↘ Tokachidake — Maetokachi / Taisho Crater

[Most important: this route's objective is currently CLOSED] Tokachidake is an active volcano, and JMA Volcanic Alert Level 2 (crater-vicinity restriction, in force since June 2026) is in effect. A ~1.5 km no-entry zone is drawn around the 62-2 crater, and that zone takes in the Taisho crater, the 62-2 crater, and the summit itself. This route's objective — the Taisho / 62-2 crater complex (~43.426N, 142.675E) — sits squarely inside that no-go ring. What follows is therefore a description of documented terrain that you MUST NOT ski until the alert eases — not an invitation to go. Before you even plan a start, re-check the live JMA volcano bulletin and the JAN Central Hokkaido avalanche bulletin.

The Maetokachi / Taisho Crater line runs from the Hakuginso / Fukiage Onsen side (~630 m, trailhead near 142.6416E, 43.4314N), past the Tokachidake Emergency Hut toward the Taisho crater and its fumarole ground — about 614 m of vertical over roughly 6.6 km, on a broadly northwest (NW) aspect. The lower mountain is forest and gentle snowfields; you gain height from the Hakuginso Lodge / Fukiage Onsen base. Read the ~42° maximum-slope figure as short steep sections up high, not the angle of the skinning line as a whole.

The defining hazard here is not just avalanches — it is the volcano itself. The nearer you get to the objective, the hotter the ground: near the vents and craters the ground exceeds 300°C. Hot ground melts thin snow from beneath, leaving steam voids — places that look like solid snow but are hollow underneath. Break through one and you risk burns and a fall, and you cannot tell them apart by eye. On top of that, volcanic gas (SO2 / H2S) is colourless and pools in low spots; in a windless basin or crater it can reach lethal concentration. These hazards remain even after the restriction is lifted.

The crux of the approach is crossing the "wide-open, featureless" snowfield. This part of Maetokachi has almost nothing to navigate by, and if visibility drops you can lose orientation completely. On these volcanic cones, flat light — gas or overcast that erases all shadow and surface texture — leads parties to drop onto an aspect other than the NW face they climbed and get funneled into a different drainage, a mistake made here every season. GPS is essential; back it up with a compass and confirm your descent bearing one leg at a time. On the way down, commit to the aspect you planned, and do not ski blind in a whiteout.

In short, this is a currently-closed objective you should not approach until the alert relaxes. The whole route is avalanche terrain that demands your own stability assessment and judgement, and it carries a second, separate family of lethal hazards unique to an active volcano: hot ground, hidden steam voids, and pooling volcanic gas. Everything shown here is a planning aid — not a recommendation and not a go/no-go decision. Always confirm the live JMA volcano bulletin and the latest JAN Central Hokkaido bulletin before any tour.

[Restriction status — read first] Tokachidake is under JMA Volcanic Alert Level 2 / crater-vicinity restriction (since June 2026). A ~1.5 km no-entry zone around the 62-2 crater contains this route's objective (the Taisho / 62-2 crater complex), so that objective is effectively CLOSED right now. Before any start, confirm the current level and restriction radius on the live JMA volcano bulletin.

[Trailhead & parking] The start is on the Hakuginso / Fukiage Onsen side (~630 m, trailhead near 142.6416E, 43.4314N), with parking around the Hakuginso lodge. In winter, available parking depends on plowing, so check current local conditions.

[Getting there] Approach Hakuginso / Fukiage Onsen by car from the Kamifurano / Tokachidake Onsen side. Expect snow and ice on the roads — winter tyres (and 4WD if needed) are appropriate. Public transport is limited, so confirm options in advance.

[Volcanic gas & hot ground] Even outside the no-go ring, near the fumarole ground volcanic gas pools in basins and gullies and hot ground hollows out thin snow into steam voids — most dangerous in calm air or poor visibility.

[After] Bathing is available at Fukiage Onsen (Hakuginso and the Fukiage open-air pool), but hours and winter operation vary — confirm locally.