The weekend from 18th to 19th October was said to have great weather in Hokkaido, so I set out to try to climb Mt Yotei (Yoteizan or 羊蹄山). Mt Yotei is one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains and is also called Ezo Fuji, meaning “Fuji of Hokkaido” because of its shape which resembles Mt Fuji. While it is “only” 1898m high, it is Japan’s 10th highest mountain by prominence (basically relating to the elevation of its surroundings). Starting at 300m the difference in elevation is about 1600m, which is pretty close to Mt Fuji’s difference in elevation at 1700m when starting at the 5th station. I chose the Hangetsu route from Hirafu Station, next to Niseko because it was the most accessible to me (as I don’t have a car). The plan was to arrive as late as possible at Hirafu station, maybe stocking up on food at a Convenicene store, having a little rest and then starting the climb at around 1am to reach the summit at sunrise.
I arrived at 21:23 with the last train at Hirafu station and it was pitch black. This time I also took some video footage, but I am not sure really what to do with it yet. I might figure out something later.. Anyway, I was amazed by how much the camera was able to see in the darkness!
To my surprise, there was even a little building beside the tracks and the light was actually still on! I went inside and discovered that it was a little self-service guesthouse. I was even more suprised that there were actually people staying there, as the climbing season in Hokkaido is officially over and the skiing season has not begun yet. The people were very nice and we talked about the surrounding mountains, had tea and I ate something. Assuringly they also told me, that bears (which are not uncommon in Hokkaido) are usually not seen around this area, which was good to start with.
I changed clothes and left at around 23:30 for the trail head, as I wanted to take some pictures along the way. It’s about a 2km walk on a road from the station to the camping ground next to the trailhead. The weather was clear and no clouds in sight, making for an amazing night sky!
I already saw two foxes on my way to the trail head..
I finally reached the trail head, which was going straight into what looked like a very thick forest.
At the entrance, there always a book which one is supposed to sign incase one does not return. That way I could also check and see, that I was the only one on the mountain who took the Hangetsu trail that day.
I started off rather fast and did not take many pictures in the forest because I wanted to leave the thick forest behind as fast as possible. It was pitch black – to take the pictures I put my camera on a tripod and exposed for 30sec while illuminating the surroundings with my headlight.
Niseko as seen at night from the trail..
Slowly, the forest began to thin out a little bit, letting more light in and allowed me to see the stars again.
Many (or all?) trails on vulcanos in Japan are divided into 10 stations, each marking 10% of the way to the top. Usually there is some space there as well, so one can sit down and have a rest, as I did at the 7th station..
It was not as dark anymore as I finally got out of the forest and crossed the tree line!
I very soon arrived at the 9th station! Not far anymore to the top, or so I thought…
From the 9th station on, there was quite a bit of snow on the trail.
I reached the huge caldera and discovered that I was on the other side of the summit. So I still had a bit to go!
The view was amazing though, I could see all the way to the foot of the mountain. Kind of scary as well.. but they put some sort of little fence there.
I did not make it all the way to the summit by sunrise, but it was incredible non the less. The sun instantly brought some warmth with it!
I imagine that a good part of the “trail” gets very slippery around noon, as the sun starts to melt part of the snow..
The summit was not far!
Mt Yotei also casts a shadow like Mt Fuji at sunrise. The shape is very similar and its a strange feeling to see the shadow of a mountain you are on being cast on the ground 1600m below.
I reached the top! Time for a break.. There was one Japanese woman at the summit as well when I arrived, but she left very shortly afterwards.
So I took some pictures.. and to my surprise I saw two more people heading towards the summit, from both sides of the caldera.
From the 9th station it took me roughly 40min til the summit, but with taking a lot of pictures on the way.
Can you spot him on the right of the image, just left of the little nose?
The other surrounding mountains casted interesting shadows as well!
The person in the red jacket turned out to be a Japanese woman from Sapporo! She arrived in high spirits and brought some cheese!
The person in the blue jacket was Andy from New Zealand!
Me…
We stayed at the summit for about 1,5h, had breakfast and the woman showed Andy and me all surrounding mountains and told us which ones make for a nice hike!
