A First Timer’s Guide To Hokkaido: Daisetsuzan & Furano

Furano and Daisetsuzan National Park are two of the most popular nature destinations in Hokkaido, but planning a trip can be tricky. Most people know they want to visit Hokkaido in autumn, but get stuck on the details like how many days to spend, where to stay, and whether it’s realistic without long hikes or complicated transport.

I’ll never forget our Hokkaido self-drive road trip in mid-October, right during peak autumn foliage, when we explored Daisetsuzan National Park and Furano. This trip remains one of my favourites for koyo, the Japanese word for autumn foliage.

In this post, I’ll show you how to visit Daisetsuzan National Park in autumn, doable in 3 days as part of a Hokkaido road trip itinerary. I’ll share where we stayed, where we ate, and what is actually worth your time so you can plan your trip with confidence without overcomplicating it.

This article uses affiliate links where I make a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

---

Overview of Road Trip (Furano and Daisetsuzan)

Day	Destination	Sights/activities	Daily drive (hours)
1	Furano	Waterfall, river, flowers	3.5
2	Sounkyo (Daisetsuzan National Park)	Mountains, waterfall	2
3	Asahidake (Daisetsuzan National Park)	Volcanoes	3.5
4	Lake Shikotsu	Mountains, lake	2.5
5	Noboribetsu, Lake Toya	Volcanoes, camping, onsen	1.5
6	Jozankei	Onsen, river	2.5

Things to do in Daisetsuzan National Park

Daisetsuzan is Japan’s largest national park, and there’s so much to see and do whether you’re here for autumn foliage, summer flowers, or winter snow. Here’s a breakdown of what I recommend:

Sounkyo Gorge and Waterfalls

• Ryusei & Ginga Waterfalls – Only 5 minutes apart by car and easy to access on foot. In autumn, the waterfalls are framed by red and orange leaves, making it perfect for photos
• Momijidani Falls – A short walk through vibrant maple trees, very relaxing and beginner-friendly

Mt. Asahi (Asahidake)

• Sugatami Ropeway – Takes you up to the starting point of scenic trails. You can get panoramic views without hiking far
• Hiking options:
  • Beginner: Asahidaira Trail (1 hour round trip)
  • Intermediate: Mt. Asahi Summit (4–5 hours)
  • Advanced: Mt. Asahi to Mt. Kurodake (1–2 days, for overnight camping)
• Tip: Autumn is the best time for foliage photography, summer has wildflowers, and winter gives you snowy landscapes

Kurodake Ropeway

• Great for aerial views of the valley and surrounding mountains
• You can hike further up for more secluded spots or just enjoy the view from the ropeway

Onsen Towns

• Sounkyo & Asahidake Onsen – Relax in a hot spring after a day of hiking or driving around the park. Perfect way to end a day of exploring

Scenic Drives

• Daisetsuzan’s roads wind through mountains, valleys, and rivers, especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves are at peak color

Wildlife and Nature Photography

• Keep an eye out for deer, birds, and small mammals
• Best time for autumn foliage photos is early to mid-October, but summer and spring also have their own scenic highlights

---

Day 1: Furano Scenic Drive

Pick up rental car  in Sapporo

We looked for our rental car via Nippon Rent-a-Car and booked a mid-sized Subaru car (SGD $695 including CDW, ETC + HEP, tax) that was able to fit one big luggage and one small one. You can also browse on Klook or DiscoverCars to see if you can get better deals as they can help you compare prices from several places.

Compare rental car prices on Klook and secure the best rates

We opted to pick up in Sapporo city and return it at New Chitose Airport (0 transfer fee) because it helped us to save time. We picked up our car at 8am and began our journey into the beautiful countryside.

Furano Cheese Factory 

After 2 hours, we arrive at our first stop! Hokkaido is known for its high quality dairy. Here, you can buy small bottles of fresh milk and try their fluffy cheese cake. They even let you try their variations of cheese, such as squid ink cheese!

