna in 2024. Yukomanso charges ¥1,200 for day bathing. Q: Can you visit Asahidake Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Asahidake Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,140 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Asahidake Onsen? A: Asahidake Onsen: hotel Bear Monte day bathing 12:30–19:00, last entry 18:00 (¥1,140). Yukomanso sells day entry for ¥1,200; phone for hours. Q: How much does Asahidake Onsen cost? A: Prices at Asahidake Onsen start at ¥1,140 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/ https://www.bearmonte.jp/winter/ https://www.bearmonte.jp/ https://onsen.nifty.com/furano-onsen/onsen005781/ https://onsen.nifty.com/asahidake-onsen/detail/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%AD%E5%B2%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/ ### Dai-ichi Takimotokan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/dai-ichi-takimotokan Type: Onsen Local name: 第一滝本館 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.49580, 141.14590 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥2,500 (2026) Hours: 9:00–21:00, reception 9:00–18:00; leave by 21:00. Water: Five spring types piped from Jigokudani: acidic sulphur (pH 2.4), salt, acidic green vitriol (iron sulphate with hydrogen sulphide), bicarbonate, and Glauber’s salt (pH 2.2). All flowed straight from the source. Colour: Milky white sulphur tubs beside clear salt water and a reddish, iron-stained bicarbonate bath Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥2,500 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://takimotokan.co.jp/ja/ Summary: Dai-ichi Takimotokan runs five of Noboribetsu's springs through a vast bath hall at the edge of Hell Valley. Takimoto Kinzo became Noboribetsu's bathkeeper in 1858 and opened his inn in 1888, and his family's hotel still sits at the head of the valley against Jigokudani. Day visitors walk into a separate bath building of about 5,000 square metres with 35 tubs across the two sides. It's a big, busy place and the quickest way to try Noboribetsu's chemistry in one afternoon. Five spring types reach the tubs straight from the source. The sulphur water at pH 2.4 clouds white and smells like the valley outside, and it feeds the waterfall jets and the sleeping baths. A salt spring keeps you warm long after you've dressed. The bicarbonate water runs red from oxidised iron, while the Glauber's salt spring at pH 2.2 is the most acidic thing in the building. There's a heated pool and an outdoor jacuzzi in the same building for swimsuits, and you can order a drink at the counter and pick it up at the rotenburo. Reception for day bathers closes at six in the evening. Q: Can you visit Dai-ichi Takimotokan without staying the night? A: Yes. Dai-ichi Takimotokan sells day entry at ¥2,500 (2026). Q: Is Dai-ichi Takimotokan mixed bathing? A: No. Dai-ichi Takimotokan keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Dai-ichi Takimotokan? A: Dai-ichi Takimotokan: 9:00–21:00, reception 9:00–18:00; leave by 21:00. Q: How much does Dai-ichi Takimotokan cost? A: Prices at Dai-ichi Takimotokan start at ¥2,500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://takimotokan.co.jp/ja/day_spa/ https://takimotokan.co.jp/ja/spa/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/oneday/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%99%BB%E5%88%A5%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/6437a34e49-dai-ichi-takimotokan ### Fukiage Roten-no-yu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/fukiage-roten Type: Onsen Local name: 吹上露天の湯 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Kamifurano Coordinates: 43.42970, 142.63730 Kind: Wild Day visit: Free Hours: Normally open 24 hours. Closed since 12 September 2026 under the Tokachidake volcanic alert; no reopening date set. Water: Acidic sodium-calcium chloride spring (pH 2.6), 47°C at the source, flowed straight in with no added water or heating. Colour: Clear and odourless Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥0 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/582 Summary: Fukiage is the free, mixed rock pool in the woods above Kamifurano where Tokachidake tours end, and it has been closed since September 2026 under a volcanic alert. Fukiage Roten-no-yu is a rock pool built on a slab of bedrock in the woods, about five minutes' walk from Hakuginso, with a small waterfall pouring down right beside it. Changing happens on the rocks, and at night you find your way by headlamp because the site has no lighting at all. It costs nothing and it's open around the clock, which made it the standard finish to a day of touring on the Tokachidake side. It got famous in 1995, when the drama Kita no Kuni kara filmed Rie Miyazawa bathing here, and weekends have been busy ever since. The spring is acidic at pH 2.6 and leaves the mountain at 47°C, clear and odourless, with nothing added. The tourism association suggests women wear a swimsuit or a towel wrap. For now it's off limits. On 12 September 2026 the Japan Meteorological Agency raised Tokachidake to Level 3, the Fukiage area came under an evacuation order, and Fukiage closed along with Hakuginso and its campground. Route 966 is shut too. Watch the Kamifurano town website for the alert level before you plan on soaking here this winter. Q: Can you bathe at Fukiage Roten-no-yu with tattoos? A: Yes. Fukiage Roten-no-yu welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Fukiage Roten-no-yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Anyone may bathe at Fukiage Roten-no-yu, and entry is free. Q: Is Fukiage Roten-no-yu mixed bathing? A: Yes. Fukiage Roten-no-yu has mixed bathing (konyoku). Q: What are the opening hours of Fukiage Roten-no-yu? A: Fukiage Roten-no-yu: normally open 24 hours. Closed since 12 September 2026 under the Tokachidake volcanic alert; no reopening date set. Q: How much does Fukiage Roten-no-yu cost? A: Fukiage Roten-no-yu is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/582 https://www.kamifurano.jp/rest/spa/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/member/%e8%87%a8%e6%99%82%e4%bc%91%e9%a4%a8%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b-2/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B9%E4%B8%8A%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6400 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6433 ### Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/goshiki-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: ニセコ五色温泉旅館 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.87390, 140.63750 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,000 (2026) Hours: Winter (Nov–Apr) 10:00–20:00, summer (May–Oct) 9:00–20:00; last entry 19:00. Water: Strongly acidic sulphur spring (acidic sulphur, magnesium-sodium-calcium sulphate-chloride type), pH 2.6, 76°C at the source, unheated and flowed straight from the source; very high mineral content. Colour: Clear to pale green; the name means five colours, for the way the water shifts with the light Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://goshikionsen.com/ Summary: The highest inn in the Niseko range pours a sour, unheated sulphur spring into wooden baths that look straight at Annupuri. Goshiki sits at around 750 metres in the saddle between Annupuri and Iwaonupuri, and in a storm the last stretch of the Panorama Line feels like driving up into the cloud. The inn opened in 1930 and still has the look of an old Showa mountain lodge. Day visitors pay at the desk and get the two baths in the main building. The water is the reason to make the drive. It comes out of Iwaonupuri at pH 2.6 and goes into the tubs unheated, sour on the lips and dense with minerals, and on tired legs it tingles. The main bath has indoor tubs and a wide rotenburo facing Annupuri. Karamatsu-no-yu, the second bath, is lined with larch cut when the inn thinned its own forest, and the room smells of resin over the sulphur. Ride Annupuri until the lifts stop and point the car uphill. On a clear evening the outdoor bath gets the last light on the summit, and when it's dumping you can watch snow land on the rocks around the pool while your shoulders stay hot. In a big storm phone the inn about the road first. Q: Can you visit Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan without staying the night? A: Yes. Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan sells day entry at ¥1,000 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan? A: Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan: winter (Nov–Apr) 10:00–20:00, summer (May–Oct) 9:00–20:00; last entry 19:00. Q: How much does Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Niseko Goshiki Onsen Ryokan start at ¥1,000 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://goshikionsen.com/ https://goshikionsen.com/spa https://goshikionsen.com/price https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80001345 https://koyo.walkerplus.com/onsen/detail/ar0101s19397/data.html https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%94%E8%89%B2%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/9pmtupoir1-niseko-goshiki-onsen-hotel https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/niseko ### Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/hakuginso Type: Onsen Local name: 吹上温泉保養センター 白銀荘 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Kamifurano Coordinates: 43.43150, 142.64140 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥700 (2026) Hours: Normally 10:00–22:00, last entry 21:00. Closed since 12 September 2026 under the Tokachidake volcanic alert; no reopening date set. Water: Acidic calcium-sodium sulphate and chloride spring (pH 2.6), around 47°C. Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥700 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/465 Summary: Hakuginso is Kamifurano's town bathhouse and bunk lodge at the foot of the Tokachidake touring terrain, closed since September 2026 under a volcanic evacuation order. Hakuginso is a town-run bathhouse with cheap shared bunkrooms and a self-catering kitchen, and for years it has been the base for skiers and splitboarders touring the Tokachidake range. Beds cost ¥3,100 a night and you cook your own food. Eight tubs split between the men's and women's sides, including a big garden-style rotenburo where snow piles up on the rocks. It shares its chemistry with the Fukiage wild pool down the path: acidic sulphate and chloride water at pH 2.6. Day entry is ¥700, and in a normal season the doors stay open until ten at night. On 12 September 2026 Tokachidake went to volcanic alert Level 3 and the Fukiage area came under an evacuation order. Hakuginso closed the same day along with its campground and the Fukiage pool, and it hasn't announced a reopening date. If the alert drops this winter, phone the lodge before you drive up. Q: Can you visit Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso without staying the night? A: Yes. Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso sells day entry at ¥700 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso? A: Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso: normally 10:00–22:00, last entry 21:00. Closed since 12 September 2026 under the Tokachidake volcanic alert; no reopening date set. Q: How much does Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso cost? A: Prices at Fukiage Onsen Hakuginso start at ¥700 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/465 https://www.kamifurano.jp/rest/spa/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/member/%e8%87%a8%e6%99%82%e4%bc%91%e9%a4%a8%e3%81%ae%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b-2/ https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=445 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B9%E4%B8%8A%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6400 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6433 ### Highland Furano URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/highland-furano Type: Onsen Local name: ハイランドふらの (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Coordinates: 43.36660, 142.34030 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥650 (2026) Hours: 6:00–23:00, reception until 22:00; early rate ¥550 from 6:00 to 8:00. Closed for maintenance 1–20 November 2026. Water: Weakly alkaline, low-mineral cold spring that is heated for bathing; the hotel calls it the only natural spring in Furano city. Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥650 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.highland-furano.jp/spa/ Summary: Highland Furano is the cheap, late-night Furano bath, with a rotenburo that looks across the valley to the Tokachidake range. Highland Furano stands on the slope above town next to Furano's biggest lavender field. In summer the outdoor bath looks straight onto the purple rows, and in winter you get snowfields with the Tokachidake range across the valley. Entry is ¥650 and the doors stay open until eleven at night. The hotel bills its water as the only natural spring in Furano city. It's a soft, weakly alkaline water that comes up cold and gets heated, gentle enough for a long sit. A Western-style and a Japanese-style bathroom swap between men and women each day, and both have a jacuzzi and a sauna. Mornings work too, at ¥550 between six and eight, which gets you in and out before first chair. The hotel closes for maintenance from 1 to 20 November 2026. A private bath can be booked by the hour. Q: Can you visit Highland Furano without staying the night? A: Yes. Highland Furano sells day entry at ¥650 (2026). Q: Is Highland Furano mixed bathing? A: No. Highland Furano keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Highland Furano? A: Highland Furano: 6:00–23:00, reception until 22:00; early rate ¥550 from 6:00 to 8:00. Closed for maintenance 1–20 November 2026. Q: How much does Highland Furano cost? A: Prices at Highland Furano start at ¥650 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.highland-furano.jp/ https://www.highland-furano.jp/spa/ https://www.highland-furano.jp/2026/10/05/%ef%bc%88%e9%87%8d%e8%a6%81%ef%bc%8911-1%ef%bc%88%e6%97%a5%ef%bc%89%ef%bd%9e11-20%ef%bc%88%e9%87%91%ef%bc%89-%e5%85%a8%e9%a4%a8%e3%83%a1%e3%83%b3%e3%83%86%e3%83%8a%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b9%e4%bc%91%e6%a5%ad/ ### Hoheikyo Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/hoheikyo-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 豊平峡温泉 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Jozankei Coordinates: 42.94960, 141.15600 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥1,300 (2026) Hours: 10:00–22:30, last entry 21:45; open every day of the year. Water: Sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring, neutral (pH 6.5), 52°C; 100% source water with no dilution, heating or recirculation, piped without a storage tank. The only spring in Sapporo licensed for drinking. Colour: Clear with a faint yellow tint; mineral crust and blue-green algae form on the stones Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,300 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://hoheikyo.co.jp/ Summary: Hoheikyo pours untouched source water into one of Japan's largest outdoor baths, and the restaurant bakes naan in a tandoor. Hoheikyo is the bath Sapporo riders talk about on the drive home from Kokusai. The building went up in 1966 as a construction office for the Hoheikyo dam. Out back is the outdoor bath, which the owners rank among the largest in Japan with room for 200 bathers. It spreads under the forest between big rocks with wooden water wheels turning in the flow. Those wheels are how the place cools its water. The source comes up at 52°C and the owners refuse to dilute or recirculate it, so they run it over the wheels to bring the heat down. It travels from the ground to the tubs without ever sitting in a tank, and it leaves crusts of mineral and patches of blue-green algae on the stones. The feel is soft and slippery, and regulars call it velvet water. Afterwards, eat. The second owner ran an Indian restaurant in Susukino and brought his Nepali staff with him when he took over, so you can watch the naan go into the tandoor while your hair dries. Men's and women's sides swap on odd and even days, and the doors stay open until 10:30 at night. Q: Can you visit Hoheikyo Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Hoheikyo Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,300 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Hoheikyo Onsen? A: Hoheikyo Onsen: 10:00–22:30, last entry 21:45; open every day of the year. Q: How much does Hoheikyo Onsen cost? A: Prices at Hoheikyo Onsen start at ¥1,300 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://hoheikyo.co.jp/ https://hoheikyo.co.jp/onsen/ https://hoheikyo.co.jp/access/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B1%8A%E5%B9%B3%E5%B3%A1%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Jozankei Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/jozankei-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 定山渓温泉 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Jozankei Coordinates: 42.96490, 141.16330 Kind: Onsen town Hours: Free foot bath at Jozan Gensen Park in the town centre. Hotel day-bathing hours and prices vary; the tourism association keeps a current list. Water: Sodium chloride spring, neutral, 60–80°C, rising from 56 sources in the bed and banks of the Toyohira River. Colour: Clear, mildly salty Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Website: https://jozankei.jp/ Summary: Sapporo's mountain onsen town fills a gorge on the Toyohira River about an hour from the city, with free foot baths and dozens of hotels that sell day entry. Jozankei is the onsen town you can reach from Sapporo without planning anything. Route 230 follows the Toyohira River up into a gorge where 56 springs push out of cracks in the riverbed, and the hotels step down the banks so their bath windows hang over the water. Ainu guides led a Shugendo monk called Miizumi Jozan here in 1866, and he built the first healing bath beside the river. Every hotel draws on the same clear sodium chloride water, salty on the lips and very warming. Start for free at Jozan Gensen Park in the middle of town, where you can sit at the foot bath and boil eggs in the spring. For a full soak, most hotels sell day entry, and the tourism association publishes the current hours and prices. Tattoo rules change from one front desk to the next, so ask before you pay. Sapporo Kokusai is the hill to ride from here, and the Jozankei Ski Liner takes hotel guests up and back for ¥2,800. Q: Can you visit Jozankei Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Jozankei Onsen sells day entry. Q: What are the opening hours of Jozankei Onsen? A: Jozankei Onsen: free foot bath at Jozan Gensen Park in the town centre. Hotel day-bathing hours and prices vary; the tourism association keeps a current list. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://jozankei.jp/oneday/ https://jozankei.jp/about/ https://jozankei.jp/skiplan/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AE%9A%E5%B1%B1%E6%B8%93%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/jozankei https://onsenoni.com/en/places/87qqnhvkl8-jozankei-view-hotel ### Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kamihoroso Type: Onsen Local name: 十勝岳温泉 カミホロ荘 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Kamifurano Coordinates: 43.41540, 142.63840 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,000 (2026) Hours: Day bathing 10:00–15:00, last entry 14:00. Water: Aluminium-calcium sulphate spring (old classification: gypsum acidic spring), about 29°C at the source and heated; 100% source water, flowed through. Price from: ¥1,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kamihorosou.com/ Summary: Kamihoroso sits at 1,200 metres just below Ryounkaku and pours an acidic sulphate spring into an all-timber bathhouse. Kamihoroso is the other inn at Tokachidake Onsen. It stands a little below Ryounkaku at 1,200 metres among old Sakhalin spruce, and the inn streams a live camera of the view on its website if you want to check the weather before driving up. The main bath is built entirely of wood, with tubs of Japanese yew, and the whole room smells of timber. The spring is an acidic aluminium and calcium sulphate water that leaves the ground at about 29°C, so the inn heats it, and every drop runs through without being recycled. The changing rooms were rebuilt in June 2026. Day bathing ends at three in the afternoon, which makes it a midday plan. In early October 2026 the inn ran two free bathing days to thank people who kept visiting during the volcanic alert, and it reports it is outside the restricted zone and open. Check the Tokachidake alert level before you drive up. Q: Can you visit Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso without staying the night? A: Yes. Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso sells day entry at ¥1,000 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso? A: Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso: day bathing 10:00–15:00, last entry 14:00. Q: How much does Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso cost? A: Prices at Tokachidake Onsen Kamihoroso start at ¥1,000 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://kamihorosou.com/higaeri/ https://kamihorosou.com/spring/ https://kamihorosou.com/ https://kamihorosou.com/news/%e5%8d%81%e5%8b%9d%e5%b2%b3%e3%81%ae%e5%99%b4%e7%81%ab%e8%ad%a6%e6%88%92%e3%83%ac%e3%83%99%e3%83%ab3%e3%81%ab%e4%bc%b4%e3%81%86%e3%81%8a%e9%a1%98%e3%81%84/ https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/3632 https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34661/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%81%E5%8B%9D%E5%B2%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6400 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6433 ### Hotel Kanronomori URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kanronomori Type: Onsen Local name: ニセコ昆布温泉 ホテル甘露の森 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84630, 140.62300 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,800 (2026) Hours: Day bathing from 11:00 to 21:00 on weekdays (last entry 20:00) and to 19:00 on weekends and holidays (last entry 18:00). Baths close 9:00–11:00 for cleaning. Day entry stops when the hotel is full, so phone ahead. Water: Sulphur-bearing sodium-calcium chloride and bicarbonate spring (hydrogen sulphide type), neutral and hot, piped from a source on the riverbank. Colour: Almost colourless, with a faint sulphur smell Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥1,800 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.kanronomori.com/ Summary: Hotel Kanronomori openly welcomes tattooed bathers and sells cover patches at the desk for anyone who'd rather tape up. Kanronomori is the Niseko bath to send friends with sleeves. The hotel says plainly that it welcomes tattooed guests, Japanese or foreign, and asks for ordinary bath manners plus some tact if other bathers look uneasy. The front desk sells cover stickers, and there's a private family bath with a sauna for anyone who wants the water to themselves. The water comes up from a source on the riverbank and smells faintly of sulphur. In the tub it looks almost clear. There are two of what the hotel calls forest sky rotenburo, looking out over the Konbu Onsen valley toward Moiwa, and they alternate between men and women by the day. Each big indoor bath has its own sauna. Day entry is ¥1,800 and closes earlier on weekends and holidays, which makes it a weekday plan. Ride Moiwa until your legs give out, then come down for a bowl of the hotel's Kanro soba and a long afternoon in the water. Q: Can you bathe at Hotel Kanronomori with tattoos? A: Yes. Hotel Kanronomori welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Hotel Kanronomori without staying the night? A: Yes. Hotel Kanronomori sells day entry at ¥1,800 (2026). Q: Is Hotel Kanronomori mixed bathing? A: No. Hotel Kanronomori keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Hotel Kanronomori? A: Hotel Kanronomori: day bathing from 11:00 to 21:00 on weekdays (last entry 20:00) and to 19:00 on weekends and holidays (last entry 18:00). Baths close 9:00–11:00 for cleaning. Day entry stops when the hotel is full, so phone ahead. Q: How much does Hotel Kanronomori cost? A: Prices at Hotel Kanronomori start at ¥1,800 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kanronomori.com/onsen.html https://www.kanronomori.com/faq.html https://onsenoni.com/en/places/fdde86368d-hotel-kanronomori https://onsenoni.com/en/guides/tattoo https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/onsen-guide/ ### Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/karurusu-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: カルルス温泉 鈴木旅館 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.51900, 141.10760 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥500 (2026) Hours: Suzuki Ryokan day bathing 13:00–20:00, reception to 19:30. Yumoto Oroferesou 12:00–20:00 and Mori-no-yu Sanseikan 13:00–20:00 also sell day entry (¥600). Water: Simple spring, neutral, 48–68°C; higher in Glauber’s salt than most simple springs. Colour: Clear Price from: ¥500 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/oneday/ Summary: Karurusu is a few inns on the river above Noboribetsu, where the clear simple spring costs ¥500 and the village keeps its own small ski hill. Karurusu sits about eight kilometres up the Noboribetsu River from the big resort, below Raiba-dake and the Orofure range, and a handful of inns line the water. It took its name from Karlsbad in Bohemia because the chemistry looked similar, and in 1957 it became the first designated National Health Hot Spring in Hokkaido. The water is a clear, neutral simple spring that comes up hot and carries more Glauber's salt than most simple springs. After a few days of Noboribetsu's acid baths it feels gentle on the skin. Suzuki Ryokan sells day entry for ¥500 in the afternoon and evening. Karurusu Onsen Sanraiba ski area opened on Raiba-dake in 1961 and still serves as the village hill, so you can take some laps and soak in the same afternoon. If Suzuki is busy, Yumoto Oroferesou and Mori-no-yu Sanseikan both take day bathers for ¥600. Q: Can you visit Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan) without staying the night? A: Yes. Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan) sells day entry at ¥500 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan)? A: Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan): suzuki Ryokan day bathing 13:00–20:00, reception to 19:30. Yumoto Oroferesou 12:00–20:00 and Mori-no-yu Sanseikan 13:00–20:00 also sell day entry (¥600). Q: How much does Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan) cost? A: Prices at Karurusu Onsen (Suzuki Ryokan) start at ¥500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/oneday/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B9%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Kawayu Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kawayu-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 川湯温泉 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.63830, 144.43550 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥500 (2026) Hours: Kawayu public bath Yukichi: 11:00–18:30 weekdays, 10:00–18:00 weekends; closed Wednesdays. Free foot baths in town and at JR Kawayu Onsen Station. Water: Strongly acidic sulphur and alum springs; too acidic for recirculation, so every bath in town flows straight from the source. Colour: Clear, with sulphur flakes settling in the tub Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥500 (2026) Price band: ¥ Summary: Kawayu's acidic water runs down a hot river through the middle of town, and its little public bath lets tattoos in for ¥500. A river of hot water runs straight through Kawayu, and the whole town smells of sulphur from the fumaroles of Iozan just up the road. Its Ainu name is Sesek-pet, which means hot river. The water is a strongly acidic sulphur and alum spring. It stings cuts and eyes, and it'll corrode a watch, so take the metal off before you get in. Because the acid would eat through filtration machinery, every bath in town runs straight from the source. For a soak, the public bath Yukichi charges ¥500 for three indoor tubs at different heats, and tattoos are fine. Soap and towels are for sale at the counter. On the way out, stop at the free foot bath at JR Kawayu Onsen Station. Q: Can you bathe at Kawayu Onsen with tattoos? A: Yes. Kawayu Onsen welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Kawayu Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Kawayu Onsen sells day entry at ¥500 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Kawayu Onsen? A: Kawayu Onsen: kawayu public bath Yukichi: 11:00–18:30 weekdays, 10:00–18:00 weekends; closed Wednesdays. Free foot baths in town and at JR Kawayu Onsen Station. Q: How much does Kawayu Onsen cost? A: Prices at Kawayu Onsen start at ¥500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B7%9D%E6%B9%AF%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/xk7xcyz8i9-kawayu-koshu-yokujo-yukichi https://onsenoni.com/en/places/134779fe13-kawa-yu-kanko-hoteru-gensen-ashiyu https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/kawayu ### Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kiranoyu Type: Onsen Local name: ニセコ駅前温泉 綺羅乃湯 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.80800, 140.68530 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 (2026) Hours: 10:00–21:30, last entry 21:00. Closed 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (next day if a holiday); open daily August to October. Water: Simple spring, weakly alkaline and low in minerals; 35–37°C at the source. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥800 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kiranoyu.com/ Summary: Niseko town's station-front bathhouse is the cheap, easy soak for anyone on the train or staying down in the village. Kiranoyu is the bath the people of Niseko town use. It stands across the road from the JR station, a minute's walk from the platform, and after work the free tatami hall fills with locals stretched out after their soak. Two bathhouses swap between men and women by date. The Western side pairs a granite outdoor tub with a jacuzzi, and the Japanese side has a rock rotenburo beside a hinoki indoor bath; both have Finnish saunas where you pour water on the stones yourself. The water is a soft simple spring that leaves the ground at 35 to 37°C. Come here on a train day, or on a night when the mountain roads are a whiteout and you'd sooner stay in the valley. The glass-walled hall looks across at Annupuri. A small private bath books by the hour, which is the easy option for anyone unsure how a tattoo will go down at a public bath. Q: Can you visit Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu without staying the night? A: Yes. Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu sells day entry at ¥800 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu? A: Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu: 10:00–21:30, last entry 21:00. Closed 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (next day if a holiday); open daily August to October. Q: How much does Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu cost? A: Prices at Niseko Ekimae Onsen Kiranoyu start at ¥800 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://kiranoyu.com/ https://kiranoyu.com/eigyo.html https://kiranoyu.com/shisetsu.html https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/onsen-guide/ ### Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kirin-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 木林の湯 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Town: Tomamu Coordinates: 43.06280, 142.62050 Kind: Resort Day visit: ¥1,500 (2026) Hours: 12:00–23:00, last entry 22:00. Winter 2026/27 season runs 1 December 2026 to 5 April 2027 (last day closes 17:00). Water: Heated bath water; the resort states it is not a natural hot spring. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Covered with a patch Price from: ¥1,500 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/spa/kirin.php Summary: Tomamu's forest bath is an outdoor-only pool of heated water, free for resort guests and ¥1,500 for day visitors. Kirin-no-Yu is the outdoor bath at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, next door to the Mina-Mina Beach wave pool. The resort says on its own page that this isn't onsen water, so treat it as a big, well-designed hot pool in the snow. There's no indoor tub at all, and the pools are modelled on flowers Hokkaido is known for. A hot pool under falling snow at eleven at night still does the job after a day in Tomamu's Powder Area. Resort guests get in free on their passport card, and day visitors pay ¥1,500 with towels, shampoo and body soap included. Tattoos have to be covered with patches, which reception sells, and bathing in clothes isn't allowed. The resort also rents out the whole bath after closing, from half past eleven to half past midnight, for groups of up to ten. Q: Can you bathe at Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) with tattoos? A: Small tattoos are fine at Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) when a patch covers them. Q: Can you visit Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) without staying the night? A: Yes. Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) sells day entry at ¥1,500 (2026). Q: Is Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) mixed bathing? A: No. Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu)? A: Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu): 12:00–23:00, last entry 22:00. Winter 2026/27 season runs 1 December 2026 to 5 April 2027 (last day closes 17:00). Q: How much does Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) cost? A: Prices at Kirin-no-Yu (Hoshino Resorts Tomamu) start at ¥1,500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/spa/kirin.php https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/hotel/spa/ ### Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kotan-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: コタン温泉 コタンの湯 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.56460, 144.34290 Kind: Wild Day visit: Free Hours: Open around the clock except for cleaning, on Fridays until 16:00 from November to April. Water: Sodium bicarbonate spring, flowed straight from the source. Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥0 (2026) Price band: ¥ Summary: Kotan-no-yu is a free rock pool on the beach at Lake Kussharo, split by a boulder into men's and women's halves and open all night. Kotan-no-yu sits right on the beach of Lake Kussharo in the Ainu village of Kotan, and you can soak in it at any hour for nothing. A big rock splits the pool into men's and women's halves, each with its own changing room, though nothing screens the pool from the shore, so anyone walking along the beach can see in. The water is a clear sodium bicarbonate spring that flows in straight from the source. The owner of a craft shop in the village looks after it and keeps it clean. Swimsuits are allowed. Signs ask you to keep the noise down at night, and camping or eating in the bath is off limits. The Ainu folk museum in the same village closes for the winter. Q: Can you bathe at Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) with tattoos? A: Yes. Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) without staying the night? A: Yes. Anyone may bathe at Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu), and entry is free. Q: What are the opening hours of Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu)? A: Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu): open around the clock except for cleaning, on Fridays until 16:00 from November to April. Q: How much does Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) cost? A: Kotan Onsen (Kotan-no-yu) is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Kurodake no Yu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kurodake-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 層雲峡 黒岳の湯 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Sounkyo Coordinates: 43.72610, 142.94680 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 (2026) Hours: November–April 11:00–21:30, last entry 21:00 (May–October 10:00–22:00). 31 Dec–3 Jan 11:00–18:00. No fixed closing day; occasional maintenance closures. Water: Sounkyo draws on simple and sulphur springs; the water here runs clear and gentle. Colour: Clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Tattoos: Not allowed Price from: ¥800 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.town.hokkaido-kamikawa.lg.jp/section/sangyoukeizai/i8u8uo0000000a72.html Summary: Kamikawa town's day bath sits in the middle of Sounkyo village, a short walk from the Kurodake ropeway, with a gorge-view rotenburo upstairs. Sounkyo is a village at the bottom of a deep canyon on Route 39, and the Kurodake ropeway leaves from the top of the main street. Kamikawa town opened Kurodake no Yu in 1998 as the village's public bath. The layout runs upside down. The big indoor bath and the washing area are on the ground floor, and the rotenburo and sauna are upstairs where you can look out over the gorge. The water is clear and easy on the skin, and the bath fills with hikers in summer and riders off the ropeway in winter. Entry is ¥800 and it stays open until 9:30 at night through the winter. From late January to early March the Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival lights up ice sculptures on the riverbank each evening, with fireworks, and an hour here afterwards is how to thaw out. Q: Can you bathe at Kurodake no Yu with tattoos? A: No. Kurodake no Yu turns away bathers with visible tattoos. Q: Can you visit Kurodake no Yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Kurodake no Yu sells day entry at ¥800 (2026). Q: Is Kurodake no Yu mixed bathing? A: No. Kurodake no Yu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Kurodake no Yu? A: Kurodake no Yu: november–April 11:00–21:30, last entry 21:00 (May–October 10:00–22:00). 31 Dec–3 Jan 11:00–18:00. No fixed closing day; occasional maintenance closures. Q: How much does Kurodake no Yu cost? A: Prices at Kurodake no Yu start at ¥800 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.town.hokkaido-kamikawa.lg.jp/section/sangyoukeizai/i8u8uo0000000a72.html https://www.town.hokkaido-kamikawa.lg.jp/section/sangyoukeizai/i8u8uo0000000734.html https://onsenoni.com/en/places/2qqwkmgiaz-kurodake-no-yu-public-onsen https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%A4%E9%9B%B2%E5%B3%A1%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Kyogoku Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/kyogoku-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 京極温泉（京極ふれあい交流センター） (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.85960, 140.87340 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥800 (2026) Hours: 10:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Closed for renovation from 1 September 2026; reopening planned for early December 2026. Water: Sodium chloride and sulphate spring, weakly alkaline; 40.3°C at the source, heated, filtered and recirculated. Outdoor bath: Yes Price from: ¥800 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://kyogoku-kanko.jp/onsen.html Summary: Kyogoku's town bathhouse looks straight at Yotei from its outdoor tub, next door to the Fukidashi spring water. Kyogoku sits on the northeast side of Yotei, and the town bath stands beside Fukidashi Park, where water filtered through the volcano pours out of the rock. Fill your bottles there before you go in. From the outdoor tub you look across at Yotei, and on a clear evening after Hanazono that view earns the twenty-minute drive. The water is a mild, slightly salty sulphate spring that the town heats and recirculates. Entry is ¥800 and there's a dry sauna. Check dates before you plan on it this season. The building closed on 1 September 2026 for renovation, and the town expects to open again in early December. Q: Can you visit Kyogoku Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Kyogoku Onsen sells day entry at ¥800 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Kyogoku Onsen? A: Kyogoku Onsen: 10:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Closed for renovation from 1 September 2026; reopening planned for early December 2026. Q: How much does Kyogoku Onsen cost? A: Prices at Kyogoku Onsen start at ¥800 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://kyogoku-kanko.jp/onsen.html https://kyogoku-kanko.jp/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%AC%E6%A5%B5%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Makkari Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/makkari-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: まっかり温泉（真狩村温泉保養センター） (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.76520, 140.77770 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥600 (2026) Hours: October–March 11:00–21:00, April–September 10:00–21:00; last entry 20:30. Closed Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday). Closed for renovation 2 November to 21 December 2026. Water: Sodium chloride, sulphate and bicarbonate spring, weakly alkaline (pH 7.8), 54°C at the source; water added, then flowed through. Colour: Clear from the ground, turning pale yellow in the tub Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥600 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.vill.makkari.lg.jp/kanko/tomaru_onsen/makkari_onsen/ Summary: Makkari's village bath puts Yotei square in front of the outdoor tub for ¥600. Makkari is a farming village on Yotei's southwestern side, roughly between Niseko and Rusutsu, and its village-run onsen faces the mountain head on. Each side has one rotenburo, and dusk is the time to be in it. The spring comes up at 54°C as a weakly alkaline mix of salt, sulphate and bicarbonate. It leaves the ground clear and goes pale yellow as it sits in the tub. With a sauna on each side and a big tatami hall for lying around afterwards, an hour disappears fast. Plan around the renovation. The village is closing the building from 2 November to 21 December 2026, and for the rest of the season it shuts on Mondays. It belongs to the Niseko Yumeguri onsen pass, and kids under school age get in free. Q: Can you visit Makkari Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Makkari Onsen sells day entry at ¥600 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Makkari Onsen? A: Makkari Onsen: october–March 11:00–21:00, April–September 10:00–21:00; last entry 20:30. Closed Mondays (Tuesday when Monday is a holiday). Closed for renovation 2 November to 21 December 2026. Q: How much does Makkari Onsen cost? A: Prices at Makkari Onsen start at ¥600 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.vill.makkari.lg.jp/kanko/tomaru_onsen/makkari_onsen/ https://www.vill.makkari.lg.jp/chiiki/1989/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9C%9F%E7%8B%A9%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Marukoma Onsen Ryokan URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/marukoma-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 丸駒温泉旅館 (ja) Region: Sapporo, Otaru & Kiroro Town: Lake Shikotsu Coordinates: 42.78040, 141.31080 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,200 (2026) Hours: Day bathing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, 10:00–14:00 (leave by 15:00). Water: Sodium-calcium chloride, bicarbonate and sulphate spring, neutral, 54°C; volcanic water from Mt. Eniwa that wells up through the floor of the natural bath. Colour: Clear as the lake beside it Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,200 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.marukoma.co.jp/ Summary: Marukoma's natural rock bath wells up from under your feet on the shore of Lake Shikotsu, and its depth rises and falls with the lake. Marukoma has stood alone on the northwest shore of Lake Shikotsu since 1915, and before there was a road, guests crossed the lake by boat. The bath people come for is down a corridor from the main bathhouse. It's a rock pool walled off from the lake by boulders, and the spring rises through the gravel under your feet. The inn says only about twenty baths in Japan bubble up from directly beneath the bather like this. Because the pool sits at lake level, its depth follows Shikotsu up and down through the year. The water is as clear as the lake. It's a neutral salty spring that comes off the volcano Eniwa-dake at 54°C, and the sauna's cold plunge runs on Shikotsu lake water. Day bathing runs Friday to Sunday from ten until two, which suits a slow morning before an afternoon flight out of New Chitose. Better still, stay the night and get into the lake bath at dawn, when the baths reopen for guests from four. Q: Can you visit Marukoma Onsen Ryokan without staying the night? A: Yes. Marukoma Onsen Ryokan sells day entry at ¥1,200 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Marukoma Onsen Ryokan? A: Marukoma Onsen Ryokan: day bathing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, 10:00–14:00 (leave by 15:00). Q: How much does Marukoma Onsen Ryokan cost? A: Prices at Marukoma Onsen Ryokan start at ¥1,200 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.marukoma.co.jp/hotspring/ https://www.marukoma.co.jp/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%B8%E9%A7%92%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%94%AF%E7%AC%8F%E6%B9%96%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Niseko Grand Hotel URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/niseko-grand-hotel Type: Onsen Local name: ニセコグランドホテル (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84120, 140.62180 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥3,000 (2026) Hours: Day bathing 11:30–22:00, last entry 21:00. Indoor baths and the women-only outdoor bath close 9:00–11:30 for cleaning; the mixed garden bath is drained Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and refills around 14:30. Water: Two private wells, both sodium chloride and bicarbonate springs: Well No. 1 (pH 6.4, iron-rich) and Well No. 3 (pH 7.3, higher in bicarbonate), 54–66°C, cooled with local spring water and flowed straight from the source. Colour: Well No. 1 turns a cloudy green-tea brown as its iron oxidises; Well No. 3 stays clear with a green tint Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥3,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥¥ Website: https://niseko-grand.com/ Summary: Niseko Grand Hotel keeps one of the biggest mixed outdoor baths in Niseko, and it lets fashion tattoos in. Niseko Grand Hotel has one of the largest outdoor baths in the Konbu Onsen cluster, and it's mixed, so couples and groups of friends can soak together straight off the hill. You buy a ticket from the machine at the entrance and register at the front desk. The winter price covers towels and a yuami-gi. That's the cotton bathing wrap everyone wears in the mixed pool. The hotel owns two wells and blends them in the garden bath. Well No. 1 comes up clear and turns a cloudy green-tea brown once its iron meets the air, while Well No. 3 stays clear with a green tint. Both are salty bicarbonate water, so they hold warmth in your legs and feel slippery on the skin. In winter only the big tub by the doorway stays open because the smaller pools can't hold their heat. On cleaning days the mixed bath is drained in the morning and refills around 2:30 in the afternoon, so check the schedule before you drive over from Moiwa. Women who'd rather skip the mixed pool have their own outdoor bath with both waters. Day visitors get free tea brewed from the local Kanro spring water. Q: Can you bathe at Niseko Grand Hotel with tattoos? A: Yes. Niseko Grand Hotel welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Niseko Grand Hotel without staying the night? A: Yes. Niseko Grand Hotel sells day entry at ¥3,000 (2026). Q: Is Niseko Grand Hotel mixed bathing? A: Yes. Niseko Grand Hotel has mixed bathing (konyoku). Q: What are the opening hours of Niseko Grand Hotel? A: Niseko Grand Hotel: day bathing 11:30–22:00, last entry 21:00. Indoor baths and the women-only outdoor bath close 9:00–11:30 for cleaning; the mixed garden bath is drained Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and refills around 14:30. Q: How much does Niseko Grand Hotel cost? A: Prices at Niseko Grand Hotel start at ¥3,000 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://niseko-grand.com/onsen/ https://niseko-grand.com/spring-quality/ https://niseko-grand.com/en/onsen/ https://koyo.walkerplus.com/onsen/detail/ar0101s19396/data.html https://onsenoni.com/en/places/5213847441-niseko-grand-hotel-hokkaido ### Nukabira Gensenkyo URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/nukabira-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: ぬかびら源泉郷 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 43.36540, 143.18940 Kind: Onsen town Hours: Day bathing at Nakamuraya, Yama no Hatago Sankoso, Yumotokan and other inns; hours vary by inn. Water: Simple spring, weak salt spring or bicarbonate spring depending on the well, 50–60°C; every inn flows straight from the source, and most allow drinking. Colour: Clear, with the odd white sulphur flake Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Website: https://www.kamishihoro.jp/sp/nukabira Summary: Nukabira's inns all run free-flowing source water, and the village keeps its own ski hill with a 4.3 km forest run. Nukabira is a small onsen village on the shore of a dam lake in the Higashi-Taisetsu mountains, about ninety minutes by bus north of Obihiro. In 2007 its inns signed a pledge to run every bath as pure kake-nagashi, with the spring flowing through and never recycled, and in 2009 the village changed its own address to Nukabira Gensenkyo. The water shifts a little from well to well, from simple springs to mild salt and bicarbonate water at 50 to 60°C. It's clear, with the odd white flake of sulphur, and most inns let you drink it. Nakamuraya and Yumotokan are among the inns that sell day entry, and a pass lets you hop between several of them. Nukabira Gensenkyo ski area runs a 4.3 km course through the fir and spruce, with views over the lake. The concrete arch bridges of the old Shihoro railway line, including the Taushubetsu bridge, sit around the lake and are listed as Hokkaido Heritage. Q: Can you visit Nukabira Gensenkyo without staying the night? A: Yes. Nukabira Gensenkyo sells day entry. Q: Is Nukabira Gensenkyo mixed bathing? A: No. Nukabira Gensenkyo keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Nukabira Gensenkyo? A: Nukabira Gensenkyo: day bathing at Nakamuraya, Yama no Hatago Sankoso, Yumotokan and other inns; hours vary by inn. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.kamishihoro.jp/sp/nukabira https://www.kamishihoro.jp/page/00000142 https://www.kamishihoro.jp/sp/nukaski https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%AC%E3%81%8B%E3%81%B3%E3%82%89%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Oyunuma River Natural Footbath URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/oyunuma-footbath Type: Onsen Local name: 大湯沼川天然足湯 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.50210, 141.14330 Kind: Wild Day visit: Free Hours: Open access on the trail; go in daylight. Water: Sulphur water overflowing from Oyunuma, a crater pond where sulphur spring erupts from the bottom at about 130°C. Colour: Grey, steaming river water Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: Yes Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥0 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0068/ Summary: A warm grey river runs out of the Oyunuma crater pond, and a wooden deck lets you sit with your feet in it for free. Above Noboribetsu's main street, Jigokudani steams and bubbles inside an old explosion crater. Keep walking past the lookout and the Oyunuma River trail drops into the forest beside a stream of hot water that overflows from the Oyunuma crater pond, where sulphur spring erupts from the bottom at around 130°C. Near Taisho Jigoku the stream widens and there's a wooden platform where people pull off their boots and lower their feet straight into the flow. The water is warm and faintly sulphurous, and the current keeps pulling fresh heat past your ankles while steam drifts off into the trees. In winter the Oyunuma car park shuts, so the walk in from Jigokudani is the way. Carry a small towel and dry socks in your jacket. The tourism association closes the trail now and then for repairs and posts the dates on its website. Q: Can you bathe at Oyunuma River Natural Footbath with tattoos? A: Yes. Oyunuma River Natural Footbath welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Oyunuma River Natural Footbath without staying the night? A: Yes. Anyone may bathe at Oyunuma River Natural Footbath, and entry is free. Q: Is Oyunuma River Natural Footbath mixed bathing? A: Yes. Oyunuma River Natural Footbath has mixed bathing (konyoku). Q: What are the opening hours of Oyunuma River Natural Footbath? A: Oyunuma River Natural Footbath: open access on the trail; go in daylight. Q: How much does Oyunuma River Natural Footbath cost? A: Oyunuma River Natural Footbath is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0068/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/en/spot/spot0068/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0055/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/spot/spot0064/ https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/news/%e5%a4%a7%e6%b9%af%e6%b2%bc%e5%b7%9d%e6%8e%a2%e5%8b%9d%e6%ad%a9%e9%81%93%e3%81%ae%e9%80%9a%e8%a1%8c%e6%ad%a2%e3%82%81%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6%e3%80%80%ef%bc%889-28%ef%bc%89/ https://onsenoni.com/en/places/f9db05fff6-river-oyunuma-natural-footbath ### Rishiri Fuji Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/rishiri-fuji-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 利尻富士温泉 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Town: Rishiri Coordinates: 45.24010, 141.21640 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥500 (2026) Hours: 12:00–21:00, last entry 20:30; open year-round, closed Wednesdays from November to April. Water: Sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring, weakly alkaline (pH 7.5), about 41°C, pumped from 1,500 m down; lightly heated and filtered, with fresh source water added continuously. Colour: Clear, slightly salty Outdoor bath: Yes Price from: ¥500 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.town.rishirifuji.hokkaido.jp/rishirifuji/1204.htm Summary: Rishiri's town bath sits a ten-minute walk from the Oshidomari ferry, with a rotenburo that looks up at the island's volcano. Rishiri is a single volcano rising out of the sea off Hokkaido's northern tip, and the town of Rishirifuji publishes its own safety guidance for people heading into the backcountry on it. Drillers found this spring 1,500 metres down at the foot of the mountain in 1996, and the town turned it into its public bath. The spring comes up clear at about 41°C and tastes a little salty. The town heats it slightly and filters the tubs, topping them up with fresh source water all the time. From the rotenburo you look up at Rishiri-zan. Most of the island uses it, from kids to fishermen coming off the boats, and in summer it's where hikers end up after the mountain. Entry is ¥500. From November to April it's closed on Wednesdays, which matters if you're timing a ferry. Q: Can you visit Rishiri Fuji Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Rishiri Fuji Onsen sells day entry at ¥500 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Rishiri Fuji Onsen? A: Rishiri Fuji Onsen: 12:00–21:00, last entry 20:30; open year-round, closed Wednesdays from November to April. Q: How much does Rishiri Fuji Onsen cost? A: Prices at Rishiri Fuji Onsen start at ¥500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.town.rishirifuji.hokkaido.jp/rishirifuji/1204.htm https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%88%A9%E5%B0%BB%E5%AF%8C%E5%A3%AB%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/ryounkaku Type: Onsen Local name: 十勝岳温泉 湯元 凌雲閣 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Kamifurano Coordinates: 43.41360, 142.64280 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,000 (2026) Hours: 8:00–19:00, last entry 18:30; irregular closures. Entry may be capped when busy. Water: Two sources: No. 1 is an iron-bearing aluminium-calcium sulphate spring, acidic (pH 2.4, about 37°C); No. 2 is a calcium-sodium sulphate spring, near neutral (pH 6.2, 51–53°C). No added water. Colour: Rust brown in the iron-rich bath; the acidic water runs clear Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,000 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.ryounkaku.jp/ Summary: At 1,280 metres Ryounkaku is the highest onsen inn in Hokkaido, and its rust-brown rotenburo looks straight up at the Tokachidake range. Ryounkaku sits at 1,280 metres where the road ends above Kamifurano, and no onsen inn in Hokkaido is higher. The car park doubles as a trailhead, so in a normal winter touring parties skin out from right beside the building. Two sources feed the baths. One is heavy with iron and turns rust brown, and the other is sharply acidic at pH 2.4, though in winter the acidic one is sometimes switched off. The men's rotenburo looks across at the Tokachidake range, and the women's outdoor bath is built like a cave. The outdoor water runs cool in deep winter, and the inn posts the day's temperatures on its website, so warm up indoors first. Mind the volcano this season. Tokachidake went to Level 3 on 12 September 2026, which closes the mountain within about 3 km of the 62-2 crater. Ryounkaku is outside that line and keeps running, though the town has issued an evacuation advisory for anyone who would struggle to leave quickly, and the inn asks those guests to stay elsewhere for now. Touring inside the restricted zone is off until the level drops. Q: Can you visit Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku without staying the night? A: Yes. Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku sells day entry at ¥1,000 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku? A: Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku: 8:00–19:00, last entry 18:30; irregular closures. Entry may be capped when busy. Q: How much does Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku cost? A: Prices at Tokachidake Onsen Ryounkaku start at ¥1,000 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.ryounkaku.jp/ https://www.ryounkaku.jp/daytriponsen https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/552 https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34661/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%81%E5%8B%9D%E5%B2%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6400 https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6433 ### Yumoto Sagiriyu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/sagiriyu Type: Onsen Local name: 温泉銭湯 夢元さぎり湯 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Noboribetsu Coordinates: 42.49230, 141.14330 Kind: Sento Day visit: ¥550 (2026) Hours: 9:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Water: Two springs side by side, both flowed straight from the source: a milky sulphur spring and a clear alum spring known as me-no-yu. Colour: Milky white (sulphur) and clear (alum) Outdoor bath: No Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥550 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://sagiriyu-noboribetsu.com/ Summary: Noboribetsu's town sento gives you two of the valley's springs for ¥550, a short walk from the big hotels. Sagiriyu is the locals' bath in the middle of Noboribetsu Onsen, and it costs about a fifth of a hotel day pass. It's a sento in the plain neighbourhood sense, and the regulars come in every day. Two springs run side by side here, both straight from the source. One is milky sulphur water from the valley. The other is a clear alum spring the bathhouse calls me-no-yu, a name that means eye water. A hinoki sauna and a cold bath sit off to one side. There's no outdoor bath. Come here when the hotel baths are packed with tour groups, or when you only have forty minutes before the bus. Q: Can you visit Yumoto Sagiriyu without staying the night? A: Yes. Yumoto Sagiriyu sells day entry at ¥550 (2026). Q: Is Yumoto Sagiriyu mixed bathing? A: No. Yumoto Sagiriyu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Yumoto Sagiriyu? A: Yumoto Sagiriyu: 9:00–21:00, last entry 20:30. Q: How much does Yumoto Sagiriyu cost? A: Prices at Yumoto Sagiriyu start at ¥550 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/oneday/ https://onsenoni.com/en/places/7f389e734e-yumoto-sagiriyu-onsen ### Sansan-no-yu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/sansan-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: サンサンの湯 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Iwanai Coordinates: 42.95240, 140.50820 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥600 (2026) Hours: 9:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30 on weekends and holidays). Irregular closures. Water: Strong sodium chloride spring of sea-water origin, hypertonic and neutral, 42–47°C, flowed straight from the source with no added water or heating. Colour: Cloudy gold Price from: ¥600 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://iwanai-onsen.jp/facilities/ Summary: Iwanai's local bathhouse pours a hot, cloudy, gold salt spring straight from the source for ¥600. After a day of cat-skiing at Iwanai Resort, Sansan-no-yu is the cheap, hot answer. The town built it as a bathhouse for residents when the Maruyama springs opened in 1978, and it still works as the neighbourhood sento of a fishing port on the Sea of Japan. It runs the heavier of Iwanai's two springs. This is strong salt water of sea-water origin, cloudy and gold, and it reaches the tub at 42 to 47°C with nothing added. The town's name for it is atamari-no-yu, which means the warming water. Sink in to your shoulders and you'll keep sweating long after you've dressed. Drive up to the Maruyama lookout for the view over the town to the Shakotan peninsula, then go down to the harbour for dinner. For a softer second soak, Iwanai Kogen Hotel sells day entry for ¥1,000 to its clear bicarbonate spring. Q: Can you visit Sansan-no-yu without staying the night? A: Yes. Sansan-no-yu sells day entry at ¥600 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Sansan-no-yu? A: Sansan-no-yu: 9:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30 on weekends and holidays). Irregular closures. Q: How much does Sansan-no-yu cost? A: Prices at Sansan-no-yu start at ¥600 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://iwanai-onsen.jp/facilities/ https://iwanai-onsen.jp/onsen/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%84%E3%82%8F%E3%81%AA%E3%81%84%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Shirogane Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/shirogane-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 白金温泉 (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Biei Coordinates: 43.47430, 142.64000 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥1,200 (2026) Hours: Ao no Bi Yuyu (formerly Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel) 11:00–20:00, last entry 19:30; Mori no Shizuku RIN 11:00–21:00 (¥1,200); Hotel Park Hills 11:00–21:00 (¥1,530). The town’s ¥300 Kokumin Hoyo Center has been closed for inspection since 26 December 2025. Water: Sodium-calcium-magnesium sulphate and chloride spring, 46–55°C; clear when it emerges and brown once its iron oxidises. Colour: Brown Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,200 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/hot-spring Summary: Shirogane's handful of hotels pour a brown, iron-rich spring a few minutes from the Blue Pond, on the Biei side of the Tokachidake range. In 1950 Biei's mayor finally struck hot water here, and he said it was like finding platinum in the mud the 1926 eruption of Tokachidake had left behind. Shirogane means platinum. The road in runs through four kilometres of birch that seeded itself on the old mudflow, and the Blue Pond and the Shirahige falls are a few minutes from the hotels. The water comes up clear and turns brown in the tub as the iron meets the air. It's a sulphate and chloride spring that people here call tsue-wasure no yu. The name says you'll forget your walking stick after a soak, and it's the right medicine for knees after a week of touring. Ao no Bi Yuyu, which used to be the Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel, sells day entry for ¥1,200 until eight in the evening, and it has a rotenburo and sauna. In winter the road over to Fukiage and Tokachidake Onsen is closed, so from Furano you loop round through Biei. Q: Can you visit Shirogane Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Shirogane Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,200 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Shirogane Onsen? A: Shirogane Onsen: ao no Bi Yuyu (formerly Yumoto Shirogane Onsen Hotel) 11:00–20:00, last entry 19:30; Mori no Shizuku RIN 11:00–21:00 (¥1,200); Hotel Park Hills 11:00–21:00 (¥1,530). The town’s ¥300 Kokumin Hoyo Center has been closed for inspection since 26 December 2025. Q: How much does Shirogane Onsen cost? A: Prices at Shirogane Onsen start at ¥1,200 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.biei-hokkaido.jp/ja/hot-spring https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%99%BD%E9%87%91%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B9%E4%B8%8A%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 ### Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel) URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/shisai-no-yu Type: Onsen Local name: 富良野温泉 紫彩の湯（新富良野プリンスホテル） (ja) Region: Furano, Asahikawa & Daisetsuzan Town: Furano Coordinates: 43.32330, 142.35410 Kind: Resort Day visit: ¥1,700 (2026) Hours: Day bathing 13:00–23:30 (last entry); July–August 13:00–18:00. Maintenance closure in November. Water: Iodine-bearing sodium-calcium chloride spring, alkaline and hypertonic, 26.3°C from 1,010 m down; heated. Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,700 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/facility/onsen/ Summary: The New Furano Prince's onsen sits at the bottom of the Furano Zone, so the soak starts as soon as you click out of your bindings. Shisai-no-yu is in the onsen wing of the New Furano Prince, at the foot of the Furano Zone, and it's the easiest soak in town if you've been riding the ropeway side. The water rises from 1,010 metres underground. It's an alkaline salt spring with iodine in it, and it comes up at 26°C, so the hotel heats it. Indoors there's a jet bath, and the rotenburo is the place to lie back and look for stars. The Finnish sauna is lined with old pine salvaged from North American houses, and the cold plunge sits outside. Day entry is ¥1,700 with towels and runs until 11:30 at night. The hotel's terms say guests with tattoos may face partial restrictions, so ask at the onsen desk before you pay. It shuts for a maintenance period every November. Q: Can you visit Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel) without staying the night? A: Yes. Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel) sells day entry at ¥1,700 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel)? A: Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel): day bathing 13:00–23:30 (last entry); July–August 13:00–18:00. Maintenance closure in November. Q: How much does Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel) cost? A: Prices at Furano Onsen Shisai-no-yu (New Furano Prince Hotel) start at ¥1,700 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/facility/onsen/ ### Tokachigawa Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/tokachigawa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 十勝川温泉 (ja) Region: Tomamu, Sahoro & Tokachi Coordinates: 42.93420, 143.29610 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥1,300 (2026) Hours: Sasai Hotel 13:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥1,300). Kangetsuen 13:00–21:00 plus 5:00–8:00 (¥2,000). Garden Spa swimsuit pool 9:00–19:00 November to April, closed Tuesdays (¥1,500). Water: Moor water: a plant-derived sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring, weakly alkaline, rising through lignite beds under the Tokachi plain. Colour: Amber to tea brown Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥1,300 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.sasaihotel.com/day_trip/ Summary: Tokachigawa's amber moor water comes up through ancient peat under the Tokachi plain and leaves skin slick and soft. Millions of years ago the Tokachi plain was a bay ringed with marsh, and the peat from those marshes turned into lignite deep underground. Water rising through it picks up the plant matter and comes out amber. Japanese bathers call this moor onsen, and Tokachigawa is the onsen town built on it. It's a soft sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring, weakly alkaline, and after a week of Hokkaido's acid and sulphur baths the slick feel of it on your skin is a surprise. Sasai Hotel traces its bath back to 1900, when the first bathhouse of the onsen town went up on its site, and it sells day entry for ¥1,300 from one in the afternoon. Stop here on the drive east from Tomamu or Sahoro, or on a storm day out of Obihiro. Kangetsuen's garden rotenburo looks out over the river, and the Garden Spa at the roadside station runs a moor-water pool where mixed groups bathe in swimsuits. From late January the riverbank lights up for the Sairinka swan festival. Q: Can you visit Tokachigawa Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Tokachigawa Onsen sells day entry at ¥1,300 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Tokachigawa Onsen? A: Tokachigawa Onsen: sasai Hotel 13:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥1,300). Kangetsuen 13:00–21:00 plus 5:00–8:00 (¥2,000). Garden Spa swimsuit pool 9:00–19:00 November to April, closed Tuesdays (¥1,500). Q: How much does Tokachigawa Onsen cost? A: Prices at Tokachigawa Onsen start at ¥1,300 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.sasaihotel.com/day_trip/ https://www.sasaihotel.com/ https://onsenoni.com/en/places/0x6h3l77zx-kangetsuen https://onsenoni.com/en/places/zs7hlk6u6r-tokachigawa-onsen-sasai-hotel https://onsenoni.com/en/places/0c5tirtgue-garden-spa-tokachigawa-onsen-roadside-rest-area https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8D%81%E5%8B%9D%E5%B7%9D%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Toyako Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/toyako-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 洞爺湖温泉 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Lake Toya Coordinates: 42.56420, 140.81780 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥600 (2026) Hours: Hotel Grand Toya 13:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥600); Hokkai Hotel 14:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥500); Toya Kanko Hotel 13:00–21:00 (¥1,000). Times change with crowds. Water: Sodium-calcium chloride spring, neutral (pH 6.7), 50.3°C, slightly fizzy on the tongue. Colour: Faintly yellow and slightly cloudy Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥600 (2026) Price band: ¥ Website: https://www.laketoya.com/ Summary: Toyako Onsen's lakeside hotels sell day baths from ¥500, and free foot baths line the shore promenade. The springs at Lake Toya only appeared in 1917, after Usu-zan pushed up a new dome in its 1910 eruption, and the town grew along the south shore once a railway reached it in 1929. Usu erupted again as recently as 2000, and the hotels still sit in a row facing the caldera lake. The water is a salty calcium chloride spring that comes up at 50°C, slightly cloudy and yellow, with a little fizz if you taste it. Most hotels sell day entry. The tourism association's April 2026 list has Hotel Grand Toya at ¥600 and the Hokkai Hotel at ¥500 for the afternoon and evening, while the big resort hotels ask up to ¥2,000. Toya is the soak on the way back from Rusutsu. Free foot and hand baths sit along the shore, including Toryu-no-yu by the lake, which is closed for maintenance from 13 to 30 October 2026. The nightly fireworks over the water start again in late April. Q: Can you visit Toyako Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Toyako Onsen sells day entry at ¥600 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Toyako Onsen? A: Toyako Onsen: hotel Grand Toya 13:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥600); Hokkai Hotel 14:00–21:00, last entry 20:00 (¥500); Toya Kanko Hotel 13:00–21:00 (¥1,000). Times change with crowds. Q: How much does Toyako Onsen cost? A: Prices at Toyako Onsen start at ¥600 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.laketoya.com/toyawp/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2ad364799ce75c4b718ab0d1ed427786.pdf https://www.laketoya.com/news/%e6%b4%9e%e7%88%ba%e6%b9%96%e6%b8%a9%e6%b3%89%e6%97%a5%e5%b8%b0%e3%82%8a%e5%85%a5%e6%b5%b4%e4%b8%80%e8%a6%a7%e8%a1%a8/ https://www.laketoya.com/news/%e6%b4%9e%e9%be%8d%e3%81%ae%e6%b9%af%e9%96%89%e9%8e%96%e3%81%ab%e3%81%a4%e3%81%84%e3%81%a6/ https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B4%9E%E7%88%BA%E6%B9%96%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/i7k3p18jtz-toya-sun-palace-resort-spa ### Wakoto Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/wakoto-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 和琴温泉 露天風呂 (ja) Region: Rishiri, Akan & the far edges Coordinates: 43.57950, 144.31060 Kind: Wild Day visit: Free Hours: Open 24 hours. Water: Simple spring, neutral, 52.5°C at the source. Outdoor bath: Yes Tattoos: Welcome Price from: ¥0 (2026) Price band: ¥ Summary: Wakoto's free open-air bath sits at the neck of a small peninsula on Lake Kussharo, with more wild pools along the shore path. The Wakoto Peninsula juts into the south side of Lake Kussharo, and at its base there's a free rotenburo with a simple changing shed, open around the clock. The water is a neutral simple spring that leaves the ground at 52.5°C. Walk ten minutes out along the peninsula path and there's a free communal bath that often runs too hot to sit in, especially in summer. Five minutes past that, on the lake edge, is the wild pool locals call Keigetsu-no-yu. Out at the tip near Oyakotsu Jigoku the springs boil at close to 100°C, and bathers mix in lake water to make it bearable. Two campgrounds sit by the peninsula and fill with families in summer. In winter you'll want a base in Kawayu or Teshikaga and a car with good tyres. Q: Can you bathe at Wakoto Onsen with tattoos? A: Yes. Wakoto Onsen welcomes bathers with tattoos. Q: Can you visit Wakoto Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Anyone may bathe at Wakoto Onsen, and entry is free. Q: What are the opening hours of Wakoto Onsen? A: Wakoto Onsen: open 24 hours. Q: How much does Wakoto Onsen cost? A: Wakoto Onsen is free to visit. Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%92%8C%E7%90%B4%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 ### Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/yugokorotei Type: Onsen Local name: ニセコアンヌプリ温泉 湯心亭 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Niseko Town Coordinates: 42.84380, 140.63460 Kind: Ryokan Day visit: ¥1,800 (2026) Hours: 6:00–24:00, last entry 23:00. On cleaning days (twice a week in summer, once a week in winter) day bathing starts at 16:00. High-season rate applies 1 Dec to 31 Mar. Water: Sodium bicarbonate, sulphate and chloride spring, neutral, 49°C at the source; every tub fed straight from the source. Outdoor bath: Yes Price from: ¥1,800 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/ Summary: Yugokorotei keeps its source-fed rotenburo open to day visitors from six in the morning to midnight, so it fits around any lift schedule. Yugokorotei is the late option on the Annupuri side. Day visitors can come in from six in the morning until midnight, with last entry at eleven, so there's time to eat dinner in Hirafu and still drive over for a long soak before bed. The spring comes up at 49°C from the southern foot of the Niseko range and runs into every tub without being recycled. It's a sodium bicarbonate water with sulphate and salt, and the hotel rates it as a concentrated water that stays kind to skin. A gentle slope leads you down to the outdoor bath, where the water has a thick, soft feel. From December through March day entry costs ¥1,800. If you book ahead, the front desk does a dinner set with rental towels for ¥3,800. Look up the cleaning days before a morning visit, because on those days the baths open at four in the afternoon. Q: Can you visit Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei without staying the night? A: Yes. Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei sells day entry at ¥1,800 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei? A: Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei: 6:00–24:00, last entry 23:00. On cleaning days (twice a week in summer, once a week in winter) day bathing starts at 16:00. High-season rate applies 1 Dec to 31 Mar. Q: How much does Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei cost? A: Prices at Niseko Annupuri Onsen Yugokorotei start at ¥1,800 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/spa/index.php https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/faq/index.php https://koyo.walkerplus.com/onsen/detail/ar0101s19390/data.html https://onsenoni.com/en/places/bcda09a9f3-yugokorotei https://japanskiexperience.com/niseko/onsen-guide/ ### Yukichichibu URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/yukichichibu Type: Onsen Local name: 雪秩父（蘭越町交流促進センター） (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Coordinates: 42.86950, 140.59810 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥900 (2026) Hours: Winter (1 Nov to 31 Mar) 12:00–19:00, summer from 10:00; last entry 18:30. Closed Tuesdays (Wednesday when Tuesday is a holiday). Water: Two springs: a simple sulphur spring of the hydrogen sulphide type fed from the Oyunuma steam pond, and a mild, weakly alkaline simple spring the town calls its iron spring. Colour: Milky grey sulphur water; the iron bath carries a golden-green cast Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥900 (2026) Price band: ¥¥ Website: https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285 Summary: Rankoshi's town bathhouse sits on the edge of the Oyunuma steam pond, with seven outdoor tubs of grey sulphur water and a mud tub on the women's side. You smell Yukichichibu before you see it. The road climbs out of Konbu between high snowbanks, and near the top the heater starts pulling in sulphur from Oyunuma, the steaming pond right behind the building. Rankoshi rebuilt the bathhouse in 2015 and runs it as a plain municipal day bath, so you pay cash at the window and walk straight through to the water. Seven outdoor tubs face Nitonupuri, and on a cold afternoon some of them sit cooler than you'd want, so warm up first in the hotter indoor bath. The sulphur water comes out grey and slightly thick on the skin. Women get the place's famous extra: a tub where grey mud from the spring settles on the bottom, and regulars scoop it up, paint it on their arms and let it dry before sliding back in. When your skin has had enough sulphur, the second spring is a softer water with a golden tinge. Weekends between noon and four are the busy stretch. Last tickets go at 6:30, which leaves a tight window after a full day on Annupuri, so this is a bath for a short day or a rest day. Rinse well before you dress, because the smell rides home in your hair and anything silver goes black in this water. Q: Can you visit Yukichichibu without staying the night? A: Yes. Yukichichibu sells day entry at ¥900 (2026). Q: Is Yukichichibu mixed bathing? A: No. Yukichichibu keeps separate baths for men and women. Q: What are the opening hours of Yukichichibu? A: Yukichichibu: winter (1 Nov to 31 Mar) 12:00–19:00, summer from 10:00; last entry 18:30. Closed Tuesdays (Wednesday when Tuesday is a holiday). Q: How much does Yukichichibu cost? A: Prices at Yukichichibu start at ¥900 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285 https://www.walkerplus.com/spot/ar0101s19398/ https://onsenoni.com/en/places/2fatopmuip-yukichichibu-onsen https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%8B%E3%82%BB%E3%82%B3%E6%B9%AF%E6%9C%AC%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89 https://powderfreak.jtrip.co.jp/en/afterboard-hotspring/yukichichibu/ https://onsen.nifty.com/nisekoyumoto-onsen/detail/ ### Yukoro Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/yukoro-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: ゆころ温泉 (ja) Region: Niseko & Yotei Town: Hirafu Coordinates: 42.85830, 140.70780 Kind: Day use Day visit: ¥2,500 (2026) Hours: 12:00–21:00 (Wednesdays 15:00–21:00), last entry 20:00. Winter rate December to March; ¥1,000 April to November. Water: Sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring carrying iron and magnesium (2024 analysis). Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥2,500 (2026) Price band: ¥¥¥ Website: https://www.yukoro.co.jp/ Summary: Hirafu's old village bathhouse reopened in 2025 as a stone-and-timber building with a rotenburo facing Yotei. The original Yukoro closed several years ago and sat empty in lower Hirafu. It reopened in September 2025, rebuilt on the same site and the same spring, in a stone and timber building by the architect Makoto Nakayama. From most of the lower village you can walk there in your après boots. The water is a sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring with a fair dose of iron and magnesium. Men and women have separate indoor baths lined in natural stone, and there's a sauna. Outside, the rotenburo faces Yotei across the valley, and on the odd clear night the cone sits over the steam. Winter pricing is set for the resort crowd at ¥2,500. Tickets come from self-service machines that take cards and QR payments only, so cash stays in your pocket. On Wednesdays the doors open at 3 pm, every other day at noon, and last entry is 8 pm. Q: Can you visit Yukoro Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Yukoro Onsen sells day entry at ¥2,500 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Yukoro Onsen? A: Yukoro Onsen: 12:00–21:00 (Wednesdays 15:00–21:00), last entry 20:00. Winter rate December to March; ¥1,000 April to November. Q: How much does Yukoro Onsen cost? A: Prices at Yukoro Onsen start at ¥2,500 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://www.yukoro.co.jp/ https://www.yukoro.co.jp/onsenquality https://www.yukoro.co.jp/about https://www.skijapan.com/?p=253547 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/e8826d5654-yukoroonsen ### Yunokawa Onsen URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/onsen/yunokawa-onsen Type: Onsen Local name: 湯の川温泉 (ja) Region: Lakes, volcanoes & the south Town: Hakodate Coordinates: 41.77970, 140.78560 Kind: Onsen town Day visit: ¥550 (2026) Hours: Neighbourhood sento such as Eijuyu (7:00–22:00) and Taiseiyu; free foot bath near the Yunokawa Onsen tram stop. Water: Sodium-calcium chloride spring in two versions: clear, carbonated "white water" around 65°C, and reddish "red water" below 55°C from a few wells. Colour: Mostly clear; a few wells run reddish Outdoor bath: Yes Mixed bathing: No Price from: ¥550 (2026) Price band: ¥ Summary: Hakodate's old hot-spring quarter sits on the sea at the end of the tram line, and its neighbourhood sento pour real onsen water for about ¥550. People have bathed at Yunokawa since at least 1453, when a woodcutter is said to have healed his arm in the spring, and wounded soldiers from the Hakodate war recovered here in 1869. Today it's a tram-stop neighbourhood on the Tsugaru Strait at the east end of Hakodate, five minutes from the airport. Eijuyu and Taiseiyu are small neighbourhood sento that run on their own wells, and both keep the tubs very hot. At Taiseiyu the three tubs step down from hottest to coolest, and the regulars often run the cold tap before they lower themselves in. Expect a row of taps along the wall and plenty of older locals. The water is a salty sodium-calcium chloride spring. Most wells give the clear, gassy white water at around 65°C, and only a few give the reddish water. Before you leave, sit at the free foot bath near the Yunokawa Onsen tram stop. Q: Can you visit Yunokawa Onsen without staying the night? A: Yes. Yunokawa Onsen sells day entry at ¥550 (2026). Q: What are the opening hours of Yunokawa Onsen? A: Yunokawa Onsen: neighbourhood sento such as Eijuyu (7:00–22:00) and Taiseiyu; free foot bath near the Yunokawa Onsen tram stop. Q: How much does Yunokawa Onsen cost? A: Prices at Yunokawa Onsen start at ¥550 (2026). Checked: 2026-10 Sources: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B9%AF%E3%81%AE%E5%B7%9D%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89_%28%E5%8C%97%E6%B5%B7%E9%81%93%29 https://onsenoni.com/en/places/iebxqdznhe-eijuyu-onsen https://onsenoni.com/en/places/s4zks8z5i3-taiseiyu-2 https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/yunokawa ## Camper van rental - [Bowken Camper Rental](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/bowken): Bowken rents two 4WD campers with FF heaters near Odori in Sapporo, with winter priced like the regular season from ¥22,000. Ask about studless tyres, which the site never mentions. - [Camping Labo](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/camping-labo): Camping Labo rents 4WD cab-overs in central Sapporo from ¥17,800 plus tax for 24 hours. Every van it rents from December goes out on studless tyres, and the FF heater runs with the engine off. - [Carstay](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/carstay): Carstay is a camper-sharing marketplace with Hokkaido listings and paid overnight stations, including a ski-resort car park at Canmore Ski Village, but winter readiness has to be checked listing by listing. - [FOX Camper](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/fox-camper): FOX Camper is Hokkaido Nomad's budget brand in Chitose, renting full-time 4WD vans on studless tyres from ¥13,000 a day, with an engine-off FF heater in the ZIL 520, Cordebanks and Gray Hiace. - [Fuji Cars Japan Chitose](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/fuji-cars-japan): Fuji Cars Japan rents nine 4WD campers near New Chitose from ¥11,000 a day, the cheapest list we found, and every van wears studless tyres in winter with a Webasto FF heater. - [Hokkaido Nomad Rental Car](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/hokkaido-nomad): Hokkaido Nomad rents the largest Hokkaido-based camper fleet from Chitose, with studless tyres and FF heaters on its 4WD cab-overs, though a winter cab-over runs ¥41,800 a day and some foreign customers are barred from December to 20 March. - [Japan Campingcar Rental Center (Japan C.R.C.)](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/japan-crc): Japan C.R.C. is the most ski-ready camper company in Hokkaido, renting 4WD vans on studless tyres from New Chitose, and its Hoshino Powder Belt plan adds Tomamu lifts and baths for ¥44,200 a head for two. - [Kegani Camp](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/kegani-camp): Kegani Camp rents two 4WD cab-overs in Sapporo on studless tyres with FF heaters from ¥25,000 a weekday, and its ZIL 520 is one of the few rentals here with a flush toilet and shower. - [Moving Inn](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/moving-inn): Moving Inn rents 4WD campers near New Chitose, including three Cresson Journeys with an FF heater from ¥30,800 a night including tax. It hasn't published winter rates or a tyre policy. - [Nomadoya Hakodate Camping Car Rental](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/nomadoya-hakodate): Nomadoya rents a single Camroad camper from Onuma near Hakodate, which suits a Hakodate Nanae trip, but it carries no vehicle damage cover and publishes no winter details. - [Oasis Point](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/oasis-point): Oasis Point rents cab-overs from Higashikawa near Asahikawa Airport from ¥23,000 for 24 hours with free bedding. Every van has an engine-off Webasto FF heater and four of the five are 4WD. - [QUUM](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/quum): QUUM rents 4WD cab-overs and kei campers from Sapporo and New Chitose and will deliver to Niseko. It publishes no winter rate or tyre policy, and only the Cordebanks names an FF heater. - [TOMO Campers](https://ridehokkaido.com/stays/campervans/tomo-campers): TOMO Campers rents FF-heated 4WD vans from Sapporo and New Chitose with a winter rate from ¥18,700 a day, and it parks its unheated kei campers for the winter. ## Practical guides ### How do you do a Hokkaido ski trip in a camper van? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/campervan-hokkaido Updated: 2026-10-08 Book a 4WD van on studless tyres with a heater that runs after the engine stops, and sleep at RV parks with power. Michi-no-eki are for a nap on the road. A camper van works in a Hokkaido winter when it has four-wheel drive, studless tyres and an FF heater that keeps running after you switch the engine off. Five of the thirteen rental companies we compared equip 4WD vans with that heater for winter, and the easiest one to book for a ski trip is Japan C.R.C. at New Chitose. Sleep at RV parks with power and use michi-no-eki for a nap and a toilet. Our [camper van hub](/stays/campervans) maps every place to park that we could verify. We compiled this from each company's own rate cards and terms, the Japan RV Association's park listings, the national and Hokkaido michi-no-eki sites, and road and safety advice from JAF and the Hokkaido road information service, all checked in October 2026. We haven't driven these vans ourselves. #### Pick a company that publishes its winter kit Prices are the lowest daily rate each company publishes for a van we'd take skiing, tax included, for 2026/27 where a winter rate exists. | Company | Winter-ready | From per day | Pick-up | Why book it | Watch out for | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Japan C.R.C.](/stays/campervans/japan-crc) | Yes | ¥19,800 | New Chitose, Sapporo | Hoshino Powder Belt plan with Tomamu lifts | Premium rates 15 Jan–20 Feb 2027 | | [Hokkaido Nomad](/stays/campervans/hokkaido-nomad) | Yes | ¥27,500 (cab-over ¥41,800) | Chitose | Largest Hokkaido fleet, partner RV parks | Bars many Asian customers 1 Dec–20 Mar | | [TOMO Campers](/stays/campervans/tomo-campers) | Yes | ¥18,700 | Sapporo, New Chitose | Only heated 4WD vans go out in winter | No bookings under 2.5 days | | [Camping Labo](/stays/campervans/camping-labo) | Yes | ¥19,580 | Central Sapporo | Free delivery to Sapporo Station | Japanese only; tyres not stated | | [Kegani Camp](/stays/campervans/kegani-camp) | Yes | ¥25,000 | Sapporo | ZIL 520 with flush toilet and shower | Two vans only | | [FOX Camper](/stays/campervans/fox-camper) | Unclear | ¥13,000 | Chitose | Every van is 4WD | Heaters not listed | | [Bowken](/stays/campervans/bowken) | Unclear | ¥22,000 | Sapporo | Winter priced like spring | No heater or tyre details | | [Oasis Point](/stays/campervans/oasis-point) | Unclear | ¥23,000 | Asahikawa Airport area | Free bedding and Asahikawa delivery | Limited English | | [Moving Inn](/stays/campervans/moving-inn) | Unclear | ¥30,800 | Near New Chitose | New 2026 Cresson Journeys | Winter rates unpublished | | [Fuji Cars Japan](/stays/campervans/fuji-cars-japan) | Unclear | ¥11,000 | Chitose | Cheapest all-4WD list | No winter information | | [QUUM](/stays/campervans/quum) | Unclear | Not published | Sapporo, New Chitose | Delivers to Niseko | No drivetrain or tyre policy | | [Nomadoya](/stays/campervans/nomadoya-hakodate) | Unclear | Not published | Onuma, Hakodate | Hakodate and shinkansen pick-up | No vehicle damage cover | | [Carstay](/stays/campervans/carstay) | Varies | Varies | Owner listings | Ski-resort overnight stations | Check every listing | Japan C.R.C. is the one to beat for riders flying into New Chitose. From November to March its airport store requires you to book 4WD and studless tyres (¥1,100 a day), and every van has an FF heater. Its [Hoshino Resorts plan](https://japan-crc.com/hoshino-hpb-campingcar/en/) runs from 25 December 2026 to 21 March 2027 at ¥44,200 a head for two over two nights, with sleeping bags, a kitchen set, Economy cover, a two-day [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) lift ticket and breakfasts thrown in. Groups of five should look at Hokkaido Nomad's ZIL and Cordebanks cab-overs, and anyone landing at Asahikawa can start with Oasis Point, provided they get the winter kit confirmed in writing. #### Know what winter-ready means **Studless tyres and 4WD come first.** Hokkaido roads carry packed snow and ice from December to March. Nomad fits studless tyres from mid-October to mid-May. The European Adria motorhomes in its fleet are two-wheel drive, and so are Camping Labo's Zil Noble and one of its Amitys, so check the drivetrain against the exact van. **The heater has to run with the engine off.** An FF heater burns fuel from the van's tank in a sealed chamber and vents its exhaust outside. Japan C.R.C. says its heaters work with the engine off. TOMO Campers parks its two kei campers from November to March because they have no FF heater, which tells you how much the companies rely on it. **Insulation goes unpublished.** No company we read gives wall or window insulation figures. Ask what the bed sits on and whether the windows have thermal covers. **The water stays off.** Expect a dry van. Nomad and Camping Labo shut off the water from November to March, QUUM from 1 November to 30 April, and TOMO closes the sinks over the same months. Carry drinking water in bottles, and plan on station and onsen toilets. Nomad's toilets take disposable bags only. **The battery runs the heater fan.** The fan runs off the sub-battery all night. QUUM and Oasis Point both warn that a long session in winter can drain it until the heater shuts down. A power hookup at an RV park keeps the battery topped up, and Nomad says a powered site lets you run the van's air conditioner overnight. Below −10°C doors and keyholes can freeze, so pack a can of de-icer. #### Pick a legal place to sleep each night **RV parks** are the answer most nights. The Japan RV Association certifies them, and its Kurumatabi listing shows 47 in Hokkaido. A pitch costs about ¥2,000 to ¥5,000, most add power for ¥500 to ¥1,100, and many take your sorted garbage for a small fee. [RV Park Kutchan](https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/rvpark/940.html) is open all year at ¥2,970 a night, and Nomad times it at ten minutes from [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu). Several closed for winter when we checked, including the parks at Akaigawa near [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) and at Nayoro Onsen, so read each listing's dates. Our [map](/stays/campervans) marks which stay open. **Michi-no-eki** are roadside stations with parking and toilets open around the clock. The transport ministry calls them rest areas where drivers may nap at any hour, and [as Kuruma News reports](https://kuruma-news.jp/post/831322), it asks people not to use the car parks as somewhere to stay. In practice you can sleep off a long drive there if everything stays inside the van and you leave in the morning. The Japan RV Association's manners page also rules out barbecues, open flames and long stays, and some stations post their own no-overnight signs. **Winter campgrounds** take vans on plowed car sites. [Asahi no Oka](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1242194/) in Higashikawa stays open all year with seven car sites, and Niseko Sahina near Rankoshi had nine in 2025/26. Bring a shovel, because several make you dig out your own pitch. **Onsen car parks** sign up as Yu-YOU Parks or Kurumatabi Parks, where a fee and a bath buy you a night. K's House Hokkaido at Asahidake Onsen charges ¥4,000 for one person or ¥5,000 for two and sits two minutes from the [Asahidake ropeway](/resorts/asahidake). Some of these list a rate for Kurumatabi Club members only, so ask whether they take non-members. Japan RV Association etiquette asks you to keep the engine off while parked, take your rubbish with you, keep grey water in the tank and leave the wheelchair spaces free. #### Turn the engine off at night and keep the exhaust clear An engine left idling under drifting snow can kill the people sleeping inside. [JAF buried a running petrol car in snow](https://jafmate.jp/safety/sp_20260212.html) in a test published in 2026. Carbon monoxide inside reached the 50 ppm alarm level after 1 minute 24 seconds and passed the meter's 300 ppm ceiling between 18 and 50 minutes in. Oxygen fell to the 18 percent safety limit within about a quarter of an hour. The FF heater has its own exhaust outlet low on the van's side, and drifting snow can block it as easily as a tailpipe. Nomad's winter notes tell drivers to check it. Before bed, walk round the van, clear the tailpipe and the heater outlet, and set an alarm to check again if it's snowing hard. If you must run the engine to charge the battery, do it awake, with the exhaust dug out. #### Clear the roof before you move A night of Niseko snowfall leaves a slab on a cab-over roof, and it slides forward onto the windscreen the first time you brake. Sweep the roof and the overcab before you drive, using a long-handled brush, and clear every window and light. Park nose out at night so you can leave without reversing into a snowbank. #### Lean on station toilets and onsen Michi-no-eki toilets stay open 24 hours, and convenience stores fill the gaps between them with hot food and bottled water. Buy something when you use a store's toilet. Onsen do the washing. [Kyogoku Onsen](/onsen/kyogoku-onsen) is 11 km from RV Park Kutchan and costs ¥800. In Furano, [Highland Furano](/onsen/highland-furano) opens at 6:00 and charges ¥650. At Tomamu the Powder Belt plan includes a soak at [Kirin-no-Yu](/onsen/kirin-no-yu), and K's House sits among the hotels of [Asahidake Onsen](/onsen/asahidake-onsen). Our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette) covers the routine. #### Sort your garbage and find a dump station The basic rule from the RV association is to take your rubbish home. On a rental that means handing it back at the depot. Nomad wants it sorted into burnables and bottles, cans and non-burnables, and charges ¥13,200 for unsorted bags or toilet waste. Japan C.R.C. sells a ¥3,300 collection for each 45-litre bag. RV parks are the other outlet: Kutchan sells three bags for ¥200, and Teine Sanroku the same. Dump stations are less important in winter because the tanks are dry. RV Park Kutchan and the Onuma park take black and grey water, and Ebetsu closes its dump from November to April. #### Fill up at half a tank Fuel stations cluster in the bigger towns and many close at night, so Nomad tells customers to refuel at half a tank. The heater draws from the same tank. QUUM points out that a rear heater burns the van's own fuel, so a cold night costs you range. #### Ask about the Hokkaido Expressway Pass before you book The [Hokkaido Expressway Pass](https://en.driveplaza.com/drawari/hokkaido_expass/) gives foreign passport holders unlimited expressway use. It covers the ordinary and light toll classes, and Oasis Point says its campers pay the ordinary-car toll. For 2026/27 an ordinary vehicle pays ¥7,700 for four days and ¥15,400 for eight. The ETC card must be rented with the vehicle, while most camper companies expect you to bring your own card. Nomad says it accepts the pass and can supply the foreigner-only card for a fee. Ask any other company whether it can issue both before you book. Our [getting around guide](/guides/getting-around) has the licence rules. #### Read the road information before every drive Blizzards close expressway sections with little warning, and the scenic Niseko Panorama Line shuts for the whole winter. [Kita no Michi Navi](https://northern-road.ceri.go.jp/navi/) gathers national and prefectural road closures, NEXCO East expressway closures, pass and blizzard reports and road cameras in one place. Check it at breakfast and again before you leave the hill. In a whiteout, slow down and leave room. Nomad's notes suggest 20 to 30 km/h on downhill curves and five to ten times the usual gap. If a pass is closed, wait it out at a michi-no-eki or an RV park. A tall camper catches crosswind, so take mountain passes such as Nakayama on Route 230 slowly when it blows. Midwinter dusk falls around 16:30, so plan to reach the night's spot in daylight. #### Park at the ski resorts by day Most big resorts have free day parking with room for a camper. [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) parks free in winter, Kiroro holds about 1,900 cars, [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) holds 2,000 and the Asahidake ropeway lot is free from November to May. Arrive early and take an end bay so you can reach the side door. For a night in a resort car park you need permission, and Nomad tells its customers not to sleep in resort car parks without permission. The two exceptions we found sell it: the Powder Belt plan includes parking at Tomamu and OMO7 Asahikawa, and Carstay sold overnight spots with a lift ticket at [Canmore Ski Village](/resorts/canmore-ski-village) from December 2025. Watch the height of hotel entrances and covered car parks too. Nomad's cover excludes damage from driving into them. #### Drive a seven-day loop across the ski regions This loop starts and ends at New Chitose and spends each night at a site that was open in winter on its listing. Drive times are from our resort fact sheets and Hokkaido Nomad's partner list, for clear roads. Add half an hour or more in a storm. | Day | Ride | Drive | Sleep | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu), afternoon | New Chitose to Rusutsu, about 1 hr 30 min; Rusutsu to Kutchan, 35 min | RV Park Kutchan | | 2 | [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) or [Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono) | 10 min to Hirafu | RV Park Kutchan or Pension Locomotion | | 3 | [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) | Niseko to Kiroro, about 1 hr 20 min; Kiroro to Otaru 40 min, Otaru to Teine 40 min | RV Park Teine Sanroku or 98 BASE | | 4 | [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine), morning | Teine 5 min; Sapporo to Kamui area, about 90 min | RV Park Johnny Base, Asahikawa | | 5 | [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) | Asahikawa to Kamui 30 min; Asahikawa to Asahidake about 1 hr | K's House Hokkaido | | 6 | [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) ropeway at opening | Down through Higashikawa, then about 1 hr from the Asahikawa Airport side to Furano | Furano Lattel (Yu-YOU Park) or RV Park Aizome Yui no Mori | | 7 | [Furano](/resorts/furano), morning | Furano to New Chitose, about 2 hr | Return the van | If you'd rather end at Tomamu, Furano to Tomamu takes about an hour and Tomamu to New Chitose about 1 hr 30 min. The Japan C.R.C. Powder Belt plan squeezes the inland half into three days: Kamui and OMO7 Asahikawa on day one, Furano and a night at Tomamu on day two, and the Tomamu lifts before the drive back. #### Pack for the worst night Carry a snow shovel, a long brush, de-icer and enough warm layers to sleep through a heater failure. Save the rental company's breakdown number in your phone before you leave the depot. In Japan 110 reaches the police and 119 calls fire and ambulance. File a climbing plan before any tour out of a gate (see our [avalanche safety guide](/guides/avalanche-safety)). If a storm closes the road, stay with the van and wait for the plow with the engine off and the exhaust dug out. #### Sources - https://japan-crc.com/shinchitose - https://japan-crc.com/shinchitose/price-plan - https://japan-crc.com/shinchitose/option - https://japan-crc.com/hoshino-hpb-campingcar/en/ - https://japan-crc.com/global/en/insurance/ - https://nomad-r.jp/price/ - https://nomad-r.jp/guide/ - https://nomad-r.jp/winter-rental-restrictions/ - https://nomad-r.jp/winter_sports/ - https://tomo-campers.jp/price/ - https://tomo-campers.jp/lineup/ - https://hokkaido.camp/price.html - https://hokkaido.camp/faq.html - https://kegani.tv/ - https://fox-c.jp/ - https://camper.bowken.jp/ - https://camping-car.jp/english-page/ - https://camping-car.jp/faq/ - https://quum.jp/faq - https://www.campnofuji.jp/rental/carlist/ - https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000061.000024777.html - https://hakodate.nomadoyacampingcar.com/ - https://carstay.jp/en - https://response.jp/article/2026/01/06/405658.html - https://www.kurumatabi.com/rvpark/list.html - https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/rvpark/940.html - https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/rvpark/969.html - https://www.kurumatabi.com/about/manner.html - https://www.kurumatabi.com/park/kurumatabipark/895.html - https://hokkaido-michinoeki.jp/ichiran/ - https://kuruma-news.jp/post/831322 - https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1234887/ - https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1242194/ - https://jafmate.jp/safety/sp_20260212.html - https://en.driveplaza.com/drawari/hokkaido_expass/ - https://northern-road.ceri.go.jp/navi/ Q: Can you rent a camper van in Hokkaido in winter? A: Yes. Japan C.R.C., Hokkaido Nomad, TOMO Campers, Camping Labo and Kegani Camp equip 4WD campers with an FF heater for winter use, and Japan C.R.C. makes 4WD and studless tyres compulsory at New Chitose from November to March. Most companies shut off the van's water from November to March so the pipes don't freeze. Q: Can you sleep in a camper van at a michi-no-eki in Hokkaido? A: You can nap at a michi-no-eki to break a drive, and its toilets stay open 24 hours. Japan's transport ministry asks drivers not to use the car park as a place to stay, so keep everything inside the van and move on in the morning. Book an RV park for a full night. Q: How much does a winter camper van cost in Hokkaido? A: A winter-ready camper costs about ¥18,700 to ¥42,000 a day in Hokkaido on the 2026/27 rates we found. TOMO Campers charges ¥18,700 for a 4WD Hiace in its winter season, and Hokkaido Nomad charges ¥41,800 for a cab-over. Japan C.R.C.'s rates more than double from 15 January to 20 February 2027. Add ¥2,000 to ¥5,000 a night for an RV park. Q: Is it safe to sleep with the engine running in a camper van in snow? A: No. In a JAF test in 2026, a car with snow over its exhaust reached the 50 ppm carbon monoxide alarm level 1 minute 24 seconds after the test began. Turn the engine off for the night, run the FF heater, and keep both the tailpipe and the heater's exhaust outlet clear of snow. Q: Can you park a camper van overnight at a Hokkaido ski resort? A: Only where you have permission. Hokkaido Nomad tells its customers not to sleep in resort car parks without it. The Japan C.R.C. x Hoshino Powder Belt plan includes parking at Tomamu and OMO7 Asahikawa for 2026/27, and Carstay sold overnight spots at Canmore Ski Village from December 2025. Q: Does the Hokkaido Expressway Pass cover a camper van? A: It covers vehicles in the ordinary and light toll classes, which takes in most rental campers, and only foreign passport holders can buy it. For 2026/27 an ordinary car pays ¥7,700 for four days up to ¥15,400 for eight. The ETC card has to be rented with the vehicle, so ask the camper company before you book whether it sells the pass. ### How do you plan a first riding trip to Hokkaido? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/first-trip Updated: 2026-10-08 Ten days and two or three bases cover a first trip well. Start around Niseko and finish inland, where the snow runs colder and lighter. Give a first Hokkaido trip about ten days and split it between two or three bases. Start around Niseko and finish inland at Furano or Tomamu. Book your beds before anything else, then build the days around them in our [trip planner](/plan). This guide draws on the resort, hotel and transport details in our files as we checked them in October 2026. Room rates in our files date from January 2024, so check current rates before you budget. #### How long should a first trip be? Ten days gets you seven or eight days on snow. Your arrival day goes to the airport transfer, and each move between bases eats most of a day. Expect to lose at least one more to weather. Kiroro has shut its gondola and top lifts in moderate wind in recent seasons, and storms often keep Niseko's peak gates closed. With two weeks you can add a third base or a guided touring day without rushing. #### Which bases should you pick? | Base | What you can ride | Getting there | Trade-off | |---|---|---|---| | [Hirafu](/towns/hirafu) or [Kutchan](/towns/kutchan) | Niseko United, [Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa), [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) | Hokkaido Resort Liner from New Chitose about 2 hr 45 min, ¥6,000 one way (2026/27); about 2 hr by car | Prices in Hirafu run high, and Kutchan sits a 20-minute bus ride below the lifts | | [Sapporo](/towns/sapporo) or [Otaru](/towns/otaru) | [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine), [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai), [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) | Rapid train from New Chitose about 40 min to Sapporo or 75 min to Otaru | You commute to the hill every morning | | [Furano](/towns/furano) | [Furano](/resorts/furano), [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) an hour away, [Kamui](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) and [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) from the Asahikawa side | About 2 hr by car from New Chitose; an hour by bus from Asahikawa Airport | The Furano Zone base sits 7 km from town | | [Tomamu](/towns/tomamu-village) | Tomamu, [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) about half an hour east | Limited express from Sapporo about 1 hr 40 min | No town at the bottom, so evenings stay in the hotels | Start in Niseko. Add up our OpenStreetMap measurements for the four Niseko United resorts and you get about 67 km of marked runs. That is the most of any lift network in our files, and the gates open real sidecountry under clear rules. Book a Sapporo or Otaru night in the middle of the trip if you want city food and a change of mountain. Finish inland for colder, lighter snow. Furano has a working town with restaurants, and Tomamu keeps everything inside the resort with a free Powder Area from mid-January. #### Should you drive or take the bus? Take buses if you plan two bases and want to drink at dinner. For 2026/27 the Hokkaido Resort Liner reaches Hirafu from New Chitose in about 2 hr 45 min for ¥6,000 one way. For 2026/27, Kamori's Big Runs bus takes about two hours to Rusutsu for ¥5,000 when you book online a week ahead, and Hoshino's Tomamu bus costs ¥6,000 from the airport and runs only when booked at least nine days ahead. JR trains reach Teine Station in under twenty minutes from Sapporo, and a bus climbs to the slopes for a flat ¥1,000 (fare listed in October 2026). Hire a car if you want to choose a hill each morning or reach Kiroro, Kamui or Asahidake on your own schedule. Expect winter roads. Route 1 between Kokusai and Otaru closes nightly from 19:00 to 07:00 between early November and mid-April. Kiroro has no rental-car counters or ATM, and the nearest 24-hour fuel is about 30 minutes away in Otaru. Fill up before the last stretch to Tomamu too. Taxis in Kutchan can't be hailed, and at peak times the wait runs 30 to 60 minutes. Our [getting around guide](/guides/getting-around) covers transport in more detail. #### How much does a day cost? We built these daily figures per person, with two people sharing a room. They leave out flights, transfers, rentals and insurance. | Comfort level | Bed | Lift ticket | Food (our estimate) | Per day | |---|---|---|---|---| | Budget | ¥7,000 | ¥7,000 | ¥3,000 | about ¥17,000 | | Mid-range | ¥17,000 | ¥11,400 | ¥6,000 | about ¥34,400 | | High end | ¥52,000 | ¥12,000 | ¥15,000 | about ¥79,000 | The inputs come from our files. The budget bed is a [Freeride Lodge Niseko](/stays/freeride-lodge-niseko) dorm at about ¥7,000 a night in January 2024, and the budget lift ticket is an [Annupuri](/resorts/niseko-annupuri) day at ¥7,000 in the 2025/26 regular season. Food there assumes a ¥1,000 bowl of ramen at lunch and a cheap dinner. Kamui's Center House listed its ramen at that price when we checked in October 2026. The mid-range bed is half of a standard room with breakfast at [Always Niseko](/stays/always-niseko). That room cost about ¥34,000 a night in January 2024. Its lift ticket is the All Mountain day bought online in 2025/26, and its food assumes ¥1,600 at lunch plus a ¥4,400 course dinner like the one [Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale](/stays/rusutsu-pension-clydesdale) listed in October 2026. The high-end bed is half of a Yotei-view studio at [Skye Niseko](/stays/skye-niseko) that cost about ¥104,000 a night in January 2024, and its lift ticket is the 2025/26 All Mountain counter price. A guided powder day pushes the top tier much higher. A seat on the Weiss snowcat costs ¥175,000 a day in the 2026/27 regular season, and Tomamu lists its weekend snowcat at ¥110,000 for 2026/27. #### What should you book first? 