It was our first weekend back in Hokkaido after a couple of weeks back in New Zealand over Christmas/New Years visiting family and paddling the Whanganui River Journey. We were still feeling slightly jaded from the travel, and wanted something easy and close to Sapporo to ease us into the apocalyptic snow that had fallen in just two weeks in late December and early January.
So, with a recorded 93cm already fallen in the Takikawa/Iwamizawa Plains just north of Sapporo, we lent our gaze in that direction. Yamanomakochan’s map suggested there might be some easy hike-up skiing at an old ski area in Tobetsu Town, so we headed that way for a look.
When we arrived at Nakagoya Onsen, we were sad to see the old place being demolished. We were hoping for a post-ski onsen there, but alas that was not to be. The parking area was mostly full of construction vehicles, but we found a spot to park, and got on our way. We guess the car park is unlikely to be cleared for much longer (in that case, we’d need to park in the Nakagoya Parking Area on the main highway here).
Instead of walking back down the road to the ski area entrance, we opted to hike up through the woods, along a connecting ridge to the ski area summit. The first 20m or so gaining the ridge was a bit steep, but easy enough on skis (snowshoes would be more of a challenge).
Once on the main ridge, it was a mellow trail-break through deep snow. It had just snowed the night before, about 20cm. The snow was ‘dry enough’. Not heavy, but not insanely light either. We were, after all, at around 50m in altitude.
About 75% of the way up the ridge, we arrived at what appeared to be an old ski area access road. It was now covered in new growth trees.
This road allowed an easy ascent to the top of the old ski lift station at the top of the ski area proper. We had great views of the low-lying Kabato Mountains, and the plains below.
We ripped skins and skied one of two laps on the ski area proper. It appeared there had already been a couple of skiers up there that day already (it was, after all, already 11am). There was still untracked snow though. The ski run was narrow (perhaps 40m wide), but satisfyingly steep enough in the middle section, after a mellow start. It quickly flattened out after a drop of about 100m vertical.
Before the ski area flattened out completely, we stopped and transitioned for one more lap. The skiers who’d been there before us had set a skin track straight up the ski area with no kick-turns. As it was, it was just doable with heel risers in their highest setting.
One more ski down, and we were happy to call it a day. The mission for the day was to get a bit of a hike in, and for the main event to be onsen and lunch. On the return to the van, we opted to head out the main entrance of the ski area and walk along the road back to the old onsen car park.
For the main event of the day – the onsen – we opted for an onsen we’d not been to before. At 1600yen per person, Manyo-no-yu 万葉の湯 (location) was not cheap. The onsen were also nothing extra special, over and above what a normal 1000yen onsen might offer. The lunch hall was something else though – a huge tatami hall with everyone sat down at low tables. We happened to be there when they were running a Bingo competition, with quite the spread of prizes.
We were given a Bingo card at the entrance of the onsen, but in the end we gave these to a family sitting beside us, and we snuck away during the Bingo for a less crowded onsen experience.
We probably wouldn’t choose to go back to this particular onsen, but they also offer cheap overnight stays in reclining chairs – Korean style.
