Here are photos taken at Taisetsu Lake, Ishikari River and Mikuni Pass on Oct 4th 2026.

I guess the autumn colors in the Daisetsuzan area will end within 1 week, and the autumn colors will move down to the foot of the Daisetsuzan soon.

＊ Photos were taken on Sep 18th, 2026

As most of you know, entry to the Tokachidake area is currently restricted. (Here is my post about the eruption level raised)

I've heard that local accommodations are seeing a lot of cancellations, so I'm planning to do Furusato Nozei (Japan's hometown tax donation program) for Kamifurano, Biei, and Shintoku to support them in a small way. I love this area and want to see these towns get through this.

(Photos are from last September, 2025)

Photos of Sandanyama in Feb this year! I can't wait for my japow season! ❄

But, unfortunately, it's now in a restricted area due to the volcanic alert level being raised at Tokachidake, so this might not be accessible next season... 🌋

Hi, I'm the one who posted "How about going to Asahikawa if you want to enjoy skiing or snowboarding in Hokkaido, Japan?" the other day.

I just published the first article in the series "Getting to Asahikawa, Hokkaido is easier than you'd think".

Asahikawa airport sits in one of the heaviest snowfall regions in Japan, and its flight completion rate was 99.5% in the 2024 fiscal year — high even by Hokkaido standards. Cancellations are rare, so a winter trip is unlikely to fall apart before it starts.

There are buses and rental car options from the airport, but no train.

Full details in the article above. Thanks for reading!

This is relevant to what I posted last month.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), entry is now restricted within 3.0 km radius of the 62-2 crater.

Mt. Kamihorokamettoku, Mt. Kamifuranodake, Hakuginso, Fukiage Onsen are now inside the restricted area.

Volcanic earthquakes have also been increasing recently, and JMA is warning people to be careful of a possible eruption.

Also, please do not plan to ski, snowboard or hike in or near the restricted area.

Sources:

• JMA announcement on raising the eruption alert level
• Hokkaido Disaster Prevention's post on X

As I posted last Friday, it was a perfect time to enjoy the autumn leaves in the Daisetsuzan area!

The autumn leaves have just started turning in the Daisetsuzan Mountains!

The forecast says blue skies this weekend (Sep 5–6, 2026), so I think it should be a good time to hike Mt. Asahidake or Mt. Kurodake.

Here is the news that I saw last night. (YouTube channel from STV News): https://youtu.be/-1PFOjxS0-w?si=huKR1yl1vJrN1GLx

Recently I've noticed some visitors going mountaineering or backcountry skiing without posting a hiking notification form at the trailhead.

So I wrote up a short guide covering why it matters, what to write, and how to submit one. Here are the key points:

• It's not required on most mountains, but it is mandatory on some
• You can submit to the local police, but there are also online tools available
• A form should include your personal info, hiking plan, emergency plans, and equipment/food details

＊ The article is here: https://su3hokkaido.substack.com/p/need-to-submit-a-hiking-notification

Feel free to ask me if you have any questions!

Hi, I'm the one who posted "How about going to Asahikawa if you want to enjoy skiing or snowboarding in Hokkaido, Japan?" the other day.

I just published a backcountry ski record about a small mountain near Asahikawa that some of you might not have heard of.

This is Mt. Naka Aibetsu, about 1 hour from central Asahikawa. I don't think it's in any English-language guidebook or app, but I've seen tour groups here in recent years, so I wrote this for anyone who wants details on this mountain.

The record covers the route, parking, hazards, and a local hot spring nearby.

Free to read here:

https://su3hokkaido.substack.com/p/ski-record-of-mt-naka-aibetsu-in

In recent years, I saw some comments that asked about alternatives to Niseko, Rusutsu and nearby ski resorts.

Though we can imagine or discuss why these comments were posted, I believe Asahikawa can be an alternative option.

If I listed details why Asahikawa can be alternative, it would make this post too long. So let me summarize the main points below:

- Compact but that’s the good part

- Asahikawa airport is known for the highest flight completion rate in Hokkaido

- Lots of ski areas, and they’re reasonable

- Lots of good mountains for backcountry skiing and snowboarding

- Onsen (Hot Spring)

- Good food, sweets and cafes

- Good places to work remotely

- Neighboring towns around Asahikawa are worth your time, such as Higashikawa, Furano and so on

＊ These points are just my opinion, so I might have missed a few things.

If you want to read the full contents, please access my article here:

https://su3hokkaido.substack.com/p/how-about-going-to-asahikawa-if-you

Thanks for reading!

As most of you probably know, Mt. Tokachidake in Hokkaido has been under Eruption Alert Level 2 (Crater Area Restriction) since June 2026.

Key restrictions:

• Do not enter within a 1.5 km radius of the 62-2 crater
• Watch out for large flying rocks and volcanic gas
• Check updates from local towns (Biei, Kamifurano) before visiting

This is general information, but I want to flag a few things that might not be obvious to visitors.

Mt. Sandanyama and Mae-Tokachi are also within the restricted area. This is based on the regulation map published by the Japan Meteorological Agency (attached).

Mountains just outside the restricted zone — such as Mt. Kamihoro-Kamettoku, Mt. Kami-Furano, and Mt. Furano — are not officially restricted, but personally I would not go near them while the alert level is at 2. This is my own judgment, not an official rule.

I don't think this alert level will be lifted anytime soon, but that's just my feeling.

Either way, please stay away from the restricted area around Mt. Tokachidake. Check the latest JMA announcements before planning any trip to this area.