1. **Beds.** Always Niseko set a five-night minimum over New Year and February on its January 2024 rates. [The Vale Niseko](/stays/the-vale-niseko) set a five-night minimum that January, and [Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono](/stays/park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono) set three nights. 2. **Guides and cat days.** Weiss group days need at least seven guests for 2026/27. Iwanai refunds a cancelled cat day in full only 30 days or more ahead, and Tomamu opens its snowcat bookings in early November. 3. **Reserved buses.** Hoshino's Tomamu buses run only when booked nine days ahead. Kamori wants ten days' notice for its Big Runs bus to Teine, and its Rusutsu airport bus costs less a week out. 4. **A rental car.** Reserve one before the peak weeks if you plan to drive. 5. **Lift tickets.** Buy them online a few days before you ride, and check our [lift pass guide](/guides/lift-passes) for the discounts. Furano's First Tracks sessions close bookings at 17:00 a week ahead, so add them to the list if you want one. #### What does a 10-day trip look like? - **Day 1:** Land at New Chitose and head to Niseko. - **Days 2–5:** Ride Niseko United on the All Mountain pass. Take the peak gates on a clear morning after snow, and ride the trees at Moiwa or the lower Hirafu runs when wind holds the upper lifts. Give one day to Rusutsu. Its Powder Day Trip bus left the Hirafu Welcome Center at 8:30 in January and February 2026 for ¥9,000 return. - **Day 6:** Drive toward Sapporo by way of Kiroro, then sleep in Otaru 40 minutes down the road. - **Day 7:** Ride Sapporo Teine by train and bus, or Kokusai if a storm is coming in. Eat in Sapporo. - **Day 8:** Travel to Furano and ride the night session. Night laps run until 18:00 on weekdays and 19:30 at weekends from mid-December. - **Days 9–10:** Ride Furano, or Tomamu an hour away by car, then fly out of Asahikawa or drive back to New Chitose in about two hours. Swap Tomamu in as a base for the last two nights if you'd rather sleep at the lifts. Plot your version in the [trip planner](/plan), and check our [snow season guide](/guides/snow-season) for the opening dates in your week. #### Sources - Hokkaido Resort Liner, New Chitose to Rusutsu and Niseko: https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/101chitose_rusutsu_niseko.html - Niseko access: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ - Rusutsu access and Big Runs bus: https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu access and snowcat: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/access/, https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ - Kiroro winter access: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/ - Sapporo Teine access: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access - Sapporo Kokusai access: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/access/ - Furano Ski Resort: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ - Niseko Annupuri tickets: https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/ - Niseko United lift tickets: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ - Hanazono Weiss cat skiing: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/activities/weiss-cat-skiing - Iwanai Resort snowcat terms: https://iwanairesort.com/en/terms-and-conditions-snowcat - Freeride Lodge Niseko: https://www.freeridelodgeniseko.com/ - Always Niseko: https://www.alwaysniseko.com/ - Skye Niseko: https://www.skyeniseko.com/ - Rusutsu Pension Clydesdale: https://clydesdale.jp/ Q: How many days do you need for a first Hokkaido ski trip? A: About ten days suits a first Hokkaido trip. That leaves seven or eight riding days after the travel days, with one spare for wind or a storm. Q: Do you need a car for a Hokkaido ski trip? A: A car is optional in Hokkaido. Buses link New Chitose Airport with Niseko, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Furano and Tomamu, and JR trains reach Sapporo Teine and Tomamu. A car lets you pick a different hill each morning. Q: How much does a day of riding in Niseko cost? A: A mid-range day in Niseko comes to about ¥34,400 per person on our numbers: ¥17,000 for half a hotel room with breakfast at a January 2024 rate, ¥11,400 for a 2025/26 All Mountain pass bought online and about ¥6,000 for food. Q: What should I book first for a Hokkaido trip? A: Book accommodation first. Peak weeks over New Year and February fill early, and some Niseko hotels set five-night minimums then. Guides and cat-skiing days come next, then any bus that needs a reservation. Q: Which airport should I fly into for a Hokkaido ski trip? A: Fly into New Chitose Airport (CTS) for Niseko, Rusutsu, Kiroro, Sapporo and Tomamu. Asahikawa Airport (AKJ) sits about an hour from Furano by bus and suits the central resorts. ### How do you stay safe from avalanches in Hokkaido? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/avalanche-safety Updated: 2026-10-08 Avalanches have killed riders on Yotei and caught a guided group on Rishiri in the last few winters. Read the bulletin and file a climbing plan before you leave any gate. Staying safe in Hokkaido's backcountry comes down to four habits: read the avalanche bulletin, file a climbing plan with police, carry full avalanche rescue kit and ride with a certified guide until you know the terrain. Outside the resorts nobody controls the slopes for avalanches, and avalanches have buried riders on Yotei and Rishiri since 2023. We compiled this guide from the published rules of the resorts and town authorities, the avalanche services and touring reports, and we checked them in October 2026. Use it to prepare, and let a guide or the bulletin make the call on the day. #### Which avalanche bulletins cover Hokkaido? Two services cover the main riding areas. The Niseko Avalanche Institute posts a daily report at [niseko.nadare.info](https://niseko.nadare.info/) in English and Japanese. It is written from 6:00 observations and often notes which resort gates are opening. The Japan Avalanche Network publishes danger ratings at [nadare.jp](https://nadare.jp/), with a [Niseko area bulletin](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest) and a [Tokachi bulletin](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest). Its Central Hokkaido forecast for the Daisetsu and Tokachi ranges comes out three times a week. Hokkaido Wilds keeps a [plain-English summary](https://hokkaidowilds.org/avalanche-bulletins-in-niseko) of where to find each one. | Where you're riding | Bulletin to read | Notes | |---|---|---| | Niseko resorts, Yotei and the Niseko Range | [niseko.nadare.info](https://niseko.nadare.info/) and the [JAN Niseko bulletin](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest) | The Niseko report is written from 6:00 observations | | Sapporo backcountry: Shirai-dake, Yoichi-dake, Okuteine | JAN Niseko bulletin | The nearest bulletin our zone files list | | Asahidake, Kurodake and the Tokachi range | JAN Central Hokkaido forecast at [nadare.jp](https://nadare.jp/) | Published three times a week | | Tomamu, Karifuri-dake, Nissho Pass, Sahoro-dake | [JAN Tokachi bulletin](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest) | Check the volcano alerts as well | | Rishiri, Piyashiri-yama, Unabetsu-dake, Shikotsu volcanoes | None | Rely on your own observations or a local guide | Large parts of the island have no bulletin at all, and in the zones on the last row of the table you depend on your own snowpack skills or a local guide. Check the volcano alerts too. The [JMA volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) has kept [Tokachidake](/backcountry/tokachidake) at Level 3 since 12 September 2026, and Meakandake and Hokkaido Komagatake sit at Level 2. #### What is Hokkaido's snowpack like? Storms reach Hokkaido on northwesterly winds, and the wind moves the new snow as it lands. Slopes facing east sit in the lee, so storm snow piles up on them. On [Karifuri-dake](/backcountry/karifuri-dake) that loading gives the east faces their deep powder and builds heavy cornices on the east side of the northern ridge. Above treeline the same wind scours the snow down to rime and ice, and summits such as [Yotei](/backcountry/mt-yotei) often need boot and ski crampons above about 1,300 m. Later in the winter, smooth slopes open glide cracks and release all the way to the ground. [Shiribetsu-dake](/backcountry/shiribetsu-dake)'s south bowl is the best-known case, and the Niseko avalanche reports have flagged full-depth slides in the Moiwa bowl around 800 m. Gullies collect whatever comes down. Yotei's 148 Gully drops 1,300 m from the rim as one long terrain trap. The broad plateaus on Asari-dake and above [Asahidake](/backcountry/asahidake-bc) vanish in cloud, and Higashikawa's [winter survival map](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) warns that parties descending south from near Kinko-iwa go missing often. Asahidake's Jigoku-dani and the craters on Tokachidake add volcanic gas from their fumaroles. #### What does Hokkaido's accident record show? In 2009 an avalanche on the steep first slope above the road at Nitonupuri in the [Niseko Range](/backcountry/niseko-range) buried four people. A surface slide on Shiribetsu-dake's west slope killed a tour member in January 2010 while avalanche and heavy-snow advisories were in force ([Hokkaido Shimbun](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/644924/)). A fatal avalanche hit the zone beside [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) in 2021. Yotei has killed people twice in recent winters. A member of a ten-person tour died in an avalanche near the sixth station of the Hirafu route in January 2023, and in March 2024 a slide on the Kutchan side killed two New Zealanders during a warm spell ([1News](https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/)). On [Rishiri](/backcountry/rishiri-zan), an avalanche on 3 March 2024 caught at least four members of a guided group. Closer to Sapporo, Hokkaido Wilds counts more avalanche deaths on [Muine-yama](/backcountry/mt-muine) than on any other mountain in the region. Police figures reported by [Impress Watch](https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2032076.html) count 129 mountain accidents in Hokkaido in 2024 involving 163 people, and that total covers every season. Beside Furano, the number of people needing help in the forest jumped from 3 to 23 in fiscal 2024. #### How do you file a climbing plan? File one with Hokkaido Police before every tour. The online [Compass](https://www.mt-compass.com/) system works in English, and Kiroro names it in its [policy](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/) as the way to reach the police. YAMAP users have a second route. Hokkaido Police and YAMAP signed an agreement so that a plan submitted in the app reaches the police as well as your emergency contacts ([Impress Watch](https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2032076.html)). Compass and YAMAP run as separate systems, and we found nothing saying they share plans with each other, so pick one and send your plan to someone at home as well. The [Hokkaido Police mountain safety page](https://www.police.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/info/chiiki/sangaku/sangaku-top.html) carries the paper route. Some trailheads and resorts add their own paperwork. Furano wants its climbing-plan form at a patrol hut before every exit. At Kurodake you sign a forest entry register and a consent form. Tourers on Iwanai-dake sign in at the lodge with photo ID, a phone number and their car's plate. Trailheads on national forest land below Tokachidake also keep an entry log in a box for your party's names. Our [gates and rules guide](/guides/gates-and-rules) covers each resort. In an emergency, call 110. #### What does a rescue cost? Every resort in our guide that publishes a rule bills the rescued rider, and the rates below were current when we checked in October 2026. Search and rescue under the Niseko Rules starts at ¥100,000. [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) does not launch rescues outside its boundary on its own, and when the authorities ask for help it bills from ¥50,000 an hour plus staff, snowcat and snowmobile time, with 25% more from 17:00 and 50% overnight ([Kokusai rules](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/)). Nayoro Piyashiri charges riders who skip its tree-area registration ¥10,000 per patroller per hour and ¥50,000 an hour for a snowcat. Furano and Sapporo Teine bill rescues beyond their exits in full. Kurodake bills after-hours ropeway and lift runs to the rescued party or their family. Before you fly, check that your travel insurance covers off-piste riding and search and rescue in Japan. #### What kit should you carry? Carry an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe on every tour and every gate run. The Niseko gates require a helmet and a transceiver, and Higashikawa's Asahidake map adds skins or snowshoes, warm layers and a charged phone with an offline map. Furano's patrol asks for a phone or radio and a device that shows your latitude and longitude. Kurodake's summit ridge holds windpack above about 1,750 m, so bring ski crampons, and pack an ice axe and boot crampons for the tops of Rishiri and Furano-dake. A GPS track keeps you on line across the plateaus. Kurodake bans rental snowshoes and skis beyond its boundary, so bring your own touring kit. Our [packing guide](/guides/what-to-pack) covers clothing and splitboard gear. #### Why hire a certified guide? A local guide knows where the cliffs and terrain traps sit and which exits lead home in a whiteout. Most backcountry zones in our guide are marked guide-recommended. Kurodake-sawa runs through bluffs that don't appear on the map, and Whiteroom Tours takes groups there only on request with a second guide. Sapporo Kokusai's Asari-dake tours run as guided groups that lodge an entry notice with the resort. Ask any guide whether they hold Japan Mountain Guides Association or IFMGA certification, and how many riders they take per guide. The outfits named in our backcountry files include Hokkaido Backcountry Club, Black Diamond Tours, Rising Sun Guides and Whiteroom Tours around Niseko and Yotei. Hokkaido Powder Guides works out of Furano, and Rera Mosir guides on Rishiri. Compare them on our [operators page](/operators). #### Sources - Niseko avalanche information: https://niseko.nadare.info/ - Japan Avalanche Network: https://nadare.jp/, https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest, https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest - Hokkaido Wilds, avalanche bulletins in Niseko: https://hokkaidowilds.org/avalanche-bulletins-in-niseko - Compass online climbing plans: https://www.mt-compass.com/ - Impress Watch on the YAMAP and Hokkaido Police agreement and 2024 accident figures: https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/2032076.html - Hokkaido Police mountain safety: https://www.police.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/info/chiiki/sangaku/sangaku-top.html - Niseko United, Niseko Rules: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ - Kiroro resort policy: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/ - Sapporo Kokusai rules: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/ - Rinyu Kanko, Kurodake precautions: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/caution.pdf - Furano Ski Resort 2025/26 pamphlet: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf - Higashikawa Asahidake winter survival map: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf - Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map: https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano - Hokkaido Shimbun on Shiribetsu-dake: https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/644924/ - 1News on the March 2024 Yotei avalanche: https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/ - Hokkaido Wilds touring and rescue reports: https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2023-8-1, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nitonupuri-southeast-face, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-classic-ski-tour-route, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/muine-yama-toyoha-motoyama-route, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/karifuri-dake-ne-slopes - Iwanai Resort mountain rules: https://iwanairesort.com/jp/mountain-rules/iwanairesort-1 - Nayoro Piyashiri: https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/ Q: Where can I read the avalanche forecast for Niseko? A: Read the Niseko avalanche report at niseko.nadare.info and the Japan Avalanche Network's Niseko bulletin at nadare.jp. The Niseko report is written each morning from 6:00 observations, and the gate boards at the lift bases have the final word on which gates open that day. Q: How do I file a climbing plan in Hokkaido? A: File a climbing plan with Hokkaido Police before every tour: online through Compass in English, in the YAMAP app or on the police paper form. Furano and Kurodake also want their own forms before you leave the ski area. Q: Who pays for a backcountry rescue in Hokkaido? A: The rider pays at every resort in our guide that publishes a rule. Niseko bills search and rescue from ¥100,000, and Sapporo Kokusai bills from ¥50,000 an hour. Both rates were current when we checked in October 2026. Q: What avalanche gear do the Niseko gates require? A: The Niseko gates require a helmet and an avalanche transceiver for everyone who goes through, and the Niseko Rules strongly recommend a probe and shovel as well. Q: Is there an avalanche forecast for Rishiri? A: Rishiri-zan has no avalanche bulletin. Parties there rely on their own snowpack observations or a local guide, and an avalanche caught at least four members of a guided group on the island on 3 March 2024. Q: Can you tour Tokachidake in 2026/27? A: Tokachidake is closed to climbers from Kamifurano for now. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised it to volcanic alert Level 3 on 12 September 2026, and Kamifurano town has banned climbing from the Tokachidake Onsen and Fukiage trailheads. ### How does sidecountry access work at Hokkaido's ski resorts? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/gates-and-rules Updated: 2026-10-08 Niseko opens numbered gates when patrol says so, and Furano wants its own form at the patrol hut every time you head out. Most major Hokkaido resorts let you ride beyond the boundary only through a marked gate or exit, and several want a climbing plan on file before you go. Each hill writes its own rules, so read the ones for the resort you're riding that day and check the avalanche bulletin before you leave the ropes. We compiled the rules below from each resort's published policy and checked them in October 2026. Patrol on the day has the final word. #### Which resorts let you leave the boundary? | Resort | Way out | What you need first | Watch for | |---|---|---|---| | [Niseko United](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) and [Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa) | Gates G1–G11, opened by patrol each morning | Helmet and avalanche transceiver | Haru-no-taki and Yu-no-sawa stay closed all season | | [Furano](/resorts/furano) | Five designated access points | The resort's climbing-plan form, every outing | Rescue billed in full | | [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) | Designated backcountry gates | Climbing plan filed with Hokkaido Police | No skinning uphill inside the boundary | | [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) | Teine Gate by the summit patrol hut | Full avalanche kit and a climbing plan | Any other exit costs your ticket | | [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) | No public exit; free in-bounds Powder Area | yukiyama app check-in and a helmet | Last entry 15:00 | | [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) | Kurodake Gate at the top of the lift | Entry register, consent form and a police plan | Ski area rescue stops at the boundary | | [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) | None for the public | Guided groups lodge an entry notice | Rescue billed from ¥50,000 an hour | | [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) | No gates; trees open inside the boundary | Nothing to file in bounds | Beyond the boundary is unpatrolled | | [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) | Open national park terrain off the ropeway | Police plan, online or on paper | Nothing is patrolled or avalanche controlled | | [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) | Out of bounds prohibited | Expert-only gates lead to in-bounds trees | Deep Powder opens for limited periods | #### How do the Niseko gates work? The four Niseko United resorts and their neighbour Moiwa share one set of local rules and one numbering system for eleven gates. Patrol decides each morning which gates open. Leave the ski area only through an open gate. You need a helmet and an avalanche transceiver to go through, and the [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) strongly recommend a probe and shovel as well. Elementary-school children may go through only with an adult. Patrol keeps the Haru-no-taki and Yu-no-sawa valleys on either side of Niseko Village closed all winter. Breaking the rules can cost you your lift pass, and search and rescue is billed from ¥100,000. [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) holds the highest gates. G3 sits at 1,180 m at the top of King Single #4 and opens onto the Annupuri summit and the bowls around it. G4 beside it drops into Fujiwara-no-sawa and opens an hour after G3. At [Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono), patrol warns of unstable cornices around G5, and G9 stays shut until snow buries the waterfall at the foot of its gully. [Annupuri](/resorts/niseko-annupuri) has four. G1 and G2 at the top of Jumbo #4 open into the Osawa valley, and G8 at the gondola top reaches lower Osawa through the trees when Jumbo #4 is closed. Intermediates get their gentlest first look at Niseko sidecountry from G7 in the middle of the mountain. [Niseko Village](/resorts/niseko-village) has only G11, and patrol controls the Mizuno-no-sawa valley below it for avalanches before opening it to advanced riders. Moiwa's G6 opens only while the Quad runs, and the Anbetsu valley under G10 is closed. Read the Niseko avalanche report at [niseko.nadare.info](https://niseko.nadare.info/) before you ride. It is written from 6:00 observations, and the gate status boards at the lift bases have the final word. #### What does Furano ask for at its access points? [Furano](/resorts/furano)'s 2025/26 trail map prints five access points at the top of both zones and on the ridge between them. Before every outing you fill in the resort's climbing-plan form (tozan-todoke) and hand it to the patrol hut nearest the exit you plan to use. At the access point you take your skis or board off and walk through, so nobody below follows your track into the woods. Patrol asks for a phone or radio and a device that shows your latitude and longitude, and it can hold the lift ticket of anyone who skips a step ([Furano 2025/26 pamphlet](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf)). The [Hokkaido Shimbun](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/) reported that the number of people needing help in the forest beside the resort jumped from 3 to 23 in fiscal 2024, and Furano closed some exits for 2025/26 in response. Search and rescue past the access points is billed in full. Our page on the [Furano access points](/backcountry/furano-nishidake) covers the terrain beyond them. #### How do you leave Kiroro legally? [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) gives you two kinds of off-piste. Inside the boundary, signed tree-run areas open from 09:00 to 14:30 when patrol allows, and you need the yukiyama app on your phone to enter them. To go past the boundary you file a climbing plan with Hokkaido Police first, and the Compass online system works in English. Then you leave through a designated gate. The one beside the top of the Gateway Express opens onto the zone west of the Mountain Center. Nothing out there is lift-served, and a fatal avalanche hit that area in 2021. Ducking a rope can cost you your ticket. Kiroro also bans hiking or skinning uphill inside the boundary, and it bills rescues in the tree areas and beyond the boundary to the rider ([Kiroro policy](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/)). [Yoichi-dake](/backcountry/yoichi-dake) is the classic tour from here. #### Where can you ride off-piste at Sapporo Teine? [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) allows off-piste riding inside the boundary only in the marked Nature Zone on the upper Highland side. The single legal exit is the Teine Gate beside the summit patrol hut, and patrol shuts it in obviously dangerous conditions such as bad weather. Anyone who ducks a rope or net loses their ticket on the spot. Teine bans hiking up the pistes at all hours, and a rescue past the gate is billed in full ([Teine backcountry notice](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country)). Carry full avalanche kit and file a climbing plan before you use the gate. The [Okuteine ridge](/backcountry/okuteine-ridge) traverse from Kokusai finishes on this mountain. #### How does Tomamu's Powder Area check-in work? [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) has no public exit. From mid-January it opens ungroomed tree zones inside the boundary on Tomamu Mountain and calls them the Experts Only Powder Area. Patrol releases them in stages as it confirms each one safe, and they stay open until 31 March. Entry is free. Turn on GPS, open the yukiyama app, join the Experts Only Powder Area group and accept the agreement, then type in the password posted at the Snow Kart reception in the Resort Center. Your phone needs its own data connection, because the check-in won't go through on free Wi-Fi. A helmet is compulsory. Last entry is 15:00, and you check out in the app by 15:30 ([Tomamu Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/)). To ride past the boundary you join one of the resort's guided tours or the weekend snowcat on [Karifuri-dake](/backcountry/karifuri-dake). Tomamu lists the snowcat at ¥110,000 a day for 2026/27. #### What do you sign before the Kurodake Gate? At [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) the only sanctioned exit is the Kurodake Gate. It sits on your left as you step off the lift at the 7th Station at 1,520 m. Before you go, write your party into the forest entry register and sign the Mountain Entry Consent at the 5th Station building. You can also [download the consent form](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/mountain-entry-permission-en.pdf) and hand it in at the ropeway ticket window. File a separate climbing plan with police too. The operator does not rescue anyone outside the controlled area. Beyond the gate you call police on 110, and any after-hours ropeway or lift run for a rescue is billed to the rescued party or their family. Rental snowshoes and skis may not leave the ski area, and staff confiscate both the rental and your lift ticket if they do. From 2026/27 the day pass covers a single ropeway round trip, because people kept getting hurt on the unpatrolled slope below the ropeway. The [Kurodake backcountry page](/backcountry/kurodake-bc) describes the terrain above the gate. #### Can you tour from Sapporo Kokusai? [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) sells no backcountry access. Its rules ban riding outside the managed area and in the roped forest blocks between runs, and they prohibit hiking up the runs. Guided groups do head onto Asari-dake and [Shirai-dake](/backcountry/shirai-dake) from the gondola top after lodging an entry notice with the resort, so book a local guide who knows the current arrangement. Kokusai doesn't launch rescues beyond the boundary on its own. When the authorities ask for help it bills from ¥50,000 an hour plus staff, snowcat and snowmobile time, with 25% added from 17:00 and 50% overnight ([Kokusai rules](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/)). #### Why does Rusutsu have no gates? [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) lets you ride the forest anywhere inside the yellow-dotted boundary on its [trail map](https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/), so it has no need for gates or registration. Respect the roped closures around hazards. Beyond the boundary the mountain is unpatrolled and you ride it at your own risk. [Shiribetsu-dake](/backcountry/shiribetsu-dake) tours start from the resort car park, and Hokkaido Wilds rates its slopes the most hazardous in the greater Niseko area, so go with a guide. #### Which resorts keep you inside the boundary? [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) prohibits out-of-bounds riding and opens its in-bounds tree and powder courses through expert-only gates when the snow allows ([Kamui guide](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/)). [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) publishes no gate or registration system, and its ungroomed snow sits on the marked N1–N5 runs. Sapporo's city hills [Bankei](/resorts/sapporo-bankei) and [Moiwayama](/resorts/sapporo-moiwayama) keep riders on designated courses. #### What do you file before riding Asahidake? File a climbing plan with police, online through Compass or on paper, before you ride [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake). The ropeway sets you down at 1,600 m in Daisetsuzan National Park. Nothing up there is patrolled or avalanche controlled, and Higashikawa's [winter survival map](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) lists the rescue kit it expects you to carry. #### Who pays when you need rescuing? You pay at every resort in this guide that publishes a rule, and the rates were current when we checked in October 2026. Niseko's starts at ¥100,000. Kokusai's hourly rates appear in the section above. [Nayoro Piyashiri](/resorts/nayoro-piyashiri) charges riders rescued from its tree areas without registering ¥10,000 per patroller per hour and ¥50,000 an hour for a snowcat. Furano and Teine bill the full cost. Check that your travel insurance covers off-piste search and rescue, and read our [avalanche safety guide](/guides/avalanche-safety) for the bulletins and kit. #### Sources - Niseko United, Niseko Rules: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ - Niseko avalanche information: https://niseko.nadare.info/ - Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Annupuri, Niseko Village and Moiwa gate details: https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/, https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/powder-safety, https://www.annupuri.info/safety/index.php, https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NV-Gate-11.pdf, https://niseko-moiwa.jp/slope/ - Furano Ski Resort 2025/26 pamphlet: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf - Hokkaido Shimbun on Furano's 2025/26 rule change: https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/ - Kiroro resort policy: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/ - Sapporo Teine backcountry notice: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, Experts Only Powder Area and snowcat: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/, https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/cat/ - Rinyu Kanko, Kurodake precautions and Mountain Entry Consent: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/caution.pdf, https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/mountain-entry-permission-en.pdf - Sapporo Kokusai rules: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/ - Rusutsu trail map: https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/ - Kamui Ski Links guide: https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/ - Higashikawa Asahidake winter survival map: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf - Nayoro Piyashiri tree-run rules: https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/ - Hokkaido Wilds, Shiribetsu-dake: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face Q: Do I need an avalanche beacon to use the Niseko gates? A: Yes. The Niseko Rules require a helmet and an avalanche transceiver for anyone going through a gate at the four Niseko United resorts or Moiwa, and they strongly recommend a probe and shovel. Search and rescue beyond the gates is billed from ¥100,000. Q: How do I get permission to use Furano's backcountry access points? A: Furano requires its own climbing-plan form for every outing. Hand it to the patrol hut nearest one of the five access points on the 2025/26 trail map, then take your skis or board off and walk through the access point. Q: Is Tomamu's Powder Area free? A: Yes. Tomamu's Experts Only Powder Area costs nothing to enter. You check in on the yukiyama app with a phone that has its own data connection, wear a helmet, enter by 15:00 and check out by 15:30, and the area opens from mid-January to 31 March. Q: Where can you leave the boundary at Sapporo Teine? A: Riders can leave Sapporo Teine's boundary only through the Teine Gate beside the summit patrol hut. Leaving anywhere else costs you your lift ticket on the spot, and a rescue beyond the gate is billed to you in full. Q: What do I need before going through the Kurodake Gate? A: Kurodake requires an entry in the forest register and a signed Mountain Entry Consent at the 5th Station (or the consent handed in at the ropeway ticket window), plus a separate climbing plan filed with police. The ski area will not rescue anyone beyond the gate. Q: Can you ride the trees at Rusutsu? A: Yes. Rusutsu lets you ride the trees anywhere inside its ski-area boundary with no gate or registration. Terrain beyond the boundary is unpatrolled and ridden at your own risk. ### What should you pack for a riding trip to Hokkaido? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/what-to-pack Updated: 2026-10-08 Mornings inland drop below −20°C in a cold snap, and the coast gets buried in snow for days at a time. Pack for both, then add your own touring kit and some yen. Pack layers that handle −20°C mornings inland under a waterproof shell that keeps you dry through days of falling snow on the coast. If you plan to leave a gate, add full avalanche kit and your own touring setup, and carry yen for the ropeways and baths that take cash only. We built this list from the resort rules, town information and touring reports in our files and checked them in October 2026. #### How cold does Hokkaido get? The interior holds the worst of the cold. Tomamu says a January morning at 8 am averages −12°C, and the resort has recorded −35°C. In Furano, mornings below −20°C are common in a cold snap. Asahikawa's January highs average about −3°C and its nights fall to about −12°C, and the city set Japan's official low of −41.0°C in 1902. Above the Asahidake ropeway, windchill can drop below −20°C. The Sea of Japan side catches the storms first. The town of Kutchan below Niseko averages 12.6 metres of snow a season, so expect to ride in falling snow on many days. On a dumping minus-twelve morning at Grand Hirafu, the Ace Gondola's heated ten-seat cabins come as a relief. | Where | What to expect | What to pack | |---|---|---| | Niseko, Kiroro, Sapporo Teine, Otaru | Frequent heavy snowfall and flat light | Waterproof shell and bibs, two pairs of gloves, low-light goggle lens, neck gaiter | | Furano, Tomamu, Asahikawa, Kamui | Dry snow and bitter mornings | Warm mid-layers, mitts, face cover, hand warmers | | Asahidake, Kurodake, Yotei summits | Rime ice and windchill below −20°C | Insulated jacket for stops, spare mitts, ski crampons, goggles that seal | #### What should you wear on the Sea of Japan side? Wear a fully waterproof shell over light insulation at [Niseko](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu), [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) and [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine). You'll spend whole days in falling snow, and your shell has to shed it lap after lap without wetting out. Bibs keep snow out of your back in deep powder. Carry a second pair of gloves so one pair can dry, and bring a low-light goggle lens for storm days in the trees, because the flat light there hides every bump. Kiroro sits in a basin that catches heavy snowfall, and in recent seasons it has shut its gondola and top lifts in moderate wind, so expect some days in the trees off the lower lifts. #### What should you wear inland? Inland at [Furano](/resorts/furano), [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) and [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links), the snow stays dry and the cold does the damage. Wear a merino or synthetic base layer and a warm mid-layer, and keep a packable down or synthetic jacket for the chairlift. Mitts keep fingers warmer than gloves at −20°C. Cover your face with a neck gaiter or balaclava, since windchill on a lift ride bites exposed skin fast. Chemical hand warmers earn their space in the pack. #### What goes in your avalanche pack? Carry an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe on every gate run and tour. The [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) require a helmet and a transceiver to go through a gate and strongly recommend the probe and shovel. Helmets are also compulsory in Tomamu's Experts Only Powder Area and in the tree zones at [Nayoro Piyashiri](/resorts/nayoro-piyashiri) and [Asarigawa](/resorts/asarigawa). Higashikawa's [Asahidake winter survival map](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) adds skins or snowshoes, warm layers and a charged phone with an offline map. Furano's patrol asks for a phone or radio and a device that shows your latitude and longitude. Pack a GPS track for the plateaus, and our [avalanche safety guide](/guides/avalanche-safety) explains why the plateaus on Asahidake and Asari-dake need one. On Tomamu's guided snowcat at [Karifuri-dake](/backcountry/karifuri-dake), the operator lends the beacon, shovel, probe and pack free. #### What do splitboarders need? Bring your own touring setup. Rental skis and snowshoes may not go past the [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) boundary, and staff confiscate the rental and your lift ticket if they do. In Higashikawa and [Sounkyo](/towns/sounkyo), touring and avalanche gear comes through the guide services, and the TENGU cat operation at Kita-Taisetsu rents nothing. Pack poles for the flats. Our notes for [Iwanai](/resorts/iwanai) tell snowboarders to bring poles or a splitboard for the traverses, and at Asahidake the gullies beside the ropeway drain back to cat tracks that lead home. Bring ski crampons for the windpack on Kurodake's summit ridge above about 1,750 m and on Yotei above about 1,300 m. Summits such as [Rishiri](/backcountry/rishiri-zan) and Furano-dake need boot crampons and an ice axe. Learn the uphill rules before you skin. Kiroro bans hiking or skinning uphill inside its boundary, and Teine bans hiking up its pistes at any hour. At [Chisenupuri](/resorts/chisenupuri) you climb on the orange-marked uptrack on the far skier's left and keep off the yellow cat runs. Kurodake lets climbers walk up only along the right edge of the Seppi course. #### What about adapters and power? Japan's sockets take two-flat-pin Type A plugs at 100 volts, and Hokkaido's grid runs at 50 Hz. Most phone and laptop chargers accept that range, so check the label and bring a plug adapter if your pins differ. Carry a power bank in your cabin bag. Your phone matters on the hill. Tomamu's Powder Area check-in won't go through on hotel Wi-Fi, so buy a data SIM or eSIM before you arrive ([Tomamu Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/)). Kiroro's tree-run areas require the yukiyama app. Cold drains batteries quickly, so keep the phone in an inside pocket and load an offline map and turn on location services before you head up, as Higashikawa's map suggests. #### Should you bring cash or cards? Bring both. 7-Bank ATMs in 7-Eleven stores take foreign cards, and Japan Post Bank ATMs do too, so you can draw yen in [Kutchan](/towns/kutchan), [Furano](/towns/furano), [Sapporo](/towns/sapporo) and most other towns. [Hirafu](/towns/hirafu) has one in the 7-Eleven in 5-jō, and Tomamu has one on the ground floor of The Tower. [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) has no ATM, so draw cash in Otaru, and in Sounkyo the nearest reliable foreign-card ATMs sit in Kamikawa and Asahikawa. Some places take cash only. The Asahidake Ropeway doesn't take cards, and its winter round trip cost ¥2,800 when we checked in October 2026. Chisenupuri's public cat bumps for tourers are cash only, as is [Yukichichibu](/onsen/yukichichibu) onsen in Rankoshi. [Yukoro Onsen](/onsen/yukoro-onsen) in Hirafu sells tickets from machines that take only cards and QR payments, so carry a card as well. Kiroro and Kokusai loaded 2025/26 tickets onto IC cards with a ¥500 refundable deposit, so hand the card back at the end of your last day. Our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette) covers what to bring to the bath. #### Sources - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, frost trees, temperatures and Powder Area: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/frosttree/, https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/ - Kutchan town, snowfall records: https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-history/history-gousetsumame/ - Japanese Wikipedia, Asahikawa: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/旭川市 - Kamui Ski Links: https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/ - Grand Hirafu: https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/ - Niseko United, Niseko Rules: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/ - Higashikawa Asahidake winter survival map: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf - Asahidake Ropeway: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/ - Rinyu Kanko, Kurodake precautions: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/pdf/caution.pdf - Furano Ski Resort 2025/26 pamphlet: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/files/2025_furanoski_pamphlet_1107.pdf - Kiroro resort policy: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/ - Sapporo Teine backcountry notice: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country - Chisenupuri public use: https://www.chisenupuri.com/public-use - Iwanai Resort: https://iwanairesort.com/en/terrain-niseko - TENGU Cat-Ski: https://www.tengucat.jp/detail.html - Hokkaido Wilds touring reports for Kurodake, Yotei and Rishiri: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kurodake-backcountry-skiing, https://hokkaidowilds.org/mt-yotei-backcountry-ski-routes, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-classic-ski-tour-route - Rankoshi town, Yukichichibu: https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285 - Yukoro Onsen payment details via SkiJapan: https://www.skijapan.com/?p=253547 Q: How cold is Hokkaido in January? A: Inland Hokkaido stays well below freezing in January. Tomamu says its 8 am January average is −12°C, and a cold snap pushes Furano's mornings below −20°C. Asahikawa's January highs average about −3°C. Q: Do I need cash in rural Hokkaido? A: Yes. The Asahidake Ropeway and Yukichichibu onsen are among the places in rural Hokkaido that take cash only. 7-Bank ATMs in 7-Eleven stores and Japan Post Bank ATMs take foreign cards. Q: Can I rent touring gear or a splitboard in Hokkaido? A: Bring your own touring setup to Hokkaido if you can. Kurodake bans rental skis and snowshoes beyond its boundary, and in Higashikawa and Sounkyo the guide services arrange touring and avalanche gear for their own guests. Q: What plug adapter do I need in Hokkaido? A: Hokkaido uses Japan's two-flat-pin Type A sockets at 100 volts and 50 Hz. Most phone and laptop chargers handle that, and a plain plug adapter covers anything with a different pin shape. Q: What avalanche gear should I bring to Hokkaido? A: Bring an avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe for any gate or tour, and a helmet for the Niseko gates. Add ski crampons for windpack, and carry boot crampons with an ice axe for summits such as Rishiri. ### When is the best time to ride Hokkaido? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/snow-season Updated: 2026-10-08 Mid-January to late February brings the coldest powder. Tickets get cheaper in the shoulder weeks at either end, and touring takes over from March. Most Hokkaido resorts list mid-January to late February as their peak, and those weeks bring the coldest air and the most dependable powder. Come in March for longer days and the start of the big touring season, or after late March for spring prices and soft snow at the resorts that run into early May. We built this calendar from each resort's published season dates and ticket periods and checked them in October 2026. | When | Snow | Crowds and prices | What's running | |---|---|---|---| | Late Nov to mid-Dec | First storms build the base, and openings can slip | Early-season tickets, such as ¥5,500 at Kiroro (29 Nov–12 Dec 2025) | Most big resorts from late November or 1 December | | Late Dec to early Jan | Northwesterly storms settle in | New Year is the first crowd peak | Everything, including the cat operations | | Mid-Jan to Feb | Coldest air, most reliable powder | Lunar New Year on 6 Feb 2027; Hirafu peak prices to 28 Feb (2026/27) | Tomamu's Powder Area from mid-January | | March | Storms space out and days lengthen | Niseko spring prices from 23 Mar (2025/26) | Cat skiing ends mid-March; summit touring starts | | April | Spring snow freezes overnight and softens in the sun | Spring and final-season tickets | Village, Moiwa and Tomamu close 5 Apr 2026; Hanazono 12 Apr | | May | Corn on the high slopes | Annupuri's ¥5,200 final-season day (6 Apr–6 May 2026) | Hirafu, Annupuri, Kokusai and the Furano Zone to 6 May 2026 | #### Where does Hokkaido's snow come from? All winter, cold air pours out of Siberia on northwesterly winds and picks up moisture crossing the Sea of Japan. It drops that moisture as snow where it first meets mountains, so the Sea of Japan side of Hokkaido gets buried first. The town of Kutchan sits below the Niseko resorts and averages 12.6 metres a season according to [Kutchan town](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-history/history-gousetsumame/), and that is about two and a half times Sapporo's total. Kiroro quotes an annual average of 21 metres. The [resort measures that figure](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/) near the top of the mountain, so read it apart from Kutchan's valley-floor number. Inland the storms arrive with less moisture left, and the snow lands colder and lighter. Tomamu says a January morning at 8 am averages −12°C, and the resort has recorded −35°C ([Tomamu](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/frosttree/)). Asahikawa set Japan's official low of −41.0°C in January 1902. Out on the Tokachi plain around Obihiro, clear skies are normal from December to February and snowfall stays light. Forecasts in a strong cold outbreak often mention the JPCZ. The Japan Sea Polar Air Mass Convergence Zone forms when the outbreak splits around the Changbai Mountains in the north of the Korean Peninsula and rejoins over the Sea of Japan, and it builds a band of cloud and heavy snow about 1,000 km long ([Kobe city explainer](https://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/z/kikikanrishitsu/topikkusu10.html)). The band usually aims at Honshu, and Hokkaido's snow mostly comes from the wider northwesterly flow around it. On 31 December 2025 the Japan Meteorological Agency tracked the JPCZ toward Hokuriku, and northern Japan on the cold side of it picked up 5–10 cm every three hours ([JMA forecast commentary](https://n-kishou.com/ee/image4/lfax/tkaisetu_202512311540.pdf)). #### What are late November and December like? The big resorts aim to open in late November, and the first storms decide whether they make it. In 2025 the Furano Zone at [Furano](/resorts/furano) and [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) opened on 29 November. Niseko United planned the same date and opened on 4 December after a slow start. [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) and [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) open on 1 December, and [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) plans to start that day in 2026. The Asahidake ropeway reopens on 11 December after its autumn maintenance. Early December is the cheapest stretch on the hill. Tomamu charged ¥5,000 for a day from 1 to 20 December 2025 against ¥8,000 in the main season. Furano's early-season day (29 November to 5 December 2025) came in ¥1,500 under its ¥8,000 regular price. For 2026/27 Sahoro has set ¥4,700 for opening week, 1–6 December ([Sahoro prices](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price)). Expect a thin base and some terrain still closed. From Christmas the season fills up. For 2026/27 Grand Hirafu and Hanazono add a peak tier from 24 December to 28 February that lifts their joint day ticket to ¥12,500 ([Grand Hirafu tickets](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/)). The cat operations start in late December. Chisenupuri opens on 23 December for 2026/27, and Weiss started on 28 December in 2025. #### Why do January and February count as peak? The deepest cold arrives in January and holds through February. Inland, snow that falls into air that cold stays dry for days, and the trees on Tomamu's gondola top were coated in rime on 63% of days in 2025/26 by the resort's own count. Tomamu opens its free Experts Only Powder Area from mid-January, and Furano runs First Tracks sessions on set Thursdays in January for ¥25,000 a person (2025/26). Night riding at Grand Hirafu runs 16:00–19:00 from mid-December to late March, and the day ticket carries straight into it. Teine's high season for 2026/27 runs from 19 December to 7 March. Most other resorts charge their full main-season rate through January and February, and our [lift pass guide](/guides/lift-passes) lists those prices. #### When are the crowds worst? The longest queues come between Christmas and late January and again around Lunar New Year. In 2027 the holiday falls on 6 February. [Niseko Village](https://www.niseko-village.com/) puts its gondola wait at about 20 minutes at those peaks. [Always Niseko](/stays/always-niseko) set a five-night minimum over New Year and in February when we checked its January 2024 rates, so book beds early if your dates touch either window. Weekend mornings at [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) bring families and school groups up from the city, and [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai)'s car park fills by about 8:30 on a weekend. On a powder morning at the bigger Niseko resorts, be in the lift line before opening. At Hirafu everybody heading for the peak gates funnels onto King Single #4. #### When does the touring season start? Most of the backcountry zones in our guide run from January to April. Midwinter tours mostly stay below treeline, because wind and ice hold the high cones for much of the winter, and the big summits wait for March. Guides favour mid-March to early May for [Yotei](/backcountry/mt-yotei)'s summit. The plateau above [Asahidake](/backcountry/asahidake-bc) opens up for summit days from March to May, and [Rishiri](/backcountry/rishiri-zan) goes best in March and April once the storms space themselves apart. On [Unabetsu-dake](/backcountry/unabetsu-dake) in Shiretoko, March is the pick, and drift ice fills the sea below it from February to early March. Bears wake there from late March. Check the volcano alerts before you plan anything in the Tokachi range. The JMA raised [Tokachidake](/backcountry/tokachidake) to alert Level 3 on 12 September 2026, and Kamifurano town has banned climbing from the Tokachidake Onsen and Fukiage trailheads ([JMA volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano)). Our [avalanche safety guide](/guides/avalanche-safety) covers the bulletins and the climbing plan. #### What is spring riding like? March days run longer and the storms come further apart, and by April the snow freezes overnight and softens into corn as the sun reaches each aspect. Spring tickets cost a good deal less. In 2025/26 Niseko's spring period started on 23 March and dropped the Hirafu and Hanazono day to ¥7,700. Furano charged ¥6,500 from 23 March to 6 May that season. Kiroro and Sapporo Kokusai both fell to ¥5,500, from 6 April and 1 April respectively. The season shrinks as it goes. The cat operations finish in mid-March, and Furano's Kitanomine Zone closed on 22 March 2026. Rusutsu and Kamui Ski Links closed on 31 March. Teine runs its Highland side alone from late March. Into May you can still ride Grand Hirafu, Annupuri, the Furano Zone, Kiroro, Kokusai, Teine's Highland side, Kurodake and Asahidake. #### When does each resort open and close? | Resort | Opens | Closes | |---|---|---| | [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | Late Nov (4 Dec in 2025) | 6 May 2026 | | [Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono) | Late Nov (5 Dec in 2025) | 12 Apr 2026 | | [Niseko Village](/resorts/niseko-village) | Late Nov (4 Dec in 2025) | 5 Apr 2026 | | [Annupuri](/resorts/niseko-annupuri) | Late Nov (4 Dec in 2025) | 6 May 2026 | | [Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa) | 5 Dec 2025 | 5 Apr 2026 | | [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) | 29 Nov 2025 | 31 Mar 2026 | | [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) | Late Nov | Early May | | [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) | Late Nov | Early May (Highland only after late March) | | [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) | Late Nov | Early May | | [Furano](/resorts/furano) | 29 Nov 2025 (Kitanomine late Dec) | 6 May 2026 (Kitanomine 22 Mar) | | [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) | 13 Dec 2025 | 31 Mar 2026 | | [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) | 1 Dec | 5 Apr | | [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) | 1 Dec | Early Apr | | [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) | 11 Dec (ropeway reopens) | Early May for skiing | | [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) | 1 Dec 2026 (planned) | 5 May (planned) | #### Sources - Kutchan town, snowfall records: https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/culture-sports/kucchan-history/history-gousetsumame/ - Kiroro Snow World: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/, https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/ - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, frost trees, Powder Area and tickets: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/frosttree/, https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/, https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/ - Kobe city, JPCZ explainer: https://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/z/kikikanrishitsu/topikkusu10.html - Japan Meteorological Agency short-range forecast commentary, 31 December 2025 (copy hosted at n-kishou.com): https://n-kishou.com/ee/image4/lfax/tkaisetu_202512311540.pdf - Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map: https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano - Kamifurano tourism association, Tokachidake closure: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34599/ - Niseko United lift tickets and season news: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/, https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/, https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/ - Niseko Village: https://www.niseko-village.com/ - Furano Ski Resort: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ - Sahoro prices: https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price - Sapporo Teine tickets: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets - Sapporo Kokusai prices: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/price/ - Asahidake Ropeway: https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/ - Kurodake Ropeway: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ - Chisenupuri cat skiing: https://www.chisenupuri.com/cat-skiing - Hokkaido Wilds touring reports for Yotei, Asahidake, Rishiri and Unabetsu-dake: https://hokkaidowilds.org/mt-yotei-backcountry-ski-routes, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/asahidake-to-nakadake-onsen-loop-ski-tour, https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/rishiri-zan-classic-ski-tour-route - Japanese Wikipedia, Asahikawa and Obihiro climate notes: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/旭川市, https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/帯広市 Q: When do Hokkaido ski resorts open? A: Most big Hokkaido resorts aim to open in late November or on 1 December. In 2025 Furano and Rusutsu opened on 29 November and Niseko United on 4 December after a slow start. Tomamu and Sahoro open on 1 December. Q: When is Chinese New Year in 2027? A: Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027. Niseko Village says its gondola queues reach about 20 minutes between Christmas and late January and again around that holiday. Q: How late in the spring can you ride in Hokkaido? A: You can ride Hokkaido into early May. In 2026 Grand Hirafu, Annupuri, Sapporo Kokusai and Furano's Furano Zone ran until 6 May, and Kurodake plans its 2026/27 closing for 5 May. Q: How much snow does Niseko get? A: The town of Kutchan below the Niseko resorts averages 12.6 metres of snow a season by its own records, and that is about two and a half times Sapporo's total. The town measures it on the valley floor below the lifts. Q: When is the best month for backcountry touring in Hokkaido? A: Most Hokkaido touring zones run from January to April. Tree tours go best in January and February, and the big summits such as Yotei and Asahidake go best from March into early May. ### Which lift passes work at Hokkaido's ski resorts? