It has been a whole action packed summer since part 3, Sounkyo though has not moved and is still only 4 hours from Niseko, 3 hours if you’re fast. This canyon village that Kurodake towers over is a great spot to visit even in the summer months. Mountain trail are everywhere and in contrast to winter when nobody can be seen on the mountain(hint hint nudge nudge) or even in the streets, Sounkyo is the hussle and bussel of any summer mountain destination.
From Sounkyo village you can ride the rope way, the pair chairlift and then hike to the peak just like in winter. The only difference is like in the village of Sounkyo you will have to deal with lots of people. Don’t be put off though as the quick 1 hour hike to the peak of Kurodake is rewarding and once at the top you can easily wonder off into the roof of Hokkaido.
The day before I arrived, Kurodake had received Hatsuyuki [first snow] (in Japan) and some fresh snow was still present on the trails and on the close by Ryoun Dake [Mt. Ryoun] which stands about 150M taller at 2125M. Even if it hadn’t snowed I would have still been pleasantly surprised to have seen permanent snow on the peaks and valleys in this “Artic Daisetsuzan” where permafrost is distributed at elevations over 2000M. Check out the photo below of Ryoundake or for more images check out Black Mountain Lodge’s photos. Also don’t forget to check out the other artilces on Sounkyo.
