Thank you for joining us in Central Hokkaido, a place where deep snow, quiet mountains, and authentic Japanese culture come together.
Over the coming days, we’ll explore some of Japan’s most renowned backcountry terrain, including the Daisetsuzan National Park, sharing our knowledge of the mountains while adapting to the best conditions each day. Evenings are for slowing down; good food, hot springs, and a well-earned drink as the snow continues to fall.
These are the landscapes we’ve been guiding in for over 40 years, and we’re looking forward to sharing them with you.
Transceiver, Shovel and Probe are essential and included in this tour
Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour
Accomodation is dependent on availability at time of booking
Tour price is based on a minimum group size of 4 people. A supplement will be applied to all persons if minimum group size is not met
2 Nights Asahidake, 4 nights Tokachi Mountains
Private Backcountry Guide
All Dinners and Breakfasts
Onsen charges
All lift tickets
Private Transfer Vehicle
10% discount on Backcountry Rental
Transceiver, Shovel and Probe
Any additional services outside of this scheduled itinerary
You must have sufficient travel insurance to join this tour
On arrival, you will be met by an Alpine Backcountry Guides team member and transferred from Furano or Asahikawa Airport to your accommodation in Asahidake (approximately 90 minutes).
We recommend arriving between 12:00pm and 3:00pm to allow for a smooth transfer to Asahidake, time to check in, and to go over gear and preparations for the week ahead.
After settling in, enjoy a hot spring bath and dinner at the lodge, the perfect way to relax and prepare for the days ahead.
Today is dedicated to exploring the Asahidake area, one of Hokkaido’s most iconic backcountry zones.
Depending on weather, visibility, and snow conditions, the day may begin with lift-assisted skiing, allowing for efficient access to higher terrain before transitioning to touring. Alternatively, if conditions allow, the group may head straight into a full day of backcountry skiing.
All plans are determined on the morning based on the latest weather and avalanche forecasts, ensuring the best possible combination of snow quality, terrain, and safety.
Enjoy another full day of skiing in the Asahidake zone, with objectives again chosen based on current conditions. The day may focus on lift-accessed sidecountry terrain or extend further into the backcountry, depending on weather, snow quality, and group preference.
In the afternoon, we’ll wrap up skiing around 3:00pm and transfer to the Tokachi Mountains (approximately 70 minutes), opening up a new and expansive alpine environment for the days ahead.
Upon arrival, check into your mountain lodge, where you can unwind with a hot spring bath followed by a well-earned dinner.
Over the next three days, we’ll explore the vast terrain of the Tokachi Mountains, operating directly from the mountain lodge. This region offers a more alpine feel, with a wide variety of terrain ranging from open volcanic slopes to perfectly spaced tree skiing.
Many of our favourite zones are accessed straight from the lodge, while others require only a short 10–15 minute transfer, allowing us to efficiently target the best conditions each day.
Objectives may include areas such as the North Ridge, Magic Forest, Tokachi Volcano, and Sanpo Valley, along with several lesser-known zones. Each day is planned around weather, snowpack, and group preference, with the goal of finding the deepest and most enjoyable skiing available.
Your final day offers a half day of backcountry skiing in the Tokachi Mountains, making the most of conditions before departure.
To allow for this, we recommend arranging onward travel for the afternoon or evening. Following skiing, the group will transfer to their chosen departure point.
Please ensure your onward travel details are sent to our team in advance so we can coordinate logistics accordingly. You can do this by emailing:
admin@alpinebackcountryguides.com
Welcome to Alpine Backcountry Guides, the Central Hokkaido backcountry specialists.
Started by John Morrell in 1984, originally under the banner of Journey into Japan, we have been providing unique cultural skiing experiences for people before many even knew there was good snow in Japan.
Back then John did a lot of work trying to convince people that there was good skiing in Hokkaido. Of course as time went on and the the mecha that is now Niseko started becoming more popular, the global skiing community started to realise there might be some value to all this "Japow" talk.
Many things have changed over the past 4 decades in Japan, but our commitment to incredible skiing and experiences remains the same.