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/lift-passes Updated: 2026-10-08 The Ikon Pass covers Niseko United and Furano, and Rusutsu takes the Epic Pass. Most other resorts sell their own tickets for less online than at the window. The Ikon Pass works at the four Niseko United resorts and at Furano, and Mountain Collective also covers Niseko United. Rusutsu is the only resort in our files on the Epic Pass. Everywhere else you buy the resort's own ticket or a regional pass, and most big resorts sell their day tickets for less online than at the window. The prices below come from each resort's published ticket page, and we checked them in October 2026. Each one carries the season it belongs to, because several resorts have already posted 2026/27 prices. #### Which passes work where? | Pass | Hokkaido resorts | What it gives you | |---|---|---| | Ikon Pass | Niseko United, Furano | Seven days at each destination for 2026/27; the Base Pass gets five days at Niseko United with holiday blackouts | | Mountain Collective | Niseko United | Two All Mountain days and 50% off extra days (2025/26 terms) | | Epic Pass | Rusutsu | Five consecutive days, no blackouts (2025/26) | | Indy Pass and Powder Alliance | Kiroro | Listed by Kiroro; check the pass for days | | Hokkaido Powder Belt Pass | Tomamu, Furano, Kamui Ski Links | Five days for ¥40,000 (2026/27) | | K-Winter Pass | Sapporo Teine, Rusutsu, Sahoro, Nakayama Pass | Kamori Kanko's shared season pass | #### How much is a day ticket? | Resort or ticket | 2025/26 adult day (window / online) | 2026/27 published (window / online) | |---|---|---| | [Niseko United All Mountain](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) | ¥12,000 / ¥11,400 regular season | ¥13,500 peak (24 Dec–28 Feb) | | [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) + [Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono) | ¥11,000 / ¥10,400 regular season | ¥12,500 peak (24 Dec–28 Feb) | | [Niseko Village](/resorts/niseko-village) only | ¥9,700 regular season | ¥10,700 peak, ¥10,200 regular | | [Annupuri](/resorts/niseko-annupuri) only | ¥7,000 regular season | ¥7,800 peak, ¥7,500 regular | | [Niseko Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa) | ¥13,000 / about ¥11,700, 20 Dec–8 Mar | Not yet in our files | | [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) | ¥16,200 / ¥12,000 regular season | ¥16,700 / ¥13,200 | | [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) | ¥8,800 high season (13 Dec–5 Apr) | ¥9,200 high season | | [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) | Not verified | ¥9,800 / ¥8,800 high season (19 Dec–7 Mar) | | [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) | ¥6,000 / ¥5,700 | ¥7,000 / ¥6,700 | | [Furano](/resorts/furano) | ¥8,000 regular season | Not yet in our files | | [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) | ¥5,300 (unchanged since September 2024) | Not yet in our files | | [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) | ¥8,000 / ¥7,700 | ¥9,500 / ¥9,200 | | [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) | ¥8,800 | ¥9,300 | | [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) ski day pass | ¥5,200, listed October 2026 | Covers one ropeway round trip from 2026/27 | Niseko's regular season ran from 13 December to 22 March in 2025/26. Kiroro's figure loads onto a KIROCA card with a ¥500 refundable deposit, and Kokusai and Kamui charge the same ¥500 deposit for their IC cards. #### What does the Ikon Pass get you in Hokkaido? The full Ikon Pass gives seven days at Niseko United for 2026/27, and you can use them at Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri ([Ikon at Niseko United](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ikonpass/)). The Ikon Base Pass gets five days with holiday blackout dates, so check Ikon's [Niseko page](https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united) before you book around Christmas or a February weekend. Ikon holders can redeem at the Hanazono ticket counter. Furano joined Ikon for 2025/26 and stays on the Japanese list for 2026/27 ([Alterra release](https://secure.businesswire.com/news/home/20260917806504/en/The-Countdown-Is-On-Ikon-Pass-Lifts-Will-Soon-Spin-Across-the-Northern-Hemisphere-as-the-Snow-Starts-to-Fall-and-Mountains-Prep-to-Open-for-Winter-2627)). Seven Niseko days at the 2025/26 All Mountain counter price come to ¥84,000 on our arithmetic (7 × ¥12,000), and you can weigh that against what your pass cost at home. #### How does Mountain Collective work at Niseko? Mountain Collective holders got two All Mountain days at Niseko United in 2025/26 with no blackouts, plus unlimited extra days at 50% off ([Niseko United pass guide](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/your-ultimate-guide-to-getting-lift-passes-at-niseko-united/)). Bring your pass confirmation and photo ID to a ticket counter at any of the four base areas. The same deal covers all four resorts, and Moiwa sits outside it. #### Where does the Epic Pass work in Hokkaido? Rusutsu takes the Epic Pass. In 2025/26 Epic, Epic Local and Epic Australia holders got five consecutive days with no blackouts ([Rusutsu Epic page](https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/)). Redeem at a ticket window, because the My Epic phone pass does not scan at Rusutsu's lifts. #### Which Niseko ticket should you buy? Buy the All Mountain pass if you plan to ride beyond Grand Hirafu and Hanazono. In the 2025/26 regular season it cost ¥1,000 more than the Grand Hirafu and Hanazono ticket, and it adds Niseko Village and Annupuri. Riders who stay on the west side can buy the Annupuri and Niseko Village ticket for ¥10,500 (2025/26). Hirafu sells no single-resort ticket, so the cheapest way onto its lifts is the Hirafu and Hanazono day at ¥11,000 at the counter and ¥10,400 online (2025/26 regular season). Multi-day tickets save a little on the counter price. The 2025/26 All Mountain 3-day cost ¥35,000 against ¥36,000 for three counter days, and the 5-day cost ¥58,000. Hirafu and Hanazono sold a 3-day for ¥32,000. Three single All Mountain days bought online come to ¥34,200 on our arithmetic, so compare before you commit. Your Hirafu day ticket carries straight into the 16:00–19:00 night session, so skip the ¥6,000 night ticket (2025/26) ([Grand Hirafu tickets](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/)). Moiwa needs its own ticket, and in 2025/26 its regular-season day cost more than the All Mountain pass ([Moiwa lift pass](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/)). #### What do the K-Winter and Powder Belt passes cover? Kamori Kanko's K-Winter Pass is a season pass that covers Sapporo Teine, Rusutsu, Sahoro and Nakayama Pass ([Sahoro K-Winter page](https://sahoro-resort.com/kwp)). Our files don't hold its 2026/27 price. The [Hokkaido Powder Belt Pass](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) suits a central Hokkaido trip. For 2026/27 it sells five days at Tomamu, Furano and Kamui Ski Links for ¥40,000 through WAmazing Snow, or ¥8,000 a day on our arithmetic. Sahoro isn't part of it. The Powder Belt Liner bus runs to Tomamu from Furano for ¥5,500 and from Asahikawa for ¥6,000 in 2026/27. #### How much do you save buying online? Rusutsu gives the biggest online discount in our files. Its 2025/26 adult day cost ¥12,000 online against ¥16,200 at the window, so buying online saved ¥4,200 ([Rusutsu tickets](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/)). Sapporo Teine's 2026/27 web price runs ¥1,000 under the window. In 2025/26 Moiwa's web price sat about 10% below its counter, and Kokusai and Tomamu each knocked ¥300 off. Grand Hirafu took about 5% off online that season, and your first online purchase there carried a ¥500 IC card fee. Kiroro's official webstore took up to 5% off daily passes in 2025/26, and tickets from unauthorised resellers are void ([Kiroro lift prices](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/)). Furano's Seibu Prince Global Rewards membership took a regular-season day down to ¥6,600 in 2025/26. Some packages bundle the ticket in. Club Med's Kiroro and Sahoro stays include lift passes, and guests at Tomamu's own hotels saved ¥500 a ticket in 2025/26. To plan the days around your pass, open the [trip planner](/plan). #### Sources - Niseko United lift tickets, Ikon and Mountain Collective: https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/, https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/ikonpass/, https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/mountain-collective/, https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/your-ultimate-guide-to-getting-lift-passes-at-niseko-united/ - Ikon Pass, Niseko United: https://www.ikonpass.com/en/destinations/niseko-united - Alterra press release on the 2026/27 Ikon lineup: https://secure.businesswire.com/news/home/20260917806504/en/The-Countdown-Is-On-Ikon-Pass-Lifts-Will-Soon-Spin-Across-the-Northern-Hemisphere-as-the-Snow-Starts-to-Fall-and-Mountains-Prep-to-Open-for-Winter-2627 - Grand Hirafu tickets: https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/ - Hanazono lift tickets: https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/lift-tickets - Niseko Village 2026/27 lift pass sheet: https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Lift-Pass-26-27.pdf - Annupuri lift tickets: https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/ - Niseko Moiwa lift pass: https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/ - Rusutsu tickets and Epic Pass: https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/, https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/ - Kiroro lift prices: https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/ - Sapporo Teine tickets: https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets - Sapporo Kokusai prices: https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/price/ - Furano Ski Resort: https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ - Kamui Ski Links guide: https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/ - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu tickets: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/ - Sahoro prices and K-Winter Pass: https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price, https://sahoro-resort.com/kwp - Hokkaido Powder Belt: https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ - Kurodake Ropeway ski area: https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/ Q: Does the Ikon Pass work in Niseko? A: Yes. The Ikon Pass covers the four Niseko United resorts (Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri) with seven days for 2026/27, and the Ikon Base Pass gives five days with holiday blackouts. Niseko Moiwa sells its own ticket and sits outside Ikon. Q: Can I use the Epic Pass in Hokkaido? A: Yes, at Rusutsu. Epic, Epic Local and Epic Australia holders got five consecutive days there with no blackouts in 2025/26. Redeem them at a ticket window, because the My Epic phone pass does not scan at the lifts. Q: How much is a Niseko United All Mountain day pass? A: The Niseko United All Mountain adult day pass cost ¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online in the 2025/26 regular season. For 2026/27 a peak tier from 24 December to 28 February raises it to ¥13,500. Q: What is the Hokkaido Powder Belt Pass? A: The Hokkaido Powder Belt Pass is a five-day lift ticket for Tomamu, Furano and Kamui Ski Links, and WAmazing Snow sells it for ¥40,000 for 2026/27. Sahoro is outside it. Q: Is it cheaper to buy Hokkaido lift tickets online? A: Yes, at most big Hokkaido resorts. Rusutsu's 2025/26 adult day cost ¥12,000 online against ¥16,200 at the window, and Sapporo Teine's 2026/27 web price runs ¥1,000 under its window price. ### Getting around Hokkaido in winter URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/getting-around Updated: 2026-10-01 Riders can reach every big Hokkaido resort by coach or rental car, and this guide sets out the 2026/27 fares and licence rules along with drive times between the hubs. Most riders land at New Chitose. If the plan is a week in Niseko or Rusutsu, the coaches will carry you and your board bag from the terminal to the village. Linking the central resorts or chasing a storm across the island goes better in a rental car, and that brings its own homework on licences and tolls. #### Pick the airport that fits the trip **New Chitose (CTS)** is the main gateway, and the Rapid Airport train reaches Sapporo in 33 minutes at best for ¥1,230. Resort coaches pick up at both terminals, and the morning departures call at the domestic side only. Rental car counters sit in the domestic arrivals hall. The cars wait at lots in Bibi, and the company shuttle takes 10 to 15 minutes to get there. **Asahikawa (AKJ)** is the closest airport to Furano and the Daisetsuzan volcanoes. The Resort Liner runs from the terminal to Furano for ¥4,000 in 2026/27, and the Powder Belt Liner links Asahikawa city with Furano or Tomamu for ¥6,000. The Hokkaido Powder Belt council puts the airport's flight operation rate at 99 percent. Budget keeps a rental desk in the terminal. **Tokachi-Obihiro (OBO)** serves Sahoro and Tomamu from the east. Sahoro Resort Hotel runs a bus timed to the morning JAL573 arrival that takes about 80 minutes and costs ¥8,600, and only hotel guests who book ten days ahead can ride it. Tomamu planned a seasonal Obihiro coach with details due in mid-October. Times Car Rental closed its Obihiro Airport counter on 30 September 2026, so line up another rental company before you buy the flights. **Hakodate (HKD)** suits a southern loop that takes in Hakodate Nanae, and Budget has a desk at the airport. The Hokkaido Shinkansen ends at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto if you come up by rail from Honshu. #### Resort coaches Hokkaido Access Network runs the Hokkaido Resort Liner out of New Chitose every day from 1 December 2026 to 30 March 2027. A seat to Niseko or Furano costs ¥6,000 one way and Rusutsu costs ¥5,500. Hirafu is about 2 hr 45 min from the airport. Each passenger gets one set of ski gear and one other bag in the hold. Chuo Bus also runs to Niseko and charged ¥6,000 one way for its Niseko Ski Bus in 2025/26. That trip took about three and a half hours to Hirafu because it calls at Annupuri and the Village first. Kamori Kanko's Big Runs Go reaches Rusutsu in about two hours for ¥5,000 if you prepay online. From central Sapporo, Chuo Bus runs a ¥1,800 ski line to Kokusai, and the Big Runs bus to Teine costs ¥11,000 return with a lift ticket included. Big Runs closes bookings at midnight seven days out, and the Tomamu coaches only run when someone has booked at least nine days ahead. Chuo Bus takes reservations until 18:00 the day before. When a blizzard shuts the expressway the coaches drop to the ordinary roads and arrive about 40 minutes late. Once you reach Niseko, any valid Niseko United lift pass rides the inter-resort shuttle for free. #### Trains The Rapid Airport runs six times an hour through the middle of the day. A reserved seat in car 4 costs ¥2,230, and it's worth having on a Friday evening with a board bag. Some services carry on to Otaru. Riders bound for Niseko change there to the slow local line to Kutchan. Tomamu and Sahoro sit on the Sekisho Line. The Tokachi and Ozora limited expresses run there from Sapporo and Minami-Chitose, and Sahoro riders get off at Shintoku. Every seat on those trains is reserved, and Sapporo to Tomamu costs ¥5,880. Visitors on a non-Japanese passport can buy the Hokkaido Rail Pass ahead at ¥22,000 for five days. The four-day Sapporo-Furano Area Pass costs ¥11,000. With either pass you still collect a seat reservation before boarding a limited express. JR allows two bags per person. Each can weigh up to 30 kg and measure up to 250 cm in combined dimensions. Anything over 2 m long has to be sports gear in a proper case that you can stand upright in the luggage space. #### Renting a car: the licence rules Japan recognizes only International Driving Permits issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Permits on the 1968 Vienna model are invalid here, and rental counters refuse IDPs bought from unofficial websites. Get yours at home before you fly: - **Canada:** CAA is the sole issuer, and the permit lasts a year or until your provincial licence expires. - **United States:** apply through AAA or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). - **United Kingdom:** PayPoint sells the 1949 permit over the counter for £5.50 against your photocard licence and a passport photo. - **Australia:** your state or territory motoring club issues it on behalf of the Australian Automobile Association. - **Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco and Taiwan:** skip the IDP and carry an official Japanese translation of your licence. JAF takes applications online only and quotes two or three business days. The permit or translation is good for one year from your entry into Japan, and you carry your home licence alongside it. Rental companies also check the entry stamp in your passport. If you come through an automated gate, ask an officer to stamp it, because Toyota says it can't rent you a car without proof of your landing date. #### Winter tires, 4WD and the expressway pass Nippon Rent-A-Car fits studless winter tires to every Hokkaido car from 1 November to 20 April and adds a winter season rate. Budget lists them as standard from about November to April, and four-wheel drive comes standard at its New Chitose and Sapporo Station North Exit stores. Toyota charges ¥1,650 a day for 4WD. Nippon and Budget don't rent chains, and in heavy snow some expressway and national route sections require them even on winter tires. The Hokkaido Expressway Pass gives foreign passport holders unlimited use of the island's expressways for a flat fee. Since October 2024 it comes in four to eight days and costs ¥7,700 to ¥15,400 for a standard car. You buy it with the rental, and the ETC card that goes with it usually costs ¥330 more. ToCoo! sells its own version with the card included, and a travel blog's comparison put it at ¥6,830 for four days. ORIX's Hokkaido winter plan includes navigation and an ETC unit and starts at ¥8,415 for the first 24 hours in a small car. #### What winter driving is like Expect packed snow and ice on most roads from December to March. Budget's winter advice is to start and stop slowly and leave extra room to the car ahead. In midwinter it's dark by about half past four, so plan the drive back from the hill before the light goes. Blizzards close sections of expressway with little warning. The coaches drop to the ordinary roads when that happens, and a rental car will do the same and lose a similar 40 minutes. Some scenic roads shut for the whole winter. The Niseko Panorama Line on prefectural Route 66 closes between Oikomi in Kyowa and Yunosato in Rankoshi until the spring reopening. #### Drive times between hubs Times assume clear roads. Add half an hour or more in a storm. | Route | Typical time | |---|---| | New Chitose to Niseko (Hirafu) | about 2 hr 45 min by coach | | New Chitose to Rusutsu | about 2 hr | | New Chitose to Tomamu | about 1 hr 30 min | | New Chitose to Sahoro | about 1 hr 50 min | | New Chitose to Furano | 2–3 hr | | Sapporo to Tomamu | about 2 hr | | Sapporo to Kokusai | about 1 hr by bus | | Otaru to Kiroro | about 40 min | | Niseko to Rusutsu | about 40 min | | Niseko to Kiroro | about 1 hr 20 min | | Niseko to Furano | about 4 hr 20 min | | Furano to Tomamu | about 1 hr | | Asahikawa Airport to Tomamu | about 2 hr 20 min | | Obihiro Airport to Tomamu | about 1 hr 20 min | | Obihiro Airport to Sahoro | about 1 hr 20 min | #### Board bags and luggage forwarding Coaches take one set of ski gear and one other bag per person. Chuo Bus wants boards in a bag or with sole covers, and you can't ride its buses in ski or snowboard boots. *Takkyubin* (door-to-door courier) solves most of the hauling. Yamato's Ski TA-Q-BIN charges a board bag at the 180 size rate, and the bag must weigh 30 kg or less inside a proper case or Yamato's ¥600 cover. Take it to a Yamato office or an agent that handles the service, because convenience stores refuse skis and boards. Ship two days before you ride, or three for some areas, and the resort's front desk will have it waiting. Book the return leg at the same time for a small discount. Budget's New Chitose store won't accept luggage shipped ahead, so send bags to your first hotel. #### Sources - https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/101chitose_rusutsu_niseko.html - https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/chitose_furano.html - https://www.nisekocentral.com/concierge/niseko-transfers/niseko-transfers-public-bus - https://www.snowtomamu.jp/bus_26w/index_en.html - https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/course/7768 - https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/ja/course/12403 - https://rusutsu.com/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/ - https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access - https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/ - https://sahoro-resort.com/access/bus_obihiro - https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/ - https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/airport.html - https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/regular/index.html - https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/railpass/index.html - https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/faq/faq02.html - https://english.jaf.or.jp/use-jaf-more/drive-in-japan - https://rent.toyota.co.jp/global_eng/drive/ - https://rent.toyota.co.jp/global_eng/service/option.html - https://www.usa.gov/international-drivers-license - https://www.caa.ca/idp - https://www.paypoint.com/dvla - https://www.aaa.asn.au/ - https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/car_price/option/studless-tire.html - https://store.nipponrentacar.co.jp/en/b/nrs/info/810034/ - https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/ - https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/feature/hkd-winter/ - https://www.budgetrentacar.co.jp/en/shop/hokkaido/shin-chitose-airport/ - https://rental.timescar.jp/topics/2026/09/014005.html - https://car.orix.co.jp/eng/campaign/hkd2026winter.html - https://en.driveplaza.com/drawari/hokkaido_expass/ - https://www.travelclassroom.net/eng/hokkaido-expressway-pass.html - https://www2.tocoo.jp/en/options/tep - https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kokuyu_rinya/kokumin_mori/katuyo/reku/rekumori/news/index.html - https://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/ytc/customer/send/services/ski/ - https://ks-limo.com/ - https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/ - https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/access/ - https://sahoro-resort.com/access - https://www.access-n.jp/winter2026/skibus/detail/asahikawa_ap_furano.html - https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/access/ - https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/ ### Onsen etiquette and tattoos in Hokkaido URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/guides/onsen-etiquette Updated: 2026-10-01 Half the reason to ride Hokkaido is the hot water at the end of the day, and the rules at a Japanese bath are easy once someone walks you through them. This guide covers the routine first and then gets to tattoos, which is the question most riders ask before anything else. #### Boots off and cash ready Most day baths start with a shoe locker by the door. Your boots go in, and the wooden key comes with you. Wet shells and pants are better left in the car, because nobody wants snowmelt dripping across the lobby. Tickets come from a machine or a window at the front. Town-run baths often want cash, and Yukichichibu in Rankoshi takes no cards or e-money at all. Hirafu's rebuilt Yukoro accepts only cards and QR payments, so carry both. Bring a small hand towel if you have one. Most baths sell or rent them for a few hundred yen. In the changing room everything comes off and goes into a basket or locker, and the hand towel is the only thing you carry into the bathing area. Leave your phone in the locker as well. Yukichichibu and the New Furano Prince both ban phones from the bathing area, and plenty of other places post the same rule. #### Wash before you soak Find a free stool at the row of taps, sit down and wash properly with soap, hair included. Staying seated keeps your spray off the person next to you. Rinse off every trace of soap before you walk over to the tub. Wild baths usually have no taps. There, scoop a little bath water over your shoulders and legs before you climb in, and keep soap out of the pool entirely. #### In the water Towels stay out of the bath. Fold yours on top of your head or leave it on a rock at the edge, and tie long hair up so it doesn't trail in the water. Lower yourself in slowly, because source-fed tubs can run far hotter than you expect. Keep your head above the surface. Keep voices low. Quiet chat is normal, and a crew retelling the day's best line at full volume will empty a bath in minutes. Niseko Grand Hotel's posted rules make a fair summary of what most places expect: wash before you get in, and keep towels and underwear out of the tub. When you get out, wring your towel and pat yourself down before you walk back into the changing room so you don't drip across the floor. #### Mixed baths, wild baths and swimsuits Mixed bathing (konyoku) survives in Hokkaido in two very different settings. Resort hotels such as Niseko Grand Hotel hand out cotton bathing wraps called yuami-gi for their mixed garden pool, and women get a separate outdoor bath if they'd rather skip it. Wild baths such as Fukiage Roten-no-yu above Kamifurano or Kotan on Lake Kussharo are free and unstaffed, with rough changing spots or none at all. At wild baths the towel rule relaxes. Kotan allows swimsuits, and Kamifurano's tourism association suggests women wear a swimsuit or a towel wrap at Fukiage. In any mixed pool, keep your eyes to yourself and give people room to get in and out. Wild baths depend on the people who use them. Locals often clean them, as a craft shop owner does at Kotan, so carry out every bit of rubbish and follow whatever signs are posted. Kotan's ask for quiet at night and ban camping and eating in the bath. #### Water that bites back Hokkaido's volcanic springs can be strong. Goshiki above Niseko runs at pH 2.6, and the Glauber's salt spring at Dai-ichi Takimotokan in Noboribetsu sits at pH 2.2. Keep acidic water out of your eyes and off fresh cuts. Take off watches and jewellery before you go in. Kawayu's acidic water corrodes metal, and sulphur baths like Yukichichibu turn silver black. Yukichichibu doesn't admit children under five because of the hydrogen sulphide. After an acid or sulphur soak, a rinse at the taps keeps the smell from following you to dinner. #### Tattoos in Hokkaido The old blanket ban is fading, and Hokkaido now has the full range of policies. The Onsen Oni database, which tracks bath rules across Japan, lists 494 facilities that allow tattoos, 233 that allow them with conditions and 625 that refuse them, plus more than 4,000 that have never published a rule. The restrictions come from the old association between tattoos and organised crime, and staff apply them to Japanese and foreign bathers alike. Here's how it plays out at baths in the Ride Hokkaido guide: - **Welcome.** Hotel Kanronomori in Niseko Konbu Onsen says plainly that tattooed guests are welcome and sells cover stickers at the desk for anyone who wants them. Kawayu's public bath Yukichi in eastern Hokkaido lets tattoos in. - **Fashion tattoos only.** Niseko Grand Hotel accepts tattoos but refuses traditional Japanese irezumi. - **Covered.** Kirin-no-Yu at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu asks you to cover tattoos with patches, which reception sells. Bathing in clothing isn't allowed. - **Restricted or refused.** Kurodake no Yu in Sounkyo and Kangetsuen at Tokachigawa are listed as refusing visible tattoos, and the New Furano Prince says tattooed guests may face partial restrictions. - **Unpublished.** Many town baths say nothing either way. Cover stickers solve most of the middle ground. Onsen Oni suggests applying them to clean, dry skin at least half an hour before you bathe and running them a centimetre past the edge of the ink. Pack spares. Private baths, called kashikiri, sidestep the question entirely. Niseko's Kiranoyu rents a small bath by the hour for ¥1,200, and Kanronomori has a family bath with a sauna. Neighbourhood sento tend to be the most relaxed of all. When a bath publishes nothing, ask at the window before you pay. A simple line works: > **Tatū ga aru n desu ga, nyūyoku dekimasu ka?** > I have a tattoo. Can I bathe here? If the answer is no, thank them and try the next place. Arguing never changes the rule, and it makes the next rider's request harder. #### After a day on snow Drink a litre of water before your first soak, because a long day in the cold plus a hot bath is a reliable way to feel faint. Keep the beer for afterwards. Ten or fifteen minutes at a time is plenty, with breaks on the edge or in the cold air. Check closing times before you leave the hill. Many day baths stop selling tickets an hour or more before they close, and some keep short hours: Yukichichibu sells its last tickets at 6:30 pm, and Kamihoroso at Tokachidake Onsen ends day bathing at 3 pm. Watch the volcano news in the Tokachidake area this season. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised Tokachidake to alert Level 3 on 12 September 2026. Hakuginso and the Fukiage wild bath have been closed since that day, and Ryounkaku and Kamihoroso remain open outside the restricted zone. The Kamifurano town website posts the current level. #### Sources - Hotel Kanronomori, tattoo policy and baths: https://www.kanronomori.com/faq.html and https://www.kanronomori.com/onsen.html - Niseko Grand Hotel, bathing rules and tattoo policy: https://niseko-grand.com/onsen/ - Hoshino Resorts Tomamu, Kirin-no-Yu: https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/spa/kirin.php - New Furano Prince Hotel, Shisai-no-yu terms: https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/facility/onsen/ - Rankoshi town, Yukichichibu: https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285 - Yukoro Onsen payment details via SkiJapan: https://www.skijapan.com/?p=253547 - Kiranoyu, facilities and private bath: https://kiranoyu.com/eigyo.html - Onsen Oni tattoo guide and listings: https://onsenoni.com/en/guides/tattoo, https://onsenoni.com/en/places/xk7xcyz8i9-kawayu-koshu-yokujo-yukichi, https://onsenoni.com/en/places/2qqwkmgiaz-kurodake-no-yu-public-onsen, https://onsenoni.com/en/places/0x6h3l77zx-kangetsuen - Kamifurano tourism association, Fukiage Roten-no-yu: https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/582 - Kamifurano town, Tokachidake volcanic alert: https://www.town.kamifurano.hokkaido.jp/index.php?id=6400 - Japanese Wikipedia, Goshiki Onsen and Kawayu Onsen chemistry: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/五色温泉_(北海道) and https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/川湯温泉_(北海道) - Japanese Wikipedia, Kotan Onsen: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/コタン温泉 - Dai-ichi Takimotokan, spring types: https://takimotokan.co.jp/ja/spa/ ## Journal ### How do you ride the Asahidake Ropeway backcountry safely? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/asahidake-ropeway-backcountry Updated: 2026-10-09 The Asahidake Ropeway lifts you to 1,600 m on Hokkaido's highest volcano in about ten minutes, and from the top station nobody patrols anything. We read the town's warnings, the Hokkaido Wilds routes and the police numbers to show where the good snow is and where people get lost. Ride the glades below Sugatami Station in January and February with a guide on your first day, and save the open plateau above the station for clear days from March. The ropeway sets you down at 1,600 m with fresh legs, and [Asahidake](/backcountry/asahidake-bc) has no patrol and no avalanche control anywhere, so the hazard grows quickly with every metre you climb past the top station. After a cold storm the snow here is as dry as Hokkaido gets, and a ten-minute ride puts you on top of it. That draws a crowd. The mountain guide site STEEP lists Asahidake as the area with the most mountain accidents in Hokkaido. Police figures gathered by [Hokkaido Wilds](https://hokkaidowilds.org/hokkaido-winter-search-and-rescue-trends-2015-2025) counted 10 sidecountry victims around Asahidake between 1 January and 28 February 2025, eight of them foreign. A Hokkaido District Transport Bureau count from 16 January to 20 February 2025 put about 206 people a day out of the top station. #### What does the ropeway cost and how does it run? An adult return cost [¥2,800 and a one-way ticket ¥1,700](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) in the regular season from 1 November to 31 May, as the operator published it in October 2026. The ride takes about ten minutes, and winter departures leave every 20 minutes. Parking at the base in Asahidake Onsen is free from November to May, and the Ideyu-go bus runs up from Asahikawa Station. The ropeway stops when the wind gets too strong, which on this plateau happens often enough that you should hold a second plan. Queues can be long on a good day. On 21 January 2025 a SkiTalk poster waited more than an hour and a half for a car, then found skin tracks running straight up toward the crater with parties skiing over each other. #### Where do you ride below the top station? Most days the skiing happens in the birch and fir between the cat-track courses. Tennyo sits just below Sugatami on skier's right of the ropeway line, and Ura-ten lies behind it and farther right. Ohiroma, whose name means great hall, opens on skier's left between Course C and the Bannosawa gullies. Every one of those drains back to the cat tracks that lead to the base. Bannosawa's three marked lines drop off Course A. Higashikawa town's winter map flags them as an avalanche danger zone, along with Ura-ban beyond them, which takes you farther from the cat tracks than anything else here. Save both for stable days. Forum riders warn that snowcats use the cat track during the day, so look uphill before you step onto it. #### What is above Sugatami? Above the station the trees end and the plateau carries no markers. The shortest tour heads east to the Jigoku-dani steam vents. [Hokkaido Wilds](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-asahidake-volcanic-steam-vent-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan) publishes it as 6.6 km with 165 m of climbing to a 1,780 m high point in about 1.5 hours, and our figures from its GPS track come out at 6.6 km and 170 m. Its author warns that people can get hopelessly lost a few hundred metres from the top station. On day one of the trip a near-whiteout cut visibility from about 100 m to 20 m and turned the party back, and the next morning was dead calm. The stone hut at 1,660 m is an emergency shelter only, closed in winter, with an upper window that freezes shut. The summit is another 690 m above Sugatami on hard, wind-packed slopes, and you will want crampons. Come down the west side the way you went up. The town's survival map warns that parties who drop south from near Kinko-iwa go missing, and anyone who wanders north toward Hisago Marsh finds there is no way back. The floor of Ohachidaira crater beyond the summit pools hydrogen sulphide, and the national park treats it as a no-entry zone after deaths in 1958 and 1961. #### When does the plateau open up? Spring opens it. From March the days run long enough for the summit, and Hokkaido Wilds describes a [Nakadake Onsen loop](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/asahidake-to-nakadake-onsen-loop-ski-tour) over Asahidake and the Ohachidaira rim to a hot spring at 1,840 m. It publishes 14.7 km, 762 m of climbing and 9.5 hours, best from March to May. From the GPS track we computed 770 m of climbing and a high point of 2,272 m. The whole loop runs above treeline on featureless snowfields, and the author calls it impossible to navigate in low cloud without a GPS and a map and compass. On the late-April 2019 trip a stream of hikers in crampons and sneakers climbed the summit ridge while he skinned long traverses across the south face to ease the angle. #### What should you sort out before the first ride? Backcountry riding off the ropeway needs avalanche training, a beacon, a shovel and a probe for every rider, and anyone new to Daisetsuzan should go with a certified guide. [Rising Sun Guides](/operators/rising-sun-guides) keeps a team in Higashikawa for the Daisetsuzan volcanoes. [Whiteroom Tours](/operators/whiteroom-tours) reaches Asahidake from its Furano base and lists ¥175,000 a day for a private group in the 2026/27 peak weeks. Read the [Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for Daisetsu and Tokachi](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest) before you go. Its 2025/26 season ended with the bulletin of 15 March 2026, so spring plateau days have no forecast behind them. File a climbing plan with police through [Compass](https://www.mt-compass.com/). Crampons belong in the pack all season, and windchill on the plateau drops below −20°C. Keep the Tokachi range off this trip. The Japan Meteorological Agency [raised Tokachidake to volcanic alert level 3](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) on 12 September 2026, and the [Tokachidake](/backcountry/tokachidake) trailheads from Kamifurano are closed. On a day when Asahidake's ropeway is shut, [Kurodake](/backcountry/kurodake-bc) on the north rim runs a sign-in gate off its chair. #### Where do you stay and soak? Stay in the hamlet at the foot of the ropeway. [Asahidake Onsen](/onsen/asahidake-onsen) sits at about 1,100 m, and its inns pour an unusual clear sulphate and chloride spring. Hotel Bear Monte sells day bathing for ¥1,140. [Higashikawa](/towns/higashikawa) down the valley has the cafés and bakeries, and the [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) resort page covers the courses and lift details. #### How we researched this We compiled this from the ropeway operator's site, Higashikawa's winter safety map, Hokkaido Wilds route guides and its search and rescue analysis, the Japan Avalanche Network and rider trip reports, checked in October 2026. Track figures are computed by Ride Hokkaido from the Hokkaido Wilds GPS files. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido toured Asahidake for this piece. #### Sources - [Asahidake Ropeway (Mt. Resort Asahidake)](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) - [Higashikawa winter safety map (PDF)](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) - [STEEP: Asahidake](https://steep.jp/en/mountain/38373/) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Asahidake steam-vent ski touring](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/mt-asahidake-volcanic-steam-vent-ski-touring-hokkaido-japan) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Asahidake to Nakadake Onsen loop](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/asahidake-to-nakadake-onsen-loop-ski-tour) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Winter search and rescue trends 2015–2025](https://hokkaidowilds.org/hokkaido-winter-search-and-rescue-trends-2015-2025) - [Hokkaido Wilds: The poisonous hot spring at Ohachidaira](https://hokkaidowilds.org/the-poinsonous-hostpring-yudoku-onsen) - [SkiTalk: 2025 Hokkaido trip report](https://www.skitalk.com/threads/2025-hokkaido-japan-trip-report.36294/post-1069167) - [Reddit r/Backcountry thread on the steam-vent route](https://www.reddit.com/r/Backcountry/comments/1pe3wkw/) - [Japan Avalanche Network: Daisetsu and Tokachi](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest) - [Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) - [Compass climbing plans](https://www.mt-compass.com/) Q: How high does the Asahidake Ropeway go? A: The Asahidake Ropeway climbs to Sugatami Station at 1,600 m in about 10 minutes. An adult return ticket cost ¥2,800 and a one-way ticket ¥1,700 in the regular season from 1 November to 31 May, as published in October 2026. Q: When is the best time for backcountry at Asahidake? A: January and February are the best months for the Asahidake glades below Sugatami Station, when cold storms keep the snow dry. The summit and the plateau above the station suit March to May, when the days run longer and storms space out. Q: Is Asahidake backcountry dangerous? A: Asahidake backcountry has no patrol and no avalanche control, and whiteouts can cut visibility to about 20 m within minutes. Hokkaido police data recorded 10 sidecountry victims around Asahidake between 1 January and 28 February 2025. Q: Can you ski to the top of Asahidake from the ropeway? A: The 2,291 m Asahidake summit sits about 690 m above Sugatami Station up hard, wind-packed slopes that call for crampons. Descend west the way you came, because parties who come down the south side near Kinko-iwa go missing. ### Is Asahikawa the right base for riding central Hokkaido? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/asahikawa-base-central-hokkaido Updated: 2026-10-09 Asahikawa puts five ski areas within about an hour and a quarter of one hotel room, and the city's shoyu ramen is waiting when you get back. Here's how far each hill sits and what the commute costs. Asahikawa is the best-placed city in Hokkaido for riding a different hill every day, and it suits riders with a car or the patience for a rural bus timetable. Every day starts with a drive or a bus, because no ski area sits within walking distance and the closest one, [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links), is about half an hour away by car. From one room in [Asahikawa](/towns/asahikawa) you can reach a cheap town hill, a powder hill, two ropeways onto the Daisetsuzan volcanoes and Furano's long groomers. We set them side by side. | Hill | From Asahikawa by car | By bus or train | Adult price (season) | Suits | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Kamui Ski Links | About 30 min | Dohoku Bus 455, about 40 min, ¥1,000 | ¥5,300 day (2025/26) | Trees and ungroomed courses inside the boundary | Out-of-bounds riding is prohibited | | Pippu | About 35 min | Dohoku Bus, about 1 hr 05 min | ¥3,800 day with an onsen bath (2025/26) | Cheap day and night laps | 330 m of vertical | | Furano | About 1 hr | JR to Furano, then a taxi of about ¥1,600 | ¥8,000 day (2025/26) | 839 m of fall line and night riding | The dearest ticket of the five | | Asahidake | About 1 hr | Ideyu-go bus, about 1 hr 40 min | ¥2,800 ropeway return (Nov–May), cash | Guided backcountry | Nothing is patrolled or avalanche controlled | | Kurodake | About 1 hr 15 min | Dohoku Bus to Sounkyo, about 110 min | ¥5,200 ski day pass with ropeway | Alpine touring with a guide | One chair with 220 m of vertical | #### Which hills can you ride on a day trip from Asahikawa? Kamui is the closest hill and the one to ride most days. It catches cold, dry inland snow and leaves about a third of its 26 courses ungroomed, and the [resort's site](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/en/) lists a ¥5,300 adult day pass that hasn't changed since September 2024. Deep Powder starts from a gate beside Lift 5. That lift stops at 15:00, so ride the steep laps first. Every ticket needs a ¥500 IC-card deposit, and you get it back when you return the card. [Pippu](/resorts/pippu) is the town hill north of the city. In 2025/26 a ¥3,800 day ticket included a bath at Yuyu Pippu next door, and night riding ran 16:00–20:30 through February for ¥1,200. It suits a short day after a long drive, and the vertical runs out quickly. [Furano](/resorts/furano) is the hill for riders who want long groomed runs and five patrol-managed forest exits. It's an hour south and charged ¥8,000 for a 2025/26 day. Furano town has its own restaurants and hotels, and a few nights there save you the drive. #### How do you reach Asahidake and Kurodake from the city? You drive, or you plan around a few buses a day. [Asahidake](/resorts/asahidake) lifts you to 1,600 m on Hokkaido's highest volcano, and the ropeway's [winter fare](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) is ¥2,800 return from 1 November to 31 May. Our fact sheet notes it takes cash only. The ropeway shuts from 16 November to 10 December 2026 and reopens on 11 December. Nobody patrols or controls avalanches up there, so ride it with a guide and full kit. Our [Asahidake backcountry guide](/journal/asahidake-ropeway-backcountry) covers the rules. [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) is the longer trip at about 66 km. Dohoku Bus takes about 110 minutes from Asahikawa Station, according to the [Sounkyo Tourism Association](https://sounkyo.net/go/detail.html?content=62). Most riders who come for its backcountry gate sleep in [Sounkyo](/towns/sounkyo) instead. #### Why is the snow so dry in Asahikawa? Asahikawa's snow stays dry because the city sits in an inland basin that traps cold air. It recorded minus 41.0 °C on 25 January 1902. The [Japan Meteorological Agency](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/rankall.php) still ranks that as the lowest temperature in its national records. On still mornings the snow squeaks underfoot and diamond dust hangs over the river. #### Where should you eat ramen in Asahikawa? Asahikawa ramen is a shoyu bowl. Cooks make it with a double stock of pork and seafood and seal it under a layer of lard that keeps it hot. Hachiya has made it since 1947, and the Gojo shop stands where the family started. Burnt lard gives the bowl a smoky, bitter edge. It closes on Thursdays, and the guide listings tell you to phone ahead. Ramenya Tenkin on 4-jō is the other benchmark and serves gyōza on the side. Shoga Ramen Mizuno created ginger ramen, and it suits a weekday lunch because it shuts on Wednesdays and weekends. Dinner is lamb or chicken. Daikokuya grills fresh, unmarinated lamb for Genghis Khan, and you should expect a queue. At Ginneko the dish is shinkoyaki, where a young half-chicken is grilled black with sweet sauce and pepper. It closes on Mondays and holidays. Dokushaku Sanshiro has poured Hokkaido sake over a counter of local fish since 1946. It closes on Sundays, Mondays and holidays, which rules it out for many weekend trips. For beer, Taisetsu Ji Beer brews with Daisetsuzan groundwater in a red-brick warehouse near the station. #### What can you learn about the Ainu in Asahikawa? The city's own name is Ainu. The [Asahikawa City Museum](https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/hakubutukan/chimei_display/d053000.html) explains that it comes from the Ainu name of the Chubetsu River, which settlers heard as *chuk-pet*. In 1890 the name was read as *cup-pet*, which means "sun river", and written as 旭川 for "rising-sun river". The museum also gives *cuk-pet* for "autumn river", after the autumn salmon, and *ciw-pet* for "river of waves". It doesn't rank them, and no reading is settled. The Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Memorial Museum is one of the oldest Ainu museums in Hokkaido. According to [Japan's tourism agency](https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R6-00289.html), Kawamura Itakishiroma, head of Cikapuni Kotan, built it beside his home in 1916 to correct visitors' misconceptions about Ainu culture. His son Kaneto ran it from 1944, and the founder's great-grandson Haruto runs it today. The [Asahikawa Ainu Association](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) is a member of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido. #### What's on in Asahikawa in winter? The 68th [Asahikawa Winter Festival](https://www.asahikawa-winterfes.jp/5034/) runs from 6 to 11 February 2027 and builds its giant snow stage by the Asahibashi bridge. Asahiyama Zoo opens for winter from 11 November 2026 to 7 April 2027, 10:30–15:30. An adult ticket cost [¥1,000](https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/generalinformation/d052849.html) as of October 2026, and the king penguins start their walk through the snow once enough has fallen, usually from mid to late December. #### Where should you stay in Asahikawa? [OMO7 Asahikawa](/stays/omo7-asahikawa) suits riders hopping between hills by car. Hoshino Resorts runs it with 237 rooms and a Sauna Plateau, and its L-shaped beds leave room underneath for board bags. It's 13 minutes on foot from JR Asahikawa Station, and the rooms are compact. [JR Inn Asahikawa](/stays/jr-inn-asahikawa) suits riders on buses and trains. You walk from the station's north exit through the AEON Mall to the lobby, so the board bag never touches the snow. The shared bath has a semi-open-air tub. Singles measure 17 square metres, and breakfast costs ¥1,800 extra. #### How we put this together In October 2026 we read the resorts' and ropeways' own pages, the Asahikawa City Museum's place-name boards, the Japan Meteorological Agency's records, the festival and zoo pages and our fact sheets for each hill and stay. Prices are adult tickets for the season named. The method is desk research, and nobody visited Asahikawa for this piece. #### Sources - [Kamui Ski Links](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/en/) - [Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) - [Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/) - [Sounkyo Tourism Association: access](https://sounkyo.net/go/detail.html?content=62) - [Japan Meteorological Agency: national records](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/view/rankall.php) - [Asahikawa City Museum: the name Asahikawa](https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/hakubutukan/chimei_display/d053000.html) - [Japan Tourism Agency: the Kawamura family](https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R6-00289.html) - [Ainu Association of Hokkaido: regional associations](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) - [Asahikawa Winter Festival 2027](https://www.asahikawa-winterfes.jp/5034/) - [Asahiyama Zoo: admission](https://www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/generalinformation/d052849.html) - [Rurubu: Hachiya Gojo](https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80000764) Q: How far is Kamui Ski Links from Asahikawa? A: Kamui Ski Links is about 30 minutes by car from central Asahikawa. Dohoku Bus 455 runs there from Asahikawa Station in about 40 minutes for ¥1,000, and a 2025/26 adult day ticket cost ¥5,300. Q: Can you reach Asahidake from Asahikawa by bus? A: You can reach the Asahidake Ropeway from Asahikawa Station on the Ideyu-go bus, which takes about 1 hour 40 minutes and runs around four times a day. The winter ropeway fare from 1 November to 31 May is ¥2,800 return for adults, and the ropeway is closed from 16 November to 10 December 2026. Q: What is the coldest temperature recorded in Asahikawa? A: Asahikawa recorded minus 41.0 °C on 25 January 1902. The Japan Meteorological Agency still lists it as the lowest temperature in its national records. Q: When is the Asahikawa Winter Festival in 2027? A: The 68th Asahikawa Winter Festival runs from 6 to 11 February 2027. The festival builds a giant snow stage by the Asahibashi bridge each year. ### Is Kamui Ski Links worth a day from Asahikawa or Furano? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/kamui-ski-links-storm-day Updated: 2026-10-09 Kamui Ski Links charges ¥5,300 for a day and leaves its tree courses to the snow. We worked out who should spend a storm day there and how to fit it around a base in Asahikawa or Furano. Kamui Ski Links is worth a day for a strong rider on a storm day. Its gated tree courses hold some of the coldest snow in Hokkaido, and an adult day costs ¥5,300, about two-thirds of the 2025/26 walk-up price at Furano. Build the day around Lift 5. It stops at 15:00, and it serves the steepest groomer and both of the seasonal powder courses. [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) sits in the hills about 30 minutes west of central [Asahikawa](/towns/asahikawa). Taisetsu Kamui Mintara DMO runs it, and our fact sheet rates it 5 out of 5 for quiet. We compiled this piece from Kamui's own guide, course, price and English pages plus guide sources, and computed the terrain figures from OpenStreetMap run lines and elevation data. