Japan – Hiking Hokkaido
by Henri Currie
When I moved to Japan for a 6-month stint with my job, I had one goal in mind – immerse in as much of its unique nature and cuisine as I possibly could.
Hokkaido, Japan’s far north island, was at the top of my list for a getaway that would provide both.
Just a 2-hour flight from Tokyo, it’s impossible to cover all of Hokkaido’s wonders in a week and you will quickly find yourself shortlisting day-hikes and ramen shops. Whilst it is typically a winter and ski destination, the island offers a host of memorable adventures from toddlers through to grandparents. For me, it was a solo 8-day road-trip covering Chitose to the Shiretoko Peninsula and every summit in between.
I visited Hokkaido in mid-October (7-15th ), at the tail-end of the hiking season. Although the autumn colours typically peak in late September, they were a bit later this year and I got to enjoy a variety of lush green and vibrant autumn hues, as well as snow on the higher peaks. Temperatures ranged from 0-8 degrees in the alps and 15-20 degrees at sea-level, so it was important to have layers, although I enjoyed the blue skies and no humidity!
Driving in Hokkaido is very straight forward and the roads easy to navigate, especially with the rental car GPS. Make sure to get your ETC card and Hokkaido Expressway Pass via the car rental company and fuel up before any major stretches of driving. While you will usually only see road signs for 50 kph, many of the highways are 70-80 kph.
Autumn Colours
Day 1
I arrived in Chitose around lunchtime and picked up my rental car from Orix-Rent-a-Car. They’re relatively cheap and have fantastic customer service – just make sure you have organized your International Driver’s Licence (Geneva Convention) ahead of time.
I hit the road to Furano, a small town on the border of the Daisetsuzan National Park – about a 2-hour drive from Chitose. On the way, you can check out Farm Tomita, famous for its colourful fields, and Ningle Terrace to explore the wooden huts exhibiting handcrafts. I had a delicious sausage and omelette curry at Yuiga Doxon and picked up hike snacks and supplies at the nearby Furano Marche.
I spent my first night at the gorgeous Akano-dake Guest House, about 40 minutes drive out of town. Joe and his wife have curated a cozy, farm-stay like experience with single and shared rooms. The dining room and deck have an incredible view over the crops (covered in snow in the Winter) with Mt Furano on the horizon. The Guest House offers delicious Japanese-style dinner and breakfast sourced right from the Furano farms.
Day 2
First up was the Furano-dake Loop (Mt Furano, Mt Sanpo, Mt Kamifurano), an exquisite ~12km day-hike covering ~900m of elevation. It is a beautiful drive to the trail-head at Ryounkaku Onsen, where there is plenty of parking in the carpark or along the road (if it is overflowing).
Most of the day-hikes in this blog had lots of elevation gain, some steep sections, and took around 4-6 hours to complete. It was important to carry plenty of water (~3L), snacks, and appropriate hiking gear (poles, a bearbell, crampons, and warm clothes were essential). The tracks are generally easy to navigate however All Trails is a great (free) app for checking your location along the way – especially if there is a turn-off!
The Furano-dake loop is a long gradual climb to the summit of Mt Furano over a wide gravel then steep, narrow dirt path. From the summit you can return the same way (for a shorter hike) or continue along the ridgeline to Mt Sanpo and Mt Kamifurano. Even in October these had a layer of snow, and while crampons were not essential, a few locals asked to take a photo of me in my shorts – ‘that silly Australian!’ Jokes aside, the travellers and locals through Hokkaido were incredibly friendly and always made me feel safe. I even ended up completing two hikes with strangers I met in hostels and bars.
View from Mt Furano Summit
After finishing the hike, I drove to the very popular but magical Shiragone Blue Pond and onto Asahiwake to try the famous ‘shoyu’ (soy) ramen at the Ramen Village. I have heard and read that there is a plethora of food and activities to explore there (I was recommended Yamagami for deer!), but it was getting dark and I still needed to pick-up hike supplies at Mont-bell and reach Asahidake Onsen.
