Hokkaido: Day 1

Today begins the weeklong tour of Hokkaido! I have wanted to go to Hokkaido for a long time. It’s the northernmost Japanese island and the least populated. It’s known for its wilderness, wildlife, deep forests, and mountains. Today we visited Asahi-dake (Mount Asahi), the tallest mountain in Hokkaido at 2291 meters (7516 feet). Up we went to the tippy top where snow was still blanketing the ground. Almost no one was there, as coronavirus has scared away most travelers, but also because spring is upon us and the snow was heavy from melting. While at Asahi-dake, I snowshoed for the first time. I got caught in some deep snowdrifts, but managed to pull myself up. We saw some fresh avalanches and the rapid steam of the thermal vents (it is a volcano after all).

Not only did we see Hokkaido’s tallest mountain, but we also saw Hokkaido’s tallest waterfall! So we really peaked on the first day. To snowshoe into the water fall, aka Hagoromo Falls in Tenninkyo Gorge, we had to walk past an abandoned lodge, which was quite eerie. It’s still a popular place for hikers, so the area is well-maintained.

Sayonara!