The journey begins on the vast Tengu-daira Plateau and continues to the peaks of the distant Kita-Daisetsu Mountains before returning to the starting line.

The mountains emerge in the morning mist, illuminated by the sunlight.
You run toward the distant peak through the deep forest
cutting through the cold, clear air.

The view from the ridge and memories of your long journey
will stay in your heart.

The Daisetsuzan Trail Journey starts at the former Kita-daisetsu Ski Resort, about 1.5 hours by car from Asahikawa, and follows the ridge between Hira-yama and Tengu-dake mountains, as well as the forest roads and mountain trails that connect them. This is the only trail running race in Hokkaido that includes the Daisetsuzan mountain range in its course, and the ridge from Hira-yama to Himara-yama, which is part of the 40km and 60km courses, is part of the special protection area of the Daisetsuzan National Park. The highest point on the course is approximately 1811 meters above the forest line in Hokkaido.

The 40km (middle) course is a course that packs all the excitement of the main event into just under 40km, and we consider it the main event. Starting at the former Kita-daisetsu ski resort, the course runs along a forest road, then crosses the Hirayama Ridge and the two peaks of Ariake and Tengu before returning to the ski resort. The 40km trail is not quite long enough to be called a long trail, but it offers a good variety of terrain, including road, gravel/gravel forest roads, singletrack over tree roots, ridge lines, steep climbs and descents, bamboo thickets,
and scree slopes, the trail offers a variety of challenging situations to keep runners entertained.

The 60km (long) course is an expert level course consisting of two loops and a ridge line connecting the two. It is a tough route that takes you over three major peaks, including the steep Ariake-yama and Tengu-dake that represents the course, before returning to the finish line. After running around Tengu-daira in the early morning mist, you enter the mountainous area by climbing the steep slope from the ski resort to reach Tengu-dake. From the middle of the course, you will follow the 40km course.

These courses are a tough challenge that includes steep mountains and require proper preparation. Some people may be put off by the prospect of participating in the event if they don’t have enough experience. As a first test for the 2025 event, there are plans for a 60K course called the 60K Pair Relay, where teams of two “join together to complete the course”, and a 40K course called the 40K Pair, where teams of two “run the course together”. If it’s too difficult to do alone, maybe you can do it with a partner? We look forward to welcoming those who have been reluctant to take part in the event.

The 15 km (short) course is mainly a forest trail with small ups and downs and is suitable for beginners. The time limit is 3 hours. If you can run 10km on the road, you should be able to run this course without any problems. Why not join this race not only to compete for time, but also to enjoy a leisurely run on the gentle and wide trail of Tengudaira? Also, since it’s still before noon after you finish running, we recommend taking a break and then hiking up from Kita-Taisetsui Ski Ground to Tengu-dake.