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido rode Kamui for it. | | Kamui Ski Links | Furano Ski Resort | |---|---|---| | Top and vertical (published) | 751 m, 601 m vertical | 1,074 m, 839 m vertical | | Marked piste (our measurement) | About 25.5 km | About 31.4 km | | North-facing share of named runs (our measurement) | 78% | 19% | | Steepest 60 m (our measurement) | 31.1° on Dynamic | 31.6° | | Adult day ticket | ¥5,300 (2025/26, unchanged for 2026/27) | ¥8,000 (2025/26 regular season) | | Trees and off-piste | Gated tree courses inside the boundary; nothing outside it | Five exits into the forest with a climbing plan | | Night riding | None | Yes, both zones | | Main drawback | Lift 5 closes at 15:00 | Higher price and more people | #### Why is the snow at Kamui so dry? Asahikawa's cold keeps the snow dry. In the city the January days average a high of minus 3.3°C and the nights fall to minus 11.7°C, according to the [Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991–2020 normals](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=12&block_no=47407&year=&month=&day=&view=). Snow that lands in that air stays light, and you won't be able to press it into a snowball. Kamui doesn't publish a snowfall figure for the hill. By our measurements 78 percent of its named-run length faces between northwest and northeast, so the snow stays cold for a while after a storm passes. #### Where are the tree and powder courses? The [course page](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/today/) lists every gated run with its entry point. Treerun and Bumps start at gates beside Logging Road (Rindo on the Japanese map) and head back toward the gondola base. Treerun is the longest of the gated courses at a published 1.2 kilometres. Todomatsu takes its name from the Sakhalin fir and starts at a gate beside Link (Renraku). Royal Powder is the easiest to find, because it runs through the woods right beside the gondola and tips to a published 35 degrees. Look down into it from the gondola to judge the snow in the trees before you commit. Deep Powder starts at a gate beside Lift 5, and Fresh Powder drops in from Logging Road. Both open only for limited periods. OpenStreetMap tags nine Kamui runs as gladed. Fallen logs and sudden steps sit under the snow in all of these courses, so keep your speed down on the first lap. The [guide page](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) and the English site both state that riding outside the boundary is prohibited, and rescue costs go to the rider. #### Why does the 15:00 Lift 5 close matter? Lift 5 serves the far flank of the hill, where the pitch gets serious. Dynamic is groomed and reaches a published 35 degrees, and we measured 31.1 degrees over its hardest 60 metres. Slalom runs beside it, and Deep Powder and Fresh Powder start up there too. The lift stops at 15:00 while everything else runs to 17:00. Link from the Lift 5 base can't take you back to the gondola, so take your last Dynamic lap with time to ride out. The rest of the hill suits a mixed group. Gold 2 is a wide groomer with a published 30-degree pitch, and Next Step winds 4 kilometres from the summit so beginners can ride the gondola too. The gondola climbs 2,327 metres to the summit in about eight minutes, and Trattoria Monte751 at the top serves pizza and pasta. #### What does a day cost? An adult day costs [¥5,300](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/). The price hasn't changed since September 2024, and Kamui lists it again under 2026/27. A 4-hour ticket costs ¥4,600, the 12-point ticket ¥4,300 and a senior day ¥4,500. Children 12 and under pay ¥1,800. Every ticket needs a ¥500 IC-card deposit, and you get it back from the machine when you feed the card in after your last run. The price page says the Hokkaido Ski Season Net card no longer works at Kamui for 2026/27. The [Hokkaido Powder Belt](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) 5-day ticket covers Kamui along with [Furano](/resorts/furano) and [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu). It costs ¥40,000 for 2026/27 and works from 19 December 2026 to 31 March 2027. Spread over five days it works out to ¥8,000 a day, whichever of the three hills you ride. #### How do you get there? Dohoku Bus route 455 runs from Asahikawa Station in about 40 minutes for ¥1,000, and the same route runs from Asahikawa Airport in about an hour. By car Kamui is about 30 minutes from central Asahikawa and about 90 minutes from Sapporo, and parking is free for 2,000 cars. From Furano the [English site](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/en/) gives about 70 minutes by car. [Visit Hokkaido](https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/en/spot/detail_13195.html) lists a reservation-only bus from Furano at about 100 minutes for ¥1,500, so check that season's timetable before you count on it. #### Where should you base yourself? Sleep in Asahikawa and ride Kamui as a day trip. [OMO7 Asahikawa](/stays/omo7-asahikawa) has a proper sauna and a desk full of local tips, and [JR Inn Asahikawa](/stays/jr-inn-asahikawa) sits beside the station, which suits the 455 bus. The city pours some of the best shoyu ramen on the island, and the Center House at Kamui serves a bowl of it for ¥1,000 at lunch. Asahikawa also puts other hills within reach. [Santa Present Park](/resorts/santa-present-park) is 15 minutes from the station and runs under lights until 21:00, so you can ride again after the Kamui bus gets back. The [Asahidake Ropeway](/resorts/asahidake) reaches 1,600 metres on the flank of Hokkaido's highest volcano for riders who want terrain past a boundary. #### Who should skip Kamui? Park riders should go elsewhere, because Kamui lists no terrain park among its courses. Riders looking for gates into the backcountry won't find them here, and Furano or Asahidake fit that day better. Après is a bowl of ramen and the bus home. A first-week beginner gets more from Furano's two linked zones and its night riding. #### How we researched this In October 2026 we read Kamui's guide, course, price and English pages, the Hokkaido Powder Belt site, Visit Hokkaido and the JMA climate normals for Asahikawa. Prices are adult tickets for the season named. Figures marked as our measurements come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 metres. The steepest pitch is the hardest 60 metres of a run, and aspect is the direction a run's longest section faces. We compare our measured figures only with each other. #### Sources - [Kamui Ski Links guide and prices](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) - [Kamui Ski Links courses and lifts today](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/today/) - [Kamui Ski Links English site](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/en/) - [Hokkaido Powder Belt](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) - [Visit Hokkaido: Kamui Ski Links](https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/en/spot/detail_13195.html) - [Japan Meteorological Agency: Asahikawa climate normals](https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_sfc_ym.php?prec_no=12&block_no=47407&year=&month=&day=&view=) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: How much is a day ticket at Kamui Ski Links? A: A Kamui Ski Links adult day ticket costs ¥5,300 in 2025/26 and again in 2026/27, and the price hasn't changed since September 2024. A 4-hour ticket costs ¥4,600, and every Kamui ticket needs a ¥500 IC-card deposit that is refunded when you return the card. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Kamui Ski Links? A: Kamui Ski Links prohibits riding outside its ski-area boundary. Its tree and powder courses sit inside the boundary behind expert-only gates, and Deep Powder and Fresh Powder open only for limited periods when the snow allows. Q: What time does Lift 5 close at Kamui Ski Links? A: Lift 5 at Kamui Ski Links stops at 15:00, two hours before the rest of the hill closes at 17:00. It serves Dynamic, Slalom, Deep Powder and Fresh Powder, and riders can't get back to the gondola from the Lift 5 base by Link. Q: How do you get to Kamui Ski Links from Asahikawa? A: Dohoku Bus route 455 runs from Asahikawa Station to Kamui Ski Links in about 40 minutes for ¥1,000. By car Kamui is about 30 minutes from central Asahikawa and about 70 minutes from Furano, with free parking for 2,000 cars. ### Is Kiroro worth a whole week of your Hokkaido trip? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/kiroro-for-a-week Updated: 2026-10-09 Kiroro gets more snow than any other Hokkaido resort that publishes a figure, and most riders only see it on a day trip from Sapporo. We checked whether the basin above Akaigawa can carry a week. Kiroro holds up for a week if snow matters more to you than nightlife. It sits in a basin that catches north-westerly storms off the Sea of Japan, and in January its tree-run areas and long groomers refill most nights. Wind closes the gondola and the top chair on Asari before anything else, so a week here needs a plan for the days when the upper mountain shuts. Most riders see [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) from a bus out of Sapporo. They ride for six hours and leave, and our [Sapporo city hills guide](/journal/sapporo-city-hills) covers that day trip. Here we look at a week spent at the base. We compiled it from Kiroro's ticket, hours, access and rules pages plus guide sources, and we computed the terrain figures from OpenStreetMap run lines and elevation data. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido rode Kiroro for this piece. | | Kiroro Snow World | |---|---| | Top and vertical (published) | Asari Peak 1,180 m, 660 m vertical | | Top and vertical (our measurement) | 1,187 m, 619 m between the highest and lowest mapped run points | | Courses and lifts (published) | 23 courses, 9 lifts including the 3.3 km gondola | | Marked piste (our measurement) | About 25 km | | Snowfall (published) | About 21 m a season, measured near the summit | | Adult day ticket | ¥8,800 in the 2025/26 high season; ¥9,200 in 2026/27 | | Night riding | Selected high-season nights until 19:00 on the Center Express | | Main drawback | Wind closes the gondola and the top lifts first | #### How much snow does Kiroro get? Kiroro quotes an annual average of about 21 metres, and that figure was [measured near the summit](https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/why-kiroro-is-probably-the-best-destination-ski-resort-in-asia-for-a-day-trip/). Base records from 2014 to 2019 run from about 12 to 16 metres a season. The Japanese guide site [Steep](https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/kiroro) publishes monthly averages for the last three seasons that add up to about 14.6 metres between December and April, with December and January each close to 4.4 metres. Steep also says snow falls almost every night in peak season. Book December or January if you want the best odds of new snow on most mornings of your week. #### Which part of the mountain should you ride first? Start on Asari. The [Kiroro Gondola](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/guide_map/) climbs 3.3 kilometres to the top of the resort, and in 2025/26 it ran from 09:00 to 15:00 until 13 February and to 15:30 after that, according to the [operating hours page](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/operating_hours/). Expert A and Expert B stay ungroomed off the top and reach a published 34.6 degrees. Asari Course 2-C is the steepest course on the map at a published 36.8 degrees, and our measurement gives it 34.3 degrees over its hardest 60 metres. The trail map marks a Freeride World Qualifier slope beside 2-B. Take Asari Dynamic first once patrol opens the top. It winds 4,050 metres from the gondola top to the base. By our measurements 78 percent of Kiroro's named-run length faces somewhere between west and north, and 41 percent faces between northwest and northeast, so much of the mountain keeps cold snow for a day or two after a storm clears. By midday the gondola line grows, and Nagamine is the place to go. Nagamine Course 2-A carries the steepest average pitch on the map at 18.2 degrees over a kilometre. Cafe Crest at the top of the Nagamine No.1 Express pours good coffee. #### What do you do when wind closes the top? Ride Flashman. The Yoichi No.1 Express climbs 1,766 metres to a 900-metre top, and it has kept turning at reduced speed on days when the gondola stood still. Flashman runs down through the trees beside it, and Yoichi Course 1-B gives you 2,050 metres of groomed riding at up to a published 25.4 degrees. Center Course C off the Center Express stays ungroomed and reaches 26.6 degrees, and its short lift lets you test the snow close to the base. Over seven days, expect a wind hold on some of them, and check the [lift dashboard](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/dashboard/) before you boot up. #### Where are the tree-run areas, and what are the rules? Kiroro limits off-piste riding inside its boundary to signed tree-run areas. Our fact sheet lists Powder Ridge and Orange Light off the top of Asari, Flashman in the Yoichi area and Barcode on Nagamine for 2025/26. Steep counts five areas spread across the Asari, Yoichi, Center and Nagamine sectors, so check the tree-run map at the base on day one. They open from 09:00 to 14:30 for advanced riders, and you need the yukiyama app on your phone before you go in. Patrol uses it to find riders who need help. Any rescue inside a tree area is billed to you, and Kiroro strongly recommends a helmet. The lifts keep running for at least an hour after the trees close. #### Can you reach the backcountry from Kiroro? You can, through the designated gates only. The [resort policy](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/) asks for a climbing plan filed with Hokkaido Police first, and the Compass online system works in English. Ducking a rope can cost you your lift ticket, and hiking uphill inside the boundary is banned. The gate beside the upper station of the Gateway Express leads into unpatrolled terrain west of the Mountain Center. [Hokkaido Wilds](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kiroro-1107m-992m-peaks) describes tours there to the 1,107-metre and 992-metre peaks, and a fatal avalanche happened in that area in 2021. [Yoichi-dake](/backcountry/yoichi-dake) rises to 1,488 metres south of the resort on skins. Yoichi Peak on the trail map is a different place, and it tops out at 900 metres above the Yoichi lifts. #### What does a week of lift tickets cost? For 2026/27 Kiroro lists an adult day at [¥9,200 in high season](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/), which runs from 12 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, and ¥5,800 in the early and spring periods. A 7-day pass costs ¥64,400 in high season, and the days don't have to run in a row. The night pass costs ¥3,000. In 2025/26 the high-season day cost ¥8,800 and the early and spring day ¥5,500. The official webstore takes up to 5 percent off daily passes, and passes from unauthorised resellers don't work at the gates. Every pass loads onto a KIROCA card with a ¥500 deposit. Kiroro is on the Indy Pass and in the Powder Alliance, and Club Med packages include the lift pass. #### Where do you sleep and eat? You sleep at the base or down in Otaru. [Club Med Kiroro Peak](/stays/club-med-kiroro-peak) sits at the foot of the main lifts in the old Sheraton building and puts the lift pass, lessons, meals and drinks into one price. It's aimed at adults and teens. [Club Med Kiroro Grand](/stays/club-med-kiroro-grand) takes families and keeps an outdoor onsen. [Yu Kiroro](/stays/yu-kiroro) rents condominium units beside the Gateway Express for groups who want a kitchen. Brasserie Akaigawa at the gondola base does ramen and curry at lunch. Evenings stay quiet in the basin. [Otaru](/towns/otaru) has the sushi counters and the canal 40 minutes down the road, and [Tabist Kaihorow Otaru](/stays/tabist-kaihorow-otaru) is a well-priced bed there. No taxis wait at Kiroro, and a cab from Otaru costs from ¥12,000 one way, so book the ride back before you go up. #### How do you get to Kiroro? Kiroro is about an hour by car from Sapporo over the Sasson Expressway and Route 393, and about 1 hour 45 minutes from New Chitose Airport. There are no rental-car counters at the resort. For 2026/27 the [winter access page](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/) lists the Kiroro Ski Bus from Sapporo from 10 December 2026 to 11 April 2027 and the Kiroro Powder Express from 19 December 2026 to 28 February 2027. Powder Express riders board the gondola from 08:45, fifteen minutes before the public. A bus from Otaru runs from 28 November 2026 to 25 April 2027. A bus from the Hirafu Welcome Center in Niseko runs on selected days between 20 December 2026 and 20 February 2027. Our guide to [Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car) puts these routes beside the other resorts. #### How we researched this In October 2026 we read Kiroro's ticket, hours, access, guide-map and policy pages and the guide sources listed below. Prices are adult tickets for the season named. Figures marked as our measurements come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 metres. The steepest pitch is the hardest 60 metres of a run, and aspect is the direction a run's longest section faces. OpenStreetMap maps some long runs in sections, so we compare our figures only with each other. #### Sources - [Kiroro lift prices](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/) - [Kiroro operating hours](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/operating_hours/) - [Kiroro guide map](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/guide_map/) - [Kiroro lift dashboard](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/dashboard/) - [Kiroro resort policy](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/policy/) - [Kiroro winter access](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/) - [Steep: Kiroro Snow World](https://steep.jp/en/ski-area/kiroro) - [SkiAsia on Kiroro's snowfall](https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/why-kiroro-is-probably-the-best-destination-ski-resort-in-asia-for-a-day-trip/) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Kiroro 1107 m and 992 m peaks](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/kiroro-1107m-992m-peaks) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: Is Kiroro good for a week-long ski trip? A: Kiroro suits a week-long trip for riders who rank snow above nightlife. Kiroro publishes about 21 metres of annual snowfall measured near the summit and 660 metres of vertical across 23 courses. Both resort hotels run as Club Med, so evenings stay quiet, and Otaru is about 40 minutes away by road. Q: What happens at Kiroro when the wind closes the gondola? A: When wind closes the Kiroro Gondola, the Yoichi No.1 Express is the lift most likely to keep running at Kiroro, sometimes at reduced speed. It climbs 1,766 metres to a 900-metre top and reaches the Flashman tree-run area and the 2,050-metre Yoichi Course 1-B. Q: How much is a Kiroro lift ticket in 2026/27? A: A Kiroro adult day ticket costs ¥9,200 in the 2026/27 high season, from 12 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, and ¥5,800 in the early and spring periods. A 7-day high-season pass costs ¥64,400, and every Kiroro pass needs a ¥500 refundable KIROCA card deposit. Q: Can you ride the backcountry from Kiroro? A: Kiroro allows backcountry riding only through its designated gates, after you file a climbing plan with Hokkaido Police. The terrain past the gate beside the Gateway Express has no lifts, so riders need skins and avalanche gear for it. ### Is Nissho Pass worth a stop for roadside touring? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/nissho-pass-touring Updated: 2026-10-09 Route 274 climbs to 1,022 m where it crosses the Hidaka Range between Sapporo and the Tokachi plain, and its plowed lots put three peaks within a short skin of the car. We set them side by side from the Hokkaido Wilds guides and our own reading of their GPS tracks. Nissho Pass is worth a day for a self-reliant touring party driving Route 274 between Sapporo and the Tokachi plain, because three peaks start from plowed lots beside the road and their climbs run from 380 to 820 m. No avalanche bulletin covers these Hidaka peaks directly and none of the guides in our directory works here, so the pass suits riders who already plan and lead their own tours, or a party that brings a certified guide along. [Nissho Pass](/backcountry/nissho-pass) sits at 1,022 m by [Hokkaido Wilds'](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nissho-peak-ski-touring-nissho-pass-hokkaido-japan) figure. Trucks grind over it day and night between Sapporo and Obihiro. It runs cold up here, and Hokkaido Wilds gives midwinter temperatures below −20°C before you count the wind. Treeline sits around 1,200 m. Between storms the wind strips the exposed slopes, and haimatsu (creeping dwarf pine) pokes through near the tops when the cover thins. | Peak | Start | Published climb, distance, time | Our GPS-track figures | Descent aspect | |---|---|---|---|---| | Pekerebetsu-dake (1,532 m) | Pull-out at about 665 m, about 10 cars | 820 m, 7 km, 3.5 hr up and 1 hr down | 6.8 km, 810 m climbing, top 1,505 m | East | | Nissho Peak (1,445 m) | Large lot at the Nissho Tunnel west portal | 379 m, 3 km, 1.5 hr up and 30 min down | 3.0 km, 370 m climbing, 1,024–1,427 m | North | | Soshubetsu-dake (1,383 m) | Chisaka parking area, nearly 800 m | 570 m, 11 km, 2.5 hr up and 30 min down on spring snow | 11.1 km, 800 m climbing, 786–1,367 m | South | Published figures come from the Hokkaido Wilds route guides. We computed ours from the unsimplified Hokkaido Wilds GPS tracks, summing each climb of 10 m or more after a five-point median filter. That method counts every rise along the Soshubetsu loop, so our climbing figure there runs well above the 570 m net climb the guide publishes. The highest elevation in the Pekerebetsu track reads 1,505 m, 27 m under the published summit. #### Which peak gives the best riding? Pekerebetsu-dake gives the biggest descent, and it asks the most of you. From the pull-out about 7 km below the top of the pass on the Tokachi side, you follow a [forestry road](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/pekerebetsu-dake) for a few hundred metres, cross a small stream and head southwest along the north side of the main creek. After about an hour you drop into the creek and pick a ridge. The Centre Ridge is easier to reach and finishes on a very steep approach. A bluff guards the foot of the North Ridge spur, and the Hokkaido Wilds party got past it by climbing a due-west gully for about 300 m. From there they zigzagged up the spur to the high ridge and ground out a very steep final 100 m. Big cornices line the top. The east face is the descent, with direct lines and deep powder on the right day, and on a clear summit you look across the Tokachi plain to the Daisetsuzan peaks. Prevailing northwest winds load those east-facing slopes and build the cornices above them. On that trip the party met breakable crust and wind drifts on the lower plateau, and the shaded descent was icy. Treat the east face as a stable-day objective and turn around at the cornice line if the wind has been working. #### Which peak suits a short or stormy day? Nissho Peak is the quick option. From the big lot at the west end of the Nissho Tunnel it takes about an hour and a half up the north ridge to 1,445 m, then half an hour down open north-facing slopes. In the low-snow year of 2019 dwarf pine showed through at the summit and a strong wind blew up from the Tokachi plain. The run off the top still held powder well to skier's right toward the gully. [Soshubetsu-dake](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/soshubetsu-dake-south-slopes) starts lower at the Chisaka parking area. Cross Route 274 on foot to the north side, then follow about 3 km of forestry road to around 1,050 m before the route turns north through old forest. On 11 March 2023 that road was frozen hard for the first 45 minutes. From treeline at about 1,200 m it is only about 20 minutes up a wide, mellow slope to the summit, and Tomamu's snowcats arrive there from the far side. Keep off their track and watch for machinery, since the track drops away steeply in places and is easy to miss in low light. On the way down, many small gullies and spurs don't show on the map. #### Who covers the avalanche forecast and rescue? Nobody publishes a recreational avalanche forecast for these peaks. Hokkaido Wilds points riders to the volunteer Furano Avalanche Center and the [Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for Daisetsu and Tokachi](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest). That bulletin doesn't name the Hidaka peaks, and its 2025/26 season ended on 15 March 2026, right as the pass comes into its best month. Backcountry riding at Nissho Pass needs avalanche training, a beacon, a shovel and a probe for every rider, and anyone new to the zone should hire a certified guide. Our directory lists no operator that works the pass, so start with the Hokkaido Wilds [guide to Hokkaido backcountry guides](https://hokkaidowilds.org/hokkaido-backcountry-ski-guides-a-definitive-guide) and ask whether the guide knows the Hidaka side. File a climbing plan with police through [Compass](https://www.mt-compass.com/) before you leave the car. Route 274 is the main freight road across the range, and every trailhead sits beside it. Get the car fully off the carriageway, and put skins on away from the traffic. #### When should you go? Go in March if you can. Hokkaido Wilds calls it the recommended month for touring in the area and gives January to April for Pekerebetsu-dake. Nissho Peak's season stretches into May, and the Soshubetsu-dake guide stops at March. Midwinter brings the coldest snow along with the hardest wind, which strips the upper slopes to breakable crust and shaded ice between storms. #### Where do you stay nearby? [Shintoku](/towns/shintoku) lies on the Tokachi side at the western edge of the plain and doubles as the station for [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro). [Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) is close enough to pair a resort day with a tour when the wind is up on the ridges. Farther east, [Obihiro](/towns/obihiro) has the city restaurants, and [Tokachigawa Onsen](/onsen/tokachigawa-onsen) outside it pours amber moor water that leaves your skin slick after a cold day. #### How we researched this We compiled this from the Hokkaido Wilds route guides and trip reports and the Japan Avalanche Network, checked in October 2026. Track figures are computed by Ride Hokkaido from the Hokkaido Wilds GPS files. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido toured Nissho Pass for this piece. #### Sources - [Hokkaido Wilds: Pekerebetsu-dake](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/pekerebetsu-dake) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Nissho Peak ski touring](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/nissho-peak-ski-touring-nissho-pass-hokkaido-japan) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Soshubetsu-dake south slopes](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/soshubetsu-dake-south-slopes) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Hokkaido backcountry ski guides](https://hokkaidowilds.org/hokkaido-backcountry-ski-guides-a-definitive-guide) - [Japan Avalanche Network: Daisetsu and Tokachi](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/tokachi/latest) - [Japan Avalanche Network](https://nadare.jp/) - [Compass climbing plans](https://www.mt-compass.com/) - [ペケレベツ岳 (Japanese Wikipedia)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ペケレベツ岳) Q: Where do you park for ski touring at Nissho Pass? A: Nissho Pass has three plowed starts on Route 274. Pekerebetsu-dake leaves from a pull-out at about 665 m with room for about ten cars. Nissho Peak starts at a large lot by the west portal of the Nissho Tunnel, and Soshubetsu-dake at the Chisaka parking area near 800 m. Q: What is the best month for ski touring at Nissho Pass? A: March is the best month for ski touring at Nissho Pass, according to the Hokkaido Wilds guidebook. The season runs from January, and midwinter temperatures there fall below −20°C before wind chill. Q: Is there an avalanche forecast for Nissho Pass? A: No recreational avalanche forecast covers the Nissho Pass peaks directly. Riders read the Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for Daisetsu and Tokachi, which ended its 2025/26 season on 15 March 2026, and the volunteer Furano Avalanche Center. Q: How long does Pekerebetsu-dake take to ski tour? A: Pekerebetsu-dake takes about 3.5 hours up and 1 hour down for 7 km and 820 m of climbing to its 1,532 m summit, by Hokkaido Wilds' published figures. Our reading of the GPS track gives 6.8 km and 810 m of climbing. ### Is Sahoro worth riding on a trip to Tomamu? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/sahoro-next-to-tomamu Updated: 2026-10-09 Sahoro sits one stop down the line from Tomamu, and most guests on its lifts are still learning. We looked at what that leaves for a stronger rider and how to fit both mountains into one trip. Sahoro earns a day or two on a Tomamu trip for riders who like steep fall-line groomers and short lift lines. Most of its hotel guests are beginners and intermediates, so the advanced runs stay quiet and fresh snow lasts. Plan around the snow, because Sahoro publishes no snowfall figure and its north-facing powder runs carry stumps and brush that need deep cover after a storm. Sahoro-dake is the northernmost peak of the Hidaka Range, and [Tokachi Sahoro Resort](/resorts/sahoro) spreads down its Shintoku flank. Kamori Kanko runs the ski area and the hotel next to it. We compiled this piece from Sahoro's own ticket, course, access and pass pages plus guide sources, and computed the terrain figures from OpenStreetMap run lines and elevation data. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido rode Sahoro for it. | | Tokachi Sahoro Resort | Hoshino Resorts Tomamu | |---|---|---| | Top and vertical (published) | About 1,030 m, 610 m vertical | 1,171 m, 585 m vertical | | Advanced and expert piste (our measurement) | About 7.8 km | About 2.6 km | | North-facing share of named runs (our measurement) | 45% | 3% | | Steepest 60 m (our measurement) | 32.0° | 32.6° | | Adult day ticket, 2026/27 | ¥9,300 | ¥9,500 at the counter, ¥9,200 online | | Powder rules | Ungroomed N runs in bounds; no off-piste system | Experts Only Powder Area with yukiyama check-in | | Night riding (2025/26) | Weekends and holidays to 18:00 | To 18:00 from 26 December to 31 March | | Main drawback | No published snowfall; off-piste not permitted | Few steep runs | #### What makes Sahoro steeper than its vertical suggests? Sahoro packs a lot of steep ground into 610 metres. Ten of the 21 courses carry an advanced rating, and our measurement puts about 7.8 kilometres of Sahoro's mapped piste in the advanced class against about 2.6 at Tomamu. On the [course page](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/course-info), North Way pitches to 39 degrees beside the SAJ-certified mogul course. Central Avenue drops 590 metres over 2,840 metres from the gondola top and touches 35 degrees on the way down. Catch it on a cold blue morning straight after the groomers have been through. Our steepest-60-metre figures sit lower than the published maxima, at 32.0 degrees for Sahoro and 32.6 for Tomamu, because we average each pitch over 60 metres of mapped line. Measured the same way, the two mountains top out close together. Sahoro holds more of that steep ground, and Second Central Way and Center Bowl Way both average over 22 degrees by our count. #### Where is the powder at Sahoro? The powder sits on runs N1 to N5, and a hooded quad called the Sahoro Express serves them. The block opened in December 2016, and [Tabiris](https://tabiris.com/archives/sahoro-2/) reported at the time that N1, N2 and N4 would stay ungroomed while N3 and N5 got groomed. N1 Downhill runs 1,655 metres and drops 470 metres at up to 33 degrees, and nothing lets you bail out once you drop in. N3 Challenge is the gentler entry at 28 degrees. By our measurements these runs face between northwest and northeast, which is where 45 percent of Sahoro's named-run length points. Tabiris also noted that thin snow had been Sahoro's weak point, and that the north slope faces the direction where snow collects. Tight timber and stumps make N4 harder than its 23-degree maximum suggests. The Sahoro Express does not run every day, so check the lift status before you plan a morning around the N runs. #### Can you ride off-piste or in the backcountry? Sahoro keeps riders on its marked courses. It publishes no gate or registration system, and Powderhounds reports that riding outside the marked courses is officially off limits. Tomamu runs an Experts Only Powder Area with a yukiyama check-in, so riders who want in-bounds trees should spend those days there. Tokachi Adventure Club picks a nearby pass each morning to suit the conditions and guides backcountry days there for ¥16,500. It takes advanced riders of high-school age and up in groups of two or more. The [Sahoro-dake](/backcountry/sahoro-dake) tour climbs from Karikachi Pass to a summit shelter above the lifts. [Karifuri-dake](/backcountry/karifuri-dake) southeast of Tomamu holds deep east-facing snow. #### What does a day at Sahoro cost? For 2026/27 Sahoro lists an adult day at [¥9,300](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price), a 4-hour ticket at ¥7,400 and an afternoon ticket from 13:00 at ¥5,300. Opening week (1–6 December) and the final week (29 March–4 April) drop the day to ¥4,700, and the day costs ¥7,000 from 7 to 13 December and from 23 to 28 March. In 2025/26 the day cost ¥8,800. If the gondola stops for three hours or more, your next ticket of the same type is half price, and ski school students get a half-price day too. Kamori's [K-Winter Pass](https://sahoro-resort.com/kwp) covers Sahoro along with Rusutsu, Sapporo Teine and Nakayama Pass. Sahoro sits outside the Hokkaido Powder Belt pass, which Tomamu belongs to. Club Med packages include the lift pass. #### How do you get there? The limited express Tokachi and Ozora stop at JR Shintoku, about 1 hour 58 minutes from Sapporo for ¥6,690 with a reserved seat. From the station, Sahoro's [free shuttle](https://sahoro-resort.com/access) carries overnight guests who book by 17:00 the day before. Day visitors take a taxi for about ¥4,800 in winter. By car Sahoro is about 1 hour 50 minutes from New Chitose Airport and 80 minutes from Tokachi-Obihiro Airport. Tomamu is about 40 minutes away over Route 38, and JR Tomamu is one stop back toward Sapporo. Our guide to [Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car) lays out the buses and shuttles at both. #### Where should you stay? [Club Med Sahoro Hokkaido](/stays/club-med-sahoro) opened in 1987 as Club Med's first resort in Japan, and its price covers the lift pass, lessons, meals and an open bar. The [Sahoro Resort Hotel](/stays/sahoro-resort-hotel) next door runs a Hokkaido buffet and a sauna where you pour your own löyly. Its first high-speed lift out front starts at 08:45, fifteen minutes ahead of the rest of the mountain. [Shintoku](/towns/shintoku) grows soba on the western edge of the Tokachi plain, and a bowl there makes a good stop on the way to the train. For a split stay, give Tomamu three nights for its powder area and park and finish with two at Sahoro on steep corduroy and empty chairs. #### When should you go? Mid-January to late February is peak season, and the cold keeps the snow dry this far inland. Sahoro planned its 2026/27 season to open in December. In September 2026 the resort posted a [notice](https://sahoro-resort.com/info/22081) that the volcanic alert level at Tokachi-dake had been raised, and it said the summit sits about 30 kilometres away and the resort was unaffected. #### How we researched this In October 2026 we read Sahoro's ticket, course, access, K-Winter Pass and news pages, Club Med's Sahoro page and the 2016 Tabiris report on the north slope. Prices are adult tickets for the season named. Figures marked as our measurements come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 metres. The steepest pitch is the hardest 60 metres of a run, and aspect is the direction a run's longest section faces. We compare our measured figures only with each other. #### Sources - [Sahoro lift prices](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/price) - [Sahoro course information](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/course-info) - [Sahoro ski area](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski) - [Sahoro access](https://sahoro-resort.com/access) - [K-Winter Pass](https://sahoro-resort.com/kwp) - [Sahoro notice on Tokachi-dake](https://sahoro-resort.com/info/22081) - [Club Med Sahoro](https://www.clubmed.co.jp/r/sahoro-hokkaido/w) - [Tabiris on the Sahoro north slope (2016)](https://tabiris.com/archives/sahoro-2/) - [Hokkaido Powder Belt](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sahoro in 2026/27? A: A Tokachi Sahoro Resort adult day ticket costs ¥9,300 in 2026/27, up from ¥8,800 in 2025/26. Sahoro sells ¥4,700 day tickets for opening week (1–6 December) and the final week (29 March–4 April), and an afternoon ticket from 13:00 costs ¥5,300. Q: How far is Sahoro from Tomamu? A: Sahoro is about 40 minutes from Tomamu by road over Route 38. By train, JR Shintoku is the next limited-express stop after JR Tomamu heading away from Sapporo, and Sahoro is about 15 minutes from Shintoku by hotel shuttle or taxi. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Sahoro? A: Sahoro publishes no gate or registration system for off-piste riding, and Powderhounds reports that riding outside the marked courses is officially not permitted. The ungroomed powder at Sahoro sits on the in-bounds N1 to N5 runs under the Sahoro Express. Q: What are the steepest runs at Sahoro? A: North Way is the steepest run at Sahoro, at a published 39 degrees beside the SAJ freestyle mogul course. Central Avenue drops a published 590 metres over 2,840 metres from the gondola top and reaches 35 degrees. ### Is Sounkyo worth a night for riding Kurodake? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/sounkyo-kurodake-base Updated: 2026-10-09 Sounkyo's onsen village sits on the floor of a basalt gorge, and the Kurodake Ropeway leaves from the top of its main street. Here's who should sleep there and what Kurodake costs in 2026/27. Sounkyo is worth a night if you're an experienced rider heading through the Kurodake Gate with a guide, because the ropeway leaves from the top of the village and you can walk to the first car at 08:00. The lift-served ski area is one double chair with 220 m of vertical. Riders who want groomers should base in [Asahikawa](/towns/asahikawa) and ride Kamui instead. The onsen village of [Sounkyo](/towns/sounkyo) fills the floor of a gorge on the upper Ishikari River, where columnar basalt cliffs rise around 200 m in places. In deep winter the waterfalls on its walls freeze into blue columns. | What | Detail | As of | |---|---|---| | Bus from Asahikawa Station | Dohoku Bus, about 110 min | October 2026 | | Kurodake ski day pass | ¥5,200 adult, ropeway round trip included | October 2026 | | Kurodake ski season | 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027 (planned) | October 2026 | | Day bath | Kurodake no Yu, ¥800 | Our fact sheet, October 2026 | | Ice Fall Festival | 2027 dates not yet announced | October 2026 | #### How do you get to Sounkyo? Most riders come by car or on the Dohoku Bus. The [Sounkyo Tourism Association](https://sounkyo.net/go/detail.html?content=62) lists the bus at about 110 minutes from Asahikawa Station and about 35 minutes from JR Kamikawa Station, and it warns that the timetable changed in July 2026. By car it's 66 km from Asahikawa on Route 39. The bus terminal sits a five-minute walk downhill from the ropeway. If you're booked at Sounkyo Choyotei, its operator runs reserved shuttles from Sapporo and Asahikawa. #### What is riding Kurodake like? [Kurodake](/resorts/kurodake) is steep, ungroomed alpine ground, and the lifts are how you reach the gate. The ropeway climbs from the village at 670 m to Kurodake Station at 1,300 m. A single chair carries you on to 1,520 m at the 7th Station, and the operator runs it in winter only for people carrying skis or a board. Nobody rides it downhill. The operator's [2026/27 page](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/) plans the ski season from 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027. The ropeway runs 08:00–16:00, and the last car up leaves 40 minutes before closing. A ¥5,200 adult day pass bundles a ropeway round trip with unlimited chair rides, and the ropeway alone costs ¥3,000 return. Come in January or February for cold powder and in April for spring snow. #### What do you need to ride beyond the Kurodake Gate? You need signed paperwork and your own touring kit, and you should go with a guide. Before you leave the boundary, sign the forest entry register and the Mountain Entry Consent in the [5th Station building](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/). You can download the consent form and hand it in at the ropeway ticket window to save time. File a separate climbing plan with police as well. The only exit is the Kurodake Gate immediately left of the chair's top station. The operator doesn't rescue anyone outside the controlled area, and you call 110 for help. Staff confiscate rental skis or snowshoes taken past the boundary along with the lift ticket, so bring your own kit. The slope under the ropeway down to the village isn't a ski course. Our [Kurodake backcountry page](/backcountry/kurodake-bc) and [avalanche safety guide](/guides/avalanche-safety) go further. #### Where do you soak after riding? [Kurodake no Yu](/onsen/kurodake-no-yu) suits riders coming straight off the ropeway. Kamikawa town runs it in the middle of the village, and entry is ¥800. From November to April it opens 11:00–21:30 with last entry at 21:00. The layout runs upside down, so the big indoor bath is downstairs and the rotenburo and sauna sit upstairs over the gorge. It's listed as refusing visible tattoos. [Sounkyo Choyotei](/stays/sounkyo-choyotei) is the big onsen hotel for a Kurodake stay. Its seventh-floor sky rotenburo faces Mount Choyo and the columnar cliffs, and it swaps between men and women through the day so everyone gets the view. The Keigetsu bath has a sauna for about 20 people. The water comes from the Sasa-no-yu source about a kilometre away at 74 °C. It suits riders who want a long soak after the ropeway. Dinner and breakfast are buffets, and the ropeway sits about a kilometre up the road each morning. #### Where do you eat in Sounkyo? Tozanken opened in 1930, and a young fourth-generation owner keeps the original flavour, according to the [tourism association](http://sounkyo.net/eat/). Taisetsuzan Shokudo boils its broth hard for sixteen hours and kneads its noodles with Daisetsuzan spring water. Tree Bird is the shokudo for rice bowls, and its butadon and Genghis Khan set are the popular orders. For a slower dinner, Beer Grill Canyon cooks Italian and Western dishes with local produce. It closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which catches a lot of midweek trips. Taisetsu Bakery in Hotel Taisetsu's east wing opens from 8:00 and turns into a bar at night. Black Mountain Coffee runs a café on the third floor of the ropeway base station, so you can wait for the first car with a coffee. #### When is the Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival? The festival builds lit ice halls and tunnels on the Ishikari riverbank from late January into early March. The [51st festival](https://sounkyo.net/hyoubaku/) ran from 24 January to 8 March 2026, 17:00–21:30 on weekdays and 11:00–21:30 on weekends and holidays, and it asked for a ¥1,000 donation. The 2027 dates hadn't been announced by October 2026. Ginga and Ryusei Falls sit a few kilometres down the gorge and freeze into ice columns in deep winter. #### Where does the name Sounkyo come from? The writer Ōmachi Keigetsu named the gorge after his visit in 1921, according to [Japanese Wikipedia's Sounkyo entry](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/層雲峡). Sounkyo means "gorge of layered clouds" in Japanese. The name is thought to borrow the sound of the Sounbetsu River at the gorge's entrance, which is *so-un-pet* in Ainu and means "the river with waterfalls". That borrowing is the usual explanation and remains unproven. Kamikawa town grew up at a place called Rubeshibe. That name comes from the Ainu *ru-pespe* and means "the path that goes down". The [Ainu Association of Hokkaido](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) lists two member associations in the Kamikawa district today. #### What should you bring to Sounkyo? Bring cash. The village has very few shops, and the nearest reliable foreign-card ATMs are in Kamikawa and Asahikawa. Stock up at the Kamikawa supermarkets on the way in. Rent alpine gear in Asahikawa, and let your guide supply or arrange touring and avalanche equipment. #### How we put this together In October 2026 we read the Kurodake Ropeway's pages, the Sounkyo Tourism Association's site, the Japanese Wikipedia entry and our fact sheets for Kurodake and the places to soak. Prices are adult fares. The method is desk research, and nobody visited Sounkyo for this piece. #### Sources - [Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/) - [Kurodake ski area and entry rules](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/ski_slope/) - [Sounkyo Tourism Association: access](https://sounkyo.net/go/detail.html?content=62) - [Sounkyo Tourism Association: places to eat](http://sounkyo.net/eat/) - [Sounkyo Onsen Ice Fall Festival](https://sounkyo.net/hyoubaku/) - [Kamikawa town: Kurodake no Yu](https://www.town.hokkaido-kamikawa.lg.jp/section/sangyoukeizai/i8u8uo0000000a72.html) - [Sounkyo Choyotei](https://www.choyotei.com/) - [Japanese Wikipedia: Sounkyo](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/層雲峡) - [Ainu Association of Hokkaido: regional associations](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) Q: How do you get to Sounkyo from Asahikawa? A: Dohoku Bus runs from Asahikawa Station to Sounkyo Onsen in about 110 minutes and from JR Kamikawa Station in about 35 minutes. By car Sounkyo is 66 km from Asahikawa on Route 39. Q: How much is a Kurodake lift ticket? A: A Kurodake ski day pass costs ¥5,200 for adults and bundles a ropeway round trip with a lift day pass, according to the operator's page in October 2026. The ropeway alone costs ¥3,000 return or ¥1,800 one way. Q: When is Kurodake open in 2026/27? A: Kurodake's ski area plans to run from 1 December 2026 to 5 May 2027. The ropeway runs 08:00–16:00, and the last uphill car leaves 40 minutes before closing. Q: Can you ride the backcountry at Kurodake? A: You can ride beyond Kurodake's boundary through the Kurodake Gate at the top of the lift once you sign the entry register and the Mountain Entry Consent at the 5th Station and file a climbing plan with police. The operator does not rescue anyone outside the controlled area, so go with a guide and full avalanche kit. ### Should you base a Kiroro trip in Otaru? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/otaru-base-for-kiroro Updated: 2026-10-09 Otaru keeps its herring-era warehouses and sushi counters about fifty minutes by bus below Kiroro. Here's how the commute works in 2026/27 and how to spend the nights. Otaru is the right base for [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) if you want a town to walk through at night and you can live by a bus timetable. In 2026/27 the resort bus takes about 50 minutes from the station area to Kiroro's Mountain Center for ¥2,200 each way. The last bus down leaves at 17:20 at the latest, so the timetable decides when your day ends. [Otaru](/towns/otaru) also has its own short hill at Tenguyama and a street of sushi counters near the station. Its canal glows blue after dark until the end of January. We compared the ways up to the snow from town. | Option | From Otaru | 2026/27 price | Suits | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---| | Kiroro by resort bus | About 50 min from the Otaru Station main street | ¥2,200 one way; Kiroro day ticket ¥9,200 in high season | Riders without a car | Last bus down at 17:05 or 17:20 | | Kiroro by taxi | About 40 min | From ¥12,000 one way | A group of four on a late start | No taxis wait at Kiroro | | Tenguyama | City bus 9, 17–20 min | ¥3,500 day ticket | Half days and a harbour view | One pair lift; weekends only in March | #### How do you get from Otaru to Kiroro without a car? You take the resort bus, which Kiroro lists with its [2026/27 timetable](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/ja/access-winter/). From 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027 it runs every day. The first bus leaves Grand Park Otaru at 7:20 and collects riders along the canal hotels and at the Hokuriku Bank stop on Otaru Station's main street at 7:35. It reaches the Mountain Center at 8:25. Later buses leave that same stop at 8:00 and 8:40 and call at JR Otaru-Chikko Station on the way, and a 9:45 runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends until the end of February. Coming down, buses leave the Mountain Center at 15:30 and 16:10 every day. Until the end of February, Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends add a 15:10 and a 17:20, while Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays get a 17:05. Adults pay ¥2,200 each way and children ¥1,600. The early season from 1 to 18 December and spring from 15 March to 25 April have fewer runs. A free shuttle covers opening weekend from 28 to 30 November. Kiroro listed its bus-and-lift packs as still in preparation in October 2026. Kiroro is worth the commute. Our fact sheet puts its summit snowfall at about 21 metres a season, and its signed tree-run areas open 09:00–14:30 with a check-in on the yukiyama app. If you miss the bus, Otaru Tsubame Taxi quotes from ¥12,000 for the 40-minute ride, and Kiroro's own access page warns that no cabs wait at the resort. #### Is Tenguyama worth riding? Tenguyama is worth a half day when Kiroro is on wind hold or your flight leaves in the evening. [Otaru Tenguyama](/resorts/tenguyama) runs a single pair lift, and a 2026/27 day ticket costs [¥3,500](https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/hours-and-fees/), the same as last season. The lift turns 09:00–15:00 from 19 to 31 December and 09:00–16:00 daily through February. In March it runs on weekends and holidays until 22 March 2027. The steepest pitch reaches 40 degrees above the harbour, and the hill feels short on days when patrol closes the New course for unstable snow. Riding off the courses is prohibited. The operator asks skiers and snowboarders to use the pair lift, and the ropeway carries sightseers up for the night view until 20:00 for ¥2,000 return. Bus 9 leaves from stop 4 at the Otaru Station terminal and takes 17 to 20 minutes. Tenguyama has announced no night riding for 2026/27. #### Where should you eat in Otaru after riding? Book sushi first. [Isezushi](https://www.isezushi.com/) suits riders who plan ahead, because bookings open two months before the date at 11:00, by phone or through its online booking page. Courses ran from ¥8,500 to ¥22,000 a person in October 2026. It closes on Wednesdays and the first three Tuesdays of each month, so a short trip can miss it entirely. Children are welcome from age seven. [Masazushi](https://www.masazushi.co.jp/) has run its counter on Sushiya-dori since 1938. Sit at the counter and ask what came in that morning. It suits a long first night in town, and it costs more than an izakaya dinner. Wakadori Jidai Naruto suits a hungry crew. It has deep-fried seasoned half chickens since 1952 a short walk from the station, and the long tables get loud by evening. Otaru's other habit is ankake yakisoba. The crisp noodles come under a thick sauce, and Ramen Otaruzaka in Wing Bay Otaru does a decent plate. The [Sankaku Market](https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/otarusankakuichiba) beside the station opens every day, and its small diners serve seafood bowls from breakfast before the 7:35 bus. #### What can you do in Otaru on a winter night? Walk the canal. The [Blue Canal](https://otaru.gr.jp/winter) lights the water between Asakusa-bashi and Chuo-bashi from sunset to 22:30, from 1 November 2026 to 31 January 2027. The Snow Light Path follows from 6 to 13 February 2027, when candles and snow lanterns line the canal and the old Temiya railway line. Sakaimachi's glassworks and music box shops sit in Meiji-era stone buildings, and the street is at its emptiest once they shut. Finish at [Nikka Bar Rita](https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/nikka-bar-rita) in the Denuki Koji food alley. It pours Nikka from the Yoichi distillery up the coast and charges a ¥500 cover. It's closed on Tuesdays. Otaru Beer announced in October 2026 that its canal-side brewpub is closing for renovation, so check its reopening date before you plan a night there. #### Where does the name Otaru come from? Otaru comes from the Ainu *ota-or-nay*, which means "the river in the sandy beach", and the name first belonged to another shore. According to [Japanese Wikipedia's Otaru entry](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小樽市), it described the lower Hoshioki River on today's Sapporo boundary, where the Matsumae domain opened its Otarunai trading post. Winter wind battered that site. The post moved west to a sheltered cove near today's Irifune, which the Ainu called *Kuttar-us* for the giant knotweed that grew there, and the old name went with it. The [Otaru Ainu Association](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) belongs to the Ainu Association of Hokkaido today. #### Where should you stay in Otaru? [Tabist Kaihorow Otaru](/stays/tabist-kaihorow-otaru) suits groups driving to Kiroro. Our fact sheet lists rooms from ¥14,000 (October 2026), breakfast comes with the room, and the deluxe quads fit four riders and their board bags. Kiroro is about 40 minutes up the hill by car, and the canal is a short walk down. Rooms are plain, and the ¥1,200-a-night car park can't be reserved, so arrive early. [Ginrinsou](/stays/ginrinsou) is a herring baron's mansion from 1900 that has stood on Cape Hiraiso above the city since 1938. It suits couples who want one long dinner and an open-air bath over Ishikari Bay. You must check in by 18:00 to eat, and the inn's shuttle runs only to JR Otaru-Chikko Station at check-in and check-out, which makes it awkward for a bus commute to Kiroro. #### How we put this together In October 2026 we read Kiroro's winter access page and its 2026/27 Otaru bus timetable, Tenguyama's hours and fees, the Otaru Tourism Association's winter and shop pages and the restaurants' own sites. Prices are adult fares and tickets for the season named. The method is desk research, and nobody visited Otaru for this piece. #### Sources - [Kiroro winter access and bus timetables](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/ja/access-winter/) - [Kiroro lift prices](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/) - [Otaru Tenguyama hours and fees](https://tenguyama.ckk.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/hours-and-fees/) - [Otaru Tourism Association: winter events](https://otaru.gr.jp/winter) - [Otaru Tourism Association: Sankaku Market](https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/otarusankakuichiba) - [Otaru Tourism Association: Nikka Bar Rita](https://otaru.gr.jp/shop/nikka-bar-rita) - [Isezushi](https://www.isezushi.com/) - [Masazushi](https://www.masazushi.co.jp/) - [Japanese Wikipedia: Otaru](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/小樽市) - [Ainu Association of Hokkaido: regional associations](https://www.ainu-assn.or.jp/outline/list.html) Q: How long is the bus from Otaru to Kiroro? A: The Otaru to Kiroro resort bus takes about 50 minutes. In 2026/27 it costs ¥2,200 one way for adults and runs daily from 19 December 2026 to 14 March 2027. The first bus reaches Kiroro's Mountain Center at 8:25, and the last one down leaves at 17:05 or 17:20 depending on the day. Q: How much is a taxi from Otaru to Kiroro? A: A taxi from Otaru to Kiroro costs from about ¥12,000 one way and takes about 40 minutes, according to Kiroro's access page in October 2026. No taxis wait at Kiroro, so book the ride back to Otaru before you go up. Q: Can you snowboard at Tenguyama in Otaru? A: You can snowboard at Otaru Tenguyama on its pair lift. A 2026/27 adult day ticket costs ¥3,500, and the lift runs from 19 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 with weekend-only service in March. The ropeway beside it is for sightseers. Q: When is the Otaru Snow Light Path in 2027? A: The Otaru Snow Light Path runs from 6 to 13 February 2027 along the canal and the old Temiya railway line. The organisers had not published the hours by October 2026. ### Should you book The Tower or RISONARE at Tomamu? