City of Asahikawa Japan
The city of Asahikawa Japan makes a great base to visit many ski areas and backcountry zones in Central Hokkaido and Northern Hokkaido. The region is known for its cold temperatures and very snowy conditions, so there is a high likelihood of finding the great powder that
Hokkaido skiing is famous for. As part of a DIY trip, you can keep an eye on the forecasts and pick a different ski area each day that suits the weather. Or you can head to Asahikawa as part of a
multi-resort tour where the guide will understand the nuances of the weather implications, can drive you around to the best spots, and show you the powder stashes.
Pros & Cons of Using Asahikawa as a Base
Pros
- There are various ski areas near Asahikawa that range from small local ski hills to large high elevation backcountry zones.
- The powder snow is often sublime because this region is very cold in winter. Asahikawa used to hold the record for the coldest temperature in Japan with a chilling -41degrees C in 1902. Thankfully it’s not always that cold in winter! Average low temps are about -14 degrees Celsius.
- High elevation areas such as Asahidake and Kurodake get pummelled with snow. Even the low elevation ski areas get lots of snow, particularly those to the northwest of Asahikawa which are geographically blessed to score big when the cold air from Siberia is drawn down across the Sea of Japan.
- You’ll get to experience plenty of authentic Japanese culture.
- Asahikawa accommodation is very good value compared to staying at a ski resort.
- There are lots of restaurants and drinking spots to explore and dining is relatively inexpensive.
- Many of the Asahikawa ski areas have fantastically cheap lift tickets.
- Access is easy via nearby Asahikawa Airport.
Con
- There is definitely no ski-in ski-out accommodation and a daily commute is required to a ski area.
Ski Areas Near Asahikawa Japan
| Asahikawa Ski Areas |
| Ski Area |
1°
Aspect |
Top
(m) |
Base
(m) |
Vertical
(m) |
Runs |
Lifts |
Max **
Pitch ° |
Location
* |
| Santa Present Park |
NE |
330 |
170 |
160 |
6 |
4 |
25 |
7km W |
| Canmore |
W |
456 |
210 |
246 |
6 |
2 |
29 |
16km E |
| Kamui |
NW |
751 |
150 |
601 |
25 |
6 |
35 |
21km SW |
| Pippu |
WSW |
550 |
250 |
300 |
9 |
3 |
36 |
27km NE |
| Wassamu |
SW |
347 |
154 |
193 |
7 |
2 |
30 |
41km N |
| Asahidake*** |
SW |
1600 |
1100 |
500 |
4 |
1 |
30 |
45km SE |
| Horotachi |
SE |
367 |
161 |
206 |
4 |
1 |
38 |
46km NW |
| Kamoidake |
E |
467 |
216 |
251 |
2 |
5 |
31 |
55km SW |
| Furano |
E |
1074 |
235 |
839 |
28 |
9 |
34 |
62km S |
| Kurodake*** |
NNE to NE |
1520 |
670 |
850 |
2 |
2 |
40 |
66km E |
| Asahi |
S |
392 |
220 |
172 |
2 |
1 |
22 |
69km NE |
| Hinata |
E |
405 |
178 |
227 |
5 |
2 |
36 |
70km N |
| Piyashiri |
SSE |
673 |
193 |
480 |
12 |
3 |
32 |
91km N |
* distance relative to Asahikawa train station ** max pitch is on-piste *** mostly backcountry
You can also click on the map icon above to see the locations of the Asahikawa ski resorts. You can also see how we rate these Asahikawa ski areas on our
Hokkaido ski resort ratings, and we outline the pros and cons on our write-ups of each ski area.
Kamui Ski Links is a low frills Asahikawa ski area. In addition to piste runs, there is good in-bounds tree skiing and great lift-accessed backcountry (sidecountry).
Asahidake has a cable car and is only suitable for advanced and expert riders because it is one big backcountry playground for powder hounds. Many people say that the deepest day of their life was at Asahidake, aka Deep-dake.
Furano ski resort is a mainstream resort with good lift infrastructure and a range of piste terrain for all ability levels and it's an off-piste and backcountry skiing haven.
Kurodake has great backcountry and snow, and the terrain under the cable car is steep and gnarly, and a guide is a must. The Kurodake Ropeway is only open for part of the season.
Other Asahikawa ski areas that are small and low elevation, and fun when temps are low are
Pippu ski area,
Kokusetsu Horotachi,
Wassamu Higashiyama Ski Area,
Shibetsu Hinata Ski Area and
Kamoidake.
If you're up for a decent drive,
Nayoro Piyashiri is 89km north of Asahikawa. You're unlikely to find much competition for the fresh powder at Piyashiri.
It’s doable as a day trip, but you might prefer to
stay at Piyashiri for a night.
If you’ve found this information helpful and would like to thank us, you could consider booking your
Asahikawa accommodation via us.
Other Snowboarding and Skiing Near Asahikawa
Tokachi-dake is about 57km southeast of Asahikawa. This is a backcountry zone that offers the ultimate in deep, deep and deeper, but you have to earn your turns to reap the rewards.
Tengu cat skiing is located at the former Kitataisetsu ski resort. The powder here is particularly delightful!
Where is Asahikawa Japan?
The city of Asahikawa is located in the middle of Hokkaido and is part of Northern Hokkaido (Dohoku). Asahikawa is 138km northeast of
Sapporo.
Joining a
guided multi-resort tour or
renting a car is the best way to sample multiple Asahikawa ski resorts, but as an alternative there are shuttle buses to get to some of the ski areas. See the
Asahikawa travel page for more information.
Asahikawa Hotels
Asahikawa accommodation primarily consists of hotels. The Asahikawa hotels provide very good value for money and there are also a few accommodation options for those travelling on a budget.
A good pick for an Asahikawa hotel is
OMO7 Asahikawa, which is very well set up for skiers and snowboarders. From the hotel there are daily winter shuttles to Kamui Ski Links, Asahidake, Santa Present Park, and Pippu Ski Area.
Asahikawa Hotel Listings
Asahikawa Activities
The city has a population of about 360,000 so the downtown area is small enough to largely access on foot, yet the city is big enough to be vibrant and exciting. Asahikawa is full of restaurants, bars, and shops that will delight anyone small enough to fit into the clothing. There are various activities to do in and around Asahikawa for those who don’t want to play on the snow, including the renowned
Asahiyama Zoo.
Culture
Asahikawa Japan not only provides access to great skiing and snowboarding, but the city also allows visitors to experience Japanese culture that hasn’t been “resortified”. Outside your hotel, don’t expect many people to speak English beyond a couple of basic greetings, and don’t expect to see too many Westerners. Some may view this as a bit of a travel inconvenience, but for adventurous travellers the huge advantage is that you’ll find the genuine Japan in Asahikawa.
Photography Tours
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