5-day snowboarding trip in Rishiri Island, Japan

Discover the magical, remote Rishiri Island in Japan on a 5-day/6-night off-piste snowboarding tour along with JMGA-certified guide Toshiya.

5 Days

Jan - Mar

Intermediate

Beginner

Description

Looking for an exotic, world-class snowboarding experience? This trip is for you!

Rishiri is a circular island in the Sea of Japan, located off the coast of Hokkaido, the second largest island in Japan. Rishiri extends over 183 km2, and is known for the cone-shaped extinct volcanic peak of Mount Rishiri (1,721m).

Rishiri’s mountains offer beautiful views and amazing backcountry terrain for all levels, making the island a great destination for ski touring and snowboarding. I was born in Rishiri and have lived here all my life, so I will be pleased to guide you through its peaks and forests, to the best spots where to ride powder snow!

In order to make the most of our time and save energy for the snowboarding part of the trip, every morning we will travel long distances, across flat valleys, on snowmobiles. This will allow us to explore a big portion of the island and then ascend to the selected spots using splitboards.

I will have another mountain guide helping me lead this tour. We will split the group in twos based on acquaintances and/or skill level, and each of us will guide a subgroup.

Another exciting part of the trip is that you will spend the nights at a comfortable, traditional Japanese guesthouse (known as a ryokan) that my family and I own. An onsen (hot spring bath) and some delicious Japanese dishes will wait for you after each exhausting day, ensuring you enjoy a real Japanese experience!

While this is a 5-day trip, I recommend guests to arrive a day earlier and depart the day after the tour ends, staying in Rishiri for 6 nights (included in the tour’s price).

Rishiri is the mecca for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Don’t miss this fun, top-notch experience! Send me your booking request now.

If you are interested in shorter tours in Rishiri, I also offer 1-, 3- and 4-day snowboarding trips. If you are looking for other winter activities in the island, I recommend the snowshoe trekking trip.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Dinner

Price details

The price includes 6 nights of accommodation with breakfast and dinner. When booking, please note that the price depends on the size of the group at that time. If the group size is larger by the time of the trip, the difference will be refunded. If the group is smaller, then participants will have to cover the difference.
Bath Tax is included in the price

Details

More info

I can help you with the transportation from the ferry terminal or the airport to the guesthouse, if needed.

Given there are no rental places in the island, you will need to bring all your snowboarding gear and safety equipment. Additionally, participants should have medical insurance, which should cover mountain rescue operations.

Winter temperatures in the island are around -5℃ and can feel below -15℃ due to strong winds.

Meeting point

You can fly from Sapporo's Okazu Airport to Rishiri Airport or from Haneda Airport to Wakkanai Airport, where you can come to Rishiri Island by ferry from Wakkanai. If you come by ferry we'll be able to pick you up at the ferry terminal for free.

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration

Kushiro Royal Inn Kushiro Japan

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ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kushiro Kushiro Japan

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Comfort Hotel Kushiro Kushiro Japan

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About the guide

-Toshiya

4.8

(22)

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

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What people are saying about -Toshiya

We had an amazing experience on Rishiri, perfect snow, good weather and a guide who knows the island like his pocket. The very steep slopes and the overwhelming nature satisfied every wish we had. We have been looking for a guided tour avoiding the normal tracks on Hokkaido and then saw the pictures of the floating mountain. And definitively the adventure included. We went to the southern part of the island, as Toshi-san knew that there would be the best snow conditions. The first 5km we have been toed in by a snow mobile and then climbed up a several times, riding different gullies each time. Toshi-san is an amazing person, always happy, friendly and very welcoming. As said before, he knows every bit of the island and guided accordingly bringing us to breathtaking places. We all would and will totally recommend him to friends visiting Japan. The reality was much better than expectations! We had some concerns regarding the weather conditions and difficulty but got lucky with the weather and never felt that Toshi chose a route too difficult. Rishiri is a floating mountain! Steep like in the Swiss alps, but just one single mountain, which makes the it much more imposant. On the sunny day, we could see the Sibirian mainland. What are your top 3 memories during the trip ? Riding very steep slopes in perfect snow, Toshi-san with his warm and welcoming attitude, and the travel to get there and back

Our two guides have been really great and showed us the beauty of Rishiri and Rebun Island by sharing their knowledge and passion. We did learn a lot about the flora on Japan's most Northern islands! Rishiri-Zan was a great, pleasant summer hike and must be beautiful and fun for ski touring in Winter time. thanks again!

denis

We had a great trip, no powder but fabulous Spring ski, thanks to Toshiya who is super friendly and excellent at picking the right route according to the weather especially in windy conditions. Thanks a lot

Mikko

Outstanding service in pension and guiding.

Ben

Had a great time on Rishiri with Toshi. He really knows how to make the best out of all weather conditions. Had some of the best skiing of my life, plus the food was great!