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/tomamu-the-tower-or-risonare Updated: 2026-10-09 Tomamu has no town at the bottom, so the hotel you pick decides how far you walk to the lifts and what you come home to. Both hotels belong to Hoshino Resorts, and they suit two very different trips. Book [The Tower](/stays/tomamu-the-tower) if you came to ride, because it stands at the foot of Tower Mountain with the first chair a short walk away and costs far less. Book [RISONARE](/stays/risonare-tomamu) if your group wants space, since every room is a suite of at least 100 square metres with its own sauna. Plan on the free shuttle each morning whichever tower you sleep in, because the gondola, the steeps and the Experts Only Powder Area sit on Tomamu Mountain across the resort. [Hoshino Resorts Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) is a resort with no village below it. The Tower and RISONARE hold its rooms, and Club Med runs a separate all-inclusive at the Tomamu Mountain base. We compared the two Hoshino hotels on lift access, rooms, price and season. | | The Tower | RISONARE | |---|---|---| | Suits | Riders, families on a budget | Families and groups who want space | | Lift access | Tower Express and Nipo Chair beside the hotel | Ski-in on a beginner run to the same two chairs | | Rooms | Twins of 24–27 m² up to family rooms of 58 m² | Suites of 100–120 m², 200 rooms | | In-room extras | Low beds in family and baby rooms | Private sauna and window jet bath in every suite | | 2026/27 sample package | About US$1,318 per person | About US$2,045 per person | | Open | 1 December 2026 – 4 April 2027 | 1 December 2026 – 31 March 2027 | | Station shuttle | About 5 minutes | About 10 minutes | | Drawback | Small standard rooms | Higher on the hill and much dearer | The package figures come from [PowderHounds' 2026/27 early-bird samples](https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/hokkaido/tomamu/packages/tomamu-tower-twin-share-packages.aspx) for two adults sharing for seven nights outside holiday periods, with breakfast, lift passes and airport transfers included. Treat them as a guide to the gap between the hotels. Neither hotel publishes a rack rate on its own pages. #### How close is each hotel to the lifts? The Tower is closer. It stands in the middle of the resort beside the GAO Outdoor Center, with Tower Mountain rising behind it, and a tour operator's listing puts the [Tower Express and Nipo Chair](https://www.sno.co.uk/ski-holidays/hoshino-resorts-tomamu-the-tower_21018/) under a minute's walk away. The Tower Express starts at 08:45, fifteen minutes before the upper lifts. From 26 December to 31 March those same two chairs run until 18:00 for the night session, and Moonshine is the steep run under the lights. RISONARE sits on higher ground in the forest above, and Hoshino sells it as [ski-in, ski-out](https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/risonaretomamu/). The route is a beginner trail that runs past the Hotalu Street restaurants down to the Nipo and Tower Express chairs, [according to PowderHounds](https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Tomamu/Accommodation/Risonare.aspx). The UNKAI Gondola, the Powder Express and every advanced run live on Tomamu Mountain, away from both hotels. To join the [Experts Only Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/), which opens in stages from mid-January, you also need the password posted at the Snow Kart reception in the Resort Center. The [free area shuttle](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/faq/) links the resort's facilities about every 15 to 20 minutes, though at some times of day you call it from the front desk. #### Who should stay at The Tower? The Tower suits riders who want to spend their money on lift days and families who need practical rooms. A [Standard Twin](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/room.php) covers 24 to 27 square metres. Families get a lot of choice. Family Quints take five people in 58 square metres with low beds and a bunk, and the Baby's Room has low beds for parents with a toddler. A 100-square-metre salmon-themed room called Shake sleeps up to four, for the children who keep asking about it. Ski and board rental is on the ground floor, which saves carrying anything across the resort. The hotel opens from 1 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, four days longer than RISONARE, and check-in is at 15:00. The drawback is room size, since a Standard Twin with two people and their kit leaves little floor to stand on. #### Who should stay at RISONARE? RISONARE suits families and groups who want to spread out after a day on the hill. Every one of its 200 rooms is a suite. Couples take a 100-square-metre [Suite Twin](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/room.php) on the 16th floor or higher. A family of four gets 120 square metres in a Suite Quad lower down, and there's a Suite Sixth on the 6th floor for six. A private sauna and a jet bath against the window come with all of them, so the post-ride soak happens upstairs. The Skier's Suite on the 27th floor is built for a ski trip. It has a boot heater that dries four pairs at once and a single lift chair set by the window. Hoshino also provides free diapers and children's pyjamas at both hotels, and children up to six can share a bed with a parent. The drawback is cost. On the PowderHounds samples a week here runs more than half again the price of The Tower, and RISONARE closes after the last check-out on 1 April. #### Where do you bathe at Tomamu? Neither hotel has a natural onsen. Guests of both enter [Kirin-no-Yu](/onsen/kirin-no-yu) free, and the resort says on its own page that the outdoor bath uses [heated bath water](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/spa/kirin.php). Day visitors pay ¥1,500. Cover tattoos with stickers. RISONARE's in-room sauna gives you a second option, and guests at both hotels get free entry to the Mina-Mina Beach wave pool. #### What do lift tickets cost? Tomamu's counter day ticket rises to ¥9,500 for 2026/27, or ¥9,200 online, and guests of The Tower or RISONARE save ¥500. Children aged six and under ride free once registered. Multi-day tickets cost the day rate per day, so buy as you go. The [Hokkaido Powder Belt Pass](/resorts/tomamu) covers Tomamu with Furano and Kamui Ski Links. Ikon and Epic don't include Tomamu. #### How do you get to Tomamu? Limited express trains from Sapporo reach JR Tomamu in about 1 hour 40 minutes. A free shuttle meets the trains and takes about 5 minutes to The Tower and about 10 minutes to RISONARE. Book the return run at the front desk when you arrive. [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) is about half an hour away by car for a change of scene. Our guide to [riding Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car) covers the trains and the Hoshino bus liners in detail. #### How we compared We read both hotels' room, facility and FAQ pages on the Tomamu winter site and Hoshino Resorts' own RISONARE page in October 2026, along with the Ride Hokkaido resort and stay files. Lift distances come from the operator listings we link, because the resort publishes none. Package prices are early-bird samples for 2026/27 and will move with the exchange rate. The method is desk research, and nobody from Ride Hokkaido stayed at either hotel for this page. #### Sources - [Tomamu The Tower](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/) - [Tomamu The Tower room types](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/tower/room.php) - [RISONARE Tomamu](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/) - [RISONARE Tomamu room types](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/hotel/risonare/room.php) - [Hoshino Resorts: RISONARE Tomamu](https://hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/risonaretomamu/) - [Tomamu winter FAQ](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/faq/) - [Tomamu Kirin-no-Yu](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/spa/kirin.php) - [Tomamu lift tickets](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/) - [Tomamu Experts Only Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/) - [PowderHounds: RISONARE Tomamu](https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Tomamu/Accommodation/Risonare.aspx) - [PowderHounds: Tomamu The Tower twin-share packages](https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/hokkaido/tomamu/packages/tomamu-tower-twin-share-packages.aspx) - [PowderHounds: RISONARE Tomamu twin-share packages](https://www.powderhounds.com/japan/hokkaido/tomamu/packages/risonare-tomamu-twin-share-packages.aspx) - [Sno: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu The Tower](https://www.sno.co.uk/ski-holidays/hoshino-resorts-tomamu-the-tower_21018/) Q: Is Tomamu The Tower ski-in ski-out? A: Tomamu The Tower stands at the foot of Tower Mountain, and a tour operator lists the Tower Express and Nipo Chair under a minute's walk from the door. The Tower Express starts at 08:45. The UNKAI Gondola and the steeper runs sit on Tomamu Mountain, which guests reach on the free area shuttle every 15 to 20 minutes. Q: How big are the rooms at RISONARE Tomamu? A: Every room at RISONARE Tomamu is a suite of 100 to 120 square metres. Each one has a private sauna and a jet or whirlpool bath at the window. Suite Twins sit on the 16th floor and above, and the 120-square-metre Suite Sixth sleeps six. Q: Does either Tomamu hotel have an onsen? A: Neither Tomamu hotel has a natural onsen. Guests of The Tower and RISONARE enter the Kirin-no-Yu outdoor bath free, and the resort states that Kirin-no-Yu uses heated bath water. Tattoos must be covered with stickers there. Q: When are The Tower and RISONARE open in winter 2026/27? A: Tomamu The Tower opens from 1 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, with the last check-out on 5 April. RISONARE Tomamu opens from 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2027, with the last check-out on 1 April. Both hotels check in at 15:00 and out at 11:00. ### What is it like to bathe at Kotan on frozen Lake Kussharo? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/kotan-onsen-lake-kussharo Updated: 2026-10-09 Kotan-no-yu is a free rock pool on the beach of Lake Kussharo, and in winter whooper swans drift a few metres from the bathers. It belongs to an Ainu village at the lake's outlet, and the people who keep it clean ask for a little care in return. Kotan-no-yu deserves a stop on any winter drive through eastern Hokkaido, because the pool is free and sits on the beach of the largest lake in Japan that freezes over completely. Plan around Friday. The [Hokkaido Tourism Organization listing](https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spa/spot/detail_10490.html) says the bath reopens at 16:00 that day after cleaning, and [Mapple's guide](https://www.mapple.net/region/a0101030000_s-season=winter/spot/) puts the closure at 8:00 to 16:00 every Friday from November to April and warns that weather can move it. Our [Kotan Onsen page](/onsen/kotan-onsen) keeps the fact sheet. This piece covers what a winter soak there involves and the village around it. #### Where is Kotan-no-yu and how do you reach it? The bath sits on the beach of Kotan village on the southeast shore of Lake Kussharo in Teshikaga town. From JR Kawayu Onsen Station it takes [about 20 minutes by car](https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80001915) along Prefectural Road 52, and [Akan Bus](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89) runs out from the station as well. Winter tyres are a given on any road this far east. For a bed, [Kawayu Onsen](/onsen/kawayu-onsen) lies about 11 km north as the crow flies, and its public bath Yukichi lets tattoos in for ¥500. The bigger hotels are at [Akan](/towns/akan). The nearest lift turns at [Akan Lakeside](/resorts/akan-lakeside), where Akanko Onsen's town hill runs one chair above the frozen lake and plans to open for 2026/27 on 25 December. Kotan suits the rest day on a trip that swings east, or the drive between Akan and Kawayu. #### What is the bath like in winter? Grey boulders hold the pool right at the waterline, and one big rock in the middle splits it into a men's half and a women's half. Each side has its own changing room. Nothing screens the pool from the beach, so anyone walking along the shore can see in. Swimsuits are allowed. The water is a clear sodium bicarbonate spring that runs in straight from the source. None of the listings we read publish its temperature. Put a hand in before you climb down. In the coldest weeks Lake Kussharo [freezes from shore to shore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Kussharo), and the ice shoves itself up into pressure ridges across the surface as the temperature swings. Whooper swans fly in from Siberia for the winter. The Japanese encyclopedia entry on Kotan notes that the spring-warmed shallows beside the bath draw them in, and the national park guide describes the same scene a little further along the shore at [Sunayu](https://www.japan.travel/national-parks/parks/akan-mashu/see-and-do/sunayu-rest-house/). Sit low with snow on the boulders at eye level and the birds preen a stone's throw away. Give them room. #### What rules does Kotan-no-yu ask you to follow? Signs at the bath ask for quiet at night. Camping is banned, and so is eating or drinking in the bath. The owner of a craft shop in the village looks after the pool and keeps it clean, so carry out everything you bring, down to the bottle caps. Plan on finding no taps. Scoop a little water over your shoulders and legs before you get in, and keep soap out of the pool entirely. Bring your own towel and leave it on a rock. Our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette) walks through the rest of the routine. #### What should you bring for a winter soak? Pack a bath towel and a dry one for afterwards, plus slip-on shoes for the few steps from the changing room to the rocks. A swimsuit helps if you plan to soak in daylight with people on the beach. Since the bath never closes outside the Friday clean, a night soak under a clear sky works too, and a headlamp keeps you off the icy stones on the way in. Switch it off once you're in the water so you don't light up the bathers on the other side of the boulder. Keep a down jacket by the changing room door for the walk back to the car. #### Can you bathe at Kotan with tattoos? Yes. Kotan-no-yu has no staff and posts no tattoo rule, so tattooed bathers soak like anyone else. A swimsuit covers whatever you'd rather keep to yourself. If you want a staffed bath afterwards, Kawayu's Yukichi accepts tattoos, and its acidic water will take the shine off a watch, so leave the metal in the car. #### Who lives in Kotan? Kotan is the Ainu word for a village, and Ainu craft shops line this one today. The person who keeps the bath clean runs one of them. The lake takes its name from Ainu too. Kutcharo names the throat of a lake, where its water [leaves as a river](https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/hokkaido/policy/system/rekumori/huukeirin/100-kawayu/index.html), and at Kotan the Kushiro River begins its run south to the Pacific. The [Teshikaga Town Kussharo Kotan Ainu Museum](https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R2-00526.html) stands in the village and charges [¥420 for adults](https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80001894). Its 25-minute English film covers Ainu history from the discrimination of the Meiji era to the community groups who pass on song, dance, festivals and language now. Plan a separate trip for it, because the museum closes over winter. The town's [2025 Ainu policy plan](https://www8.cao.go.jp/ainu/kouhyou/chiiki_keikaku/20250319/kouhyou-teshikaga.pdf) has it open from early April to the end of November, so a February soak misses it. Phone 015-484-2128 to check the current season. In winter, our [Akan](/towns/akan) page covers the Ainu kotan on the shore of Lake Akan. #### What else is nearby on Lake Kussharo? [Wakoto Onsen](/onsen/wakoto-onsen) sits about 3 km away at the neck of the Wakoto Peninsula. Its free rotenburo stays open around the clock, and the neutral simple spring leaves the ground at 52.5°C, so the tub can run hot. Whooper swans gather on the open water there as well. Sunayu, along the east shore, lets you dig into warm sand where hot groundwater rises under the beach. Its rest house opens free of charge every day from 8:00 to 17:00. Kawayu's steaming Iozan and the town's free foot baths fill the rest of a short day. #### How we researched this We compiled this from the Hokkaido Tourism Organization and other tourism listings, the Japanese and English encyclopedia entries, the national park guide, the Forestry Agency's place-name notes and the town's published plans, read in October 2026. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido has bathed at Kotan for this piece. Cleaning days and museum seasons change, so check them before you drive out. #### Sources - [Hokkaido Tourism Organization: Kotan-no-yu](https://www.visit-hokkaido.jp/spa/spot/detail_10490.html) - [Rurubu: Kotan-no-yu](https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80001915) - [Mapple: Akan and Mashu in winter](https://www.mapple.net/region/a0101030000_s-season=winter/spot/) - [Wikipedia (Japanese): Kotan Onsen](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%B3%E6%B8%A9%E6%B3%89) - [Wikipedia: Lake Kussharo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Kussharo) - [Japan National Parks: Sunayu Rest House](https://www.japan.travel/national-parks/parks/akan-mashu/see-and-do/sunayu-rest-house/) - [Forestry Agency: Kawayu landscape forest and place names](https://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/hokkaido/policy/system/rekumori/huukeirin/100-kawayu/index.html) - [Japan Tourism Agency: Teshikaga Town Kussharo Kotan Ainu Museum](https://www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db/en/R2-00526.html) - [Rurubu: Kussharo Kotan Ainu Museum](https://rurubu.jp/andmore/spot/80001894) - [Cabinet Office: Teshikaga Ainu policy plan, March 2025](https://www8.cao.go.jp/ainu/kouhyou/chiiki_keikaku/20250319/kouhyou-teshikaga.pdf) Q: Is Kotan Onsen free? A: Yes. Kotan-no-yu on the southeast shore of Lake Kussharo costs ¥0 and has no staff or ticket window. It is open around the clock except on Fridays from 8:00 to 16:00 between November and April, when it shuts for cleaning. Q: Is Kotan Onsen a mixed bath? A: Kotan-no-yu is split into a men's half and a women's half by a large boulder in the middle of the pool, and each side has its own changing room. Nothing screens the pool from the beach, and swimsuits are allowed. Q: Can you bathe at Kotan Onsen with tattoos? A: Yes. Kotan-no-yu posts no tattoo rule and has no staff to apply one, so tattooed bathers use it like everyone else. Swimsuits are allowed for anyone who wants to cover up. Q: How do you get to Kotan Onsen in winter? A: Kotan-no-yu is about 20 minutes by car from JR Kawayu Onsen Station on Prefectural Road 52, which follows the south shore of Lake Kussharo. Akan Bus also runs from the station. Fit winter tyres for the drive between December and March. ### Where should Sapporo Kokusai riders soak in Jozankei? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/jozankei-onsen-after-kokusai Updated: 2026-10-09 Jozankei fills a steaming bend of the Toyohira River below Sapporo Kokusai, and every hotel in the gorge draws on the same salty spring. Choose your bath by the clock and by the tattoo rule, and use the free foot baths on the walk between. For a cheap, long soak after Sapporo Kokusai, go to Yunohana Jozankei-den, which charges [¥1,180 and opens every day](https://www.yunohana.org/jyouzankei/ryokin/) from 10:00 to 21:00. Book Kyujitsu-yu for a late sauna night with the doors open until midnight. It [turns away tattoos](https://www.kyuujitsu.com/facility/qjitsuu/) even under stickers, and most other baths in town publish no tattoo rule at all. [Jozankei](/towns/jozankei) is Sapporo's own onsen town, and the closest place to sleep for [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai). The [Jozankei Onsen page](/onsen/jozankei-onsen) keeps the fact sheet, and our [onsen roundup](/journal/best-onsen-after-riding) covers Hoheikyo up the valley. #### How do you get between Sapporo Kokusai and Jozankei? Stay at a Jozankei hotel and the [Jozankei Ski Liner](https://jozankei.jp/skiplan/) does the driving. It runs from 23 December 2026 to 22 March 2027 for guests of the tourism association's member hotels and inns, at ¥2,800 return for adults and ¥1,400 for children, paid by card when you book. Buses leave the onsen town at 9:00 and 10:30 and reach the resort in about 45 minutes. The return runs leave the resort at 15:15 and 16:45 and take about 30 minutes. On 31 December and 1 January the return runs leave at 14:15 and 15:30. Book online by 21:00 the night before. Each run holds 40 people, a run with no bookings doesn't go, and you have to reserve both directions. Boots stay off on the bus, and boards travel in a bag. The same page sells a stay plan with a Sapporo Kokusai day ticket waiting at the front desk. Without a hotel booking, the Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort Line bus from Sapporo Station stops in Jozankei on its way up, and it needs a reservation. A day ticket at Kokusai rises to ¥7,000 at the window and ¥6,700 online for 2026/27. #### Which day bath suits riders best? | Bath | Adult day price | Hours | Tattoos | Worth knowing | |---|---|---|---|---| | Yunohana Jozankei-den | ¥1,180 | 10:00–21:00, every day | Not published | Towel and robe set ¥450; 400 free parking spaces | | Kyujitsu-yu | ¥2,850 with towel; ¥1,420 for two hours from 18:00 | 10:00–24:00, last entry 22:00 | Refused, stickers included | Aged 7 and up only | | Jozankei View Hotel | ¥1,500–¥3,000 | Varies | Visible tattoos refused | Bath-only entry on weekdays only | | Yumoto Koganeyu | ¥1,270 with one drink | 6:00–9:00 and 10:00–23:00 | Not published | Down the valley toward Sapporo | | Free foot baths | ¥0 | Varies | No rule | Feet only | Prices are from each bath's own pages and the [tourism association list](https://jozankei.jp/oneday/), read in October 2026. #### What makes Yunohana Jozankei-den the easy pick? Yunohana is a big day-bathing complex in Jozankei Onsen Higashi, about five minutes' walk from the Jozankei Shako-mae bus stop. It opens every day of the year, and you don't need a hotel booking. The [outdoor baths look down on the Toyohira River](https://news.allabout.co.jp/articles/o/122382/), and you'll find small stone tubs for two or three people along with a cave bath lit blue among the rocks. A Western-style hall and a Japanese-style hall swap between men and women daily. The ¥450 rental set covers bath and face towels plus a robe for lounging, so you can walk in straight from the car with nothing. A heated rock-bed room costs ¥500 an hour and takes its last guests at 19:00. Parking is free. #### When is Kyujitsu-yu worth the extra? Kyujitsu-yu sits on the second floor of the Kyujitsu Building, which opened on 24 April 2025 with a hotel and a lounge in the same block. The bath has an indoor tub and an outdoor tub, and its sauna seats 15. It earns the price on a long sauna evening with a drink in hand, as long as nobody in your group has ink. A full Kyujitsu ticket costs [¥2,850](https://www.kyuujitsu.com/price/) from 10:00 to midnight and includes a rental towel plus two house coins for a drink or a gelato. The late tickets suit riders better. Entry from 15:00 costs ¥2,520, and entry from 18:00 drops to ¥2,300 with the same towel and coins. A bare two-hour soak costs ¥1,420 in slots that start every two hours from 18:00, and an early bath from 6:00 to 9:00 costs the same. Last entry is 22:00, and the building admits nobody under seven. Its tattoo ban extends to cover stickers and body paint. #### Where else can you soak in Jozankei? The hotels sell day entry at their own prices. [Jozankei View Hotel](https://onsenoni.com/en/places/87qqnhvkl8-jozankei-view-hotel) is listed as refusing visible tattoos and lets bath-only visitors in on weekdays. Shika no Yu charges ¥1,500 for an indoor bath that looks over the stream, and Yumoto Shun no Oyado Matsuno-yu asks ¥800. Hours change from one desk to the next, so check each hotel's site from the tourism association list. [Yumoto Koganeyu](http://koganeyu.jp/) sits down Route 230 toward the city. Its morning session runs [6:00 to 9:00](http://koganeyu.jp/price/) with last entry at 8:30, and the Ski Liner calls there on its first outbound run and its last return. A towel set costs ¥220. #### Where can you soak for free? Walk the main street with a small towel in your pocket. Futami no Ashiyu sits by the river near the red Futami bridge, and Taro no Yu is a second foot bath in town. At Jozan Gensen Park you can sit at the foot bath while eggs cook in the spring beside you. From 20 January to 28 February 2027 the New Yukitoro light event fills the town and the grounds of Jozankei Shrine after dark. #### What is the water like? Jozankei's hotels all draw on the same clear sodium chloride spring. It comes up neutral at 60–80°C from 56 sources in the bed and banks of the Toyohira River, and it tastes faintly of salt on the lips. Salt springs hold their heat on the skin, and that heat carries you through falling snow on the walk back to your hotel. In 1866 two Ainu guides from Hariusu on the Otaru coast led the monk Miizumi Jozan up the river to these springs, and he built the first bathhouse beside the water. #### Can you bathe in Jozankei with tattoos? Two baths say no in writing. Kyujitsu-yu refuses tattoos outright, and Jozankei View Hotel refuses visible ones. [Onsen Oni](https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/jozankei) lists no published policy for the rest, so ask at the window before you pay, using the line in our [etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette). The simplest fix is a room with its own tub. Every room at [Jozankei Onsen Yurakusoan](/stays/jozankei-yurakusoan) has a hiba-wood onsen bath, and the ryokan's four private baths are free to guests around the clock. #### How we researched this We read each bath's own price and facility pages, the Jozankei Tourist Association's day-bathing list and Ski Liner page, the Onsen Oni tattoo database and our own fact sheets in October 2026. Prices are the adult rates published at that time. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido bathed in Jozankei for this piece. #### Sources - [Jozankei Tourist Association: day bathing](https://jozankei.jp/oneday/) - [Jozankei Tourist Association: Ski Liner and ski plans](https://jozankei.jp/skiplan/) - [Yunohana Jozankei-den: prices and hours](https://www.yunohana.org/jyouzankei/ryokin/) - [All About: Yunohana Jozankei-den baths](https://news.allabout.co.jp/articles/o/122382/) - [Kyujitsu Building: Kyujitsu-yu](https://www.kyuujitsu.com/facility/qjitsuu/) - [Kyujitsu Building: prices](https://www.kyuujitsu.com/price/) - [Yumoto Koganeyu](http://koganeyu.jp/) - [Yumoto Koganeyu: prices](http://koganeyu.jp/price/) - [Onsen Oni: Jozankei](https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/jozankei) - [Onsen Oni: Jozankei View Hotel](https://onsenoni.com/en/places/87qqnhvkl8-jozankei-view-hotel) - [Wikipedia (Japanese): Miizumi Jozan](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/美泉定山) Q: How much is a day bath in Jozankei? A: Bath-only day entry in Jozankei costs ¥800 to ¥3,000 for an adult on the Jozankei Tourist Association list in October 2026, and meal packages cost more. Yunohana Jozankei-den charges ¥1,180, Kyujitsu-yu ¥2,850 with a towel included, and Jozankei View Hotel ¥1,500 to ¥3,000. The foot baths in town are free. Q: Can you bathe in Jozankei with tattoos? A: Kyujitsu-yu in Jozankei refuses guests with tattoos, cover stickers included, and Jozankei View Hotel is listed as refusing visible tattoos. The other Jozankei baths publish no rule, so ask at the desk before you pay. A ryokan room with its own tub avoids the question. Q: How do you get from Jozankei to Sapporo Kokusai? A: The Jozankei Ski Liner runs hotel guests from Jozankei to Sapporo Kokusai between 23 December 2026 and 22 March 2027 for ¥2,800 return. Buses leave Jozankei at 9:00 and 10:30 and take about 45 minutes, and they come back from the resort at 15:15 and 16:45. Book online by 21:00 the day before. Q: Is Yunohana Jozankei-den open every day? A: Yes. Yunohana Jozankei-den in Jozankei is open every day of the year from 10:00 to 21:00. Adult day entry is ¥1,180 and children aged 4 to elementary school pay ¥450. ### Where should you sleep for a rest night in Noboribetsu? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/rest-night-in-noboribetsu Updated: 2026-10-09 Noboribetsu pipes nine kinds of spring water into one small town below a steaming crater. Pick the right bed and a single night off the board covers the best bathing in Hokkaido. Book [adex inn](/stays/adex-inn-noboribetsu) for a rest night in Noboribetsu if you ride on a budget, because a plain twin comes with free entry to [Dai-ichi Takimotokan's](/stays/dai-ichi-takimotokan) Grand Bath and the pass keeps working after you check out. Couples who want a milky sulphur tub of their own should pay for [Bōrō Noguchi](/stays/bourou-noguchi-noboribetsu), and families who want dinner, a pool and the baths under one roof should stay at Takimotokan itself. [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) is well over an hour away, so treat [Noboribetsu](/towns/noboribetsu) as a day off the board. We compared the three Noboribetsu stays in our guide on their baths, rooms, check-in rules and access. None of the three publishes a rack rate on its own site, so check the dates you want on each booking page. | Stay | Suits | Room | Bath | Check-in / out | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [adex inn](/stays/adex-inn-noboribetsu) | Budget riders, onsen hoppers | Twin of about 22 m² | Own sulphur bath plus free Takimotokan Grand Bath | From 14:00 | Breakfast is whatever the café sells | | [Dai-ichi Takimotokan](/stays/dai-ichi-takimotokan) | Families, first-timers | Hotel rooms, buffet or kaiseki plans | 35 baths on five spring types | 14:00 / 10:00 | Big, busy hotel with coach groups | | [Bōrō Noguchi](/stays/bourou-noguchi-noboribetsu) | Couples | Suites of 50–100 m² | Spring-fed view bath in every suite | 15:00–19:00 / 11:00 | Nobody aged 12 or under | #### Why spend a rest day in Noboribetsu? Noboribetsu sits under Jigokudani (Hell Valley), where steam pours off a raw crater of yellow and grey rock and the whole street smells of sulphur. About ten thousand tonnes of hot water a day come up here in nine types, and after a week of chairlifts a town built around moving from one bath to the next suits tired legs well. Arrive by mid-afternoon. Lanterns light the Oni-bi no Michi path up into the valley every night until 21:30, and the boardwalk through Jigokudani is best at first light before the tour coaches arrive. At lunchtime, Aji no Daiou serves its "hell ramen" at whatever chilli level you name, from 11:30 to 15:00 and closed on Tuesdays. Bar Seventy One keeps the lights on until 3:00 for anyone the water hasn't put to sleep. #### Who should book adex inn? adex inn suits riders who'd spend their money on bath time over room size. The building used to be the Takimoto Inn, and it reopened after a full refit in summer 2024 with [47 Western rooms](https://www.adexinn.com/en-top). A simple twin covers about 22 square metres. There's a drying room and a coin laundry, which matters when you arrive straight from the hill with wet gloves. The house bath runs unfiltered sulphur water from Jigokudani, thick enough that yunohana (mineral flakes) settle on the floor of the tub. Your stay also gets you into the Grand Bath at Takimotokan for free, and [adex inn's Japanese onsen page](https://www.adexinn.com/ja-onsen) lists it from 04:00 to 01:00, with the outdoor bath and saunas shutting at midnight. You can still walk over for a soak after check-out. Day visitors pay [¥2,500 from 1 August 2026](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/), and two visits on that pass cover a fair share of the room. Breakfast is a sandwich and a coffee from the adex Bakery & Cafe downstairs. Since May 2026 the café has taken cards, IC cards and QR payments only, so carry a card down with you. #### Is Dai-ichi Takimotokan worth staying at? Takimotokan is worth it for families and first-timers who want the bath, dinner and a pool without leaving the building. The family behind it has kept the springs here since 1858. Its Grand Bath covers about 5,000 square metres beside Jigokudani, and [five spring types](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/spa/) feed 35 tubs, from milky acidic sulphur to a bicarbonate water stained red by iron. Bath keepers called yumori check the temperatures by hand. Hotel guests get the indoor baths from 04:00 to 01:00 and can use them before check-in and after check-out, according to the [hotel's FAQ](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/faq/). Check-in is 14:00 and check-out 10:00. The swimsuit pool has a 50-centimetre children's pool and a water slide, which buys parents an hour. Dinner runs as a buffet or kaiseki depending on the plan. Parking is free, and staff at the main entrance direct you into the tower or an outdoor lot. It's a big, busy hotel, and the drawback is that you share the bath hall with day visitors and every other guest. The outdoor jacuzzi also closes from early November until the snow melts in April. The hotel publishes no tattoo policy, so ask at reception. The whole property shuts from 5 to 15 April 2027 for maintenance. #### Is Bōrō Noguchi worth the money for couples? Bōrō Noguchi is worth it for couples who want to soak without leaving the room. Every room is a suite with its own spring-fed view bath, and [the room page](https://www.bourou.com/room/) runs from a 50-square-metre Junior Suite through a 70-square-metre Standard Suite to 100-square-metre Luxury and Executive Suites. You smell the milky sulphur water as soon as you step into the corridor. Kaiseki dinner with some Western touches is served in private dining rooms, and some have a sunken kotatsu table to put your legs under. The inn takes no guests aged 12 and under. Check-in runs only from 15:00 to 19:00, and [the FAQ](https://www.bourou.com/faq/) offers no early arrival, so time the drive from the hill. Check-out is at 11:00. A private stone-bed sauna room (ganban-yoku) costs ¥3,300 for two with a reservation. The private tub also takes care of the tattoo question, since nobody else bathes in it. #### How do you get to Noboribetsu Onsen? From New Chitose Airport, the [Donan Bus Noboribetsu Onsen Airport Express](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/access/) reaches the onsen town in about 1 hour 10 minutes, and seats must be reserved. By car it's about an hour on the Do-o Expressway, and a little under an hour from [Lake Toya](/towns/lake-toya). From JR Noboribetsu Station, a Donan bus takes about 15 minutes, or a taxi about 13 minutes for around ¥2,800. Takimotokan's old non-stop shuttle is out of service. Bōrō Noguchi runs a daily reserved shuttle from New Chitose and from Sapporo Station, and seats close when it fills. The onsen town has no board rental. A 7-Eleven with a 7-Bank ATM that takes foreign cards stands in the middle of it. #### How should you plan the night? Leave the hill after lunch and check in at 14:00 or 15:00. Soak before dinner and walk the lantern path once you've eaten. Set an alarm for Jigokudani, because the boardwalk empties out only at first light, and leave time for a last soak before check-out. If you stay at adex inn, the Takimotokan pass lets you bathe once more on your way out of town. New Chitose is about an hour away, which makes Noboribetsu a good last night before an afternoon flight. #### How we compared We read each stay's own pages, its FAQ and its access notes in October 2026, along with the Ride Hokkaido town and stay files. Bath hours and prices are the published figures for the date shown. None of the three posts a fixed room rate, so we left rates out of the table. The method is desk research, and nobody from Ride Hokkaido stayed at these properties for this page. #### Sources - [adex inn](https://www.adexinn.com/en-top) - [adex inn onsen (Japanese)](https://www.adexinn.com/ja-onsen) - [Dai-ichi Takimotokan](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/) - [Dai-ichi Takimotokan spa](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/spa/) - [Dai-ichi Takimotokan FAQ](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/faq/) - [Dai-ichi Takimotokan access](https://takimotokan.co.jp/en/access/) - [Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu](https://www.bourou.com/) - [Bōrō Noguchi rooms](https://www.bourou.com/room/) - [Bōrō Noguchi FAQ](https://www.bourou.com/faq/) - [Noboribetsu Onsen tourism association](https://noboribetsu-spa.jp/) Q: Is Noboribetsu a good base for snowboarding? A: Noboribetsu works as a rest-day stop and makes a poor riding base. Rusutsu, the nearest major resort, is well over an hour away by car, and the onsen town has no board rental. Plan one night there between riding days or before a flight from New Chitose, about an hour away. Q: Can adex inn guests use the Dai-ichi Takimotokan baths? A: Yes. adex inn guests enter the Grand Bath at Dai-ichi Takimotokan free, and the pass still works after check-out. adex inn's own Japanese page lists the Grand Bath hours as 04:00 to 01:00, with the outdoor bath and saunas closing at midnight. Day visitors pay ¥2,500 at Takimotokan from 1 August 2026. Q: Does Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu accept children? A: No. Bōrō Noguchi Noboribetsu takes no guests aged 12 and under, infants included. Every room is a suite of 50 to 100 square metres with its own spring-fed view bath, and check-in runs from 15:00 to 19:00. Q: How do you get from New Chitose Airport to Noboribetsu Onsen? A: Donan Bus runs the Noboribetsu Onsen Airport Express from New Chitose to the onsen town in about 1 hour 10 minutes, and seats must be reserved. By car the trip takes about an hour on the Do-o Expressway. Bōrō Noguchi also runs a daily reserved shuttle for its guests from the airport and from Sapporo Station. ### Which Asahidake Onsen bath should you take after the ropeway? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/asahidake-onsen-baths Updated: 2026-10-09 Asahidake Onsen is a handful of inns where Route 1160 runs out at about 1,100 metres under Hokkaido's highest peak. The ropeway drops you beside them at the end of the day, and they pour an uncommon clear sulphate spring. Take the day bath at Yukomanso if the water matters most to you. The inn runs five of its own springs between 33 and 42°C without heating them, and it has a rotenburo. Hotel Bear Monte is the easy choice three minutes on foot from the ropeway, at [¥1,140 with an outdoor sauna](https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/), though its bath has no outdoor tub. Neither inn publishes a tattoo policy, so ask before you pay. [Asahidake Onsen](/onsen/asahidake-onsen) sits at the foot of the [Asahidake Ropeway](/resorts/asahidake) in [Higashikawa](/towns/higashikawa). Our [Asahidake backcountry feature](/journal/asahidake-ropeway-backcountry) covers the riding. This piece covers what happens after the last car down. #### How do the ropeway and the baths fit together? The ropeway reopens after its autumn break on 11 December and runs [from 9:00 to 15:40](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) through February, with cars every 20 minutes and about ten minutes to the top station at 1,600 m. Hours stretch to 16:00 in early March and 17:00 from mid-March into May. A return ticket costs ¥2,800 and a one-way ¥1,700 for anyone of junior high age or older between 1 November and 31 May. Bring cash for it. The ropeway is shut from 16 November to 10 December 2026, and parking at the base is free from November to May. Bear Monte opens its bath to day visitors at 12:30. Spend the morning lapping the cold snow below Sugatami Station until your legs go, and you can be in the water within minutes of the last descent. #### What is Yukomanso's bath like? Yukomanso owns five sources of its own between 33 and 42°C and uses them as they come out of the ground, with no heating. You choose a tub by temperature. Start in the hottest to bring the blood back to frozen toes. The cooler tubs are where you can sit for ages without cooking. Two large bathrooms swap between men and women each day, and the inn has a rotenburo as well. Day entry costs [¥1,200](https://onsen.nifty.com/asahidake-onsen/detail/). Rent a bath towel for ¥300 and a face towel for ¥200. The inn publishes no day-bathing hours that we could confirm, so phone ahead on 0166-97-2101 before you walk over in ski boots. #### What does Hotel Bear Monte offer day bathers? Bear Monte's [hot spring page](https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/) lists day bathing from 12:30 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:00. Adults pay ¥1,140, which includes the ¥150 bathing tax, and children pay ¥570. A face towel costs ¥110 and a bath towel ¥220. Hotel guests lose the main bath from 10:00 to 12:00 and from midnight to 5:00. Bear Monte's source comes out of the ground at 41.8°C. You won't find a rotenburo. In its place the hotel opened an outdoor sauna called Shinkokyu on 29 February 2024, and its cold plunge closes in the hardest cold of midwinter. If you stay at [Bear Monte](/stays/hotel-bear-monte), the board room locks. #### Why does the water feel different here? Asahidake's water is a calcium, magnesium and sodium sulphate and chloride spring. The mix is uncommon, and it runs clear and odourless at both inns. Nothing lingers on your skin or in your base layers after a soak, so you can go straight from the bath to the dinner table. Locals have long called Bear Monte's water a bath for healing cuts, and knuckles split by a day of wind on the plateau can use the help. #### Can you bathe at Asahidake Onsen with tattoos? Neither inn says. Bear Monte's hot spring page mentions no rule, and [Onsen Oni](https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/asahidake) lists none for Yukomanso. Ask at the front desk before you pay, using the line in our [etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette). Kurodake no Yu over in Sounkyo refuses visible tattoos, so it won't serve as your fallback. #### Where else can you soak in the Daisetsuzan this winter? [Kurodake no Yu](/onsen/kurodake-no-yu) at the Kurodake Ropeway in Sounkyo charges ¥800 and has an upstairs rotenburo over the gorge. The baths on the Tokachidake side are closed or restricted for the season. The Japan Meteorological Agency raised Tokachidake to [volcanic alert level 3](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) on 12 September 2026, and [Fukiage Roten-no-yu](/onsen/fukiage-roten) and [Hakuginso](/onsen/hakuginso) have been closed since that day. [Ryounkaku](/onsen/ryounkaku) has asked guests who couldn't evacuate quickly to stay away for now. Check the JMA bulletin before you plan anything on the Tokachi range. #### How do you get to Asahidake Onsen? By car it takes about an hour from Asahikawa on Route 1160, which ends at the ropeway. Without one, the Ideyu-go bus runs from JR Asahikawa Station by way of Asahikawa Airport and Higashikawa in about 1 hr 40 min, around four times a day, and published one-way fares run from ¥1,430 to ¥1,800. Check the current timetable with Asahikawa Denki Kido. Higashikawa down the valley has the cafés and bakeries the hamlet lacks. #### Is it worth sleeping at the end of the road? Sleep there if you plan two or more days off the ropeway. You walk to the first car, and the drive down to Asahikawa in the dark drops out of the day. The hamlet has little beyond the inns, so dinner is whatever your hotel serves. Bear Monte's dinner pairs a plated main course with a buffet, and the bar pours Hokkaido wine and sake. #### How we researched this We read the ropeway operator's fares and calendar, Hotel Bear Monte's hot spring page, the Nifty Onsen listing for Yukomanso, the Onsen Oni database and our own fact sheets in October 2026. Prices are adult rates published at that time. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido bathed at Asahidake Onsen for this piece. #### Sources - [Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) - [Hotel Bear Monte: hot spring and day bathing](https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/) - [Hotel Bear Monte: winter](https://www.bearmonte.jp/winter/) - [Nifty Onsen: Asahidake Onsen](https://onsen.nifty.com/asahidake-onsen/detail/) - [All About: Yukomanso day bathing and phone](https://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/66622/3/) - [Onsen Oni: Asahidake Onsen](https://onsenoni.com/en/onsenchi/asahidake) - [Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) Q: How much is a day bath at Asahidake Onsen? A: A day bath at Asahidake Onsen costs ¥1,140 for an adult at Hotel Bear Monte and ¥1,200 at Yukomanso, as published in October 2026. Bear Monte's price includes the ¥150 bathing tax, and towels cost extra at both. Q: What time does Hotel Bear Monte open for day bathing? A: Hotel Bear Monte at Asahidake Onsen sells day bathing from 12:30 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:00. The hotel stands three minutes on foot from the Asahidake Ropeway base station. Q: Does Asahidake Onsen have an outdoor bath? A: Yes. Yukomanso at Asahidake Onsen has a rotenburo fed by its own springs. Hotel Bear Monte has no outdoor bath, though it added an outdoor sauna on 29 February 2024. Q: Can you bathe at Asahidake Onsen with tattoos? A: Neither Hotel Bear Monte nor Yukomanso at Asahidake Onsen publishes a tattoo policy, and the Onsen Oni database lists no rule for either. Ask at the front desk before you pay for a day bath. ### Which Lake Shikotsu inn should you book for an airport night? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/lake-shikotsu-airport-night Updated: 2026-10-09 Lake Shikotsu sits about 40 minutes from New Chitose, and its water stays open through the coldest weeks of winter. Three inns on its shore turn the night before a flight into a proper soak. Book [Marukoma Onsen Ryokan](/stays/marukoma-onsen-ryokan) for a first or last night at Lake Shikotsu if the bath matters most, because its natural pool sits at lake level and rises and falls with the water. If you're landing late or flying early, [Mizu no Uta](/stays/shikotsu-tsuruga-mizu-no-uta) is easier, since a free reserved shuttle runs from New Chitose to its door. Couples without children who want a private garden bath should take [Suizantei](/stays/shikotsuko-daiichi-suizantei). Whichever you choose, eat at the inn. The onsen village goes quiet early and has almost nothing to buy. At 363 metres, [Lake Shikotsu](/towns/lake-shikotsu) is the second deepest lake in Japan, and so much warm water sits in its caldera that the surface never freezes. On a still January morning steam lifts off blue water against the snow. We compared the three inns in our guide on their baths, rooms, transport and the drawback that comes with each. | Stay | Suits | Getting there | Bath | Indicative rate | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Marukoma Onsen Ryokan](/stays/marukoma-onsen-ryokan) | Onsen lovers | About an hour from the airport; inn shuttle from the bus terminal on reservation | Natural lakeside pool, Finnish sauna | From about ¥40,000 a night (our fact sheet, 2026) | Furthest from the airport | | [Mizu no Uta](/stays/shikotsu-tsuruga-mizu-no-uta) | Late arrivals, early flights | Free reserved shuttle from New Chitose and JR Chitose | Shikotsu Biyu main bath; open-air tubs in top rooms | Not published | No tattoos in the main bath, even covered | | [Suizantei](/stays/shikotsuko-daiichi-suizantei) | Couples | One free pickup a day from JR Chitose | Garden rotenburo in five suites | Not published | Guests 13 and over only | #### Why stay at Lake Shikotsu before a flight? Lake Shikotsu puts a proper onsen about 40 minutes from New Chitose by car. Riders coming off [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) can drive about an hour east, soak through the evening and still make a morning flight. From late January the [Chitose–Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival](https://bestcalendar.jp/articles/press/152089) builds towers of sprayed lake water in the village and lights them from 16:30. It runs from 30 January to 23 February 2027 between 10:00 and 20:00, and entry costs ¥1,000 on weekdays and ¥3,000 at weekends and on holidays. Shop before you leave Chitose, because shopping in the village is limited. Take cash from a 7-Bank ATM at the airport or in town. #### Why is Marukoma's natural pool special? Marukoma has the bath people drive out for. The inn opened on the north shore in 1917, and its noyu (natural pool) sits at the end of a corridor from the main bath with only a line of rocks between you and the lake. Hot water seeps up through the gravel under your feet, and [the inn's spring page](https://www.marukoma.co.jp/hotspring/) says the depth matches the level of Lake Shikotsu and shifts through the seasons. The spring comes out at 54°C and runs clear. The main baths add a Finnish sauna where you pour your own löyly, and the cold plunge flows with lake water. A private bath with a barrel sauna takes up to four people. The baths open from 15:00 to 23:00 and again from 04:00 to 09:00. Dinner is kaiseki with one course cooked over an irori (charcoal hearth). The inn sits off the grid. It makes its own electricity and draws its water from the lake. The drawback is distance. Marukoma sits about 20 minutes past the Shikotsuko bus terminal, and if you go without a car you need the [inn's shuttle](https://www.marukoma.co.jp/english), booked ahead. Day bathers come on Fridays to Sundays between 10:00 and 14:00 for ¥1,200, so book a weekday night if you want the noyu quiet. The inn publishes no tattoo rule, so ask before you go. #### Who should book Mizu no Uta? Mizu no Uta suits travellers on a tight schedule. The Tsuruga group's 49-room hotel stands in the onsen village and runs a [free shuttle](https://www.mizunouta.com/faq/) from New Chitose Airport and JR Chitose Station for guests who reserve a seat. Parking is free if you drive. Rooms with their own open-air onsen check in from 14:00 and out at 11:00. Standard rooms keep to 15:00 and 10:00. The main bath, Shikotsu Biyu, runs on soft local spring water, with a Finnish sauna on both sides. It opens from 14:00 to 01:00 on weekdays and from 11:30 at weekends, then again from 05:00 to 09:30. Dinner is either the Amam buffet or kaiseki at Ten no Uta, and Chitose Sennen serves a lighter course. Tattoos keep you out of the main bath even under cover stickers. Book a room with its own onsen if that applies to anyone in your group. #### Is Suizantei worth it for couples? Suizantei is worth it for couples who want a private bath and a quiet house. The inn [accepts guests aged 13 and over](https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/faq/) only. Five garden suites of 80 to 105 square metres each come with a private rotenburo, and [the room list](https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/guestroom/) runs down through a 75-square-metre room with a view bath to twins with small open-air tubs. The water is a sodium bicarbonate spring that locals call bijin-no-yu (the beauty bath) for the way it leaves your skin. In the shared bath, a rock rotenburo sits beside an indoor tub of old hinoki cypress, and the cold plunge after the sauna draws on lake water. The kitchen makes its own tofu. Day bathing has been suspended since October 2020, so house guests have the bath to themselves. Getting there takes planning. The free pickup runs once a day from JR Chitose Station, and you book it by phone by 19:00 the day before. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out at 11:00. #### How do you get to Lake Shikotsu? By car the onsen village is about 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport. The Hokkaido Chuo Bus leaves the domestic terminal from stop 28 and takes about 60 minutes to the Shikotsuko bus terminal, and the same company runs about 50 minutes from JR Chitose Station. The village car park by the lake charges ¥1,000. Rusutsu is about an hour west for a riding day, and [Jozankei](/towns/jozankei) is roughly an hour north over the mountain road toward [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai). For a soak without staying, Marukoma's day bath is listed on our page for [Marukoma Onsen](/onsen/marukoma-onsen). #### How we compared We read each inn's own pages, its FAQ and its access notes in October 2026, along with the Ride Hokkaido town and stay files. Marukoma's rate comes from our fact sheet, and the other two inns post no fixed rate, so check your dates on their booking pages. The method is desk research, and nobody from Ride Hokkaido stayed at these inns for this page. #### Sources - [Marukoma Onsen Ryokan (English)](https://www.marukoma.co.jp/english) - [Marukoma hot spring (Japanese)](https://www.marukoma.co.jp/hotspring/) - [Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta](https://www.mizunouta.com/) - [Mizu no Uta FAQ](https://www.mizunouta.com/faq/) - [Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei rooms](https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/guestroom/) - [Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei FAQ](https://www.shikotsuko-daiichi.com/faq/) - [Chitose–Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival 2027 announcement](https://bestcalendar.jp/articles/press/152089) Q: How far is Lake Shikotsu from New Chitose Airport? A: Lake Shikotsu's onsen village is about 40 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport. The Hokkaido Chuo Bus from the domestic terminal takes about 60 minutes to the Shikotsuko bus terminal. Marukoma Onsen Ryokan sits on the north shore, about 20 minutes further by the inn's reserved shuttle. Q: Which Lake Shikotsu hotel has a free airport shuttle? A: Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu no Uta runs a free shuttle for its guests from New Chitose Airport and JR Chitose Station, by reservation only. Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei runs one free pickup a day from JR Chitose Station, booked by phone by 19:00 the day before. Q: Can you ride near Lake Shikotsu? A: Lake Shikotsu has no lift-served riding of its own and no board rental. Rusutsu is about an hour west by car, and Sapporo Kokusai is reached over the mountain road past Jozankei. Use the lake for a rest night and drive to the hill. Q: Does Suizantei at Lake Shikotsu accept children? A: No. Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel Suizantei accepts guests aged 13 and over only. Its five garden suites measure 80 to 105 square metres, and each one has a private open-air bath. ### Which route up Mt Yotei should you ride first? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/mt-yotei-routes Updated: 2026-10-09 Mt Yotei carries ski routes on almost every side of its 1,898 m cone, and nobody patrols or controls any of them. We worked through the Hokkaido Wilds tracks, trip reports and police records to find where a first visit should start. Ride the [Makkari route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-makkari-route) to the 1000 m Terrace first, with a certified guide, and keep the summit and crater for a settled day between mid-March and early May. [Mt Yotei](/backcountry/mt-yotei) has no avalanche control, no marked winter routes and no patrol anywhere on the mountain, so the forecast and the person leading you decide the day. Yotei stands alone between Niseko and Rusutsu, and its 1,898 m summit has a prominence of 1,878 m. On a clear morning you see it from every chair in the valley. Most of the good riding sits below about 1,300 m in old forest and open terraces, and above that line wind slab and rime take over for much of the winter. Every route below starts from a road or a plowed lot at the foot of the cone. | Route | Side | Published climb, distance, time | Our GPS-track figures | What to watch | |---|---|---|---|---| | Makkari | South | 1,000 m, 9.5 km, about 5 hr to about 1,300 m | 9.4 km, 1,530 m climbing, top 1,820 m | Cornices at 1,100–1,200 m | | Jinja-no-sawa | South | 1,050 m | 11.1 km, 1,530 m, top 1,818 m | Remote-triggered cornices in spring | | Makkimo | Southeast | 960 m, 8 km, about 5 hr | 10.3 km, 1,490 m, top 1,867 m | Car park holds 15–20 cars | | Kimobetsu | East-southeast | 1,000 m | 9.7 km, 1,540 m, top 1,864 m | Gullies on both sides | | Kyogoku | Northeast | 1,000 m | 7.5 km one way, 1,440 m, top 1,867 m | Needs a deep base | | Hirafu (Kutchan) | West | 1,550 m, 12 km, about 9 hr | 11.7 km, 1,530 m, top 1,823 m | Full northwest wind | | 148 Gully | North | 1,580 m, 13 km | 13.1 km, 1,710 m, top 1,892 m | One long terrain trap | Published figures come from the Hokkaido Wilds route guides. Our figures are computed from the unsimplified Hokkaido Wilds GPS tracks, counting each climb of 10 m or more after a five-point median filter. Most of those tracks ran up to the rim, which is why our climbing totals sit well above the treeline numbers the guides publish for a normal day. #### Where should a first day on Yotei start? Start at Makkari. The big plowed car park at Yotei Nature Park takes plenty of cars, and Hokkaido Wilds tells you to park as far up the clearing as the plowing allows and skin the last 600 m of road to the trailhead sign. From there the route climbs south-facing forest to the 1000 m Terrace, an old-growth plateau under the cone that serves as the main ski zone on this side. Know where the Terrace ends. The slope above it is steep and prone to avalanches, and Hokkaido Wilds calls it unsuitable for skiing. Big cornices build between 1,100 and 1,200 m on the ridges overhead, and the snow goes bad from around 1,300 m, where crampons often come out. Hokkaido Wilds rates the whole route 6 out of 10. In a thin January 2020 its party found the existing skin track very steep in places. On the way down, stay on the main bowl, because riders who drop too far off it face a long traverse back to the car. #### Which other south and east routes are worth it? Jinja-no-sawa leaves from the big water tank by the Makkari cemetery with about a kilometre of flat travel, and the climbing starts at a check dam near 450 m. It leads to the Delta Slope, a south-facing fan that holds about 30 degrees between 600 and 1,250 m. Splitboarders will want ski mode for the flat exit. Signs ban parking by the water tank from 05:00 to 08:00 so the plow can turn, and the cornices on the looker's-left ridge can release remotely once spring warms them. Kimobetsu climbs a broad, even slope from 800 to 1,400 m between gullies that run like couloirs on both sides. After about 50 cm of new snow on 29 December 2019 a long line of cars filled the roadside there, and the Hokkaido Wilds party shovelled for ten minutes to make a space. Makkimo starts from a public car park on Route 97 about 30 minutes from Hirafu. Leave Kyogoku on the northeast side until February. In the low-snow New Year week of 2019/20 it turned into a bush-bash through sapling birch. #### When is the summit and crater worth trying? Try the summit in spring. Guides favour mid-March to early May for the long days and steadier snow, and a round trip takes about eight hours before half an hour of skiing in the crater. The crater measures about 700 m across, and its skiable interior drops about 150 m on the western and northern sides because the east and south rims are cliffs. A guided party in January 2022 [planned four to five hours](https://hokkaidowilds.org/a-mount-yotei-south-side-success) up the Makkari side to the rim and took six. The Hirafu route on the west face is the long way up past the refuge hut near 1,700 m. On a [spring trip](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-hirafu-route-ski-touring) the face stayed concrete until mid-morning, the party fitted ski crampons at about 1,200 m, and a ski that came off at 1,300 m slid about 200 m before softer snow stopped it. The [148 Gully](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-148-gully) on the north face drops 1,300 m from the rim in a single terrain trap, and its author stresses how hard a rescue would be in there. Roadside parking is illegal at its start, so the weekday school bus from JR Kutchan to Sansen-kado is the way in. [Hokkaido Backcountry Club](https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/guided-tours/yotei-summit-tours/) listed private summit tours at ¥368,000 for up to ten riders in October 2026, with a guide for every five and a warning that the skin up takes five to eight hours. #### What has gone wrong on Yotei? Avalanches killed skiers on Yotei in both 2023 and 2024. In January 2023 a member of a ten-person tour died after a slide near the sixth station of the Hirafu route, and the [police record](https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2023-8-1) shows a helicopter flying the party off. On 11 March 2024 an avalanche on a north-facing slope near 700 m on the Kutchan side caught three of a group of six, and [two New Zealanders died](https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/). Reports that day described weather warmer than usual. That slope sat at 700 m, far below the cone, so give the forest band the attention you would give the rime above it. Navigation causes much of the other trouble. In cloud the faces of the cone look alike, and a descent that drifts one gully over can finish a long way from the car. #### What do you need before you go? Backcountry riding on Yotei needs avalanche training, a beacon, a shovel and a probe for every rider, and anyone new to the mountain should go with a certified guide. [Hokkaido Backcountry Club](/operators/hokkaido-backcountry-club), [Black Diamond Tours](/operators/black-diamond-tours), [Rising Sun Guides](/operators/rising-sun-guides) and [Whiteroom Tours](/operators/whiteroom-tours) all guide on the Niseko side. Read the [Japan Avalanche Network bulletin for Niseko and Yotei](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest) before every trip. Its last 2025/26 bulletin came out on 1 April 2026, so a late-season summit day runs on your own snow assessment. File a climbing plan with police through [Compass](https://www.mt-compass.com/). Afterwards, [Makkari Onsen](/onsen/makkari-onsen) puts Yotei square in front of its outdoor tub, though the village has closed it for renovation from 2 November to 21 December 2026. On the northeast side, [Kyogoku Onsen](/onsen/kyogoku-onsen) expects to reopen in early December 2026. [Kutchan](/towns/kutchan) is the nearest town with a station and supermarkets, and [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) and [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) fill the storm days when the cone is out of the question. #### How we researched this We compiled this from the Hokkaido Wilds route guides and trip reports, Hokkaido Police search and rescue records, news reports and operator pages, checked in October 2026. Track figures are computed by Ride Hokkaido from the Hokkaido Wilds GPS files. Nobody from Ride Hokkaido toured these routes for this piece. #### Sources - [Hokkaido Wilds: Mt Yotei backcountry ski routes](https://hokkaidowilds.org/mt-yotei-backcountry-ski-routes) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Makkari route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-makkari-route) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Jinja-no-sawa route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-jinja-no-sawa-route) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Makkimo route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-backcountry-skiing-makkimo-route) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Kimobetsu route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-kimobetsu-route) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Kyogoku route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-kyogoku-route) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Hirafu route](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-hirafu-route-ski-touring) - [Hokkaido Wilds: 148 Gully](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/yotei-zan-148-gully) - [Hokkaido Wilds: A Mount Yotei south side success](https://hokkaidowilds.org/a-mount-yotei-south-side-success) - [Hokkaido Police SAR record 2023-8-1 (via Hokkaido Wilds)](https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2023-8-1) - [Hokkaido Police SAR record 2024-39-3 (via Hokkaido Wilds)](https://hokkaidowilds.org/search-and-rescue-event/2024-39-3) - [1News: Two New Zealand skiers killed in avalanche](https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/12/two-new-zealand-skiers-killed-in-avalanche-at-japan-hotspot/) - [Hokkaido Shimbun video report, March 2024](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/movies/detail/6348662586112/) - [Japan Avalanche Network: Niseko and Yotei](https://data.nadare.jp/avalanche_areas/niseko/latest) - [Hokkaido Backcountry Club: Yotei summit tours](https://www.hokkaidobackcountryclub.com/en/guided-tours/yotei-summit-tours/) - [Compass climbing plans](https://www.mt-compass.com/) Q: How long does it take to ski Mt Yotei? A: A treeline tour on Mt Yotei's Makkari route takes about 5 hours for 9.5 km and 1,000 m of climbing to a turnaround near 1,300 m, by Hokkaido Wilds' published figures. A summit round trip takes about 8 hours, and skiing into the crater adds about 30 minutes. Q: When is the best time to ski the summit of Mt Yotei? A: Mid-March to early May is the best window for the Mt Yotei summit, when guides favour the long days and more settled snow. Expect rime and ice above about 1,300 m and carry boot crampons and ski crampons. Q: Is Mt Yotei avalanche controlled or patrolled? A: Mt Yotei has no avalanche control, no marked winter routes and no patrol on any side. Avalanches killed a skier on the Hirafu route in January 2023 and two New Zealanders on a north-facing slope near 700 m on the Kutchan side in March 2024. Q: Can you reach the Mt Yotei Makkari route by bus? A: The Mt Yotei Makkari route is reachable on the Donan bus from JR Kutchan to the Yotei Shizen Koen Iriguchi stop, about 15 minutes' walk from the car park. Hokkaido Wilds gave the ride as about 30 minutes and ¥670 in December 2019, with buses about every two hours. ### Can you ride Hokkaido without a car? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car Updated: 2026-10-08 Most of Hokkaido's big resorts run winter buses, and two of them sit on a railway line. Here's how each one works without a rental car, from the train to the last bus. You can ride Hokkaido without a car, and [Hoshino Resorts Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) makes it easiest, because limited express trains stop at its own station and a free shuttle meets every one. Sapporo's city hills come next, and [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) is 11 to 18 minutes from Sapporo Station by JR plus a short bus. Book ahead, because several airport and ski buses run only when reserved days in advance, and a few mountains need a car or an operator's transfer. We compared the bases and resorts in our guide on how you get there from New Chitose Airport or Sapporo by public transport, the journey time and fare, what to book and how you cover the last stretch from station or stop to the lift. Every route below comes from the access details each resort publishes. | Resort or base | How you get there | Time and fare | Last mile | Book ahead? | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tomamu | Limited express to JR Tomamu | About 1 hr 40 min from Sapporo, ¥5,880 | Free shuttle meets every limited express | Reserved seats on the train | No town at the bottom | | Sapporo Teine | JR to Teine Station and a JR Hokkaido Bus | 11–18 min and ¥360 by train; ¥1,000 bus | Bus to Olympia or Highland | No | Bus stops in late March | | Sapporo Bankei | Tozai subway to Maruyama-Koen and the Bankei Bus | 13-min bus | Bus to the base | No | Small hill, 283 m vertical | | Sapporo Kokusai | Ski bus from Sapporo Station | 1 hr 37 min, ¥1,800 (2025/26) | Bus to the base | Yes | Longest city-hill ride | | Niseko (Grand Hirafu) | Resort Liner from the airport, or JR to Kutchan | 3.5 hr, ¥6,000; or 3–3.5 hr, ¥2,880 | 15–20 min by bus or taxi from Kutchan | Bus yes | Long transfer from the airport | | Rusutsu | BIGRUNS bus from the airport | About 2 hr, ¥5,000–5,500 (2025/26) | Bus to the hotels | Yes, 7 days for the lower fare | No railway at all | | Furano | JR via Sapporo and Takikawa, or bus from Asahikawa Airport | About 1 hr by bus from Asahikawa Airport | Taxi about ¥1,600 from town to the ropeway | Not stated | Ropeway base sits 7 km from town | | Kamui Ski Links | JR to Asahikawa and Dohoku Bus 455 | About 40 min, ¥1,000 | Bus to the base | No | You base in Asahikawa first | | Sahoro | Limited express to JR Shintoku | About 1 hr 58 min from Sapporo, ¥6,690 | Hotel shuttle for guests only | Shuttle by 17:00 the day before | Day visitors pay about ¥4,800 for a taxi | #### Which resort is easiest without a car? Tomamu is the easiest, because the train does almost all the work. Limited Express Tokachi and Ozora trains run from Sapporo to JR Tomamu in about 1 hour 40 minutes for ¥5,880, and from New Chitose you change at Minami-Chitose. [A free shuttle meets every limited express](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/access/) for the five-minute run to The Tower or RISONARE. Everything after that happens inside the resort. It suits families and anyone arriving with a lot of luggage. Every seat on those trains is reserved, so book them when you book the room. The Hoshino bus liners from New Chitose, Sapporo, Furano and Asahikawa run only when booked at least nine days ahead. Our [Tomamu page](/resorts/tomamu) has the lift and powder-zone details. #### Can you ride from a Sapporo hotel? You can reach all five ski areas inside Sapporo city by rail and bus. [JR to Teine Station](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access) takes 11 to 18 minutes for ¥360, and JR Hokkaido Bus runs from stop 3 at the south exit to Olympia in about 16 minutes and Highland in 27 for a flat ¥1,000. [Bankei](/resorts/sapporo-bankei) is a 13-minute bus ride from Maruyama-Koen station on the Tozai line, and a taxi from Sapporo Station costs about ¥3,000. [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) runs a reservation-only ski bus from Sapporo Station's north exit that took 1 hour 37 minutes and cost ¥1,800 one way in 2025/26. The Teine bus ends in late March, and a free shuttle from JR Teine Station takes over for spring. [Moiwayama](/resorts/sapporo-moiwayama) and [Fu's](/resorts/fus-snow-area) both start from Makomanai subway station. Our [Sapporo city hills guide](/journal/sapporo-city-hills) compares them all and lists the night-riding hours. #### Does Niseko work without a car? Niseko works once you're there, and the airport run is the long part. The Hokkaido Resort Liner reaches the Hirafu Welcome Center in about three and a half hours for ¥6,000 one way (2025/26), and JR via Sapporo and Otaru reaches Kutchan in three to three and a half hours for ¥2,880. From Kutchan Station the bus to Hirafu takes about 20 minutes, and taxis can't be hailed in the street. On the mountain, the [free Niseko United shuttle](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/) links Grand Hirafu with Niseko Village and Annupuri for All Mountain pass holders. A free Hanazono shuttle leaves the Hirafu Welcome Center about every 20 minutes until 19:28, and Hirafu's village shuttle runs three loops every 20 to 30 minutes. [Niseko Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa) is the awkward one. The Resort Liner stops at Hotel Kanronomori about 15 minutes' walk below the lifts, and a car makes life much easier on that side. Our [Niseko base guide](/journal/where-to-stay-in-niseko) covers which shuttle serves which hotel. #### How do you get to Rusutsu? Rusutsu runs on buses, because no railway reaches it. Kamori's [BIGRUNS bus](https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/) from New Chitose took about two hours and cost ¥5,000 booked online at least seven days ahead in 2025/26, or ¥5,500 otherwise. The Rusutsu-Go from Sapporo ran free in 2025/26 with an online booking by 15:00 the day before, and a fare applies from 2026/27. Once you're at the resort, the Westin's monorail reaches the Resort Hotel and West Mountain in about five minutes. Rusutsu village's few restaurants sit a short drive from the hotels, so without a car you eat at the resort. #### Can you reach Furano and the Asahikawa hills by train? You can, and Asahikawa works as a car-free base for central Hokkaido. Limited express trains reach [Asahikawa](/towns/asahikawa) from Sapporo in about 85 minutes, and buses fan out from the station: - [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) is about 40 minutes on Dohoku Bus 455 for ¥1,000, and the same route runs from Asahikawa Airport in about an hour. - The [Asahidake Ropeway](/resorts/asahidake) is about 1 hour 40 minutes on the Ideyu-go bus via the airport, and the bus runs around four times a day. - [Pippu](/resorts/pippu) is a local train from Asahikawa and a free shuttle from Pippu Station. - The [Kurodake Ropeway](/resorts/kurodake) in Sounkyo is about 110 minutes by Dohoku Bus from Asahikawa, and the bus terminal is five minutes' walk below the ropeway. - [Nayoro Piyashiri](/resorts/nayoro-piyashiri) is about an hour north by JR, and the Meishi Bus covers the last 25 to 40 minutes. [Furano](/resorts/furano) has its own station on JR lines from Sapporo through Takikawa and from Asahikawa, and Asahikawa Airport is about an hour away by bus. Stay in Kitanomine if you want to walk to a lift. The ropeway base sits about 7 km from Furano town, and a taxi between them costs around ¥1,600. #### Which mountains are hard without a car? [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) is easy for hotel guests and awkward for day visitors. JR Shintoku is about 1 hour 58 minutes from Sapporo by limited express for ¥6,690, and the free station shuttle carries only Sahoro Resort Hotel guests who book it by 17:00 the day before. Everyone else should budget about ¥4,800 for a winter taxi. [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) runs winter buses from Sapporo, Otaru, New Chitose Airport and Niseko. No taxis wait at the resort, so book your ride back down, and a cab from Otaru costs from ¥12,000 one way. The cat-skiing operations at [Iwanai](/resorts/iwanai) and [Chisenupuri](/resorts/chisenupuri) sit on no bus route, and both include Niseko pickups in the day price. [Hakodate Nanae](/resorts/hakodate-nanae) ran a free shuttle from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and Onuma-Koen stations in 2025/26. Hokkaido Komagatake went to [volcanic alert level 2](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) on 2 October 2026 with a 4 km warning zone. Hakodate Nanae sits about 10 km away and outside that zone. #### Which base should you pick? Pick the base by how many mountains you want to ride. Sapporo gives you five city hills plus Kiroro and Niseko by bus, and it suits mixed groups where not everyone rides every day. For a week on Niseko United's shuttles, sleep in Kutchan or Hirafu. Tomamu works for a single-resort week. Riders who want a different central-Hokkaido hill each day should take a room near Asahikawa Station and use the bus network. #### How we compared We compiled every route from the access fields in the Ride Hokkaido fact sheet. Those come from each resort's own access and bus pages, checked in October 2026. Fares and times are for 2025/26 unless we name 2026/27, and bus timetables change each winter, so confirm them when you book. The method is desk research, and nobody rode these routes for this page. #### Sources - [Tomamu access](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/access/) - [Tomamu bus liner 2026/27](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/bus_26w/index_en.html) - [Sapporo Teine access](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access) - [Sapporo Bankei access](https://www.bankei.co.jp/access/) - [Sapporo Kokusai access](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/access/) - [Hokkaido Chuo Bus: Kokusai ski bus](https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/course/12403) - [Niseko United access](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/) - [Grand Hirafu access](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/green/access/) - [Niseko Moiwa](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/) - [Rusutsu airport bus](https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/) - [Rusutsu Sapporo bus](https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-sapporo/) - [Kamui Ski Links](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/) - [Asahidake Ropeway](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) - [Kurodake Ropeway](https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/) - [Nayoro Piyashiri](https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/) - [Furano Ski Resort](https://www.princehotels.com/en/ski/furano/) - [Sahoro access](https://sahoro-resort.com/access) - [Kiroro winter access](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/access-winter/) - [Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) Q: Which Hokkaido ski resort is easiest to reach without a car? A: Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is the easiest Hokkaido ski resort to reach without a car. Limited express trains from Sapporo reach JR Tomamu in about 1 hour 40 minutes for ¥5,880, and a free shuttle meets every limited express for the 5-minute ride to the hotels. Q: Can you get to Niseko by train? A: You can reach Niseko by train. JR from New Chitose Airport through Sapporo and Otaru reaches Kutchan in about 3 to 3.5 hours for ¥2,880, and a bus or taxi covers the last 15 to 20 minutes to Grand Hirafu. The Hokkaido Resort Liner bus runs direct from the airport in about 3.5 hours for ¥6,000. Q: How do you get to Rusutsu without a car? A: Rusutsu Resort is reached by bus, because no railway serves it. Kamori's BIGRUNS bus from New Chitose Airport takes about 2 hours and cost ¥5,000 booked online at least seven days ahead in 2025/26, or ¥5,500 otherwise. Q: Which Sapporo ski hills can you reach by public transport? A: All five ski areas inside Sapporo city can be reached by public transport. Sapporo Teine is 11 to 18 minutes by JR to Teine Station plus a ¥1,000 bus, and Sapporo Bankei is a 13-minute bus from Maruyama-Koen subway station. Sapporo Kokusai runs a reservation-only ski bus that took 1 hour 37 minutes for ¥1,800 in 2025/26. Q: Do Hokkaido ski buses need to be booked in advance? A: Many Hokkaido ski buses need advance booking. The Hoshino Resorts Tomamu Bus Liner runs only when booked at least nine days ahead, and Kamori asks for ten days on its Big Runs bus to Sapporo Teine. The Sahoro airport bus also needs ten days. ### Should you ride Niseko or Furano? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/niseko-vs-furano Updated: 2026-10-08 Furano trades Niseko's bigger snow totals and village for colder snow and a cheaper ticket. A volcano alert has also closed its best touring this winter. Furano Ski Resort suits riders who want cold, dry inland snow and short lift lines, and its ¥8,000 day ticket (2025/26) costs a third less than Niseko's four-resort pass. Niseko United gives you more snow by published count, four resorts on one pass, gates onto the Niseko range and the liveliest après in our ratings. Furano's backcountry draw is on hold this winter, because [Tokachidake has sat at volcanic alert level 3](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) since 12 September 2026 and Kamifurano has banned climbing from the Tokachidake Onsen and Fukiage trailheads. We compared Furano's two linked zones with the four Niseko United resorts on snow, terrain, sidecountry rules, tickets, crowds, season, travel and beds. The [Furano resort page](/resorts/furano) and the [Grand Hirafu page](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) carry the full fact sheets. | | Niseko United | Furano Ski Resort | |---|---|---| | Suits | Groups who want a village and four resorts on one pass | Riders after cold snow and quiet lifts | | Snowfall | About 13.4 m in 2025/26 (Niseko United recap) | Not published by the resort | | Vertical (published) | 940 m at Grand Hirafu | 839 m | | Marked piste (our measurement) | About 67 km across four resorts | About 31 km across two zones | | Main aspect (our measurement) | East and southeast at Hirafu, northeast at Hanazono | East (77% of named-run length) | | Adult day ticket, 2025/26 | All Mountain ¥12,000 (¥11,400 online) | ¥8,000 regular season | | What the ticket covers | Four resorts and the free United shuttle | Furano and Kitanomine zones; children of primary-school age ride free | | Passes | Ikon, Mountain Collective | Ikon, Hokkaido Powder Belt | | Night riding | All four resorts, mid-December to late March | Weekdays to 18:00, weekends to 19:30; night ticket ¥2,900–3,600 | | Leaving the boundary | Numbered gates; helmet and transceiver required | Five access points; climbing-plan form every time | | 2025/26 season | Hirafu and Annupuri to 6 May | Furano Zone to 6 May; Kitanomine to 22 March | | Crowd rating (out of 5, 5 = quiet) | Hirafu 1, Annupuri 4 | 4 | | Main drawback | Crowds and Niseko prices at Hirafu | Tokachidake touring closed under the 2026 alert | #### Which gets better snow? Niseko gets more snow by published count. Niseko United's [2025/26 season recap](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/?p=9029) adds up to about 13.4 metres, and January alone brought 6.2 metres. Down in the valley, [Kutchan town](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/profile/gaiyou/) averages 12.6 metres a season. That's about two and a half times Sapporo's total. Furano's snow lands colder and drier, though Prince Hotels publishes no snowfall average for it. Guidebook estimates we found run from about 7.5 to 9 metres with no method given ([Powderhounds](https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Furano/Ski-Resort.aspx) quotes 8 to 9), so we don't set them against Niseko's count. Furano sits in the middle of Hokkaido far from either coast, so the storms that reach it have dropped most of their moisture on the way. Mornings below minus 20 are common in a cold snap. Locals call the snow fuwa-fuwa yuki, and the phrase means fluffy snow. #### Which mountain rides better for strong riders? Niseko rides bigger by every measure we have. Our OpenStreetMap measurement counts about 67 km of marked piste across Niseko United and about 31 km at Furano, and Grand Hirafu publishes 940 m of vertical against Furano's 839 m. Furano's best runs come off the ropeway and the Kitanomine Gondola. A3 drops 1,770 m down the far side of the Furano Zone with pitches to 30 degrees and holds soft bumps for hours after a storm. K2 on Kitanomine is a short ungroomed bowl that tips to 34. The Premium Zone gives 830 m of ungroomed fall line when patrol opens it, and the resort's course page listed it closed in October 2026 after a crack opened in the slope. By our measurements 77 percent of Furano's named-run length faces east and 19 percent faces north. At Niseko, G3 sits at 1,180 m above Grand Hirafu, and the 1,308 m summit of Niseko Annupuri is a 20 to 50 minute bootpack above it. Hanazono's G5 drops into lower Fujiwara-no-sawa and comes out at the bottom of the same chair. #### How do the backcountry rules differ? Furano makes you hand in a climbing-plan form for every exit, and Niseko lets you through an open gate on the strength of your kit. Under the [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) you leave through an open gate wearing a helmet and carrying an avalanche transceiver. Check the [Niseko Avalanche Information](https://niseko.nadare.info/) report each morning. Furano kept its boundary shut for years. It now prints five designated access points on its map. Each time you go out you hand the resort's climbing-plan form to the nearest patrol hut and then unclip and walk through, so nobody follows your track. The [Hokkaido Shimbun reported](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/) that the number of people needing help in the forest beside the resort jumped from 3 to 23 in fiscal 2024, and the resort closed some exits for 2025/26. Patrol can hold your ticket if you skip a step, and a rescue outside the boundary is billed to you in full. The volcano alert closes Furano's best-known touring this winter. [Tokachidake](/backcountry/tokachidake) and the trailheads for [Furano-dake](/backcountry/furanodake) sit inside the closure Kamifurano declared after the level 3 alert, so this season a Furano trip means resort riding and the access points unless you travel to tour somewhere else. The [Asahidake Ropeway](/resorts/asahidake) isn't covered by the alert. #### How do tickets and passes compare? Furano costs about a third less for a day. Its [2025/26 regular-season ticket](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/winter/) was ¥8,000, and Seibu Prince Global Rewards members paid ¥6,600. Early-season and spring days cost ¥6,500. Children of primary-school age and younger ride free with a ticket from the counter. Night tickets cost ¥2,900 on weekdays and ¥3,600 at weekends. The Niseko United All Mountain day was [¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/) in 2025/26, and a 2026/27 peak tier lifts it to ¥13,500 from 24 December to 28 February. Ikon covers both destinations. The [Hokkaido Powder Belt](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) pass covers Furano with Tomamu and Kamui Ski Links for ¥40,000 over five days in 2026/27. #### Which is quieter? Furano is quieter. Our crowd rating gives it 4 out of 5 (5 means empty lifts), and it gives Grand Hirafu 1 and Hanazono 2. Annupuri scores 4 and makes the calm corner of Niseko if you want both. #### Which is easier to reach? Both are about two hours' drive from New Chitose Airport, and Furano adds a second airport. Asahikawa Airport is about an hour from Furano by bus. JR runs to Furano through Sapporo and Takikawa, and highway buses reach Furano from Sapporo in about two and a half hours. Niseko is the easier run without a car. The Hokkaido Resort Liner reaches the Hirafu Welcome Center in about three and a half hours for ¥6,000, and JR trains reach Kutchan in 3 to 3.5 hours for ¥2,880. In Furano the ropeway base sits about 7 km from town, and a taxi between them costs around ¥1,600. Our guide to [riding Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car) lays out every connection. #### Where should you stay in each? In Furano, stay at the ropeway base or in Kitanomine. The [New Furano Prince Hotel](/stays/shin-furano-prince-hotel) is ski-in and ski-out at the Furano Zone and has its own onsen. The Ningle Terrace craft cabins sit in the forest behind it. [Pension Lavender](/stays/pension-lavender) is a family-run pension two minutes' walk from the Kitanomine lifts, and [Furano Natulux Hotel](/stays/furano-natulux-hotel) sits a minute from JR Furano Station for anyone travelling by train. In [Furano town](/towns/furano), order the omu-curry. The kitchen lays an omelette over curry rice and plants a little flag on top. Niseko has every kind of bed from capsules to private villas, and Hirafu is the base for walking to dinner. Our [Niseko base guide](/journal/where-to-stay-in-niseko) compares Hirafu, Hanazono, the Village, Annupuri, Moiwa and Kutchan with named stays. #### When does each season run? Both stretch into May on part of the mountain. In 2025/26 Grand Hirafu and Annupuri ran to 6 May and Hanazono to 12 April. Furano's ropeway side opened on 29 November 2025 and ran to 6 May 2026, and Kitanomine ran from late December to 22 March. Prince Hotels has set 28 November for Furano's 2026/27 opening. #### How we compared In October 2026 we read the resorts' ticket, course and sidecountry pages, Niseko United's season recap, Kutchan town's profile, the Japan Meteorological Agency's volcano page and guide sources. Prices are adult day tickets for 2025/26 unless we name a later season. Figures marked as our measurements come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 m, and a run's aspect is the direction its longest section faces. Crowd ratings are Ride Hokkaido's editorial scores. The method is desk research plus computed terrain data, without a visit for this page. #### Sources - [Niseko United 2025/26 season recap](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/?p=9029) - [Niseko United lift tickets](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/) - [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) - [Niseko Avalanche Information](https://niseko.nadare.info/) - [Kutchan town profile](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/profile/gaiyou/) - [Furano Ski Resort winter page](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/winter/) - [Furano course map](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/ski/furano/winter/coursemap/) - [Hokkaido Shimbun on Furano's access rules](https://www.hokkaido-np.co.jp/article/1258035/) - [Hokkaido Powder Belt](https://hokkaido-powder-belt.jp/) - [Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) - [Kamifurano town notice on Tokachidake](https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/34599/) - [Powderhounds: Furano](https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Furano/Ski-Resort.aspx) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: Does Niseko or Furano get more snow? A: Niseko gets more snow by published count. Niseko United's 2025/26 season recap adds up to about 13.4 metres, and Kutchan town averages 12.6 metres a season. Furano Ski Resort publishes no annual snowfall figure. Q: How much is a Furano lift ticket compared with Niseko? A: A 2025/26 regular-season adult day at Furano Ski Resort cost ¥8,000, and Seibu Prince Global Rewards members paid ¥6,600. The Niseko United All Mountain day ticket cost ¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online that season. Q: Does the Ikon Pass cover both Niseko and Furano? A: The Ikon Pass covers both. It includes Furano Ski Resort and all four Niseko United resorts: Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and Annupuri. Q: Can you ride off-piste at Furano? A: Furano allows riding beyond its boundary only through five designated access points. Each outing needs the resort's climbing-plan form handed to the nearest patrol hut first, and a rescue outside the ski area is billed in full to the person rescued. Q: Is Tokachidake open for ski touring in winter 2026/27? A: Tokachidake has been at volcanic alert level 3 since 12 September 2026, and touring from Kamifurano is closed until the level drops. Kamifurano town has banned climbing from the Tokachidake Onsen and Fukiage trailheads, and Fukiage Roten-no-yu and Hakuginso are shut. ### Should you ride Niseko or Rusutsu? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/niseko-vs-rusutsu Updated: 2026-10-08 Mt Yotei stands between them, and the road around it takes half an hour. We set the trees, tickets, gates and buses side by side so you can pick one for the week. Choose Rusutsu Resort for a trip built around tree riding, because it lets you into the forest anywhere inside its boundary and 64 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurements. Niseko United fits a group that wants four resorts on one ticket and a village with bars and late restaurants at the bottom of them, and its gates onto Niseko Annupuri give it the better backcountry. Rusutsu only holds up on price if you buy online or arrive with an Epic Pass, since its 2025/26 window day ticket cost [¥16,200](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/) and the online price was ¥12,000. We compared [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) with the four Niseko United resorts ([Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu), [Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono), [Niseko Village](/resorts/niseko-village) and [Annupuri](/resorts/niseko-annupuri)) on trees and terrain, tickets and what they cover, night riding, backcountry rules, crowds, transport and beds. [Niseko Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa) sells its own ticket, so it comes up only where it changes the answer. | | Niseko United | Rusutsu Resort | |---|---|---| | Suits | Groups who want a village with nightlife and gate access | Tree riders, and families happy to stay at the resort | | Size (published) | 4 linked resorts, 28 lifts | 3 mountains, 37 runs, 18 lifts | | Top and vertical (published) | 1,200 m at Grand Hirafu, 940 m vertical | 994 m on Mt Isola, 594 m vertical | | Marked piste (our measurement) | About 67 km | About 37 km | | North-facing share of named runs (our measurement) | Hirafu 5%, Hanazono 78%, Village 1%, Annupuri 0% | 64% | | Tree rules | Glades inside the boundary; backcountry through gates only | Trees open anywhere inside the boundary; no gates | | Adult day ticket, 2025/26 | All Mountain ¥12,000 (¥11,400 online) | ¥16,200 window, ¥12,000 online | | What the ticket covers | All four resorts and the free United shuttle | All three mountains; night riding costs ¥3,800 extra | | Season passes accepted | Ikon, Mountain Collective | Epic (5 consecutive days) | | Night riding | All four resorts; 16:00–19:00 at Hirafu | West Mountain, 16:00–20:00 | | From New Chitose by bus | About 3.5 hr on the Resort Liner, ¥6,000 | About 2 hr on BIGRUNS, ¥5,000–5,500 | | Main drawback | Hirafu draws the biggest crowds in our ratings | Little village life, and the highest walk-up ticket among the resorts we cover | #### Which resort has the better tree riding? Rusutsu has the better tree riding, and its rules explain most of it. The resort [permits tree riding](https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/) anywhere inside the yellow-dotted boundary on its map and leaves a long list of official runs ungroomed. OpenStreetMap tags 11 Rusutsu runs as gladed, and the four United resorts carry eight between them. After a storm, Heavenly Canyon follows a wind-loaded creek line off the back of Mt Isola, and locals head for the trees between East Vivaldi and East Tignes. By our measurements 64 percent of Rusutsu's named-run length faces somewhere between northwest and northeast, and those slopes keep cold snow longest once the sun returns. Grand Hirafu looks east toward Yotei with only 5 percent of its named runs facing north. Hanazono reaches 78 percent, and its trees beside Hana 1 and the gondola pull in a good share of Niseko on storm days. Inside Niseko United, the longest linked glades we found sit below the Niseko Gondola at Niseko Village. Superstition links through Jagaimo into Misoshiru there for about two kilometres of ungroomed snow. Hanazono's Strawberry Fields is missing from the official map, so ask patrol each morning whether it's open. Our [tree riding roundup](/journal/best-tree-riding-hokkaido) ranks all of them. #### Which has more terrain and steeper pitches? Niseko United has more terrain and more vertical. Our OpenStreetMap measurement counts about 67 km of marked piste across the four United resorts and about 37 km at Rusutsu. Grand Hirafu publishes 940 m of vertical from its 260 m base to the top of King Single #4, and Rusutsu publishes 594 m on Mt Isola. Rusutsu holds the steeper single pitch. Super East measures 36.4 degrees over its hardest 60 m in our data, though the resort quotes 40. The steepest named run we measured anywhere in Niseko United is Blueberry Fields at Hanazono at 33.4 degrees. Niseko also reaches higher. On a clear morning after snow, King #3 and King #4 carry you to the G3 gate at 1,180 m, and the 1,308 m summit of Niseko Annupuri is 20 to 50 minutes of bootpacking above it. Rusutsu tops out at 994 m with nothing lift-served higher. #### How do lift tickets and passes compare? Niseko costs less at the window, and online the two sit ¥600 apart. For 2025/26 the Niseko United All Mountain day ticket cost [¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/), and it covered all four resorts and the free United shuttle between them. Riders who stay on one side pay less again. The [Grand Hirafu and Hanazono ticket](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/) was ¥11,000, and Annupuri sold the cheapest single-resort day in United at ¥7,000. Rusutsu's day ticket covers its three mountains. In 2025/26 it was ¥16,200 at the window and ¥12,000 online, and night riding on West Mountain needed its own ¥3,800 ticket. For 2026/27 Rusutsu lists ¥16,700 at the window and ¥13,200 online. Niseko United brings in a peak tier from 24 December to 28 February that lifts the All Mountain day to ¥13,500. Ikon and Mountain Collective both cover the four United resorts. The [Epic Pass gives five consecutive days](https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/) at Rusutsu with no blackouts, and you redeem it at a ticket window because the My Epic phone pass won't scan at the lifts. #### Where do you go when you want backcountry? Go to Niseko, because its gates give lift-served access under one published set of rules. The [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) let you leave the ski area only through an open gate with a helmet and an avalanche transceiver, and search and rescue is billed from ¥100,000. The gates are numbered across the mountain: G3 and G4 at the Hirafu peak, G5 and G9 at Hanazono, G11 into Mizuno-no-sawa from the Village, and G1, G2, G7 and G8 at Annupuri. Read the [Niseko Avalanche Information](https://niseko.nadare.info/) report before you ride. It's written from 6:00 observations, and the gate boards at the lift bases have the final word. Rusutsu runs no gate system. Its boundary marks the end of patrolled terrain, and the south face of [Shiribetsu-dake](/backcountry/shiribetsu-dake) starts from the resort car park. [Hokkaido Wilds](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face) rates its slopes the most hazardous in the greater Niseko area, so book a guide for it. #### Which is busier? Grand Hirafu is the busiest base in this comparison, and Rusutsu draws more people than its farm-village setting suggests. Our crowd rating gives Hirafu 1 out of 5 and Rusutsu 3. King Single #4 is the only lift to Hirafu's peak gates, so on a clear morning after snow a big part of the village queues for the same chair. Niseko Village's gondola line reaches about 20 minutes between Christmas and late January and again around Chinese New Year. At Rusutsu the queues form at Mt Isola. The resort's own advice is to ride Furikozawa to the Isola base early and join the gondola line before mid-morning. On selected days a Mt Isola First Track ticket loads the gondola at 8:45 for 60 riders. #### How do you get there without a car? Rusutsu is the quicker bus ride from New Chitose Airport. Kamori's [BIGRUNS bus](https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/) takes about two hours and costs ¥5,000 booked online at least seven days ahead, or ¥5,500 otherwise. The Hokkaido Resort Liner reaches the Hirafu Welcome Center in about three and a half hours for ¥6,000 (2025/26). JR trains through Sapporo and Otaru get you to Kutchan in 3 to 3.5 hours for ¥2,880. No railway reaches Rusutsu. Inside Niseko, the free United shuttle links Hirafu with the Village and Annupuri for All Mountain holders, and the Hanazono shuttle leaves the Welcome Center about every 20 minutes. The full picture for each base is in [Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car). #### Can you ride both on one trip? You can, because the two sit close enough for a day trip. The drive takes about 30 minutes from Niseko or 35 from Kutchan, and a taxi from Kutchan Station runs about ¥12,300. In January and February 2026 a [Rusutsu Powder Day Trip bus](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus) left the Hirafu Welcome Center at 8:30, reached East Mountain at 9:15 and cost ¥9,000 return. Ikon holders who want the Rusutsu trees should buy that day online. #### Where should you sleep? At Rusutsu you sleep at the resort or close to it. [The Westin Rusutsu Resort](/stays/the-westin-rusutsu-resort) gives every room two levels and runs its own Tower Pair lift onto East Mountain. The [Rusutsu Resort Hotel & Convention](/stays/rusutsu-resort-hotel-and-convention) stands at the foot of West Mountain, and its sixth-floor outdoor bath is 20 metres wide. [Pension Clydesdale](/stays/rusutsu-pension-clydesdale) cooks Italian dinners with Rusutsu pork a kilometre past the resort. [Rusutsu village](/towns/rusutsu-village) has about 2,000 residents and little nightlife. Mokumoku-ya in Izumikawa grills thick-cut lamb a short drive from the hotels and takes cash only. Niseko gives you far more choice. Hirafu puts you within walking distance of the lifts and most of the bars, and [Kutchan](/towns/kutchan) trades a 20-minute bus ride for supermarket prices. Our [Niseko base guide](/journal/where-to-stay-in-niseko) compares every option with named stays. #### How we compared In October 2026 we checked each resort's ticket, trail-map, access and rules pages along with the Niseko United and Niseko avalanche sites and guide sources. Prices are adult day tickets for 2025/26 unless we name a later season. Figures marked as our measurements come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 m. The steepest pitch is the hardest 60 m of a run, and the aspect is the direction a run's longest section faces. Ratings out of 5 for crowds and trees are Ride Hokkaido's editorial scores from that research. The method is desk research plus computed terrain data, and nobody rode these runs for this page. #### Sources - [Rusutsu Resort lift tickets](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/) - [Rusutsu trail map](https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/) - [Rusutsu Epic Pass page](https://rusutsu.com/en/epic-pass/) - [Rusutsu airport bus](https://rusutsu.com/en/access-shuttle-bus-new-chitose-airport/) - [Niseko United lift tickets](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/lift/) - [Niseko Rules](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko-rules/) - [Niseko United night riding at all four resorts](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/night-skiing-at-all-4-resorts-of-niseko-united/) - [Niseko United access](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/) - [Grand Hirafu tickets](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/tickets/) - [Niseko Avalanche Information](https://niseko.nadare.info/) - [Hanazono winter bus guide](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/blog/winter-ski-bus) - [Hokkaido Wilds: Shiribetsu-dake south face](https://hokkaidowilds.org/ski-touring/shiribetsu-dake-south-face) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: Is Rusutsu better than Niseko for tree riding? A: Rusutsu is better than Niseko for tree riding by our comparison. Rusutsu Resort permits riding in the forest anywhere inside its ski-area boundary, and 64 percent of its named-run length faces north by our OpenStreetMap measurement, against 5 percent at Grand Hirafu. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Rusutsu compared with Niseko? A: A 2025/26 adult day ticket at Rusutsu cost ¥16,200 at the window or ¥12,000 online. The Niseko United All Mountain day ticket covers four resorts and cost ¥12,000 at the counter or ¥11,400 online that season. Q: How far is Rusutsu from Niseko? A: Rusutsu is about 30 minutes by car from Niseko and 35 minutes from Kutchan. In January and February 2026 a Powder Day Trip bus left the Hirafu Welcome Center at 8:30 and reached Rusutsu at 9:15 for ¥9,000 return. Q: Does the Epic Pass work at Rusutsu? A: The Epic Pass gives five consecutive days at Rusutsu with no blackout dates, and so do Epic Local and Epic Australia. Holders redeem the days at a Rusutsu ticket window, because the My Epic phone pass does not scan at the lifts. Q: Does Rusutsu have backcountry gates like Niseko? A: Rusutsu has no backcountry gate system. Riders may use the trees inside its yellow-dotted boundary, and the terrain beyond it is unpatrolled. Niseko United opens its backcountry through numbered gates, and the Niseko Rules require a helmet and an avalanche transceiver beyond them. ### Where should you stay in Niseko? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/where-to-stay-in-niseko Updated: 2026-10-08 Six bases sit around the same mountain, and each one changes what your evenings look like. Here's who each base suits and how you get between them. Hirafu is the base for most first trips to Niseko, because you can walk to the [Grand Hirafu](/resorts/niseko-grand-hirafu) lifts and to most of the valley's restaurants and bars. Families who want a ski-in hotel and a calmer evening do better at Hanazono or Niseko Village, and riders who'd swap nightlife for onsen and short lift lines should look at Annupuri or Moiwa. Book dinner tables in Hirafu weeks ahead for peak season, and plan on a shuttle or a taxi for evenings out from anywhere else. We compared six bases on lift access, night riding, evenings, transport and the stays in our guide, and we list a rate wherever the property published one. [Kutchan](/towns/kutchan) is the budget option on the valley floor. | Base | Suits | Lift access | Night riding at the door | Evenings | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Hirafu | First trips and nightlife | Walk or village shuttle to the Ace and King gondolas | Grand Hirafu, 16:00–19:00 | Most bars and restaurants in Niseko | Peak prices and the busiest lifts | | Hanazono | Families, ski-in luxury | Ski-in at the Hanazono 308 base | Symphony Gondola, 16:00–19:00 | Hotel restaurants | Hirafu is 15–20 minutes away | | Niseko Village | Families, hotel stays | Ski-in at the Niseko Gondola | Village Express and Banzai, to 19:00 | Hotel bars and Niseko-Yo | Quiet nights unless you shuttle out | | Annupuri | Onsen lovers, value | Ski-in or a 3-minute shuttle | Annupuri, 16:30–19:30 | Hotel dining and onsen | Fewest restaurants of the United bases | | Moiwa | Powder riders, budget capsules | Walk across to the Moiwa base | None | Lodge restaurant and Konbu Onsen hotels | Moiwa runs on its own ticket | | Kutchan | Budgets, long stays | About 20 minutes by bus | None | Local izakaya and ramen counters | A daily commute to the lifts | | Stay | Base | Type | Onsen | Published rate | |---|---|---|---|---| | [Skye Niseko](/stays/skye-niseko) | Hirafu | Luxury hotel, ski-in | Indoor and outdoor | Studio about ¥104,000 (January 2024) | | [The Vale Niseko](/stays/the-vale-niseko) | Hirafu | Hotel, ski-in | Shared and balcony tubs | Deluxe with breakfast about ¥84,000 (January 2024) | | [Always Niseko](/stays/always-niseko) | Below Hirafu | Apart-hotel | None | About ¥34,000 with breakfast (January 2024) | | [Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono](/stays/park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono) | Hanazono | Luxury hotel, ski-in | Shared and in suites | Mountain-view king about ¥215,600 (January 2024) | | [Zaborin](/stays/zaborin) | Hanazono forest | Ryokan villas | Private in every villa | About ¥236,000 with dinner (January 2024) | | [The Green Leaf Niseko Village](/stays/the-green-leaf-niseko-village) | Niseko Village | Hotel, ski-in | Indoor and rotenburo | Deluxe about ¥63,000 (January 2024) | | [Freeride Lodge Niseko](/stays/freeride-lodge-niseko) | Niseko Village | Hostel | None | Dorm about ¥7,000, twin about ¥23,000 (January 2024) | | [Yugokorotei](/stays/yugokorotei) | Annupuri | Onsen inn | Source-fed, outdoor bath open all night | Not published | | [Lodge Moiwa 834](/stays/lodge-moiwa-834) | Moiwa | Capsule lodge | None | Not published | | [Hotel Three M](/stays/hotel-three-m) | Kutchan | Business hotel | None | Twin from ¥16,500, single from ¥9,500 | #### Why do most visitors start in Hirafu? Hirafu puts the lifts and the restaurants inside one walkable village. Two gondolas pull out of the village at 8:30, and Grand Hirafu's lower mountain stays [lit from 16:00 to 19:00](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/) from mid-December to late March. The day ticket carries straight into the night session. [Hirafu village](/towns/hirafu) holds Bang Bang's yakitori and Tsubara Tsubara's soup curry. Niseko Curry Koya has served lunch from ten seats since 1988, and Bar Gyu+ hides behind an old vending-machine door. Ski-in stays sit at the top of the village. [Skye Niseko](/stays/skye-niseko) lets you slide from its valet doors to the King Gondola, and [Ki Niseko](/stays/ki-niseko) stands about ten metres from it with an onsen that opens at 4 a.m. Families do well at [The Vale](/stays/the-vale-niseko) and [AYA Niseko](/stays/aya-niseko). Both sit on the Ace Family run a minute from the quad. [Setsu Niseko](/stays/setsu-niseko) is a five-to-ten-minute walk from the gondola, and its free shuttle loops every 20 minutes. Walking in for dinner at 19:00 on a Saturday in peak weeks usually ends at a convenience store, and Grand Hirafu scores 1 out of 5 on our crowd rating. #### Who should stay at Hanazono? Hanazono suits families and anyone who wants a ski-in hotel with the lifts outside the door. The [Park Hyatt](/stays/park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono) has a ski valet on the snow and the beginner area spreads out below it, so a family can split after breakfast and meet again at Hanazono 308 for lunch. It also allows guests with tattoos in its onsen. [Nikko Style Niseko HANAZONO](/stays/nikko-style-niseko-hanazono) opened next door in December 2024 with a natural hot spring and a club lounge for less. [Zaborin](/stays/zaborin) sets fifteen ryokan villas in the forest below the resort. Each villa has its own spring-fed baths, and the ryokan holds two Michelin Keys. Every night out means a shuttle or a taxi. The [free Hanazono shuttle](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/access) runs to the Hirafu Welcome Center about every 20 minutes until 19:28, and Hirafu is 15 to 20 minutes away. #### What is Niseko Village like as a base? Niseko Village is a hotel resort on the south side of the mountain, and storm days there mean gladed laps below the Niseko Gondola. The [Hilton Niseko Village](/stays/hilton-niseko-village) stands beside that gondola, and its outdoor onsen sits by a carp pond facing Yotei. [Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve](/stays/higashiyama-niseko-village) keeps 50 rooms about 400 metres from the gondola, and the Niseko Village Kids Club takes children from 18 months to nine years. [The Green Leaf](/stays/the-green-leaf-niseko-village) reopens on 1 December 2026 after a refit, and [Kasara's townhouses](/stays/kasara-niseko-village-townhouse) give a group of six their own front door. Budget riders take [Freeride Lodge](/stays/freeride-lodge-niseko) and walk eight minutes to the Banzai lift. Evenings run to hotel bars and the shops along Niseko-Yo. The gondola queue reaches about 20 minutes between Christmas and late January and around Chinese New Year. #### Who should stay at Annupuri? Annupuri suits riders who want onsen evenings and Niseko United's cheapest single-resort ticket. A 2025/26 day there cost [¥7,000](https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/). [Niseko Northern Resort An'nupuri](/stays/niseko-northern-resort-annupuri) sits on the slopes with 151 rooms and a hot spring with self-pour saunas, and it bars guests with tattoos from its baths. [Yugokorotei](/stays/yugokorotei) is a 17-room inn below the lifts where the spring comes out at 49°C, and overnight guests can use the outdoor bath at any hour. Its free shuttle to Annupuri takes three minutes if you reserve it. Annupuri scores 4 for quiet in our ratings. The drawback is food, because dinner means the hotel restaurant or a drive. #### Is Moiwa a good base? Moiwa is a good base for powder riders who don't need a village. [Lodge Moiwa 834](/stays/lodge-moiwa-834) stands across from the Moiwa lifts with capsules about 1.3 m wide and a restaurant called Raphael. Down the road in the Konbu Onsen cluster, [Hotel Kanronomori](/stays/hotel-kanronomori) welcomes tattooed bathers and has rooms with their own hot spring tubs. [Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho](/stays/tsuruga-besso-moku-no-sho) is a 24-room ryokan whose free ski shuttle loops to Moiwa, Annupuri, the Hilton and the Hirafu Welcome Center if you book it by 20:00 the night before. Moiwa sells its own ticket outside Niseko United, so a week here means paying twice for any day on the big mountain. Kanronomori's ski shuttle was still listed as in preparation for 2026/27, and a car makes life much easier on this side. #### Does staying in Kutchan save money? Kutchan saves money on rooms and food in exchange for a bus ride to the lifts. [Hotel Three M](/stays/hotel-three-m) sits a minute from JR Kutchan Station with official rates from ¥9,500 for a single and ¥16,500 for a twin. MaxValu and Coop cost far less than the Hirafu convenience stores, and the town's restaurants feed people who live here: Kage for yakitori, Eijin for grilled lamb, Nakama for late shio ramen and Yuki Tei for kamaage udon on a cold day. The bus to Hirafu takes about 20 minutes. Taxis can't be hailed on the street, and at peak hours the wait at the station runs 30 to 60 minutes. #### How do you get between the bases? The free [Niseko United shuttle](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/) links Hirafu with Niseko Village and Annupuri for All Mountain pass holders, and it ran from 29 November 2025 to 5 April 2026. Hirafu's village shuttle runs three loops every 20 to 30 minutes. In Niseko town the on-demand Nikotto bus costs ¥200 with a booking, and Kutchan's Jagarin-go loop costs ¥100. Our guide to [Hokkaido without a car](/journal/hokkaido-without-a-car) covers the airport buses. #### How we compared We read the resorts' night-riding and access pages, their ticket prices, the stays' own websites and the Ride Hokkaido town and stay files in October 2026. Rates are the published or listed figures for the date shown. Most date from January 2024, and they move with the season, so use them to judge the gap between stays. Crowd scores out of 5 are our editorial ratings. The method is desk research, and nobody stayed at these properties for this page. #### Sources - [Grand Hirafu snow and night riding](https://en.grand-hirafu.jp/snow/) - [Niseko United access and shuttles](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/niseko/niseko-access/) - [Niseko United night riding at all four resorts](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/news/night-skiing-at-all-4-resorts-of-niseko-united/) - [Hanazono access](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/access) - [Annupuri lift tickets](https://www.annupuri.info/en/lift-tickets/) - [Skye Niseko](https://www.skyeniseko.com/) - [Ki Niseko onsen](https://www.kiniseko.com/onsen) - [The Vale Niseko](https://www.thevaleniseko.com/) - [Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono](https://www.hyatt.com/park-hyatt/en-US/ctsph-park-hyatt-niseko-hanazono) - [Zaborin](https://zaborin.com/en/) - [Niseko Village stays](https://www.niseko-village.com/niseko-village-stay/) - [Niseko Northern Resort hot spring](https://www.niseko-northern.com/hotspring/) - [Yugokorotei](https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/en/) - [Lodge Moiwa 834](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/accommodation/) - [Hotel Kanronomori](https://www.kanronomori.com/) - [Tsuruga Besso Moku no Sho access](https://www.mokunosho.com/access/) - [Hotel Three M](https://hotel3m.com/) - [Kutchan town access](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/tourism/access/) - [Ski Asia: Niseko accommodation rates](https://skiasia.com/guides/niseko-accommodation-every-budget/) Q: What is the best area to stay in Niseko? A: Hirafu is the best area to stay in Niseko for most first trips. Hirafu village sits at the base of Niseko Tokyu Grand Hirafu with most stays a walk or short shuttle from the gondolas. It also has the most restaurants and bars in the valley. Q: Is Hanazono or Hirafu better for families? A: Hanazono suits families who want ski-in hotels and quiet evenings, because the Park Hyatt and Nikko Style stand at the Hanazono base beside the beginner area. Hirafu suits families who want to walk to restaurants, and the Vale and AYA put the Ace Family Quad a minute from the door. Q: How do you get between Niseko's resorts without a car? A: The free Niseko United shuttle links Grand Hirafu with Niseko Village and Annupuri for All Mountain pass holders. A free Hanazono shuttle leaves the Hirafu Welcome Center about every 20 minutes until 19:28, and Hirafu's village shuttle runs three loops every 20 to 30 minutes. Q: Is Kutchan a good base for Niseko? A: Kutchan is a good Niseko base for riders on a budget and for longer stays. Kutchan town is about 20 minutes by bus from Hirafu, and its supermarkets cost far less than Hirafu's convenience stores. Hotel Three M by JR Kutchan Station lists twins from ¥16,500 a night. Q: Which Niseko base is quietest? A: Moiwa and Annupuri are the quietest Niseko bases. Niseko Moiwa rates 5 out of 5 for quiet in our ratings and Annupuri rates 4, against 1 for Grand Hirafu. Both have onsen hotels close to the lifts and few restaurants. ### Which Hokkaido onsen are best after a day on the hill? