Tokachi Sahoro Resort
十勝サホロリゾート43°10′ N 142°49′ E
Sahoro packs steep fall-line runs and a block of ungroomed north-facing powder into 610 m of quiet, cold Tokachi mountain.
Photo Hokkaido-man · Wikimedia Commons · CC0 and others, credited in the gallery
- Beginner11.3 km
- Intermediate4.7 km
- Advanced7.8 km
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.
How it rides
- Powder
- 4 out of 5
- Trees
- 3 out of 5
- Steeps
- 4 out of 5
- Sidecountry
- 2 out of 5
- Park
- 2 out of 5
- Beginners
- 4 out of 5
- Family
- 4 out of 5
- Quiet
- 5 out of 5
- Value
- 3 out of 5
- Après
- 2 out of 5
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.
Fly the mountain in 3D立体地図
Every run at Tokachi Sahoroコース
| Avg | Faces | Map | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrilling Course | 1,742 m | 250 m | 18.9° | 8.2° | SE | ||
| Second Central Road | 888 m | 159 m | 18.6° | 10° | SE | ||
| Central Road | 1,260 m | 153 m | 14.5° | 9.1° | SE | ||
| The Skirts Road | 821 m | 152 m | 17.7° | 9.1° | E | ||
| Central StreetNight | 605 m | 148 m | 19.8° | 13.7° | E | ||
| North Street | 636 m | 137 m | 21.2° | 12.1° | E | ||
| North Road | 626 m | 112 m | 17.6° | 9.9° | E | ||
| South Road | 740 m | 73 m | 9° | 5.5° | SE | ||
| Second North Avenue | 921 m | 315 m | 25.5° | 18.9° | E | ||
| Centrar Avenue | 974 m | 297 m | 24.5° | 17° | SE | ||
| Downhill Courseダウンヒルコース | 1,582 m | 463 m | 31.5° | 16.3° | N | ||
| Challenge Courseチャレンジコース | 1,237 m | 394 m | 28.6° | 17.6° | N | ||
| Central Wayセントラル・ウェイNotes | 757 m | 360 m | 27.9° | 23° | E | ||
| North Wayノース・ウェイNotes | 900 m | 332 m | 30° | 20.2° | E | ||
| Centrar Bowl Way | 667 m | 294 m | 31.4° | 23.8° | SE | ||
| Expert Courseエキスパートコース | 672 m | 206 m | 25° | 16.9° | NW | ||
| Romance Courseロマンスコース | 715 m | 196 m | 27.2° | 15.2° | N | ||
| Second Central Wayセカンド・セントラル・ウェイNotes | 426 m | 177 m | 32° | 22.6° | E | ||
| Dynamic Courseダイナミックコース | 443 m | 172 m | 23.6° | 21.2° | N | ||
| South Wayサウス・ウェイNotes | 390 m | 160 m | 29.5° | 22.3° | NE |
Lengths, vertical, pitch and aspect are computed from OpenStreetMap run lines and 30 m elevation data. Steepest is the hardest 60 m pitch. Treat them as a guide and trust the signs on the hill.
More named runs from the trail map
North Avenueノース・アベニュー3,000 m
The longest run at Sahoro drops 590 m over 3 km at an average of 10°. Use it to string the whole mountain together in one go.
Good for longest run, top-to-bottom cruising
Central Avenueセントラル・アベニュー2,840 m
This long fall-line run comes straight down the middle of the mountain from the gondola top and steepens to 35°. Ride it straight after grooming on a cold morning.
Good for fast carving, fall line
South Streetサウス・ストリート2,700 m
The beginner route from the summit faces south and drops 580 m. Powderhounds reports that fresh lines in the trees beside it last a long time.
Good for beginners, tree edges
Center Bowl Wayセンター・ボウル・ウェイ930 m
This one drops through the bowl below the summit at up to 36°. Check it when the wind has been filling it in.
Good for bowl riding, wind-buffed snow
N1 Downhill CourseN1ダウンヒルコース1,655 m
The longest of the north-facing powder runs drops 470 m with no escape route once you start. Ride it with a partner on deep days.
