Furano Geo Adventure Bike ＆Hike

Up bright and early, we’ll depart from the hotel in Sapporo at 6:30 A.M, and arrive in Furano at about 9:00 A.M., with a rest stop along the way. During the bus ride, we’ll explain the geological background of the tour to provide some context for the day’s activities.

After arriving in Furano, we’ll collect our bicycles and begin our ride. After a few easy kilometers, we’ll climb a short, fairly steep bit of road (may be walked) onto a ridge overlooking the Furano Basin. We’ll have a clear view of the volcano (which we’ll hike into later) and the 70 m high ridge surrounding the volcano that was formed by the ash and rocks from a huge eruption. We’ll then descend, cross the valley, and climb that ridge for an even closer look at the crater. Total bicycling distance: 11 km.

After lunch, we’ll board our bus and drive up to the trailhead, about halfway up the mountain. From there, we’ll hike about 2 km into the Ansei Crater with our guide, Aono-san, from the Tokachidake Geopark, whose grandfather initially mapped these trails.
The hike into the Ansei Crater is not particularly demanding, rising 120 m in 2 km, with an altitude of only 1500 m, but the path is somewhat rocky. At a moderate pace, it should take about 45 minutes to reach the crater. You’ll see evidence of past eruptions, the dramatic effects of erosion, and even see where some ice from the last Ice Age is covered by a large rock flow.
As you stand in the middle of the crater, you’ll be amazed at the powerful forces required to create such an incredible landscape. As you hold your hand over one of small steam vents in the ground, you’ll feel the heat of the current active volcano. As you eat a hard-boiled egg cooked over an active fumarole, you’ll connect yourself to the ancient primal forces of the earth.

To finish our day, we’ll stop by the studio and museum of Goto Sumio, a renowned Japanese landscape painter. He was enthralled with the Furano mountains and the primal forces they embodied. He built his studio at the base, and then studied and hiked the mountains for four years before beginning his first Furano painting. It’s a fitting conclusion of your day to see how he interpreted these mountains in his work.
Afterwards, we’ll board the bus for the ride back to Sapporo, arriving at about 6:00 P.M.