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/best-onsen-after-riding Updated: 2026-10-08 The bath at the end of the day is half the reason to ride Hokkaido. We matched each hill to the soak worth driving to and put the price and the tattoo rule up front. For strong water straight off the hill, [Yukichichibu](/onsen/yukichichibu) above Annupuri and [Hoheikyo](/onsen/hoheikyo-onsen) below Sapporo Kokusai give you the most for the money, at ¥900 and ¥1,300 for a day bath. If anyone in your group has tattoos, head for [Hotel Kanronomori](/onsen/kanronomori) at Niseko Konbu Onsen, because it welcomes tattooed bathers outright. Five of the eleven baths in this guide publish no tattoo rule at all, so ask at the window before you pay. We compared eleven onsen close to the ski areas in our guide, across Niseko, Sapporo, Furano, Sounkyo, Tomamu and Lake Toya. For each one we checked the day price, the tattoo policy, the hours that matter after last chair, the water and the hill it serves. Our [onsen etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette) covers the bathing routine. | Onsen | Region and nearest hill | Day bath | Tattoo policy | Day-bath hours | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Hotel Kanronomori | Niseko; Moiwa, Annupuri | ¥1,800 | Allowed; cover stickers sold | 11:00–21:00 weekdays, to 19:00 weekends | Day entry stops when the hotel is full | | Niseko Grand Hotel | Niseko; Moiwa, Annupuri | ¥3,000 in winter, towels included | Fashion tattoos allowed, irezumi refused | 11:30–22:00 | Mixed bath drained three mornings a week | | Yukichichibu | Niseko; Annupuri, Chisenupuri | ¥900, cash only | Not published | 12:00–19:00 in winter, closed Tuesdays | Last tickets at 18:30 | | Goshiki Onsen | Niseko; Annupuri | ¥1,000 | Not published | 10:00–20:00 in winter | Storms can close the road | | Yukoro Onsen | Hirafu | ¥2,500 in winter, cards only | Not published | 12:00–21:00, from 15:00 Wednesdays | Highest price for a plain day bath here | | Hoheikyo Onsen | Jozankei; Sapporo Kokusai | ¥1,300 | Not published | 10:00–22:30 daily | About 70 minutes by bus from Makomanai | | Shisai-no-yu | Furano; Furano Zone base | ¥1,700, towels included | "May be partly restricted" | 13:00 to last entry at 23:30 | Closes for maintenance each November | | Highland Furano | Furano | ¥650 | Not published | 6:00–23:00 | Mild, heated cold spring | | Kurodake no Yu | Sounkyo; Kurodake Ropeway | ¥800 | Visible tattoos refused | 11:00–21:30 in winter | Tattooed riders need another bath | | Kirin-no-Yu | Tomamu | ¥1,500, free for resort guests | Cover with patches | 12:00–23:00 | Heated bath water, by the resort's own account | | Toyako Onsen | Lake Toya; on the way back from Rusutsu | ¥500–600 at the cheapest hotels | Varies by hotel | Afternoons to about 21:00 | Hours change with crowds | #### Where should you soak after a day in Niseko? Yukichichibu is the bath to drive to after Annupuri or Niseko Village. Rankoshi town runs it on the edge of the Oyunuma steam pond, and seven outdoor tubs of grey sulphur water face Nitonupuri. The women's side also has a mud tub. It costs [¥900 in cash](https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285) and takes no cards or e-money. Last tickets go at 18:30 in winter. That leaves a tight window after a full day, and children under five aren't admitted because of the hydrogen sulphide. Take off anything silver before you get in. [Goshiki Onsen](/onsen/goshiki-onsen) sits higher on the same road at about 750 m, and its unheated sulphur spring comes out at pH 2.6. Day entry is [¥1,000](https://goshikionsen.com/price), and the outdoor bath looks straight at Annupuri. In a big storm, phone the inn about the road first. For a late soak, [Yugokorotei](/onsen/yugokorotei) below Annupuri lets day visitors in from 6:00 to midnight for ¥1,800 in winter. In Hirafu itself, [Yukoro Onsen](/onsen/yukoro-onsen) reopened in September 2025 in a stone-and-timber building with a rotenburo facing Yotei, and you can walk there from most of the lower village. The [winter price of ¥2,500](https://www.yukoro.co.jp/) is set for the resort crowd, and the ticket machines take cards and QR payments only. #### Which bath welcomes tattoos? Hotel Kanronomori welcomes them, and it says so plainly. The hotel [invites tattooed guests](https://www.kanronomori.com/onsen.html) to bathe under its posted manners and sells cover stickers at the desk for anyone who'd rather tape up. Its two rooftop rotenburo look across the Konbu Onsen valley toward Moiwa and swap between men and women by the day. Day entry is ¥1,800, and it stops when the hotel is full, so phone ahead on weekends. [Niseko Grand Hotel](/onsen/niseko-grand-hotel) next door accepts fashion tattoos and [refuses traditional irezumi](https://niseko-grand.com/en/onsen/). Its big mixed garden bath gives everyone a cotton bathing wrap, and women have their own outdoor bath too. The ¥3,000 winter price includes towels. The mixed bath is drained three mornings a week and refills around 14:30, so check the schedule before you drive over from Moiwa. #### Where do Sapporo riders soak after Kokusai? They stop at Hoheikyo Onsen. It sits on Route 230 about ten minutes past Jozankei. The owners [won't dilute or recirculate](https://hoheikyo.co.jp/onsen/) the 52°C source water, so they cool it by running it over wooden water wheels. By the owners' count the outdoor bath ranks among the largest in Japan, and it holds 200 people under the forest. Entry is ¥1,300 and the doors stay open until 22:30 every day of the year. Afterwards the restaurant bakes naan in a tandoor while your hair dries. Without a car it's a long trip, because the Jotetsu bus from Makomanai takes about 70 minutes. [Jozankei Onsen](/onsen/jozankei-onsen) down the road has dozens of hotels selling day entry and a free foot bath at Jozan Gensen Park. Tattoo rules there change from one front desk to the next. #### What are the options around Furano this winter? [Shisai-no-yu](/onsen/shisai-no-yu) at the [New Furano Prince Hotel](/stays/shin-furano-prince-hotel) is the easiest soak, because it sits at the foot of the Furano Zone and you walk in off the slope. The water rises from 1,010 m underground as an alkaline salt spring with iodine, and it is heated because it comes up at 26°C. Day entry is ¥1,700 with towels, and the last entry is at 23:30. The hotel's terms say tattooed guests [may be partly restricted](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/facility/onsen/), so ask before you pay. [Highland Furano](/onsen/highland-furano) charges ¥650 and stays open until 23:00, and its rotenburo looks across the valley to the Tokachidake range. It shuts for maintenance from 1 to 20 November 2026. The baths above Kamifurano are closed or restricted this season. Tokachidake went to [volcanic alert level 3](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) on 12 September 2026, and [Fukiage Roten-no-yu](/onsen/fukiage-roten) and [Hakuginso](/onsen/hakuginso) have been closed since then with no reopening date. [Ryounkaku](/onsen/ryounkaku) sits outside the restricted zone and keeps running. Kamifurano has issued an evacuation advisory for anyone who would struggle to leave quickly, and the inn asks those guests to stay elsewhere for now. #### Where do you soak after Kurodake or Asahidake? At Sounkyo, [Kurodake no Yu](/onsen/kurodake-no-yu) is a short walk from the Kurodake Ropeway, and its upstairs rotenburo looks out over the gorge for ¥800. It is listed as [refusing visible tattoos](https://onsenoni.com/en/places/2qqwkmgiaz-kurodake-no-yu-public-onsen), so riders with tattoos need another bath. Below the Asahidake Ropeway, [Asahidake Onsen](/onsen/asahidake-onsen) pours an unusual clear sulphate spring. Hotel Bear Monte stands three minutes on foot from the ropeway and sells day entry for ¥1,140 from 12:30. It has an outdoor sauna but no rotenburo. #### Is Tomamu's Kirin-no-Yu an onsen? [Kirin-no-Yu](/onsen/kirin-no-yu) is a heated outdoor pool, and the resort [says on its own page](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/spa/kirin.php) that it isn't natural hot spring water. It still works after a day in the Powder Area. The pools sit in the snow beside the Mina-Mina Beach wave pool. Resort guests get in free, and day visitors pay ¥1,500 with towels included. Tattoos must be covered with patches from reception. #### Where do you stop on the way back from Rusutsu? [Toyako Onsen](/onsen/toyako-onsen) on the south shore of Lake Toya makes the stop. Its hotels sell day baths in a salty, slightly fizzy spring that comes up at 50°C, and the [tourism association's April 2026 list](https://www.laketoya.com/toyawp/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2ad364799ce75c4b718ab0d1ed427786.pdf) has Hotel Grand Toya at ¥600 and the Hokkai Hotel at ¥500. Rules differ by hotel, and Toya Sun Palace is listed as refusing visible tattoos. The [Rusutsu page](/resorts/rusutsu) covers the drive. #### How do tattoo rules work at Hokkaido baths? Each bath sets its own rule, and the cover sticker solves most of the middle ground. Of the eleven onsen above, Kanronomori lets tattoos in and Niseko Grand Hotel lets in fashion tattoos only. Cover them with patches at Kirin-no-Yu. Shisai-no-yu may restrict tattooed bathers, and Kurodake no Yu refuses visible ones outright. Toyako's hotels each set their own, and the other five publish nothing. Our [etiquette guide](/guides/onsen-etiquette) explains how to ask at the window in Japanese. Private baths that rent by the hour avoid the question altogether, and [Kiranoyu](/onsen/kiranoyu) by JR Niseko Station rents one for ¥1,200. #### How we compared We chose onsen within a short drive of the ski areas in our guide. In October 2026 we read each bath's own pages for price, hours, rules and water, the municipal pages for town-run baths and the Onsen Oni tattoo database. Prices are the adult day-bath rates published as of October 2026, and we give the winter rate wherever a bath sets one. Baths change their hours on cleaning and maintenance days. Where a bath publishes no tattoo policy, we say so. The method is desk research, and nobody soaked in these baths for this page. #### Sources - [Hotel Kanronomori onsen](https://www.kanronomori.com/onsen.html) - [Niseko Grand Hotel onsen](https://niseko-grand.com/en/onsen/) - [Rankoshi town: Yukichichibu](https://www.town.rankoshi.hokkaido.jp/administration/tourism/detail.html?content=285) - [Goshiki Onsen prices](https://goshikionsen.com/price) - [Yugokorotei day bathing](https://www.niseko-annupurionsen.com/spa/index.php) - [Yukoro Onsen](https://www.yukoro.co.jp/) - [Hoheikyo Onsen](https://hoheikyo.co.jp/onsen/) - [Jozankei day bathing list](https://jozankei.jp/oneday/) - [New Furano Prince Hotel onsen](https://www.princehotels.co.jp/shinfurano/facility/onsen/) - [Highland Furano spa](https://www.highland-furano.jp/spa/) - [Kamifurano facility notice on Fukiage](https://www.kamifurano.jp/archives/facility_item/582) - [Ryounkaku](https://www.ryounkaku.jp/) - [Japan Meteorological Agency volcano map](https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#contents=volcano) - [Kamikawa town: Kurodake no Yu](https://www.town.hokkaido-kamikawa.lg.jp/section/sangyoukeizai/i8u8uo0000000a72.html) - [Onsen Oni: Kurodake no Yu](https://onsenoni.com/en/places/2qqwkmgiaz-kurodake-no-yu-public-onsen) - [Hotel Bear Monte hot spring](https://www.bearmonte.jp/hotspring/) - [Tomamu Kirin-no-Yu](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/spa/kirin.php) - [Lake Toya day-bathing list, April 2026](https://www.laketoya.com/toyawp/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2ad364799ce75c4b718ab0d1ed427786.pdf) - [Kiranoyu](https://kiranoyu.com/) Q: Which onsen in Niseko allows tattoos? A: Hotel Kanronomori at Niseko Konbu Onsen allows tattoos and sells cover stickers at its front desk. Day bathing there costs ¥1,800. Niseko Grand Hotel next door accepts fashion tattoos and refuses traditional Japanese irezumi. Q: What is the best onsen near Sapporo Kokusai? A: Hoheikyo Onsen is our pick near Sapporo Kokusai. It sits on Route 230 about 10 minutes past Jozankei and charges ¥1,300 for a day bath. The doors stay open until 22:30 every day of the year, and the 52°C source water reaches the baths without dilution or recirculation. Q: Are the Tokachidake onsen open in winter 2026/27? A: Fukiage Roten-no-yu and Hakuginso above Kamifurano have been closed since 12 September 2026 under the Tokachidake volcanic alert level 3. Ryounkaku sits outside the restricted zone and keeps operating, though Kamifurano has issued an evacuation advisory for anyone who would struggle to leave quickly. Q: How much does a day onsen cost in Hokkaido? A: Day bathing at the Hokkaido onsen in this guide costs from ¥500 to ¥3,000 for an adult. Highland Furano charges ¥650, and Niseko Grand Hotel charges ¥3,000 in winter with towels included. Q: Is Kirin-no-Yu at Tomamu a natural hot spring? A: Kirin-no-Yu at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is not a natural hot spring. The resort states that its outdoor pools use heated bath water. Day entry costs ¥1,500, and resort guests bathe free. ### Which Hokkaido resorts get the best powder? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/best-powder-resorts-hokkaido Updated: 2026-10-08 Few Hokkaido resorts publish a snowfall average, so we judged powder on what the snow lands on and who gets to it first, alongside the figures that do exist. [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) gets the deepest snow of any Hokkaido resort that publishes a figure. Its often-quoted 21 metres a year is a summit figure, and the base usually sees 12 to 16 metres. [Rusutsu](/resorts/rusutsu) keeps powder longest after the storm passes, because 64 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurements and its trees are open. Kiroro's gondola and upper lifts close first when the wind rises, so check the lift status before you drive up on a storm day. We ranked seven of the resorts that score 4 or 5 for powder in our fact sheet: Kiroro, Rusutsu, [Niseko Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono), [Niseko Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa), the [Asahidake Ropeway](/resorts/asahidake), [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) and [Hoshino Resorts Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu). | Resort | Snowfall (who published it) | North-facing share (our measurement) | Powder / quiet rating | Adult day ticket and what it covers | Suits | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Kiroro | About 21 m at the summit, 12–16 m at the base (2014–19) | 41% | 5 / 3 | ¥8,800 (2025/26 high season); all three peaks | Deep-snow hunters within an hour of Sapporo | Wind closes the gondola first | | Rusutsu | Not in our fact sheet | 64% | 5 / 3 | ¥16,200 window, ¥12,000 online (2025/26); three mountains | Tree riders on a week's trip | High walk-up price and Isola queues | | Niseko Hanazono | About 13.4 m for Niseko United in 2025/26 (Niseko United) | 78% | 4 / 2 | ¥11,000 with Grand Hirafu (2025/26) | Groups who want powder and a village | Busy, and the peak gates shut in storms | | Niseko Moiwa | Not published | 0% | 5 / 5 | ¥13,000 window (2025/26); Moiwa only | Strong riders who want quiet | One quad chair carries the mountain | | Asahidake Ropeway | Not published | 0% | 5 / 4 | ¥2,800 ropeway return, cash only | Experienced backcountry riders with a guide | No patrol, and the weather turns in minutes | | Kamui Ski Links | Not published | 78% | 4 / 5 | ¥5,300 (2025/26) | Asahikawa-based riders on a budget | Powder courses open only some days | | Tomamu | Not published | 3% | 4 / 4 | ¥8,000 counter, ¥7,700 online (2025/26) | Families with one expert rider | Powder Area waits until mid-January | #### How did we judge powder? We used four signals, because a resort's snowfall claim on its own tells you little. The first is published snowfall, and only Kiroro and Niseko United have an operator's figure in our fact sheet. [Kutchan town](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/profile/gaiyou/) adds a valley benchmark of 12.6 metres in an average season. Prince Hotels publishes no average for Furano, and the Rusutsu figures in guidebooks don't come with a method, so we left them out. Aspect comes next. North-facing slopes keep snow cold after the sun returns, so we measured how much of each resort's named-run length faces somewhere between northwest and northeast. Then come our editorial powder and quiet ratings out of 5, and finally what we know about crowds: which lift queues first and who gets there before you. #### Where does the most snow fall? Kiroro gets the most, by the resort's own count. It sits in a high basin on the western side of Asari-dake, and the north-westerly storms coming off the Sea of Japan unload there. The 21 metres a year you see quoted is [measured near the summit](https://skiasia.com/ski-resorts/why-kiroro-is-probably-the-best-destination-ski-resort-in-asia-for-a-day-trip/), and [base-level records](https://www.powderhounds.com/Japan/Hokkaido/Kiroro/Ski-Resort.aspx) for 2014 to 2019 run from about 12 to 16 metres, which still puts it at the top of the island. In a cold January week the groomers can be buried again every morning. Four signed tree-run areas open 09:00 to 14:30 with a yukiyama app check-in, and Expert A and B stay ungroomed at close to 35 degrees. It suits riders who want deep snow on a day trip from Sapporo or Otaru. A 2025/26 high-season day cost [¥8,800](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/). Wind is Kiroro's weak point, because the gondola and the Asari No.2 Express are the first lifts to close in a blow. On those days Flashman off the Yoichi No.1 Express is the tree area most likely to stay open. #### Which resort keeps powder longest after a storm? Rusutsu keeps it longest among the big resorts. Storms pile snow into its valleys and onto the south and east faces, and once the sun returns the north-facing slopes of Mt Isola and East Mountain hold it. By our measurements 64 percent of Rusutsu's named-run length faces somewhere between northwest and northeast. You can ride the trees anywhere inside the boundary, so the snow between runs stays in play for days. Ride Furikozawa to the Isola base early to get ahead of the gondola line, or buy a Mt Isola First Track ticket on the days it's sold. It loads the gondola at 8:45 for 60 riders. Buy the day [online](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/) for ¥12,000 instead of ¥16,200 at the window. #### Is Niseko still worth it for powder? Niseko is worth it, and Hanazono is the side to ride. Niseko United's [2025/26 season recap](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/?p=9029) adds up to about 13.4 metres, and January brought 6.2 metres of it. By our measurements 78 percent of Hanazono's named-run length faces north or northeast, and no other United resort comes close. Its trees beside Hana 1 shelter you on storm days. The Black Pass loads from 07:30 and puts you in the G5 trees before the public reaches the top of Hanazono #3. Hanazono scores 2 out of 5 on our quiet rating and Grand Hirafu scores 1. Storms usually keep the peak gates shut, and on the clear morning after, the line for King Single #4 can eat a lot of your day. #### Where do locals go to beat the crowds? Locals around Niseko go to Moiwa. It sits outside Niseko United on its own ticket, and a 2025/26 regular-season day cost [¥13,000](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/) at the counter. That price keeps the crowd thin. Locals have treated Moiwa as their powder hill for years, and the Shirakaba birch slopes off the Quad stay ungroomed. It rates 5 for both powder and quiet. Moiwa faces south, and none of its named runs face north in our measurements, so ride it during and right after a storm. In 2025/26 the Quad stopped for weeks after opening day and came back on 24 January, and the G6 gate stays shut whenever it's down. #### Which lift reaches the coldest powder? The Asahidake Ropeway does. A hundred-person car climbs from about 1,100 m to Sugatami Station at 1,600 m on Hokkaido's highest volcano in about ten minutes. Tennyo and Ura-ten fall away to skier's right of the ropeway line, and Ohiroma and Bannosawa open up to the left. On a cold morning after a storm the snow in all of them is as light as anything in Japan. A return ride costs [¥2,800 in cash](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/). Asahidake is a ropeway with a few cat tracks back to the base, and nobody patrols or controls anything above it. File a climbing plan with police and carry full avalanche kit. Book a guide for your first day. Higashikawa town's [winter survival map](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) warns in red capitals against heading north toward Hisago Marsh, and windchill can fall below minus 20. #### Where is cold powder cheapest? Kamui Ski Links charged ¥5,300 for a 2025/26 day. It sits about 30 minutes west of central Asahikawa. January nights in the city fall to about minus 12, and snow that settles in that cold won't press into a snowball. By our measurements 78 percent of Kamui's named-run length faces north or northwest, and Royal Powder beside the gondola and the gated tree courses stay ungroomed. It rates 5 for quiet. [Deep Powder and Fresh Powder](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) open only for limited periods, and Lift 5 stops at 15:00. #### Which powder resort suits a family? Tomamu suits a family with one expert rider. The resort has recorded minus 35°C, and a January morning at 8 a.m. averages minus 12, so the snow that falls stays dry. From mid-January its free [Experts Only Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/) opens tree zones on Tomamu Mountain to anyone who checks in on the yukiyama app and wears a helmet. The rest of the family can ride Tower Mountain and swim at Mina-Mina Beach. Tomamu faces southeast, and only 3 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurements. The Powder Express starts at 09:30, half an hour after the gondola. #### What about Sahoro and the snowcats? [Sahoro](/resorts/sahoro) left a block of north-facing runs under the Sahoro Express ungroomed for powder in 2016/17, and it rates 5 for quiet. The Sahoro Express doesn't run every day, so check the board first. If you want untracked runs for your group alone, the snowcats at [Iwanai Resort](/resorts/iwanai) and [Chisenupuri](/resorts/chisenupuri) rate 5 for powder and cost ¥200,000 and ¥175,000 a person for a 2026/27 day. Our [tree riding roundup](/journal/best-tree-riding-hokkaido) covers Nayoro Piyashiri's armband trees as another cold option. #### How we compared From every resort rated 4 or 5 for powder in the Ride Hokkaido fact sheet, we picked seven that span the main bases and kinds of trip, and we covered Sahoro and the snowcats more briefly. In October 2026 we read each one's own pages for snowfall, tickets, lift hours, access and powder-zone rules. Snowfall appears only where an operator or town published it. North-facing share is our measurement of named-run length whose longest section faces somewhere between northwest and northeast, computed from OpenStreetMap run lines and AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 m. Powder and quiet ratings out of 5 are our editorial scores from that research. Prices are adult day tickets for the season named. The method is desk research plus computed terrain data, without a visit for this page. #### Sources - [Kiroro Snow World](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/) - [Kiroro lift prices](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/) - [Niseko United 2025/26 season recap](https://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/?p=9029) - [Kutchan town profile](https://www.town.kutchan.hokkaido.jp/profile/gaiyou/) - [Rusutsu lift tickets](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/) - [Hanazono lift tickets](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/lift-tickets) - [Niseko Moiwa lift pass](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/) - [Daisetsuzan Asahidake Ropeway](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/) - [Higashikawa winter survival map](https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/topics/wp-content/themes/asahidake_custom/images/index/pdf/tasukaru_map_win_en.pdf) - [Kamui Ski Links guide](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) - [Tomamu Experts Only Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/) - [Tomamu lift tickets](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/) - [Sahoro course information](https://sahoro-resort.com/winter/ski/course-info) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: Which Hokkaido ski resort gets the most snow? A: Kiroro gets the most snow of any Hokkaido resort that publishes a figure. The 21 metres it is quoted at is measured near the summit, and base-level records for 2014 to 2019 run from about 12 to 16 metres a season. Niseko United's 2025/26 season recap adds up to about 13.4 metres. Q: Is Niseko or Rusutsu better for powder? A: Rusutsu holds powder longer than most of Niseko by our measurements, because 64 percent of its named-run length faces north against 5 percent at Grand Hirafu. Niseko recorded more snowfall in 2025/26 at about 13.4 metres, and Hanazono is its most north-facing resort at 78 percent. Q: Where is the lightest, driest powder in Hokkaido? A: The driest powder falls in the cold interior of Hokkaido. Hoshino Resorts Tomamu records an average of minus 12°C at 8 a.m. in January, and the Asahidake Ropeway lifts riders to 1,600 metres on Hokkaido's highest volcano. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Kiroro? A: A Kiroro adult day ticket cost ¥8,800 in the 2025/26 high season and is listed at ¥9,200 for 2026/27. Every Kiroro pass loads onto a KIROCA IC card with a refundable ¥500 deposit. Q: Do you need a guide for powder at Asahidake? A: Book a guide for a first powder day at Asahidake. Nothing above the Asahidake Ropeway is patrolled or avalanche controlled, and riders must file a climbing plan with police. Higashikawa town's survival map warns that riders who head north off the plateau will not get back. ### Which Hokkaido resorts have the best tree riding? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/best-tree-riding-hokkaido Updated: 2026-10-08 Each resort here sets its own rules for the forest, from open access at Rusutsu to sign-in armbands at Nayoro. We ranked them on the trees and the rules, and on what a day costs. [Rusutsu Resort](/resorts/rusutsu) has the best lift-served tree riding in Hokkaido, because it opens its forest anywhere inside the boundary and 64 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurements. [Kamui Ski Links](/resorts/kamui-ski-links) near Asahikawa runs gated tree courses in some of the coldest snow on the island for less than half Rusutsu's online price. Tree zones in Hokkaido hide stumps and tree wells under the snow, and several in this guide close by mid-afternoon, so ride with a partner and learn each resort's entry rules before you drop in. We compared the seven lift-served resorts with a tree rating of 4 or 5 out of 5 in our fact sheet: Rusutsu, [Niseko Village](/resorts/niseko-village), [Niseko Hanazono](/resorts/niseko-hanazono), [Niseko Moiwa](/resorts/niseko-moiwa), Kamui Ski Links, [Hoshino Resorts Tomamu](/resorts/tomamu) and [Nayoro Piyashiri](/resorts/nayoro-piyashiri). For each one we looked at how you get into the trees, how much terrain faces north, what a day costs and what goes wrong. | Resort | Suits | How you get into the trees | Gladed runs in OSM / north-facing share (our measurement) | Adult day ticket | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Rusutsu | Intermediate and better riders who want free choice of line | Open anywhere inside the boundary | 11 / 64% | ¥16,200 window, ¥12,000 online (2025/26); covers three mountains | Highest walk-up price here, and Isola queues on powder mornings | | Niseko Village | Advanced riders on storm days | Marked glades off the Niseko Gondola; G11 beyond | 1 / 1% | ¥9,700 Village only, ¥12,000 All Mountain (2025/26) | South-facing slopes take sun first | | Niseko Hanazono | Mixed groups and families | Glades beside Hana 1; Strawberry Fields if patrol allows | 2 / 78% | ¥11,000 with Grand Hirafu (2025/26) | Strawberry Fields is missing from the official map | | Niseko Moiwa | Strong riders who want quiet laps | Ungroomed birch slopes off the Quad; G6 beyond | 1 / 0% | ¥13,000 window, ¥11,700 online (2025/26) | Everything depends on one quad chair | | Kamui Ski Links | Riders on a budget based in Asahikawa | Expert-only gates off Rindo and Renraku | 9 / 78% | ¥5,300 (2025/26) | Lift 5 stops at 15:00 | | Tomamu | Families with one expert rider | Free Powder Area with app check-in and helmet | 2 / 3% | ¥8,000 counter, ¥7,700 online (2025/26) | Opens only from mid-January | | Nayoro Piyashiri | Road-trippers who want cold, empty trees | Armband from the admin building | No named runs mapped | ¥4,300 window, ¥3,800 online (2026/27) | Two hours' drive north of Asahikawa | #### Why is Rusutsu the first pick? Rusutsu tops the list because its rules leave the whole forest to you. The resort [permits tree riding](https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/) anywhere inside the yellow-dotted boundary on its trail map, and a long list of official runs stays ungroomed. OpenStreetMap tags 11 Rusutsu runs as gladed, and no other resort we cover has more. After a storm the wind loads Heavenly Canyon's creek line on the back of Mt Isola, and the trees between East Vivaldi and East Tignes are where locals look first. West Mountain keeps a marked tree zone close to the hotel for younger riders. It suits intermediate and better riders who want to pick their own line for a week. Rusutsu charged ¥16,200 at the window for a 2025/26 day and ¥12,000 [online](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/). The Isola Gondola line builds by mid-morning on powder days, so ride Furikozawa to the Isola base early. Our [Niseko or Rusutsu comparison](/journal/niseko-vs-rusutsu) covers the trade in full. #### Which Niseko glades work when wind shuts the upper lifts? Niseko Village's glades below the Niseko Gondola work best on those days. Superstition drops from the top station and links through Jagaimo into Misoshiru for about two kilometres of ungroomed snow, and Misoshiru averages 25 degrees. When wind closes the Wonderland chairs above, the trees give you definition in flat light and the gondola keeps you out of the weather between laps. Advanced riders can go on through [G11 into Mizuno-no-sawa](https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NV-Gate-11.pdf) when patrol opens it. By our measurements only 1 percent of the Village's named-run length faces north. Its slopes run south and southeast, so the sun reaches them first after a storm clears. #### Where do mixed groups find trees in Niseko? Hanazono suits a group where some ride trees and some ride parks. The trees beside Hana 1 and the Symphony Gondola are the usual refuge in a storm, and Hana 1 is a heated six-seat chair with a bubble for the ride back up. Strawberry Fields is reached from Hanazono #2, and Blueberry Fields measures 33.4 degrees at its steepest in our data. By our measurements 78 percent of Hanazono's named-run length faces north or northeast, and no other Niseko United resort comes close. Strawberry Fields is missing from the [official map](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/maps), so ask patrol each day whether it's open. Hanazono also scores 2 out of 5 on our crowd rating, because a good share of Niseko heads here when the peak stays shut. #### Where are the quietest birch glades near Niseko? Moiwa gives you the quietest trees in the Niseko area. It runs three chairs on its own ticket at the western end of the lifts, and the Shirakaba slopes stay ungroomed through the birch off the Quad. On a storm day you lap them with the same handful of regulars. Giant Run pitches to 35 degrees as an open face under the gates. Moiwa's upper mountain depends on one quad chair, and the [resort's news page](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/) shows how its 2025/26 season went: it opened on 13 December, stopped for weeks, came back on 24 January and closed around 25 March. The lower pairs only reach the bottom of the mountain. A regular-season day cost ¥13,000 at the counter, and the four-resort All Mountain pass cost ¥12,000. #### Where can you ride gated trees for about ¥5,000? Kamui Ski Links charges ¥5,300 a day and leaves about a third of its 26 courses ungroomed. Its [tree courses](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) start behind expert-only gates. Treerun and Bumps drop off the Rindo logging road, and Todomatsu has its own gate on Renraku. Deep Powder starts beside Lift 5. Royal Powder runs through the woods next to the gondola at up to 35 degrees, so you can judge the snow on the ride up. OpenStreetMap tags nine Kamui runs as gladed, and by our measurements 78 percent of its named-run length faces north or northwest. It suits a rider based in Asahikawa who wants cold snow without Niseko prices. Expect fallen logs and sudden steps under the snow in every tree course. Lift 5 stops at 15:00, and Deep Powder opens only for limited periods. #### Which resort gives you free in-bounds powder zones? Tomamu opens its Experts Only Powder Area to any advanced rider at no extra cost. From mid-January to 31 March patrol releases ungroomed tree zones on Tomamu Mountain in stages. You [check in on the yukiyama app](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/) with GPS on and enter a password from the Snow Kart counter. Helmets are compulsory, and the last entry is 15:00. The rest of the family can ride Tower Mountain or swim at Mina-Mina Beach. Nothing opens before mid-January, and the app won't register you on hotel Wi-Fi alone, so you need a phone with its own data plan. Tomamu's slopes face mostly southeast, and only 3 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurements. #### Where are the coldest, emptiest trees? Nayoro Piyashiri has them, in one of the coldest basins in Hokkaido. Winter nights here can drop below minus 30. Four tree-run zones open inside the boundary, and the longest runs about 1,400 m. You [sign in at the admin building](https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/) and ride with the armband and a helmet on. The band goes back by 15:30, or patrol starts a search. The zones close at 15:00, and patrol won't sweep them at closing, so bring a partner. It suits a rider on a road trip north who wants dry snow and quiet. Nayoro sits about two hours' drive from Asahikawa and three from Sapporo, and that distance is the drawback on a short trip. A 2026/27 day costs ¥4,300 at the window or ¥3,800 online, and the onsen pack adds a bath at Sunpillar beside the base. #### What about Kiroro and the cat-skiing operations? [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) rates 3 for trees in our fact sheet, and its four signed tree-run areas deserve a look on a deep day. Powder Ridge and Orange Light sit off the top of Asari. Flashman runs down the Yoichi area, and Barcode spreads across Nagamine. They open 09:00 to 14:30 with a yukiyama check-in, and Flashman stays reachable when wind stops the gondola. If you'd rather share the trees only with your own group, the snowcats run at [Chisenupuri](/resorts/chisenupuri) and [Iwanai Resort](/resorts/iwanai). Chisenupuri's 2026/27 day costs ¥175,000 a person with lunch and Niseko transfers included. The ticket also covers a soak at Yukichichibu Onsen afterwards. Iwanai's costs ¥200,000 a person and includes Niseko transfers. #### How we compared We shortlisted every lift-served resort rated 4 or 5 for trees in the Ride Hokkaido fact sheet. We then read each one's tree-zone rules alongside its trail map and ticket page in October 2026. Ratings out of 5 are our editorial scores from that research. Gladed-run counts come from OpenStreetMap tags. North-facing share is our measurement of the named-run length whose longest section faces somewhere between northwest and northeast, computed from OpenStreetMap run lines and AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 m. Prices are adult day tickets for the season named. The method is desk research plus computed terrain data, and nobody rode these trees for this page. #### Sources - [Rusutsu trail map](https://rusutsu.com/en/trail-map/) - [Rusutsu lift tickets](https://rusutsu.com/en/winter-lift-tickets/) - [Niseko Village Gate 11 guide](https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NV-Gate-11.pdf) - [Niseko Village 2026/27 lift pass prices](https://www.niseko-village.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Lift-Pass-26-27.pdf) - [Hanazono resort maps](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/maps) - [Hanazono lift tickets](https://hanazononiseko.com/en/winter/resort/lift-tickets) - [Niseko Moiwa lift pass](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/lift-pass/) - [Niseko Moiwa news](https://niseko-moiwa.jp/news/) - [Kamui Ski Links guide](https://www.kamui-skilinks.com/guide/) - [Tomamu Experts Only Powder Area](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ski-slope/expert/) - [Tomamu lift tickets](https://www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ski/ticket/) - [Nayoro Piyashiri Ski Area](https://www.nayoro.co.jp/piyashiri/) - [Kiroro guide map](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/guide_map/) - [Chisenupuri cat skiing](https://www.chisenupuri.com/cat-skiing) - [Iwanai Resort cat skiing](https://iwanairesort.com/en/cat-ski-niseko-japan) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: Which Hokkaido resort is best for tree riding? A: Rusutsu Resort is the best Hokkaido resort for lift-served tree riding in our comparison. Rusutsu permits riding in the trees anywhere inside its ski-area boundary, OpenStreetMap tags 11 of its runs as gladed, and 64 percent of its named-run length faces north by our measurement. Q: Can you ride trees at Niseko? A: You can ride trees at all four Niseko United resorts on glades inside the boundary. Niseko Village's glades below the Niseko Gondola include Misoshiru at an average of 25 degrees, and Hanazono's trees beside Hana 1 are the usual storm-day refuge. Backcountry beyond the boundary is reached only through the numbered Niseko gates. Q: Do you need to register to ride the trees at Hokkaido resorts? A: Registration depends on the resort. Tomamu's Experts Only Powder Area and Kiroro's tree-run areas both require a check-in on the yukiyama app, and Nayoro Piyashiri issues an armband at its admin building. Rusutsu requires no registration for trees inside its boundary. Q: Where is the cheapest tree riding in Hokkaido? A: Nayoro Piyashiri is the cheapest of the tree-riding resorts we compared, at ¥4,300 for a 2026/27 adult day at the window or ¥3,800 online. Kamui Ski Links near Asahikawa charged ¥5,300 for a 2025/26 adult day and runs gated tree courses. Q: When does Tomamu's Experts Only Powder Area open? A: Tomamu's Experts Only Powder Area opens in stages from mid-January to 31 March as patrol signs off each zone. Entry is free for advanced riders who wear a helmet and check in on the yukiyama app, and the last entry each day is 15:00. ### Which Sapporo ski hill should you ride? URL: https://ridehokkaido.com/journal/sapporo-city-hills Updated: 2026-10-08 Five ski areas sit inside Sapporo's city limits, and four of them keep riding after dark. Here's which one to ride, and when to take the bus to Kiroro instead. [Sapporo Teine](/resorts/sapporo-teine) is the city hill for strong riders. It has the most vertical of the five and steep Olympic runs at Highland, and the JR ride to Teine Station takes 11 to 18 minutes from Sapporo Station. For an after-work session under lights, [Sapporo Bankei](/resorts/sapporo-bankei) sits closest and charges ¥2,000 for a night ticket, and [Kiroro](/resorts/kiroro) is the day trip when you want deep snow. [Sapporo Kokusai](/resorts/sapporo-kokusai) runs no night riding, and [Moiwayama](/resorts/sapporo-moiwayama) keeps its terrain closed until at least 20 December 2026 while two lifts are rebuilt. We compared the five ski areas inside Sapporo city with Kiroro on day and night prices, what a ticket covers, night-riding hours, terrain, the trip from Sapporo Station and how locals use each one. | Hill | From Sapporo Station | Adult day ticket and what it covers | Night riding | Vertical (published) / steepest pitch (our measurement) | Suits | Drawback | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Sapporo Teine | JR 11–18 min plus ¥1,000 bus | ¥9,800 window, ¥8,800 online (2026/27 high season); both zones | Olympia only, 16:00–20:00; ¥3,800 or ¥2,800 online (2025/26) | 683 m / 37.5° | Strong riders, steep groomers | Weekend crowds from the city | | Sapporo Kokusai | Ski bus, 1 hr 37 min, ¥1,800 (2025/26) | ¥6,000 window, ¥5,700 online (2025/26) | None | 470 m / 29.9° | Storm days and spring riding | Out-of-bounds riding banned | | Sapporo Bankei | Subway plus 13-min bus | ¥7,000 (2025/26); carries into the night session | 16:00–21:00, Saturdays to 22:00; ¥2,000 | 283 m / 33.4° | Night laps, halfpipe | Little powder, 2 out of 5 | | Moiwayama | Subway to Makomanai plus ¥1,000 shuttle | ¥7,000, ¥6,700 online (2025/26) | 8 of 10 courses to 21:00; ¥3,000 | 358 m / not measured | City views and short sessions | Closed until at least 20 December 2026 | | Fu's Snow Area | Subway plus Jotetsu bus, about 30 min from Makomanai | ¥3,300 for 09:00–16:00 (2025/26) | 16:00–21:00; separate ¥1,700 ticket | 300 m / not measured | The cheapest day in the city | Day ticket ends at 16:00 | | Kiroro (day trip) | Powder Express bus, 1 hr 15 min | ¥8,800 (2025/26 high season) | Selected high-season nights to 19:00 | 660 m / 34.3° | Deep snow and tree areas | Wind holds on the gondola | #### Which Sapporo hill is best for strong riders? Teine is the best for strong riders, because it has the most vertical in the city and Highland's runs are long and steep. The 1972 Olympic alpine races ran here. Kitakabe falls 1,500 m through forest at up to 36 degrees, and the resort's own notes warn there's no way out halfway down. The Olympic giant slalom course gives you two kilometres of fall line that steepens toward the finish. Our measurements put Teine's steepest pitch at 37.5 degrees on North Face, and 81 percent of its named-run length faces north or northeast. Teine's published [2026/27 window price](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets) is ¥9,800 in high season and ¥8,800 online, and we couldn't verify the 2025/26 high-season price. Park at Highland if you came for the steeps, because the Eight Gondola back up from Olympia stops at 15:30 until mid-January. The [Teine Gate](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country) beside the summit patrol hut is the only legal exit to the backcountry, and anyone leaving another way loses their ticket. #### Where do you ride on a storm day? Kokusai is the hill to chase when it's snowing. Its base sits at 630 m, and the SkyCabin8 gondola tops out at 1,100 m on the north shoulder of Asari-dake. No other ski area inside Sapporo's city limits reaches that high. The resort runs on natural snow alone from late November into early May, and Echo off the summit is the run it promotes for powder. A 2025/26 day cost [¥6,000 at the window or ¥5,700 online](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/price/). The published 2026/27 prices rise to ¥7,000 and ¥6,700. Kokusai bans riding outside the managed area and in the roped forest between runs, and it can suspend your ticket for it. The [ski bus](https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/course/12403) from Sapporo Station takes 1 hour 37 minutes and needs a reservation, and weekend parking near the base fills by about 08:30. If you stay at a hotel in [Jozankei](/towns/jozankei), the Jozankei Ski Liner runs you up for ¥2,800 return in 2026/27. #### Which hill is best for night riding? Bankei is the best night hill, because it's the closest to the city and its night ticket covers all ages at one price. The base sits 8.5 km from Sapporo Station. The Bankei Bus from Maruyama-Koen takes 13 minutes, and a taxi from downtown costs about ¥3,000. The lifts turn until 21:00 on weeknights and 22:00 on Saturdays. A [night ticket costs ¥2,000](https://www.bankei.co.jp/liftprice/), and a ¥7,000 day ticket carries straight into the night session. Bankei's halfpipe is FIS-certified at about 180 m and hosted the Snowboard World Cup in March 2026. The Slalom Bahn averages 30 degrees over 270 m. Bankei rates 2 out of 5 for powder in our ratings, and its 283 m of vertical gets repetitive over a full day. #### What changed at Moiwayama? Moiwayama let snowboarders ride every course for the first time in 2025/26, after decades of refusing them. A new operator, Hokkaido Square, took over in April 2025 and added IC gates and a Hokkaido-resident day price of ¥4,100. Eight of its ten courses stay lit until 21:00 above the city. The [night ticket](https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/ticket) cost ¥3,000 from 16:00 or ¥2,500 from 18:00. Karamatsu tips to 38 degrees on the north slope and stays unlit, so ride it in daylight. There was no snowboard rental in that first season, so bring your own. Lifts 1 and 2 are being rebuilt, and the [terrain stays closed](https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/) until at least 20 December 2026. The operator hasn't announced 2026/27 prices. #### Is Fu's worth the trip? Fu's is worth it for the cheapest day in the city and one steep run. A 2025/26 day cost [¥3,300](https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/fee) for 09:00 to 16:00, and a separate ¥1,700 night ticket covers 16:00 to 21:00. By the resort's figures Dynamic drops 200 m over 1,200 m of fall line at an average of 28 degrees, and its steepest pitch reaches 38. Ride it early while the corduroy holds. The city owns Fu's, and it sits in Fujino on Route 230 about half an hour from central Sapporo. Everything apart from Dynamic and Panorama is gentle. The day ticket stops at 16:00, so a full day and evening means buying twice. #### Is Kiroro worth a day trip from Sapporo? Kiroro is worth it on a powder day. It gets around 21 metres of snow a season at the summit and 12 to 16 metres at the base, and its four signed tree-run areas open 09:00 to 14:30 with a yukiyama app check-in. In 2025/26 the [J-TRIP Powder Express](https://powderfreak.jtrip.co.jp/en/j-trip_powder_express/) left Sapporo Station at 7:00 and reached Kiroro at 8:15. Its ¥9,500 fare included the return bus and a 6-hour lift ticket. A high-season day ticket alone cost [¥8,800](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/), and the drive takes about an hour via the Sasson Expressway. Wind closes the gondola and the Asari No.2 Express first, and on those days Flashman off the Yoichi No.1 Express is the tree area most likely to stay open. Tickets from unauthorised resellers are void, so buy from the resort's webstore or a partner. #### How do locals use the city hills? Locals ride them in short, cheap sessions after work and school. At Teine, regulars buy the online-only 25-hour pass for ¥28,500 and spend it an hour at a time. Bankei's car park fills on weeknights with office workers and kids out of school, and Hokkaido residents save ¥1,300 on a Bankei day with ID. Generations of Sapporo children learned to ski at Moiwayama on school lessons. Moiwayama and Bankei both sell hour tickets that you can split across visits. From 1 February 2026 a Bankei and Moiwa common day pass sold for ¥7,500 at either hill. In spring, Kokusai's cheap pass keeps Sapporo riders on the snow into May, and its free Kurutoku Club gives a free day for every five points. #### How we compared We read each hill's ticket, access and night-riding pages and its rules, the Chuo Bus ski-bus page and the J-TRIP bus page in October 2026. Prices are adult tickets for the season named, and resident discounts need Hokkaido ID. Steepest pitches marked as our measurement come from OpenStreetMap run lines with AWS Terrain Tiles elevation sampled every 20 m, and each one is the hardest 60 m of a run. OpenStreetMap carries no named runs for Fu's and only the tourist road for Moiwayama, so those cells read not measured. Ratings out of 5 are Ride Hokkaido's editorial scores. The method is desk research plus computed terrain data, and nobody rode these hills for this page. #### Sources - [Sapporo Teine tickets](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/tickets) - [Sapporo Teine night riding](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lift-fee/night-skiing) - [Sapporo Teine access](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/lang/en/access) - [Sapporo Teine backcountry gate](https://sapporo-teine.com/snow/announcement/back-country) - [Sapporo Kokusai prices](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/en/price/) - [Sapporo Kokusai rules](https://www.sapporo-kokusai.jp/rule/) - [Hokkaido Chuo Bus: Kokusai ski bus](https://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/course/12403) - [Jozankei ski plans](https://jozankei.jp/en/skiplan/) - [Sapporo Bankei lift prices](https://www.bankei.co.jp/liftprice/) - [Sapporo Bankei access](https://www.bankei.co.jp/access/) - [Sapporo Moiwayama tickets](https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/ticket) - [Sapporo Moiwayama snowboard project](https://sapporo-moiwa.jp/project/snowboard/) - [Fu's Snow Area fees](https://www.fujino-yagai-sports.jp/winter/fee) - [Kiroro lift prices](https://www.kiroro.co.jp/en/lift_price/) - [J-TRIP Powder Express](https://powderfreak.jtrip.co.jp/en/j-trip_powder_express/) - [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/) Q: What is the best ski area in Sapporo? A: Sapporo Teine is the best ski area inside Sapporo city for strong riders. Teine has the most published vertical of the city's five ski areas at 683 metres, and Kitakabe in its Highland zone runs 1,500 metres at up to 36 degrees. JR trains reach Teine Station 11 to 18 minutes from Sapporo Station. Q: Where can you ride at night in Sapporo? A: Four of Sapporo's five city ski areas run night riding. Bankei turns until 21:00 on weeknights and 22:00 on Saturdays for a ¥2,000 night ticket. Moiwayama and Fu's run to 21:00, and Teine's Olympia Zone runs to 20:00. Q: How much is a lift ticket at Sapporo Teine? A: Sapporo Teine's published 2026/27 adult day ticket is ¥9,800 at the window in high season or ¥8,800 online. The 2025/26 night ticket cost ¥3,800 at the window or ¥2,800 online for 16:00–20:00 at the Olympia Zone. Q: Is Sapporo Moiwayama open in December 2026? A: Sapporo Moiwayama's ski terrain stays closed until at least 20 December 2026 while lifts 1 and 2 are rebuilt. The operator had not announced 2026/27 dates or prices by October 2026. Q: Can you day trip from Sapporo to Kiroro? A: You can day trip from Sapporo to Kiroro by bus. In 2025/26 the J-TRIP Powder Express left Sapporo Station at 7:00 and reached Kiroro at 8:15, and the ¥9,500 fare included a return bus and a 6-hour lift ticket. By car Kiroro is about an hour from Sapporo.