Good for powder, committing descent
N2 Dynamic CourseN2ダイナミックコース513 m
A short run in the powder zone that peaks at 26°. It makes a quick lap back to the Sahoro Express.
Good for short powder laps
N3 Challenge CourseN3チャレンジコース1,313 m
Over 400 m of north-facing descent at a friendlier 28°. Some sources grade it intermediate, and it suits riders new to the zone.
Good for long powder runs, trees
N4 Expert CourseN4エキスパートコース686 m
N4 tops out at 23°, and the tight timber around it sets the difficulty. Wait for deep cover to bury the stumps.
Good for tight trees, powder
N5 Romance CourseN5ロマンスコース674 m
A 24° run that brings the zone back to the Sahoro Express. Use it as the last pitch of every N-zone lap.
Good for runout, mellow powder
Peaks, gates and named areas
Know the zones before you goエリア
North-facing Powder Zone
zoneAdvanced
Runs N1 to N5 sit under the Sahoro Express. The resort opened them in 2016/17 and outlines them in yellow on the map. They face north and hold cold snow, and most of them stay ungroomed.
Good for storm-day powder, tight trees, steep fall lines
Gondola top and Sahoro-dake summit佐幌岳
peak
The top lifts reach about 1,030 m, just below the 1,060 m summit of Sahoro-dake. Central Avenue, North Avenue and South Street all start up here, and a teahouse serves matcha on January and February weekends.
Good for long top-to-bottom runs, views over the Tokachi plain
SAJ Freestyle Course
runExpert
A certified mogul course sits beside North Way. Ride it when you want bumps on a steep pitch.
Good for moguls
Snow Park
parkIntermediate
A terrain park marked new on the 2025/26 map. Check the resort's daily course report for which features are built.
Good for park laps
Beginners Park and Kids Park
zoneBeginner
Moving carpets and a covered snow escalator serve the learning area at the base. A giant slide keeps younger kids busy.
Good for first days, kids
Beyond the ropes · closed
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.
- No published off-piste access system
- N1–N5 north-facing runs are marked advanced courses inside the boundary
- Guided backcountry with Tokachi Adventure Club: advanced riders of high-school age and up, minimum two people
Check the daily avalanche report before you leave the resort. Carry a beacon, shovel and probe and know how to use them.
Worth knowing before you go
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.
9 mapped lifts
The liftsリフト
Getting thereアクセス
From New Chitose Airport
- Drive
- 1 hr 50 min (154 km)
- 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)
- Train
- Limited Express Tokachi or Ozora from Minami-Chitose to JR Shintoku, then the 15-minute hotel shuttle
From Sapporo
- Drive
- 2 hr 40 min (166 km)
- Train
- Limited Express Tokachi or Ozora to JR Shintoku, about 1 hr 58 min, ¥6,690 reserved seat; all seats reserved
The free Shintoku station shuttle is for overnight guests and must be booked by 17:00 the day before. Tokachi-Obihiro Airport is 80 minutes by car, and an airport bus timed to the morning JAL arrival costs ¥8,600. Club Med includes transfers in its flight packages.
Paid links
Line up the trip around Tokachi Sahoro Resort
Some of these links pay us a commission. It costs you nothing and keeps the guide independent. How the links work
Where to stay nearby宿
Soak after温泉
Touring close by山スキー
Towns to base in町
Ride these on the same trip近くの山
Quick answers about Tokachi Sahoro Resortよくある質問
How big is Tokachi Sahoro?
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.
How steep is Tokachi Sahoro?
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.
Can you ride off-piste at Tokachi Sahoro?
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.
How much is a lift ticket at Tokachi Sahoro?
An adult day ticket at Tokachi Sahoro costs ¥8,800 in the 2025/26 main season. K-Winter Pass holders ride here too.
Does Tokachi Sahoro have night riding?
Yes. Tokachi Sahoro runs night lifts 16:00–18:00 on weekends and holidays, 20 December–22 March (2025/26). One lit slope.
How do you get to Tokachi Sahoro from New Chitose Airport?
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).
When is the season at Tokachi Sahoro?
Tokachi Sahoro usually opens 1 December and closes early April. The deepest, most reliable snow comes mid-January to late February.
In the journal