Notes on Hokkaido

my recs for where to go in about 10 days of hokkaido

Most people fly into Sapporo and head straight for Niseko. This trip starts in central Hokkaido. I recommend flying into Asahikawa, which has its own airport, and Biei is about twenty minutes from the terminal. After a few days there, let's stop for a night in Sapporo before going south to the Niseko area and Yōtei for the last few days, and fly home from New Chitose (Sapporo).

A person walking down a snowy residential street between banks of snow, with power lines overhead

Use Black Cat delivery from Tokyo at the start to send your bag to the first hotel. Yamato Transport, whose trucks carry a black cat logo, has counters at Narita and Haneda arrivals. Send the ski and board bags straight to the Asahikawa hotel and take the domestic flight north with only a carry-on. Delivery to Hokkaido usually takes about two days, so a night or two in Tokyo before flying north works well. Yamato's hands-free travel.

Day 1

Land and settle into Asahikawa / Biei

Let's stay in Asahikawa for 2 days at the start.

Day 2

Kamui Ski Links

Kamui is a small local hill on the west side of Asahikawa, roughly 45 minutes from Biei. One gondola runs up the middle of the mountain, and most of the good skiing is in the trees off the groomers. On a weekday there should be no lift line at all.

A snowboarder airs off a powder bank beneath the yellow Kamui gondola cabins, with snow-covered trees behind
The reason to come here is for fewer crowds,
terrific side country access, and there's
enough terrain for multiple days.

The best of Kamui is in the trees. We can even go off the backside of the mountain and easily get back into the resort.

Rows of low houses and apartment blocks with thick snow on every roof, seen from above in low sun
A red stop sign in front of a house with a deep layer of snow on the roof A red drink vending machine almost buried in snow
Someone shoveling a snow-filled lane between houses A pedestrian signal half buried beside a snowbank Road signs and a parked car beneath snow-laden power lines A bus stop sign standing in deep snow beside a building A blue vending machine capped with snow against a concrete wall A red Coca-Cola vending machine with a deep cap of snow, half buried in a drift A vending machine under a thick cap of snow beside a snowy tree
Day 3

Asahidake & Kurodake

Asahidake is the highest peak in Hokkaido and part of Daisetsuzan National Park. In winter the ropeway climbs from the onsen village to about 1,600 meters. it's a live volcano and steam vents hiss on the slope above the top station, and the terrain is open alpine and birch glades. You can tour to the top from ropeway or just go down from the ropeway which has some great steep sections with very deep snow but it gets quite flat toward the bottom as an fyi for snowboarders.

Two skiers by a course sign near the top of the Asahidake ropeway, with the peak and a lenticular cloud behind Skiers following a skin track across open snow toward the summit of Asahidake, with steam rising from the vents

The ropeway area is sort of like backcountry access. On a clear day it can be some of the best conditions of the trip. On a bad day, you can't see a fucking thing and the ropeway might not run due to wind.

A skier with arms out on the snow slope above a fumarole on Asahidake, with a huge plume of steam rising beside them

There's a sick onsen there too

Asahidake Onsen is a handful of lodges at the foot of the ropeway. Yumoto Yukomanso is the one people rave about, with several natural hot spring baths, including an outdoor one in the snow. Most lodges open their baths to day visitors. Go straight there in ski clothes, then drive back through Higashikawa as it gets dark.

A steaming outdoor rock bath at Asahidake Onsen, with deep snow piled on the boulders and a blue sky behind
Day 4

The other side: Kurodake from Sōunkyō

I haven't done that side, but heard good things. It is a long drive from Biei, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Day 5

Furano

It's a beautiful ski town but now that it's on the ikon it gets quite crowded. There's a few really solid restaurants in the town as well. I think this area is probably worth skipping unless we're touring.

A small shed wearing a thick, rounded cap of snow
Day 6

A night in Sapporo

I'd recommend spending a night in sapporo as the nightlife and food scene are very solid. Best place to stay is probably Susukino the city's nightlife district. The area is near a bunch of soaplands too if you want to get bathed and fucked by a japanese chick. Go out for dinner and a highball, and leave the car parked.

There's a lot of listening bars to try some japanese whiskey, which i'd recommend.

A dim, empty whisky bar with a long wooden counter, red leather stools, and shelves of bottles lit warmly behind it
Day 7

Pancakes, then south to Yōtei

Start with pancakes a short walk from the hotel, then drive southwest through Otaru, about two hours of driving in all, to the second base in Kutchan or Rusutsu, at the foot of Mount Yōtei. This is probably the best area to do an airbnb for a night or two.

A tall stack of three soufflé pancakes with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar, with berries on the plate

Otaru on the way

Otaru is about forty minutes from Sapporo and right on the route south. It's a great place to explore one night for dinner.

Gentemstick Niseko Showroom

Gentemstick's showroom and snowsurf shop sits in Kabayama, just outside Kutchan, which makes it an easy first stop on arrival. It has the full board line and a small café.

The Gentemstick showroom, with colorful snowsurf boards on the wall above racks of caps and clothing The small café counter at the Gentemstick showroom, with people sitting on stools under mint-green cabinets
Day 8

Rusutsu

Rusutsu covers three mountains connected by gondolas, with wide, well-spaced tree runs and much shorter lines than Niseko. There's some pretty sweet views from this area as well.

Looking down a powder slope through snow-loaded birches at Rusutsu, over forested hills to Lake Toya shining under the clouds
Day 9

Backcountry on Yōtei

Mount Yōtei is the volcano everyone photographs from Niseko. There are no lifts and it is a full ass day of skinning up and skiing one of the bowls or gullies. We can also ski into the crater. it can be very windy and scary at the very top, likely need crampons.

There's also another more chill and quick backcountry spot that I liked called chissenpuri near moiwa lodge. It has an outdoor natural onsen too.

Day 10

Home via New Chitose and Tokyo

It's pretty easy to take the bus from Niseko area to Sapporo's New Chitose Airport (CTS). It is about two and a half to three hours, and buses all usually need a reservation, so book a week or more ahead.

New Chitose is a good airport to have time to kill, so don't cut it close. Ramen Dojo on the third floor of the domestic terminal has around ten shops from across Hokkaido, and the second floor is a long run of food halls, seafood counters, and souvenir shops selling Royce chocolate and Shiroi Koibito. If there's a long layover, there's even an onsen inside the terminal. Grab a bag of Tough Gummies from the Lawson for the flight home.

A night in Tokyo

Most flights home connect through Tokyo anyway, so take the domestic hop to Haneda and give yourself a night before the long flight. Walk the moat around the Imperial Palace in the morning, when the light hits the stone bridge and the white turret behind it. The East Gardens are free to enter, but they close on Mondays and Fridays.

The stone bridge over the Imperial Palace moat in Tokyo, with ornate lamps and a white palace turret among pine trees

If there's time: Rishiri

Rishiri is a volcanic island off the far northern tip of Hokkaido, and the whole island is basically one mountain rising out of the sea. Mount Rishiri is about 1,700 meters, with no lifts, so it is all ski touring. Long couloirs and open faces drop almost straight to the coast.

A wide snowy street lined with houses under a clear blue sky

Getting there takes a day. Drive about four hours north from Asahikawa to Wakkanai, then take the ferry across, which takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes. The weather is fierce and changes quickly, and ferries get cancelled, so plan two or three days with buffer, and go with a local guide who knows the island. It would fit best between the Biei and Sapporo legs, or as its own trip.