The Rishiri Explorer is our most advanced backcountry offering; a 7-day, 6-night journey to the remote volcanic island of Rishiri, at the northernmost edge of Hokkaido.

Designed for fit, experienced skiers, this trip blends big backcountry days with snowmobile-assisted access, allowing us to reach deeper terrain while maintaining a sustainable pace throughout the week.

With varied terrain, changing coastal weather, and a true sense of remoteness, Rishiri offers a step up in both scale and experience, without losing the flow and enjoyment of the skiing.

1. Transceiver, Shovel and Probe are essential and included in this tour

2. Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour

3. Accomodation is dependent on availability at time of booking

4. Tour price is based on a minimum group size of 4 people. A supplement will be applied to all persons if minimum group size is not met. Supplement = AUD $500 P/person

Given Rishiri’s ever-changing conditions, we’ve built in 1–2 weather days throughout the itinerary. This is an opportunity to slow down, explore the remote island with your guide, and reset before heading back into the mountains when conditions align.

This tour is operated with two guides regardless of group size, reflecting the more advanced nature of the terrain on Rishiri Island. Group size is kept small, with a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 guests, ensuring a high level of safety, flexibility, and personalised guiding.

This trip is best suited to strong, fit skiers with solid backcountry experience. Expect days involving 1,000m+ of climbing, with the potential for a 1,500m summit push. You should be confident skiing a range of snow conditions and have at least 20 days of touring experience.

If you have any questions about your own ability please reach out.

Guests will make their own way to Wakkanai, the northernmost city of Hokkaido. Please plan to arrive by 1:00pm at the latest to allow time to meet your guides and prepare for departure.

In the afternoon, the group will board the 2:00pm ferry to Rishiri Island, crossing the Sea of Japan to one of the country’s most remote and unique ski destinations.

On arrival in Rishiri, transfer to your accommodation and settle in before gathering for an evening briefing and welcome dinner. Your guides will outline the plan for the week, complete a gear check, and run through key safety considerations ahead of the days to come.

Your first day on the mountain is focused on introducing the terrain and establishing the group’s pace, ability, and fitness for the week ahead.

We will also run a comprehensive avalanche rescue refresher, ensuring everyone is confident and up to speed with safety systems before moving into more committing terrain later in the trip.

From there, the day’s objectives will be shaped by conditions. In good weather, we may begin to venture into the alpine, taking advantage of Rishiri’s unique volcanic terrain. If weather is more typical, snowing and windy, we’ll utilise one of the island’s abandoned ski areas, providing excellent tree skiing and sheltered options while still finding quality snow.

Over the next four days, we explore the full scope of Rishiri Island, working toward summit objectives while adapting daily to weather and snow conditions.

Each aspect of the mountain offers a distinctly different experience. The west side delivers long, sustained descents and steeper terrain, while the north opens into expansive powder bowls. To the south, broad volcanic slopes provide unmatched open skiing, gradually leading into some of the mountain’s most impressive terrain. The east side offers a more dramatic alpine feel, with views and features reminiscent of larger mountain ranges in Alaska and Europe.

Throughout this period, we will utilise a combination of touring and snowmobile-assisted access to explore multiple approaches to the mountain, maximising both terrain variety and time spent skiing.

We have also built in flexible weather days to account for Rishiri’s often changeable and unpredictable conditions, allowing us to take full advantage of the best possible windows for skiing.

The goal across these days is to move efficiently, take advantage of the best available conditions, and experience the full character of one of Japan’s most unique backcountry environments.

Note: Summit attempts can only be made if conditions align fully, and we do not guarantee a summit success.

On the final morning, the group will pack up and depart the accommodation by 8:00am to board the 9:00am ferry back to Wakkanai.

From Wakkanai, guests can continue their onward travel via airport or train. To allow for a smooth connection, we recommend booking departures no earlier than 12:00pm, and for flights, no earlier than 1:00pm.