Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園 Daisetsuzan-kokuritsukōen, also pronounced Taisetsuzan; [1]) is located in the mountainous center of the island of Hokkaido.

Culture and History

At 2267.64 square kilometers, Daisetsuzan is the largest national park in Japan. The name means Great Snowy Mountain(s), an apt description of these peaks - 15 of them over 2000 meters - that offer some of the most rugged hiking in Japan. The Ainu name for Daisetsuzan, kamui-mintara, translates to "playground of the gods"

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

The mean annual temperature observed on the top of Mt. Kurodake (1,984 m) from October 1989 to September 1990 was -2.3°C. The lowest temperature was -21.8°C in January, and the highest one was 18.7°C in July. From October to June is a harsh season, with severe cold and snowfall. The monthly mean temperature was below zero from October 1989 to April 1990, and the study area was completely under snow until early May in 1990. Winter snow usually starts disappearing in May with some snow patches remaining year round.

Travel to Daisetsuzan National Park - Visa Requirements

There are no train lines within the park. The nearest stations are Asahikawa (to the west), Kami-Furano (southern side) and Rubeshibe (to the east). The best way to get to the park is the 9:10 bus from the front of the Asahikawa Station to the Asahidake rope way (1300Y). There is also a bus from the Kami-Furano Station to the trailheads of Tokachi-dake and Furano-dake.

Fees/Permits

Tours and Getting around Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan National Park tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Sounkyo Onsen - famed hot spring resort on the far north park of the park close to Kuro-Dake

• Asahi-dake (2,290m). The tallest mountain in Hokkaido and one of its the main attraction. The easiest way to reach Asahidake is by bus from the city of Asahikawa. Catch a Chuo bus from outside Asahikawa JR station to Minamikawa, and catch a coach fom there into the park. The coach runs twice a day in the off season (about November to May) and three times a day in the on season (about May to October). Chuo buses to Minamikawa run every hour.

• Tokachi-dake

• Furano-dake

Daisetsuzan National Park city tours

Furano, on the southern side of the park, is a popular ski resort.

Daisetsuzan National Park souvenirs and shopping

Daisetsuzan National Park Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Daisetsuzan National Park nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Daisetsuzan National Park cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Hokkaido brown bears (ezo-higuma) roam the park, although in smaller numbers than in Shiretoko. You are very unlikely to be attacked, but it's wise to take the usual precautions: don't keep any food in or near your tent, and wear a small bell to warn the bears about your presence.

Echinococcus - In Hokkaido, river and lake water may contain a very dangerous, sometimes fatal, parasite called Echinococcus. Be sure to boil or filter your drinking water while hiking in Hokkaido.

Get out

This page was last edited by Mitsukai. Based on work by Jani Patokallio, Stacy Hall, Ryan Holliday and Tom Holland and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license