Shiragone Blue Pond
Asahi-dake Onsen is a small onsen village at the base of the Asahi-dake ropeway. There is a selection of hotels, but I chose K’s House which has comfortable share rooms, a spacious kitchen, and outdoor onsen for late night stargazing. There are no nearby shops, so be sure to fill up before you arrive and bring enough groceries for breakfast / lunch / snacks the next day.
Day 3
Today’s hike was the Asahidake-Nakadake Onsen loop. I got up early to catch the first ropeway ride to the base of Mt Asahidake where there is an observatory and some shorter walks if you’re looking for something more relaxed. It was a view unlike any I had ever seen – bright blue ponds
reflected the snow-capped summit and plumes of steam rising out of the volcanic rock. The climb to the Asahi-dake Summit and the Nakadake Onsen (a high altitude natural hot spring) can be done as separate out and back trips, but should be chosen carefully based on your fitness and experience (see All Trails for elevation and reviews). I chose to do both in a one-way loop that involved a very steep and snowy climb and descent over the summit. It had incredible 360 views of the surrounding summits (including Kurodake) and I enjoyed dipping my feet in the hotspring with newfound hiking companions. I finished the hike around 2pm and despite my initial plans to stay another night, decided to book a last-minute room at Sounkyo Onsen Hotel and get a couple more hours of driving out of the way.
The hotel sits at the base of the Kurodake Ropeway, on the almost directly opposite side of the park to Asahidake. As a last-minute find, there are potentially better options to explore in the area.
Mt Asahidake
Day 4
I got up early and took the 7am ride up Kurodake Ropeway and Chairlift to the base of the Kurodake Loop. Again, you can choose your own adventure – either riding just to the observation deck, a shorter out and back to the Mt Kurodake summit (~4km) or complete a full loop of the valley and neighbouring mountains (~16km). I did the last option and spent a magical 5 hours trudging through the snow alone. Luckily, I had fantastic visibility over the valley all day, but would urge others to be cautious of the weather forecast (which can be prone to sudden changes).
After a long morning of hiking, I reached Sounkyo once again and head to Ginga Waterfall (where I treated myself to strawberry soft cream and persimmons).
The drive from here to Nukabira Onsen was perhaps one of the best stretches of the trip. You roll down from the Northern Alps to near sea-level with a view over the Kamishiro and Tokachi farmlands – famous for their rich produce and dairy. Stop at the Matsumi Great Bridge look-out to take in the autumn colours before arriving at the Nukabira Nakamaya Onsen Hotel.
Nakamaya was my favourite stay on the trip – a traditional-style hotel with lovely staff, cozy spaces, and brilliant food. The lounge room is packed with books and mini fire pits where you can help yourself to warm soba tea and ‘all you can eat’ potato chips. I chose to include dinner on my booking (recommended) and had a beautiful 6 course meal featuring the local seasonal produce. You can again enjoy a stargaze in the outdoor onsen and remain comfortable in your Yukata as you explore the hotel’s book collection and mini store.
Day 5
I had a slow start to the day before headed further east towards Ashoro. First stop was coffee at Naitai Terrace which overlook Japan’s largest public ranch. Then straight to Mt Meakan to complete the Me-akan to Lake Onetto loop (~11km). One of Japan’s most active volcanoes, you can embark on a steep 3km straight up the face of Me-akan and enjoy a more gradual downhill to Lake Onetto, or complete a longer but gentler out-and-back from the lake. I enjoyed the warmth that came with the lower altitude and 360-degree views towards Lake Akan and the mouth of the volcano. The descent takes you through lush green forest to the Lake Onetto campgrounds, which seem very peaceful and protected for those with a tent!
