Hello travelling friends! Wanted to ask for any insight here. Day 1 is 9/25. This is the first leg of a 12-day trip. The remaining days are for Kyoto and Tokyo. Trip objectives are to see fall leaves, have lots of yummy food, and appreciate the spiritualism and religions of Japan through temples and more.
Day 1: 2:10 PM arrive Narita. 4:55 PM flight to Sapporo/ New Chitose. Arrives 6:45 PM. Train to Sapporo; stay near Sapporo station (Possibly at Best Western. Don’t judge.)
Day 2: Pick up rental car first thing. Drive to Sounkyo area to take in the gorges’ views! (dad joke) But really, to see waterfalls: Ryusei-no-taki and Ginga-no-taki. Afterward, drive to Asahidake and stay in lodge (Nutapukaushipe) there (have to take ropeway to it).
Day 3: Ropeway back down, drive to Sapporo. Return rental car and enjoy autumn festival food. Train to airport, and fly to Osaka (Kansai). Spend night in Osaka or continue on for late arrival to Koya-san.
Day 4: spend in Koya-san and sleep there.
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I did my research and have been unable to find the answers to the following:
1. Is 4ish hours driving along the gorges enough to appreciate them, see the waterfalls, and mayyyybe even take in an onsen?
2. Asahidake vs. Kurodake ropeways for autumn leaf viewing: nowhere seems to compare them directly for the autumn leaf views. We are both fit, but I’d really like this part of the trip to not tire us out fresh off the plane. I just want a pleasant afternoon of leaf viewing and some light walking, and a relaxing evening afterward
3. Have any brave souls here stayed at Lodge Nutapukaushipe? Do you just leave your car at the bottom of the ropeway overnight?
1 comment
The main track at Asahidake is a nice hour or so walk. It’s well sign posted from the rooeway station at the top (also just follow everyone else). There’s a few trails that branch off if you want to add a bit more.
From memory, the kurodake one was a longer, steeper hike to the top but absolutely beautiful up there. However the top was more alpine rather than forest. If Ginsendei is open, that’s a lovely scenic hike, a bit more of a hike than Asahidake but not as steep as kurodake, if that makes sense.
Im not sure where you’re staying in Asahidake but the accommodations were at the bottom of the rope way.
https://asahidake.hokkaido.jp/en/#TOUR
https://www.rinyu.co.jp/kurodake/