Asahi-dake — Local services in Higashikawa

this might have been my favorite hike in japan overall, even more than mt fuji, mt yotei, and miyajima. i thought i was missing out by going in september and not getting to see most of the alpine flowers, but the benefit of going in the fall when all the snow has melted (besides the fact that its significantly cheaper) is you can see the rock formations and multi-colored gravel better and it feels like walking on a different planet sometimes. it was incredibly quiet that day too. there were parts that were sheltered enough from the wind where you literally couldnt hear anything, not even an insect or bird call. ive never been anywhere outdoors that was that quiet before.

i did a day trip from sapporo and finished way early with hours of extra time before the last bus. did the nakadake/susoaidaira loop which had some stunning scenery in the first half, but i found the lower-elevation/valley portion on the way back to be the least interesting part of the hike, although its probably a lot better if the flowers are in full bloom. if i were to do it over, i would have done the same loop up to the nakadake springs (which isnt too far past the previous trail junction) and then backtracked and continued on to the kurodake side, taking the train back from there since i had a JR pass.

if you come here, you should definitely at least do the full susoaidaira loop. its well worth continuing on past asahidake as thats where a lot of the...

I walked the main loop in a sundress and walking sneakers, you absolutely don't need hiking gear if you don't already have it on hand. I saw lots of kids and even elderly people with canes (would not recommend it for those who can't walk unassisted though!), so as long as you are not wearing clothing that restricts your movement or shoes like heels, then you'll be fine. There are some bits where you are walking over craggy rock steps, and depending which way you walk the loop, there may be a long-ish section that is downhill rocks, and you will have to pick your way down like mountain goat. But it is by no means a hard climb, more like a mountain walk with a tiny bit of climbing here and there.

It was definitely quite cool with the wind, but on a sunny day, the sunlight will feel harsh. Bring UV protective gear. I used a sun parasol for most of the climb - so there was always something in one of my hands, and I still managed fine.

In the summer there are little patches of cute flowers here and there - but perhaps due to the unusual heat, they weren't...

Came to Asahidake in late Jul, so have missed the alpine flowers. The loop connecting all the observation decks could be easier completed leisurely in an hour, and the reflection of the mountains upon the pond was nice. From the 5th deck, went towards the summit, which would be about 2.7km. The beginning was relatively easier, with green pastures on each side. It started to drizzle, and the cool air was welcoming. The landscape changes to grey rocks, with steeper steps, and possibly the most difficult part of ascent. Then it changed to red stones, which were quite slippery, but soon one reached the summit plateau, at 2,290m. From the 5th deck to summit, it took me nearly 3 hours as I was going really slowly. When the weather is clear, the scenery is nice and worth the efforts. Coming down the initial slippery part is even more difficult. I caught a glimpse of the Ezo fox running across the pasture. Advisable to bring along raincoat, food water and most importantly, a good pair of non-slip hiking shoes that will...