Mount Asahi
Mount Asahi ( (旭岳 Asahidake) (2,290 metres) is the highest mountain in Hokkaidō. It is on the western edge of the Daisetsuzan Group of the Ishikari Mountains, a zone of active stratovolcanoes and lava domes around the two-kilometre wide Ohachidaira Caldera (see Daisetsuzan Mountains). Mount Asahi's last eruption was in 1739. [1]
The mountain lies within the Daisetsuzan National Park in Kamikawa Subprefecture.
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Flora and fauna
Mounta Asahi is forested up to around 1,600 m - the level of the Sugatami Station stage of the Asahidake Ropeway. Above that the ground is sparsely covered with plants. The general area is notable for its alpine flora in July and early August, and the autumn foliage in September and early October.
Skiing
The Asahidake Ski Area has one ropeway and four slopes of up to 4,000 m long, arranged in a figure of eight. The elevation is 1,100 to 1,600 m. The slopes are open from 11 December to 6 May (depending on snow conditions). The ropeway operates from 09:00-16:00 from 11 December to the end of February, 09:00-17:00 From March to 6 May. There is no night skiing, no rental of equipment or other facilities but the powder snow is typically light and dry.
Hill walks
The mountain opens officially on the last Sunday of June and the climbing season lasts from then until October.
Mount Asahi from Asahidake Onsen
The full walk from Asahidake hot springs (1,100 m elevation) to the peak and back again takes about seven and a half hours in good conditions, however taking the aerial (or cable car) Asahidake Ropeway (旭岳ロープウェイ Asahidake Rōpuwei 2.3 km long) - in both directions - reduces this to about four hours. The top of the ropeway (Sugatami Station) is 1,600 m high, about 700 m below the summit.
The path, although easy to follow, is badly eroded in places and potentially slippery particularly on the descent. It can also be crowded in summer and autumn.
Nakadake Onsen Circuit
This route starts at the top of the Asahidake Ropeway and leads to Mount Asahi, Mount Mamiya (2,185 m), Mount Naka (2,113 m) and Nakadake Onsen (a free hot springs), returning to the top of the Asahidake Ropeway in about six and a half hours.
Traverse from Asahidake hot springs to Sōunkyō
This route is a long traverse, which can be reduced to about 6 or 7 hours, using aerial cars and lifts at both ends - the Asahidake Ropeway in the west (Asahidake Onsen) and the Mount Kuro Chairlift and the Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway in the east (Sōunkyō). (The services can finish relatively early so the times need to be checked.)
The trail goes up Mount Asahi, to Mount Mamiya (2,185 m), Mount Naka (2,113 m) and Mount Kuro (1,984 m) before descending to Sōunkyō.
'Daisetsuzan Grand Traverse' Day 1 (15 km)
This route is substantially the same as the one to Sōunkyō, except that it starts ('theoretically') at the foot of the Asahidake Ropeway and ends at the Mount Kuro Mountain Hut. It takes about seven to eight hours and is described in detail in the Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan guide (see sources below).
Access
Asahidake Onsen is on Route 1160, the main road between the cities of Asahikawa (67 km) and Obihiro (122 km).
The Asahidake trailhead (and carpark) is located close to the top of Asahidake hot springs, beside the (base) Sanroku Station of the Asahidake Ropeway.
Clothing and equipment
Hiking boots are recommended, and walking poles are helpful, also layered clothing for a sudden change in the weather. As always in Hokkaidō take water and don't drink from streams! Most Japanese walkers carry bells to alert bears of their presence.
Contour maps
- Map 65423650 1:25,000 Asahidake (Asahikawa) Kokuto Chiriin (国土地理院) [2]
- Attack Daisetsuzan 1:25,000 ISBN 4-901851-89-6 (Yen 1,000) (This includes a pamphlet in Japanese explaining routes and estimated times for individual sections.)
Google map
Geographic coordinates are 43.666° N, 142.854° W
Sources
- Florence, M et al. (2001) Hiking in Japan Lonely Planet Publications, Victoria
External sites
| Coordinates | 43°39′57.6″ N, 142°51′14.4″ W (Latitude: 43.666° N, Longitude: 142.854° W) + find maps Google maps Mapquest |