WI3 to WI7 and beyond

How difficult ice climbing is is always subject to several factors and this is no different in Japan. The difficulty of ice depends on the time of the season, how popular a route is, time of day, and what sort of conditions the ice forms in.

The ice climbing in Japan covers a wide variety of geography, so difficulty becomes the mix of the ice and how capable the climber is. Some ice is very difficult but is short and easy to get to, whilst there is ice that the climbing is easy but it is huge, remote and very cold.

Like everywhere with ice climbing, Japan uses the same grade system, so climbers can piece together trips based around what they can do. Some places are known for hard stuff and others easy, so if you know what you climb already Japan is part of that progression.

The easier ice climbing in Japan is usually the most popular, though there are exceptions. Easy can mean the ice itself is thick and solid, or that anchors are good so stuff can be safely climbed. Places like Yatsugatake have a lot of low difficulty ice climbing including whole routes, and cold conditions keep it in good conditions despite the popularity.

Japans most difficult ice climbing is spread around the country, and can go up to WI7 with potential for beyond. Some areas we have scoped out have options for big, overhanging and very technical ice routes, in styles still being evolved.

Climbers should be aware that our trips run at your level, not ours, meaning it is your climbing that matters. A climber cannot claim the grade if they have not lead it, so if your maximum difficulty on lead is WI4 then we won’t drag you up anything higher.