Ski Mountaineering & Splitboarding in Japan
Japan is one of the worlds most mountainous countries, though they never get very high. There are both alpine and volcanic ranges, and the highest point is the active volcano, Fujiyama, near the capitol Tokyo. I've divided the skiing I've done there into four main areas. The climate in Hokkaido is much colder, with long very cold winters from December through to March, giving famously good powder snow conditions.
Northern Hokkaido
There are some good ski peaks in the far northern and eastern areas of Hokkaido, although conditions can be a bit more hit and miss up this way!
Northeast Hokkaido is certainly a cold part of the world. Picnic by the Sea of Okhotsk on the drive from Shari to Utoro in early March 2020.
.jpg)
Mokotoyama ski ascent, Hokkaido. The peaks in the background are Unabetsu on the left and further away, and Sharidake in the centre. Unabetsu is s a good long but straightforward ski ascent, mainly through trees. Sharidake is a bit trickier, very long day and some steep and windswept ground..
.jpg)
Skiing down Sharidake, Shiretoko peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan. In the background are the Kuril islands of Russian Siberia.
Heavy snow at Lake Akan, Hokkaido, Japan.
Central Hokkaido
.jpg)
Second time on Furano dake in February 2023. The snow on Hokkaido never disappoints at this time of year, but the weather can be quite hit or miss.
Ski-mountaineering down thru some great powder snow on Furano-dake, Hookaido, northern Japan, March 2020.
Deep powder snow on Sandanyama Japan. There is so much snow at times that both the driving and the snowboarding can get tricky!
This was our second time skiing and splitboarding on Asahidake, the Hokkaido highpoint. Great conditions and a super day out. The ascent route is up the right hand ridge.
On top of Asahi-dake, March 2020. At 2291m it is the highest mountain on the northern island of Hokkaido. This peak is an easy one day ascent from the top station of the cable car.
Southwest Hokkaido
Yotei volcano near Niseko and Rusutsu ski resorts. makes a fine, steep, ski-mountaineering ascent.
Skiing down the summit slopes of Yotei volcano.
Honshu
In our experience the skiing on Honshu is much more spread out and less reliable than up in Hokkaido. It's busier as well, so many people crammed into so many houses here. We've tried twice to ski Fuji but they don't like to open the road in early season, and by Mid-may when the road is generally open I'm not sure the skiing will be so good.
Skiing for the summit of Kisokomagadake, the highest point of the Central Japan Alps in late March 2023. A nice short day out making use of the ropeway to get to a good height, then a steep ascent up a wide couloir o the rolling plateau.
Setting off to climb the 3776m high Fuji-yama in spring conditions, on the main island of Honshu, Japan. The road was shut again so we started form the Gotemba trailhead at just 1500m.
Myself skiing down Fuji, Japan, March 2020. Great views, great snow!
