On this itinerary we discover the best of the vast Daisetsuzan National Park. We will summit Mt. Asahidake, the highest peak in Hokkaido, as well as Mt Kurodake in its northern region and we explore as far south as Lake Shikaribetsu.
Designated as Japan’s National Park in 1934, Daisetsuzan holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Hokkaido. The park covers over 2,300 square kilometres (570,000 acres), which is bigger than the size of Tokyo and is home to a dramatic mountain range, giving Daisetsuzan the nickname “the Roof of Hokkaido”.
Keigetsu Omachi, a writer during the Meiji and Taisho periods (late 1800s, early 1900s), traversed these peaks long before the trails had been established. He famously said “To understand the height of a mountain, climb Mt Fuji. To understand the vastness of a mountain, climb the Daisetsuzan mountains.” This well sums up the dramatic scale of this mountain range.