Backcountry skiing in Rishiri
Ski touring and splitboarding in Rishiri, guided by Toshiya, the only local certified mountain guide, owner of a lovely family guest house.
Private
+1 Days
Jan - Mar
Intermediate
Intermediate
Description
Rishiri, the island where I come from and where I live, is located off the northern coast of Hokkaido in the north of Japan. It is a circular island with one very large mountain. The ridges and bowls make the mountain feel more like a mountain range with several peaks than one big volcano.
There are no chairlifts! In winter, Rishiri is dedicated to ski touring and splitboarding enthusiasts.
It might seem for some to be at the end of the world but the ski terrain here is just incredible!
We call it the “floating island”.
I recommend you to come here for at least 4 days. I put together programs of 3 days, 4 days and 5 days (with accommodation included in the price). Check them out if you are interested!
You will stay in my family hostel that I manage. It is equipped with an onsen (hot spring bath) where it is awesome to stay after a day of skiing. You will enjoy delicious homecooked Japanese food.
Your stay here will not only be a ski trip but also a great cultural discovery!
We use snowmobile to cover the long and flat distances. We then go up using the skins.
Every day, I take you where the snow and weather conditions are the best. The daily itinerary and program will also depend on your wishes and your ski experience. If the weather permits we can even go for the summit.
You can come to Rishiri either by plane (45 min) from Sapporo or by ferry (1:40 h) leaving from Wakkanai.
I will take maximum 6 clients with me. I will divide the group by friends or by level as we will be two guides.
There are no rental shops on the island so please take all your equipment with you, including your avalanche beacon, shovel, probe, your crampons and ice axe.
Please get in touch with me if you wish come here and enjoy a fantastic ski experience!
If you want to know more about Rishiri Island, you can read the article Winter in Rishiri: backcountry skiing in a remote Japanese island as well as this story of 2 Canadians that came to visit me in 2016 for some unforgettable ski runs: Discover Rishiri, the ultimate backcountry skiing destination in Japan.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Price details
The price will depend on the number of people joining for the day (whether you came as a group or you are joining an existing one).
Details
More info
The season starts from 20 December
You can rent Safty equipment on site.
You will have to arrive on Rishiri island the night before and it is recommended to leave the day after the tour.
As we will be 2 guides running the program, we will split the group by friends or by level.
Price: the price at the time of booking depends on the group size at that time. If the group size changes on the actual day, then the difference will be refunded (if more clients) or will have to be covered by the clients (if fewer clients).
I can help you with the transportation from the ferry terminal or the airport to the lodge.
Please note that there will be additional cost as below to be paid directly to me on the spot:
- Onsen tax: JPY 150 per person per night, if you are staying at my guesthouse
- Snowmobile cost: JPY 1,000-3,000 per person per day depending on the route chosen for the day
Insurance: please ensure that each member of your group is covered by an appropriate insurance policy that also covers mountain rescue operations
Meeting point
FAQs
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
About the guide
-Toshiya
4.9
(18)
Ski Guide
I was born on the island of Rishiri in 1969. I still live here today! Since my childhood, I have spent most of my time in the sea, going fishing, and in the mountain going skiing. I’m a ski guide (level 2) from the Japanese Mountain Guide Association. I’m the only one on the island. I have reached the summit of Rishiri more than 500 times… It’s my great pleasure to guide here and let people from all around the world discover this beautiful island all year round. Please feel free to get in touch with me if you are looking for a local expert to guide you in Rishiri. Besides mountain guiding, I'm managing a family hostel here so I can help you with the accommodation as well.
Languages
Japanese | English
Certificates
JMGA
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
5
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
5
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
Valeriya
5
You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.
Joshua
5
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
Cami
5
Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.
4.8
Read what others are saying
You may also like
Find more ski touring trips
Join our newsletter!
Stay up-to-date on the best adventures.