Let's enjoy winter snow camp near Asahikawa

Souunkyo Auto Camping Ground

Image source: Souunkyo Auto Camping Ground

If you drive from Asahikawa, you will find the campsite on the way to Kurodake after getting off the Kamikawa Souunkyo IC on the highway.

The Ishikari River runs nearby, and you can enjoy here barbecue and camping with friends or family while listening to the murmuring of the river.

You may even see wild animals around here, like deers.
You can enjoy the natural state of the forest, next to the animals.

In addition to the tent site, there is a cottage, which is fully equipped with heating and power supply, so even snow camp beginners can enjoy it.

The starry sky, a bonfire, the calm yet mysterious nature, what else do we need to be happy ?

■Facility information

Facility name: Souunkyo Auto Camping Ground
Address: Kiyokawa, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
Phone: Winter: 080-2867-5833 / Campsite Administration Building / Summer: 01658-5-3368
Business period: 2021 winter season January 6th-March 14th (Open only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, except February 23rd)
Check-in: 13: 00-21: 00 / Check-out until 10:00
Parking: Yes
Snow is not removed from the tent site, so you have to do it yourself.

Touma Sportsland Campground

Image provided by the Touma Promotion Corporation

The main reason why beginners and some summer campers don’t camp during winter, is the cold.

If you are new to snow camp, we highly recommend the Touma Sports Land Campsite ♪

The reason is that the center house is always open when there are people using the snow camp site!

If the cold becomes unbearable, you can always go to the break room to warm you up by the heater.

■Facility information

Name: Touma Sports Land Campground
Address: 6 Ku, Toma-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
Phone: 0166-56-9020
Business period: January 16th (Sat) to mid-March 2021 / Period may change depending on the amount of snow
Parking: Yes

Natural Park Palette Hills

Image source: Manma no manma de ii besa

If you are used to snow camp, we recommend you Palette Hills, a natural park in Takasu Town.

You can, of course, enjoy camping in a natural environment, but several activities like snowshoes hiking and snow tubes sliding are available during the day.

Most campsites start at 500 yen for the night with a tent, but Palette Hills is free !

Recommended for people who are accustomed to snow camp and like places with few facilities.

The camping site is based on a reservation system, please contact the following contact for more informations.

Facility information

Facility name: Natural Park Palette Hills
Address: No. 8 on 17 Sen, Takasu-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
Phone: 080-5580-0297
Business period: December 1st (Tuesday) - Sunday, February 28th, 3rd year of Reiwa / Closed every Sunday (checkout is possible)
Parking lot: Yes (about 20 cars)
Bath: about 5km away is located a public bathhouse : Sun Hall (adults 400 yen, children 100 yen)
There are also supermarkets and convenience stores nearby.

Conclusion

Sleeping outside in the middle of winter means death in Hokkaido, but as our reporter was doing research about the winter camp, he became fascinated by it.

Actually, our writer hasn’t experienced snow camping yet but if he had the chance to do it, he would start with a cottage.

All those campsites are popular so don't forget to book in advance!

Translator notes:
If you are not used to winter camps and/or Hokkaido’s climate please be careful, be fully prepared, make some research beforehand, tell your friend and family where you go and if you have cell reception. Remember: the cold kills. Bears kill too, try to keep this in mind if you’re camping during spring or summer in Hokkaido.
Bears are hibernating in winter but they may, in rare occasions, wake up.