Lunch near Furano Station

There are many shops selling Japanese curry and omu rice here, and I highly recommend to try at least once. Every curry shop we walked past smelled so good, we just had to check it out. One of the more popular ones was Yuiga Doxon, but it was closed when we were there so we ate at Shourakutei. Portions were generous and with crisp pork chop!

Tomita Farm

After 15 min, you come to a flower farm that is still blooming in mid October. The best thing to do would be to buy ice cream (lavender is most popular) and take a stroll. There is another famous flower farm 20 minutes drive away (Shikisai No Oka) if you really love flowers. 

These photos were taken in mid October, and it’s worth noting that the peak flower and lavender season is actually in mid July. It’s still not bad in autumn though! The weather is just perfect for exploring these farms. To see what it’s like in full bloom, check out my 8-day summer Hokkaido itinerary.

Blue Pond

Many people think of the blue pond when they go to Hokkaido because it is a mac wallpaper! If you go in autumn, you will see something different – a mixture of reds, yellows and greens reflecting off the blue pond. It is a fairly short walk and even elderly can access this trail from the carpark. The best time to visit is from 3:30pm in October, because that is when golden hour causes the orange leaves to look the brightest, and the water will not have harsh lighting.

Shirahige Waterfall

Just 5 minutes drive later, you reach the bridge where you can view Shirahige waterfall against its mountainous backdrop. This was so worth the visit even though it was a slight detour. Similar to the blue pond, be there before sunset so that you get the golden orange hues bouncing off the trees! The river running below the waterfall was also blue in color due to the mix of aluminum minerals and onsen water, and that looks so amazing.

Alternatively, Hokkaido has some of the best private onsen hotels and ryokans, and you can find my top recommendations here.

---

Day 2: Sounkyo Valley Colors (Daisetsuzan National Park)

To start the day, I recommend ordering breakfast from the ryokan hosts because not only does it taste good, portions are generous and it saves time! Driving 1 hour around the national park, we arrive in Sounkyo, a small onsen town. 

Kurodake Ropeway

It is a famous site for viewing autumn leaves because the town is in the valley, and you will be surrounded by colorful leaves. There is also a river running through the valley, which is visible from Kurodake ropeway in Sounkyo. A return trip costs SGD $23 per person, and you can even hike. If you visit in late September, the autumn colors are at its peak. You can even have your very own aerial photos from the ropeway, as if you were using a drone! 

If you are visiting in winter, Kurodake Ski Area is the first ski resort to open in Japan! Do take note of operating times when you are visiting. 

Hours: Winter: 8:00-16:00, Summer: 6:00-19:00 
Closures: Occasional closures for maintenance in the off-seasons
Fees: 1950 yen round trip (ropeway); 600 yen round trip (chair lift*)
*Chair lift to continue ascending is available after alighting from the ropeway 

Although there was the option to continue hiking after taking the ropeway, we chose to skip that because the leaves higher up would have already fallen. Hence we simply took a 30 minute walk around the mountain before going for lunch. 

Lunch In Onsen Town

Within the scenic Sounkyo town, you can shop for souvenirs, use the public onsen, and eat. Everything is congregated in the center of the town so it is very convenient. Although food options are limited here, the recommended restaurants in Sounkyo are Ramen House Tozanken and Bear Grill Canyon.

Ryusei and Ginga Waterfalls

Next, drive 5 minutes out of the town to get to a famous waterfall attraction. Ryusei and Ginga waterfalls are located almost just beside each other, making it easy to see both. There is a footpath that leads you along the river, and you get up close and personal with the falls. For those who are more adventurous, you can hike 30 minutes up the opposite side of the valley to get a direct view of both waterfalls side by side. I think this is the best spot because you are away from tour groups. In autumn, you will see specks of coloured leaves framing the waterfalls. It is truly beautiful! 

Momijidani Falls 

If you have some time left, you should take a walk to Momijidani Falls. The trail is very easy but the views are so rewarding, especially in autumn. When the leaves become orange and red all around you, you will be surrounded by towering cliffs. It is a very relaxing trail to the waterfall and I recommend it. 

