Hokkaido Paddling: A free resource
GPS route maps, downloadable GPS route files, photos, and more. A repository of open-source Hokkaido canoe, packraft, and kayak tripping information in English.
Hokkaido is Japan’s most rugged and wild island, with thousands of kilometers of remote waterways to be explored. The majority of the river and lakes sections on this page are between Class I and II, and infinitely accessible by canoe or packraft. This page is an ever-evolving database of Hokkaido’s waterway offerings, both daytrips, overnight trips, and multi-day expeditions.
NOTE: This resource is a work in progress. For a more thorough selection of Hokkaido paddling routes, check out HokkaiCamp.com (in Japanese), as well as a number of Japanese canoe touring books published in the late 1990’s (listed here).
75km
7 days
10/10
5/5
12km
3.8mpk
1 days
Class II+
4/5
41km
1 days
8/10
5/5
7km
0.5 days
5/10
5/5
5km
0.5 days
9/10
5/5
17km
5.5mpk
0.5 days
Class III
4/5
8km
0.5 days
4/10
5/5
11km
1 days
5/10
5/5
16km
1 days
6/10
2/5
17km
1 days
8/10
3/5
10km
0.5 days
5/10
3/5
25km
1 days
5/10
4/5
12km
1 days
8/10
4/5
14km
0.5 days
5/10
2/5
12km
0.5 days
7.5/10
4/5
15km
6.1mpk
0.5 days
Class III
3/5
28km
6.7mpk
1 days
Class II
3/5
11.2km
9.1mpk
1 days
Class III
4/5