For our last day in Niseko we decided to drop off the ski for snow hiking boots ! Skiing can be quite exhausting that’s why it’s nice to change activity sometimes. Both of us never did this snow hiking.
Mount Yotei from the distance. Today we are going to a hiking trail that leads to the top of Yotei San. Of course we won’t go at the top but just a few hours in nature should be nice.
Getting there.
Pristine nature.
Our gears for the day. Theses are perfect for snow hiking because they have good grips and allows us not to dive in the thick snow.
Nomi !
The trail up to the mountain.
Backcountry skiing people. These guys must have hiked up and then ski down.
Nature Art.
Lovely day for hiking. The nature in Hokkaido feels very wild and spacious. It really is another part of Japan. I can remember being jam-packed in the Tokyo trains just a few days prior to this. How interesting to experience contrasts in life. Japan is great for that because from North to South the climate changes drastically. In Okinawa you can experience tropical weather by the beach while in Hokkaido you get Siberian cold with heavy snow falls.
Last sunlight of the day. Almost time to go back on our steps.
Shiny happy people.
Transition from day to night.
Hiking in the snow was a beautiful experience. We glad we’ve done it for our last day instead of skiing. When you hike you really take the time to appreciate where you are. It is like a slow meditation were landscapes are crossing your eyes. A moment of silence where thoughts can unwind within that Nature. A moment of inner peace. And there is almost nobody on the trails. Ski is much faster and crowded, it’s just another way to experience the mountains. Anyway, nice to try different ways.
Hirafu town and ski resort from afar.
It was already time to say goodbye to Niseko after 5 days of adventure and relaxation. Skiing in Japan was a cool experience , we’ll now move on for our last few days of car rental.
Saying goodbye to Mount Yotei. Our tall friend of the last week.
Snow
雪 Yuki
Bye
free.cloud 
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