The sun rose further and started to shine into the caldera. Apparently there are a few people who ski down the caldera in winter! Seems fun, until you have to go back up again…
The caldera is really huge! A little bit to the right of the center is Andy, but you can only barely distinct him form a rock..
Looking back at the summit.. It is the largest nose from the left. I took the other way back, so I could walk around the caldera once. It turns out that that way was way more challenging, I had to use my hands most of the time and there way no trail at all.
I decided to descend towards Makkari, because I was offered a ride home! At around the 9th Station on the Makkari route is a self-service mountain hut, which is rather big! The view was great as well, you can see the Niseko Ski Area and the ocean behind..
Looking back up..
This is the view towards Lake Toya (on the left with the mountian in the middle). You can also see Mt Yamagatake in the back, which is across the sea next to Hakodate. Right below it you might be able to make out the Windsor Hotel where the G8 Summit was held in 2008. The view from that hotel must be amazing…
On the way down we saw a small chipmunk, whos sound was quite present during the night..
While I descended on a different route than I ascended, I image that the forest looked somewhat like this as well during the day..
There were still some Autumn Colours left!
And we arrived at the camping ground and parking lot at Makkari!
If you take a right when exiting the parking lot and head down the road for ~500m, you arrive at a very popular Tofu store, where you can taste all kinds of diffrent Tofu types for free.
Also there is a very famous fountain of youth – apparently drinking the water lets you stay young. One woman told us that she is drinking coffe with that water everyday!
Yoteizan!
We stopped at another local food store on the way home in Rusutsu, which sold mostly local farmers’ produce.
Thanks for reading!
For people who are considering climbing Mt Yotei as well: All in all I think that the hike is only doable if it has not rained the day before, as the average ascending gradient is about 30% and mostly torf/rock, making it incredibly slippery if wet. Also I would recommend to not go alone, as it makes walking through the forest (which roughly extends up to the 8th station) much more pleasing during the night.
Wenny says:
Hi there, great post and amazing pictures!! I am going to Hokkaido in a few weeks’ time and plan to catch the sunrise at Mt Yotei too. Just wanted to ask how long you took to reach the summit, and if you encountered any wild animals on the way up? (apart from the two foxes you saw at the trail head) Thanks!
March 5, 2015 — 12:30
nb says:
Wenny – thanks for your kind words! It took me around five hours from the foot of the mountain. However, there was little snow when I went so it might be more difficult to climb at the moment. I would recommend to bring a pole for the way back down. Also consider that the actual summit is opposite to the point where you will arrive on the crater. Although it depends on the route, it will take approx. 30min to get to the summit (included in the total of 5h).
Apart from the foxes and birds/mice I did not encounter any animals :) Bears are in hibernation (not gurantee!!!) from September on, or so I have heard. If you have any further questions I’ll be glad to help :)!
March 5, 2015 — 21:10
Kenneth says:
I’m going to Hokkaido this October! would love to do the hiking :)
So, you did walk through the forest in the middle of the night?? Was it dangerous?
July 11, 2015 — 17:07
nb says:
Hey! sounds like a great plan to do the hike! I walked during the night by myself, while I wouldn’t say that it was exactly dangerous per se, there were definitely moments which were kinda dubious. Usually there aren’t any bears around anymore by that time, so the most dangerous animal you could encounter would be a kitsune (japanese fox). I heard that they usually shy away from humans, so in most cases you’d be fine I think. just bring a strong headlamp and some spare batteries, as it’ll be pitch black.
also pay attention to the weather (also a couple days before the planned ascend), as heavy rain would make the trail very slippery and hard to climb. a hiking pole could also be of assistance especially when descending as the trail is occasionally quite steep.
if you have any further questions i’d be happy to help :)! are you planning to go by yourself?