I completed the hike in 3-4 hours and drove the short 20 minutes up the road to Akanko Onsen, where I checked into Hotel Gozensui by the waters edge. Akanko Onsen is a funny little town with a street dedicated entirely to fairy-lit souvenir shops and a variety of tempura, soba, and izakaya restaurants. I walked along the lake’s shoreline and was served a delicious chicken soba set by the family at Momomian.
Lake Akan
Day 6
After a kombini breakfast overlooking Lake Akan, I drove to and decided to run the Mt Mashu crater (~14km). This is a no-fuss, easily accessible day hike that could suit most fitness levels – except for the steep 400m ascent to the summit. The hike follows a ridgeline with incredible views over Lake Mashu and its surrounds, so can be enjoyed even without the last summit.
Afterwards I picnicked at Lake Kussharo. At Sunayu Onsen you can dig a hole in the sand right at the lakes edge and end up with your very own hot bath! The shop there offers hot green tea and boiled eggs from the onsen, as well as deep-fried vegetables and soft cream.
From Lake Kussharo, it is about a 45-minute drive to Shari where you must pay a visit to Shiretoko for their famous kariage and seafood sets. From here, you can drive the very scenic sea-side road to Utoro, with pitstops to see the salmon swimming upstream at Onnebetsu Salmon and Trout Hatching Farm.
Before settling down for the evening, I drove onwards to the Shiretoko-Goko Lakes where you can enjoy a beautiful, raised boardwalk over the lakes, with views of the ocean and Mt Rausu. This was especially nice at sunset. Unfortunately, the road to the Sandan Hot Spring was closed but will remain on the bucket list for next time.
Lunch at Shiretoko Santomi
In Utoro, I stayed at the Shiretoko Yuuhi no ataruie Onsen Hostel, which is less like your typical hostel but rather a very pleasant hotel with incredible views over Utoro from the lounge, rooms, and indoor/outdoor onsen. I enjoyed a bowl of oden and chatting to locals at Akasaka Yatai Teru-chan, a cozy trailer bar in the harbour-side rest area. I then wandered over to the pasta and pizza bar across from 7/11. In it, you’ll find a long wooden bar, a fun young Japanese couple throwing together delicious plates of pasta, and plenty of locals enjoying (one too many) beers and cigarettes. It’s easy to get lost in the atmosphere even as a solo-traveller, and it wasn’t until three hours and three house whites later that I emerged with an impending hangover and new friend with whom I would tackle summit #6 – Mt Rausu.
Mt Rausu Summit
Day 7
For my sixth and final summit I climbed the beautiful Mt Rausu from Iwabaetsu Onsen (~14km). This was one of my favourite hikes of the week – I had fun company and enjoyed the uniqueness of autumn colours and alpine views with an ocean backdrop. We were shocked to miss out on a bear encounter despite it being their most concentrated habitat in Japan but relished in the comfort of having bear-bells and spray (just in case).
The 1500m elevation gain can be completed surprisingly quicky as the first 6km follow a well-marked track with good footing, before reaching the very steep and rocky scramble to the top. We had a long lunch on the summit, enjoying the 360 views (which included Russian islands) and sunshine, before returning the same way. After a celebratory beer, it was getting dark and time to drive over the hill to Rausu via the Shiretoko Pass. In Rausu, you can grab a quick dinner at Yurari Izakaya and crash on a futon at Bear Elephant.
Day 8
My final full day in Hokkaido was a sprint back across to Chitose to catch my flight back to Tokyo. Although I wouldn’t recommend completing such a long drive alone or in one go, it was not such a bad way to rest up after 6 days of intense hiking. I was lucky to spend the afternoon at Shikotsu Toya lakeside, which included indulging in a lakeside salmon set lunch and well-renowned Cremia soft cream.
A trip to Hokkaido is of course not complete without a Hokkaido cheese tart. Thankfully, Kinoyota has an outlet at the New Chitose airport – the perfect way to cap off your trip, even if its 9am in the morning!
Revised 7 October 2026
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