5-day snowboarding trip in Rishiri Island, Japan

Looking for an exotic, world-class snowboarding experience? This trip is for you!

Rishiri is a circular island in the Sea of Japan, located off the coast of Hokkaido, the second largest island in Japan. Rishiri extends over 183 km2, and is known for the cone-shaped extinct volcanic peak of Mount Rishiri (1,721m).

Rishiri’s mountains offer beautiful views and amazing backcountry terrain for all levels, making the island a great destination for ski touring and snowboarding. I was born in Rishiri and have lived here all my life, so I will be pleased to guide you through its peaks and forests, to the best spots where to ride powder snow!

In order to make the most of our time and save energy for the snowboarding part of the trip, every morning we will travel long distances, across flat valleys, on snowmobiles. This will allow us to explore a big portion of the island and then ascend to the selected spots using splitboards.

I will have another mountain guide helping me lead this tour. We will split the group in twos based on acquaintances and/or skill level, and each of us will guide a subgroup.

Another exciting part of the trip is that you will spend the nights at a comfortable, traditional Japanese guesthouse (known as a ryokan) that my family and I own. An onsen (hot spring bath) and some delicious Japanese dishes will wait for you after each exhausting day, ensuring you enjoy a real Japanese experience!

While this is a 5-day trip, I recommend guests to arrive a day earlier and depart the day after the tour ends, staying in Rishiri for 6 nights (included in the tour’s price).

Rishiri is the mecca for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Don’t miss this fun, top-notch experience! Send me your booking request now.

If you are interested in shorter tours in Rishiri, I also offer 1-, 3- and 4-day snowboarding trips. If you are looking for other winter activities in the island, I recommend the snowshoe trekking trip.