Asahidake is the highest mountain in Hokkaido at 2,290 meters and an active volcano. It’s located in the centre of the island south-east of the city of Asahikawa in the expansive Daisetsuzan National Park. If you choose to adventure deep into Hokkaido during summer, Asahidake makes an excellent day trip option from Asahikawa alongside the flower fields of Furano.
Access
From Asahikawa station take bus no. 66 to the final stop, Asahidake ropeway. The bus will stop at Asahikawa airport as the halfway point. The ride is 1800 yen one way and takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Click here to view the timetable for the bus (Website is in Japanese). There are only 3 busses each day so it’s recommended to take the first bus that leaves Asahikawa station at 7:15, and make sure so to know that the final bus leaves Asahidake ropeway at 15:40!
The Climb
From the top of the ropeway station there are many casual trails to explore the marshy landscape. Asahidake will loom over you. As it’s an active volcano, there are plenty of spots to view steam rising from the base of the mountain.
The majority of the climb is along the southern ridge of the mountain. The entire climb is well above the tree line so you can enjoy sweeping views of Hokkaido below.
The summit is spacious. There aren’t any mountain huts at the top or along the trail so make sure you’re well prepared. I went on a fairly cloudy day which heightened the experience of seeing the sea of clouds below.
