2 Best Sights in Daisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaido

Daisetsuzan, which means "great snow mountain," refers to the park's five major peaks, whose altitudes approach 7,560 feet. They are climbable even by moderately experienced hikers, with a ring trail that is best done in summer. But you can also catch a bus or train or even drive just south of Asahikawa and simply enjoy the picturesque region.

On the park's east side is Soun-kyo, but on its unconnected west side, two spa towns serve as summer hiking centers and winter ski resorts. Shirogane Onsen, at 2,461 feet, has had especially good skiing since its mountain, Tokachi-dake, erupted in 1962 and 1988, creating a superb ski bowl. At Asahidake Onsen you can take a cable car (¥2,000 one way, ¥3,200 round trip) up Asahi-dake to an altitude of 5,250 feet and hike for two hours to the 7,513-foot summit. In late spring and early summer the slopes are carpeted with alpine flowers. Serious skiers come for Japan's longest ski season.

Running through a 15-mile-long ravine, Route 39 cuts through the northeast entrance of Daisetsuzan National Park. For 5 miles, sheer cliff walls rise on both sides of the canyon as the road drills into the mountains. In winter and early spring, forbidding stone spires loom as if in judgment; in other seasons they thrust through glorious foliage. On the way there are a couple of river-carved gorges called Obako and Kobako. Go see Momijidani (Maple Tree Valley) if you're here in autumn.

Sounkyo Onsen village is halfway through the ravine. In summer, the pedestrian-friendly main street is lined with flower boxes, and guesthouses and souvenir shops add charm to what is basically a concrete version of an alpine village. From Late January to March, the frozen river and its ice cliffs are illuminated for the Sounkyo Onsen Ice Fall Festival, which is breathtaking. If you're driving, watch your gas tank, as there is no gas station in town.