I had always wanted to experience winter in Hokkaido for myself at least once.
I had seen snowy landscapes several times before, but experiencing the depths of winter in Hokkaido was something completely different—especially at Mount Asahidake during the coldest part of the season.
The endless white landscape, the freezing air, and the clouds covering the mountains created a world that is very difficult to experience in everyday life.
This time, I visited Asahidake in winter. The mountain looks completely different from the way it does in summer or autumn. Everything was covered in snow, and the trees were heavily coated with it as well. The entire landscape was dominated by shades of white and gray, and while taking photographs, I sometimes found myself thinking, “Is there really a place like this in Japan?”
But the thing that impressed me most about winter at Asahidake was the quality of the snow.
It was incredibly light and dry.
The powder snow was on another level compared with what I had previously called “powder snow.” Rather than simply being snow that had accumulated on the ground, it felt as though countless tiny snow crystals had covered the entire mountain.
Even just looking at the surface of the snow, you could almost sense how light and soft it was.
Photographs cannot really convey the texture of snow like this. Standing there, breathing in the cold air and looking across the snowy landscape, I could finally understand what winter in Hokkaido was really like.
A Rare Glimpse of Blue Sky
During the depths of winter, blue skies are certainly not something you can expect to see all the time at Asahidake.
On this day, clouds were covering the mountain, and the peak appeared and disappeared depending on the weather.
Then, every now and again, the clouds would briefly open and reveal the mountain.
Those moments were incredibly precious.
The snow-covered slopes of Asahidake, blue sky above the mountain, and clouds drifting across the landscape created a completely different scene every time the clouds moved.
I would see an opening in the clouds and immediately point my camera toward it, only to find the summit hidden again moments later.
I kept repeating this over and over while taking photographs.
That is exactly why the moments when blue sky appeared in my photos felt so special.
When people imagine a winter mountain, they may picture a harsh landscape covered in snow and clouds. But once the blue sky appears, the entire atmosphere changes.
The contrast between the brilliant white snow and deep blue sky was one of the most beautiful things about visiting Asahidake in the middle of winter.
So Many Snowboarders from Overseas!
There was another thing that surprised me at Asahidake.
There were so many snowboarders who had come from overseas.
I already knew that Hokkaido was famous for its snow, but seeing so many international visitors enjoying the mountain in person was still surprising.
It really made me realize just how many people travel all the way to Japan specifically to experience Hokkaido’s snow.
Looking around, there were moments when it was easy to forget that I was at a ski resort in Japan.
What impressed me most was simply the atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be there to enjoy the mountain and the snow.
I found myself thinking, “Since I’ve come all the way to Hokkaido in the middle of winter, I should really make the most of this snow.”
Rather than feeling like a conventional sightseeing trip, it felt more like an opportunity to experience winter in Hokkaido itself.
I Had Always Wanted to Experience the Harshest Winter in Hokkaido
Perhaps the most important part of this trip was finally fulfilling something I had wanted to do for a long time.
I had always wanted to experience Hokkaido during its coldest winter months at least once.
Hokkaido is enormous, and its scenery changes dramatically depending on the season.
Spring and summer in Hokkaido are certainly beautiful, but winter has landscapes that can only be experienced during winter.
Forests covered in snow.
Footprints across snowy fields.
Trees carrying thick layers of snow.
Mountains appearing through the clouds.
And above all, a quiet world of white.
The coldness of the air itself was also something I rarely experience in everyday life.
That, too, made me realize what the depths of winter in Hokkaido are really like.
There is no question that it is cold.
But that cold is also what creates some of the landscapes that make winter in Hokkaido so special.
It was not simply a trip where I saw snow.
It felt as though the snow itself had become part of the scenery.
A Little Secret at the Hotel Breakfast
There was one more thing I had secretly been looking forward to during my winter trip to Hokkaido.
The hotel breakfast buffet.
If you’re visiting Hokkaido, seafood is something you simply cannot miss.
So, naturally, I had a generous bowl of salmon roe over rice for breakfast.
And by “generous,” I mean really generous.
This is probably something I shouldn’t talk about too loudly.
When you’re at a breakfast buffet and can take as much of your favorite food as you like, it is easy to get a little carried away.
I kept telling myself, “I’ve come all the way to Hokkaido,” which is an extremely convenient excuse, while piling salmon roe onto my bowl.
Enduring the cold in the mountains and then enjoying a proper taste of Hokkaido in the morning.
That was another memorable part of the trip.
Of course, the fact that I may have had more than one bowl of salmon roe is something we can keep between ourselves.
A Winter World of Snow Around Asahidake
Looking across the scenery around Asahidake, the sheer amount of snow was overwhelming.
Snow covered the roofs of buildings, while the trees were almost completely white. In the snowy forests, thin trees stood one after another, each branch carrying its own layer of snow.
Places that would be surrounded by green in summer become completely different worlds in winter.
Photographs can certainly show what winter in Hokkaido looks like, but once you actually stand there, there are so many things that photographs cannot capture.
The coldness of the air.
The silence of the snow.
The feeling of the snow beneath your feet.
And the constantly changing appearance of the mountain as the clouds move across it.
At a mountain like Asahidake, the scenery can change dramatically depending on the weather.
A mountain that was clearly visible only a few minutes earlier can suddenly disappear into the clouds.
Then, after a while, the snowy mountain appears again.
That cycle continued throughout the visit.
And that is why seeing blue sky felt so special.
A Landscape Only Winter Could Create
During this visit to Asahidake, I did not experience perfect blue skies all day.
In fact, the mountain covered in clouds and the scenes of snow drifting through the air were also an important part of what made it a true winter experience at Asahidake.
Clouds moved across the completely snow-covered mountain, and occasionally the summit appeared from behind them.
There was a sense of power in the mountain that felt completely different from what you see in summer.
Then the clouds would suddenly break just a little, revealing a patch of blue sky.
At that moment, Asahidake looked almost like a completely different mountain.
It was one of those moments when I thought, “This is exactly why I came here in winter.”
The unbelievably light powder snow, forests covered in snow, the many snowboarders who had traveled from overseas, and those precious glimpses of blue sky all made this trip especially memorable.
Winter in Hokkaido was harsher than I had imagined, but it was also more beautiful than I had imagined.
I had wanted to experience the depths of winter in Hokkaido at least once.
After finally making the trip, I found the kind of scenery that made me think, “I’m really glad I came.”
Standing there and looking across the snow-covered Asahidake while feeling the cold wind.
And then returning to the hotel and enjoying a generous bowl of salmon roe for breakfast.
…The last part is probably something I would prefer to keep secret.
But that little secret is part of what made this winter trip to Hokkaido unforgettable.