Northern Hokkaido

Daisetsuzan volcano group [大雪山]

Daisetsuzan in winter
Daisetsuzan in winter

Asahidake in Daisetsuzan
Asahidake in Daisetsuzan

Map around Daisetsuzan
Map around Daisetsuzan

Daisetsuzan is a group of some volcanoes located about 50 km east of Asahikawa city.
It is also called as Taisetsuzan.

The main peak is Asahidake ("Mount Asahi" in English) which is 2,291 meters high, and it is the highest peak of Hokkaido.

The wide area including these volcanoes is designated the Daisetsuzan National Park.

Rich forests spread around the foot of Daisetuzan.
In summer, over 200 kinds of alpine plants are found in the area more than 1,700 meters high.

Ishikari River flows from the east foot along the north foot.
A deep gorge has been formed and it is called Sounkyo (層雲峡).

Asahidake (Mount Asahi) (旭岳)

Asahidake in autumn
Asahidake in autumn
Photo by photolibrary

Sugatami-no-ike
Sugatami-no-ike

Asahidake is the main volcano of Daisetuzan, and is 2,291 meters high.

The last eruption was about 5,600 yeras ago, but it is still fuming.

At the western foot of the mountain (about 1,100 meters high), there is Asahidake hot spring resort.
(It was called "Yukomanbetsu hot spring" in a past.)

There are some hotels and minshukus.
Here is the end of the road for car.

A ropeway goes up to the Sugatami station which is on the height of about 1,600 meters.
It is the fifth station of the mountain.

If you dress in trekking outfits, you can trek to see some beautiful ponds and alpine meadow from the station.

Main pond is Sugatami-no-ike and is positioned about 700 meters from the ropeway station. But it is cold even in summer.

The ropeway runs through near the year.

Asahidake Ropeway

Ten-ninkyo gorge (天人峡)

Ten-ninkyo gorge
Ten-ninkyo gorge

Outdoor bath in a hotel in Ten-ninkyo
Outdoor bath in a hotel in Ten-ninkyo

Ten-ninkyo is a gorge located along the southwest foot of Asahidake volcano.

Chubetsu River flows, and there are various rocks and cliffs along this area.

From old times, the quiet Ten-ninkyo hot spring resort has been popular.
It has a few onsen hotels along the Chubetsu River.

Hagoromo waterfall
Hagoromo waterfall

Shikishima waterfall
Shikishima waterfall

There are two popular waterfalls around the resort.

Hagoromo waterfall (羽衣の滝, 270 meters high) is located about 1 km northeast of the resort.
And Shikishima waterfall (敷島の滝, 20 meters high) is located 2 km east of the resort.

To see these waterfall, you should join the tekking tour to the observatory that both waterfalls are seen.

Ten-ninkyo is located only 3 km south of Asahidake hot spring resort, but we must take the other road halfway to there.

How to get here

To Asahidake ropeway

From JR Asahikawa station, route bus is operated 4 times in a day.
It takes about 1.5 hours.

To Ten-ninkyo Onsen

There is no public transportation.
A few hotels operates the private shuttle bus for guests.

Other Tourist Attractions in Northern Hokkaido

Asahikawa city Biei town Furano city Sounkyo gorge Wakkanai city Cape Soya Rishiri Island Rebun Island

Return to Northern Hokkaido Return to Hokkaido prefecture