Heading back to Asahikawa for the night, you can explore the city for good food. Our ryokan host recommended a nearby Izakaya restaurant. We really enjoyed their unagi (eel) and tamagoyaki (omelette), and we sat at the bar where you could watch the chefs in the kitchen. There was also an elderly chef (probably the shifu) that looked really stern but he offered us various peppers and sauces when he realized we were tourists. 

---

Day 3: Asahidake Volcano (Daisetsuzan National Park)

We ordered the Japanese breakfast for this morning as well because the portion was generous and tastes really good, very energizing! You can also buy coffee from various cafe franchises (Doutor or 7-Eleven) in the area. I recommend getting some snacks and food for lunch before setting off. Furthermore, the drive up to Mt Asahi is so scenic, and you will pass by a lake on the way there! 

Sugatami Ropeway

Today’s agenda is to take the ropeway up Mt Asahi/Asahidake to begin our scenic trail around the active volcano. If you are looking for a good place to hike, this is great starting point for many trails. Overall you could get a panoramic view of the surroundings, even the lake we drove by earlier!

During summer (late June) and autumn (October), there are several hiking options you can consider: 

• Beginner: Asahidaira Trail (1 hr round trip)
• Intermediate: Mt Asahi summit (4-5 hr round trip)
• Advanced: Mt Asahi to Mt Kurodake (1-2 days)

If I had more time and had come during summer, I would consider doing the hike from the summit of Mt Asahi to Mt Kurodake! I also heard the views are amazing, and it would be so nice to end the adventure with some onsen time.

Asahidaira Trails

We chose this option because we wanted a relatively easy trail before the drive back to Sapporo. It was perfect for getting close to sulphurous vents and crater ponds. This is an accessible hike for all ages, and we saw elderly folks on this trail too. It is very relaxing and scenic, and as you make your way around the loop the view is always changing. The effort put in was minimal, but the views were rewarding! 

Once we finished our hike, we went back indoors for some hot coffee and got souvenirs. You can also buy food there. What a relaxing day!

Hours: Summer: 6:00-18:00, Winter: 9:00-16:00 (departures every 15-20 minutes)
Closures: Mid November to early December
Fees: 2900 JPY (S$35) round trip (June to mid October); 1800 JPY ($22) round trip (mid October through May)

Rest Overnight In Sapporo

We were really hungry by now, so we bought some fried chicken from the visitor centre area and headed out of the national park. Since we passed by the lake again, we decided to stop there for lunch. We also bought 2 onigiris each, and shared a bag of onsen eggs from 7-Eleven. I couldn’t be happier about our lunch views, and we had that area all to ourselves! Now we are fueled and ready to drive 2.5-3 hours back to Sapporo, which marks the end of our Daisetsuzan National Park adventures. We are ready for the next half of our trip south of Sapporo.

---

Continue reading about the itinerary here! It is about my Hokkaido lake camping and onsen hopping experience, and I will show you why it was the most memorable half of the trip! You can also check out some tips on how to take great hiking photos of yourself here.

If you enjoy chasing autumn colors, you should also check out the best things to do in Hakuba Nagano during fall.

• Read more:
• Top 10 Road Trip Essentials
• The Ultimate 9-Day Japan Itinerary: Exploring Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo
• 3 Days In Hokkaido Lake Camping & Onsen Hopping
• Nikko 2-Day Itinerary: The Best Way For Nature Lovers
• Sapporo 1 Day Itinerary (Fun Guide To Bicycle Sightseeing)
• 9 Unique Souvenirs To Buy From Japan That You’ll Actually Want
• Amazing Japan Hiking Trips For Mountains, Lakes and Islands
• How To Go Hiking In Mount Takao: 8 Trails To Explore

Remember to subscribe to my mailing list to get updates about new posts, and let’s be friends on instagram (@wheresjanice)! 

Sign me up!