SATOYAMA SNOWSHOEING

Winter in Hida is a wonderland of abundant snow, encounters with nature and spectacular mountain vistas. This gentle and easy-paced snowshoe tour showcases all of this, while also offering insight into the lives and challenges of the local people and wildlife in this frozen environment.

Set in a village location only a short hop from Hida Furukawa, the terrain is home to a myriad of wildlife, including the Japanese serow and raccoon, foxes and hares. You will certainly see their paw prints on the snow and it is not uncommon to see the animals themselves. Overhead, listen for the cry of the black kites as they go about their hunting business.

Our tour also takes you into an apple orchard run by the local community, where  the sheer quantity of snowfall in this mountain village requires regular clearing of snow from the overburdened trees. We may see this protective work going on during our exploration.

Suitable for beginners, this snowshoe tour is all about local nature and life, while exhibiting fine views of the local mountains and, on a clear day, stunning   glimpses of the more distant Japanese Alps.

Weather permitting, picnicking on the snow is hard to beat as a winter experience!

Snowy Kurouchi village nestled in the mountains

What are snowshoes?

As you might imagine, snowshoes are footwear for walking over snow. They are worn under regular boots and using them is not a difficult skill to pick up. Beginners and children over the age of 6 are welcome, though be advised that  the smallest shoe size we can provide is 20cm.