Sounkyo
Sounkyo is a gorge of sheer volcanic cliffs on the upper Ishikari River, in Kamikawa in central Hokkaido, at the north-eastern edge of Daisetsuzan National Park.
Ginga and Ryusei falls, Sounkyo
- Region
- Hokkaido
- Journeys
- One of our journeys
overview
Cliffs of grey stone rising from the river, and waterfalls falling down them.
For some twenty kilometres the Ishikari River runs through a canyon of columnar rock, cliffs of welded volcanic tuff that rise more than a hundred metres on either side, split into tall pillars and faces by the cooling of the ancient flows that made them. Waterfalls drop from the rim on both sides, and in winter they freeze into columns of blue ice.
The gorge was long known to the Ainu, and it was given its present name in 1921 by the writer Omachi Keigetsu, who came to Daisetsuzan and wrote of it in words still quoted at the trailheads. Sounkyo means the gorge of layered clouds. An onsen village grew up at its centre, and today it is the gateway to the northern side of Daisetsuzan, the largest national park in Japan.
The Wild North Tour of Hokkaido begins here, with a night of onsen in the mountains and a morning for the waterfalls and the ropeway up the slopes of Kurodake. It sits on the road between Asahikawa and the east of Hokkaido, so it falls naturally between central Hokkaido and the lakes and coast of the east.
Our tours stay overnightOur tours visit for the dayOn a Custom Tour of Japan
see and do
What to see at Sounkyo
Ginga and Ryusei Falls
Two waterfalls side by side on the southern wall of the gorge, called the husband and wife falls: Ryusei, the shooting star, in a single strong fall, and Ginga, the Milky Way, in many fine white threads. Both are seen from a viewing area by the road.
Obako and Kobako
At the upper end of the gorge, the cliffs close in on the river in two great walls of columnar rock, the big box and the little box, the most dramatic stretch of the canyon.
The Kurodake Ropeway
From the top of the onsen village, a ropeway rises in about seven minutes to a station at 1,300 metres on the slopes of Kurodake, with a terrace looking over the mountains and the valley below.
Sounkyo Onsen
The onsen village at the centre of the gorge, a short street of inns, shops and a visitor centre beneath the cliffs, with springs rising from the riverbank.
The Sounkyo Visitor Center
A centre at the top of the village that explains the geology of the cliffs and the plants and creatures of Daisetsuzan, with displays and photographs of the high mountains.
Lake Taisetsu
A reservoir above the gorge, formed by the Taisetsu Dam on the Ishikari River, its quiet water ringed by forest and mountains.
Kamikawa Taisetsu Sake Brewery
A young brewery in the town of Kamikawa, below the gorge, making sake with the soft water of Daisetsuzan and Hokkaido rice.
experiences
The best of Sounkyo
A night in the gorge
An onsen hotel on the slope above the village, with open-air water turned to the cliffs and a long dinner of Hokkaido produce.
The mountains without effort
The Kurodake ropeway carries you up into the high country in minutes, to a terrace with the volcanoes of Daisetsuzan all around and a level walk among the trees.
The falls and the boxes by car
A slow drive up the gorge with a driver who stops at each fall and at the walls of Obako, where the canyon is narrowest.
plan your visit
Sounkyo on a journey through Japan
- How long to stay
- One night is right for Sounkyo, as on The Wild North Tour of Hokkaido, with a morning for the falls and the ropeway before moving on.
- Getting there
- About an hour and a quarter by car from Asahikawa, and about an hour and a half from Asahikawa Airport. Lake Akan and the east of Hokkaido are about three hours away by car.
where to stay
Luxury hotels and ryokan at Sounkyo
The hotels of Sounkyo stand along the onsen street and on the slope above it, with the cliffs of the gorge in front of them and the forest behind. The largest of them stands on the hill above the village, with open-air onsen and rooms turned to the gorge.
Most guests stay one night, arriving in the afternoon for the onsen and dinner and taking the falls and the ropeway the next morning, on the way east or back towards Asahikawa.
journeys
Tours of Japan that include Sounkyo
Open a journey below for its route, its dates and its price. On dates of your own, a Custom Tour of Japan can bring you here and anywhere else in Japan you would like to go.
questions
Sounkyo: questions answered
Where is Sounkyo Gorge?
In Kamikawa town in central Hokkaido, on the upper Ishikari River at the north-eastern edge of Daisetsuzan National Park, about an hour and a quarter by car from Asahikawa.
How long is Sounkyo Gorge?
About twenty kilometres, with cliffs of columnar volcanic rock rising more than a hundred metres above the river.
What are the main waterfalls at Sounkyo?
Ginga Falls and Ryusei Falls, side by side on the southern wall, called the husband and wife falls. They are seen from a viewing area beside the road.
How do you get from Asahikawa to Sounkyo?
By car in about an hour and a quarter. By train, take the Sekihoku Line to Kamikawa and then a bus to the onsen village, about two hours in all.
Is the Kurodake Ropeway worth taking?
Yes. It rises to 1,300 metres in about seven minutes, with a terrace over the mountains of Daisetsuzan, and it is the easiest way into the high country.
Which Luxury Japan Travel journeys include Sounkyo?
The Wild North Tour of Hokkaido spends nights at Sounkyo. On dates of your own, a Custom Tour of Japan can include Sounkyo too.
Can Sounkyo be part of a private tour of Japan?
Yes. The Custom Tour of Japan is created around your party alone, on your dates, with your own Tour Director, and it can go anywhere in the country, Sounkyo included. If you would rather travel independently, the Expert Japan Itinerary plans every day for you.
hokkaido
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Every place in Hokkaido
Sounkyo, planned for you.
Tell us when you would like to travel and what draws you to Sounkyo, and we will answer with the journey that suits you best: one of our published tours, a journey of The Private Collection, or a Custom Tour of Japan created around your party alone.