July 12, 2015 — 22:42
FAD says:
Hi, nica post there! Thank you for sharing! I’m going to Hokkaido with a friend in early Nov and planning to hike this MT Yotei during my stay. Do you think it’s necessary for us to get a guide and is it do-able? Is the trail is clear all the way up? I’ve never hike snowy mountain before and hope to get your reply! :)
August 25, 2015 — 11:49
nb says:
Hi :)! your pictures on instagram are great!! As for climbing MT Yotei in November, I’d say it really depends on the weather and your equipment. The trail up to the 9th station (9合目) runs through a forest and you can clearly tell which way to go. If it rained the day before, the trail will be really, really slippery however. From the 9th station on up to the caldera finding the trail might be a bit difficult if you cannot see the markings. On the rim of the caldera the trail is pretty easy to find, as there is not much room for you to go anywhere else ;). Therefore, I am not sure a guide is necessary or if having no guide would be the limiting factor. Rather, I think that walking on the rim of the caldera with 20~30cm of snow can be pretty dangerous, as you would still have to climb around on larger rock formations and the caldera falls off quite steep to both sides. It might very well happen that you, or even just the snow below your foot slips away..
Therefore, I think weather is a really deciding factor. In case the weather is good you could attempt the climb and upon reaching the caldera re-evaluate whether you want to go around it or go back down. That is to say, one way half around the crater is definitely easier than the other way around, so you might be able to reach the summit but have to go back the way you came. Also, you should not underestimate the temperature in November. Andy, whom I met at the summit really regretted not bringing gloves..
At any rate, however you decide, have fun on the trip :) And good luck should you attempt to climb Mt Yotei! If you have any further questions or need more detailed explanations I’m happy to help!
August 25, 2015 — 16:53
FAD says:
Hi, thanks! Your photos are great too! I love the colour of sony a7, (if im not mistaken). Since this would be my first time visiting Japan, I’m really excited and nervous as well. I will be in Hokkaido from the 8th to 16th of November and we plan to self-drive and stop-and-climb any one of the mountains there. Do you think the winter already started during that time? Do I need snow tires equipped? Really worry about the weather especially. :D Meanwhile, your photos of train ride passing the Sea Of Okhotsk are really inspiring that I would love to visit there too! From Sapporo – take JR pass to Shiretoko- self drive back to Sapporo. That is my rough itinerary. Do you have any recommendations or tips?
Really hope to hear from you soon! Thanks! :)
August 27, 2015 — 11:36
nb says:
Hey Fad – sorry for the late reply! thanks :), yeah the photos were all taken with a Sony A7 and some legacy glass on it! 8 days sounds like a good amount of time to spend on Hokkaido. Concerning the winter, that is hard to say as it is different every year. However, even if there is snow by the beginning of November there won’t be huge amounts of it yet at sea level. Going by car is a great idea and the car is most likely going to come equipped for the winter as well. I kind of regret it not renting one more often as there are many amazing places not being serviced by public transport, especially during off season…
The iternary sounds really good! Make sure you have a day or two around Shiretoko to explore the area, as it is beautiful! On the way back, you could also stop over at the near by national parks (Lake Akan and Mashuko/Kussharo) depending on which route you are taking of course :)
Have you decided on the places you are going to stay at yet?
September 14, 2015 — 18:06
FAD says:
Hi Nimar!
Thank you for your tips! Yes I think I will spend around 2 days in Shiretoko to visit the 5 lakes, Lake Kussharo, Shari areas. For the accommodation, I already made a booking with booking.com since I found some ryokans and guest house with affordable price. Is around 20-25USD per pax per night. The rest of them are bit pricey. I don’t know whether I can get cheaper options if I just go walk-in or look for a cheap dorm over there. But considering the limited time I will have on each places, I think I just book the room in advance. Do you have any recommendations on places to eat around hokkaido? My route would be from New Chitose airport-Asahikawa-Abashiri-Utoro-Lake Kussharo-Asahikawa-Lake Shikotsu-Sapporo. It is quite a journey. Hopefully the weather is on my side. What do you think? :D
October 28, 2015 — 11:52
HO CHIN HUI says:
Hi. 1 am planning to climb mt Yotei on 29Sept. there will be 6 of us and can we do the day climb as it will be easy to see the route. And in your opinion do we need a guide and where can we get one?
September 13, 2015 — 21:50
nb says:
Hi! sounds great! have you decided on the route which you are going to take yet? If you are somewhat experienced in mountaineering and are thoughtful about where you are going I don’t think you need a guide in September. Unfortunately I do not know where to get a guide either, although I think if you do want to get a guide here or here would be a good place to start :)! Have fun on the hike, the view is stunning!
September 14, 2015 — 17:47