The ice you want and where to find it

15 years of running trips in Japan has given us a good idea of what is out there, and where the best ice for climbing in Japan is for each climber. The word ‘best’ means different things to different people, and knowing what is where saves a lot of time on planning.

Having also run trips around the world, we know what good ice looks like, and how to match the ice to the climber. What is best for someone starting out or transitioning from rock is not the same as what’s best for sponsored athletes, and across an entire trip we can visit several places as the meaning of ‘best’ evolves.

For beginner and intermediate climbers the best ice climbing is usually around central Japan. Here there is a huge amount of ice in a relatively small area, across the Southern and Central Japanese Alps, Yatsugatake and valleys north of Tokyo.

The best intermediate ice is across a wider area, including Hokkaido, the far north and higher into the mountains. This is where Japans best ice for climbing is known, but it takes time to get to, being away from the stuff that is popular.

Of course the absolute best by international athlete standards is usually kept very quiet, being a mix of very hard, very sought after and very specific. This sort of ice climbing demands focus and preparation and usually a longer period to get on, and tends to be tucked away in quieter places at the extremities of where ice is found.