Category: volcanoes

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Mount Yufu (由布岳 Yufudake) is a 1,583.3 m (5,195 ft) volcano, located on the border of Yufu and Beppu, Ōita, Japan.

15km

Yufu is one of the hikes recommended in Lonely Planet Hiking in Japan.

I chose it as access is easy by public transport. In fact, when you get off the train in Yufuin, you know exactly where you’re going.

Or not. I spent perhaps 90min from that point before finding the actual trailhead. This is typically the end of the Yufu-dake hike, not the start.

Once on the trail, it’s a fun and easy ascent … for a volcano. This far south, there are still some Autumn colours.

This far south, too, there are still plenty of hikers in November. Most were headed the opposite direction.

Decision time. Which of the twin peaks should I climb?

I took the one closest to Yufuin, Nishi-mine (1548m). It’s slightly higher and harder.

In fact, it turned out to be quite a scramble. This point of exposure in particular convinced a couple of men to turn back and try the other.

Finally, I saw a hiker atop Nishi-mine.

He cleared out when I arrived. As did the clouds.

Fairly late in the day by this point, I left a Summit Stone, and hustled down to the nearer Yufu-tozan-guchi trailhead where I could catch a bus in either direction.

It was 45min before one arrived. A gentleman was tenting there, well prepared to do the hike next morning. We were both reeking of shōchū by the time the bus pulled up.

The Yufuin railway station has a hotsprings foot bath for waiting passengers. I couldn’t resist.

Yufuin is a hotsprings resort town, in fact, quite famous. I recommend it. I stayed at a great hostel in Beppu, though, another hot springs resort.

If you love hot springs, southern Japan is the place to go.

more photos from my day hike

trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Here I am at Sugatami-ike in Daisetsuzan National Park, an impressive look-out over the fumaroles.

This volcano is LIVE.

It’s Asahidake (Mt Asahi), the highest mountain in Hokkaidō. (2,290.9 m or 7,516 ft)

… The mountain is popular with hikers in the summer and can be easily reached from Asahidake Onsen via Asahidake Ropeway.

Sugatami Pond, directly below the peak, is famous for its reflection of the peaks, snow, and steam escaping from the volcanic vents. …

I’d climbed the 500m to here, quickly and easily.

At this elevation the weather was quite reasonable — raining, but not hard. The emergency shelter was open.

From this point the top of the volcano was shrouded. Myself and Kim from Belgium were the only hikers bold (stupid) enough to climb higher. (It’s not popular with Japanese hikers end of October, as you’ve already guessed.)

We might have made it to 1900m before being driven off the mountain by wind and freezing, horizontal rain. Merde.

I slid and slipped back down the trail the way I’d come up. It was pretty much a waterfall by the time I reached bottom. Kim opted to take the Ropeway down, the cheater.

Happily, there was a gourmet dinner awaiting me below in Japan’s best and most expensive alpine hostel.

This ain’t the usual hostel grub. Even better, we had a private onsen (hot springs). I had it to myself each time as only 3 people stayed in the hostel that night.

… Here was the scene next morning, the second major snowfall of the season. Looks like a long winter ahead.

See more photos from my failed attempt to climb Asahi.

I decided (for some reason) to head NORTH from here. Yep. North.

trip report by besthike editor Rick McCharles

Mount Asahi (旭岳 Asahi-dake) is the tallest mountain in Hokkaidō, Japan. … it is located in the northern part of the Daisetsuzan National Park.

The mountain is popular with hikers in the summer and can be easily reached from Asahidake Onsen via Asahidake Ropeway.

Sugatami Pond, directly below the peak, is famous for its reflection of the peaks, snow, and steam escaping from the volcanic vents. …

Lovely and welcoming … in Summer. Unfortunately I arrived Oct. 25th, closer to ski season. Many warned that the weather was too uncertain. In fact, it had been completely snowed over the week before I got there.

Eschewing the chair lift, instead (in about 90min) I walked up from Asahidake Onsen townsite to the main “hiking destination”, the top of the rope.

I rang this bell, assuming it to be a “tradition” for new arrivals.

From there it’s about 2hrs to the top of the volcano. … But I only lasted about 1hr before high winds and horizontal rain forced me (and Kim from Belgium) to turn back.

The trail, wet and muddy on the way up …

… was in flood on the descent. Yuck.

Happily, there was a hot springs and gourmet dinner awaiting me below in Japan’s best and most expensive alpine hostel.

This ain’t the usual hostel grub.

So … the “highlight” of the hike, in the end, was my stay at Daisetsuzan-Shirakaba-So hostel.

Check out the “Canadian log cabin” annex.

More photos from my day hike.

No bicycles. No tenting except at designated sites. No fires. Fishing is allowed.

_____ Update: Next morning the village and mountain both covered with snow. Time to move on.