Daisetsuzan (Taisetsuzan) National Park is at the center of Hokkaido and the largest national park in Japan. At the centre of the Daisetsu mountain range lies the highest mountain “Asahidake”, which is also the highest mountain in Hokkaido.The area of the park is 230,000ha and it is a national park which is rich in unspoilt natural beauty. Stretching from Mt.Torashiumu to the Tokachi Mountains, or the district including Mt.Nipesotsu and Mt.Upepesanke and the Shikaribetsu volcanic region to the Ishikarir Mountain Range, the area that is Daisetsuzan National Park is often called The Roof Of Hokkaido. The change in season is drastic, especially at the foot of Mt. Taisetsu (Daisetsu mountain), where the scene will change from alpine flowers, to new green forests, colorful foliage, to fluffy white snowscapes; a different yet beautiful scene with every season.
Mount Kuro (Kurodake or black mountain) and Mount Asahi (Asahi-dake)
Take a ropeway to the fifth station of Mt. Kurodake, 1300 meters above sea level, and you will have a magnificent view of the Daisetsuzan mountain range. The ropeway only takes about 7 minutes to the top, from where you can hike around the area or take a 15-minute chairlift even further up the mountain. From here you can reach the summit in about an hour or choose from several different hikes along the mountain ridges. If you are interested in a longer hike, you can walk from the Sounkyo chairlift over Mt. Asahi and on to Asahidake Onsen. The trip takes about 8 to 10 hours depending on your pace. The only trail guides are in Japanese, but so are the trail signs, so it wouldn’t do you much good to have an English map anyway. Skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed in this area until mid-may.
Access to Mt. Kurodake and Mt. Asahi: 30 minutes by Dohoku bus from JR Kamikawa Station to Sounkyo bus stop, then take the ropeway to the seventh stage of the mountain and it’s a 1-hour walk to the top
Read More details: The Outline of Daisetsuzan National Park
