Asia

[Visited: June 2001]

Daisetsuzan Park is the largest national park in Japan. Its base is around 600 metres high while its highest peaks are nearly 2300 metres high. This means that the are catches a lot of snow in winter, which stays until well into summer on the higher ranges. I had been longing to come here for several years, so I was very happy when it finally happened. Moreover, the weather was great so I truly enjoyed my stay here and in Sounkyo.
I decided to take the very first ropeway in the morning, although unfortunately I had to wait for two cars because of the many Japanese tourists. The sky was perfectly blue and the view magnificent. I directly took the ski lift to a higher level from where I started to hike up Mount Kurodake. Although I had to cross several snow fields, the hike was very easy and the view from the top impressive. Below I could see very green valleys while ahead of me lay snow covered areas and strangely coloured rocks, as well as a cauldron (volcanic crater).
Hiking from here is easy, as you stay more or less level. The only problem was crossing huge snow fields, without any idea how deep the rapidly melting snow was. I met a few groups of hiking Japanese, but otherwise I found the area quiet. It was therefore easy enough to soak in and experience nature to its fullest. When I reached the top of Mount Asahidake, I could see the valleys below and the sulfurous smoke billowing from the earth. Once again, it reminded me of how volcanic Japan is.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Daisetsuzan National Park (Japan). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Daisetsuzan National Park.
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