Winter rafting is coming into the limelight in Hokkaido Prefecture. With descending rapids at subfreezing temperatures, cold splashes and bitterly cold winds, riders can taste thrills to the extreme!
Yeah!
Winter rafting has been making a splash in Hokkaido,
providing plenty of thrills while racing down rapids in sub-zero temperatures!
That was really wild!
Along with being surrounded by huge, towering cliffs!
Join us as we explore hidden icy landscapes that can only be accessed in the depths of winter.
This is incredible!
We're off on a wondrously thrilling adventure!
Wild Hokkaido!
The Taisetsu Mountain Range stretches across central Hokkaido.
Today, we've come to the Sounkyo Gorge, in the northern part of the range.
Temperatures here can drop 20 degrees Celsius below zero, which is extreme even for Hokkaido.
Hokkaido's largest river, the Ishikari River, flows through the gorge, which is full of towering cliffs.
There's a variety of icy worlds to enjoy here.
First, we'll strap on our snow shoes and trek through the gorge, which can only be accessed in winter.
Then it's on to winter rafting, a rare activity even in Hokkaido.
Isis Berns is from Canada.
She usually enjoys winter activities like snowboarding. But this time she'll be trying something different.
I'm very nervous because it's my first time to do winter rafting!
But I'm also excited to see winter sights like snow and the icicles and
these things that I haven't seen before frozen on the river. I'm looking forward to that.
She'll go trekking at Obako, an area upstream of the Ishikari River.
It's said to be the most beautiful area in the Sounkyo Gorge.
Hello.
Hello, good morning.
Are you my guide for today?
Yes, I'm Toby. Today, I'm gonna bring you to visit the gorge, which is Sounkyo!
Sounkyo!
Isis's guide is Toby from Taiwan.
He moved to Hokkaido two years ago, and takes tourists on trekking courses
as he shows them the beauty of nature in the Sounkyo Gorge.
Today, they'll begin at the Obako parking area
and trek an approximately one kilometer trail that will take them to three scenic spots.
It's late December, and minus 8 degrees!
Wow, this is pretty cool.
The river is deep here in spring, summer, and autumn,
but in winter the water stops flowing, so we can go down the gorge.
So, we can't come here in any other season?
Yeah, just winter! Just now!
Okay, well lucky us!
Because the river runs through here during summer, it's impossible to go any further into the gorge.
But in winter the river freezes over,
and with the help of a qualified guide you can venture further into the gorge.
OK, not bad, not bad.
It's time to head off to search for some unique winter scenery!
So, we're in the river now?
So, under the snow.
Under the snow here is a river?
So, we have to walk very carefully, otherwise we could fall in the water.
Isis has already noticed something.
It's amazing! Like both sides how the grooves go in and out like this.
It's massive!
Wow, but this is beautiful. It looks almost manmade how the grooves are so straight like this, but it's all natural.
A unique geological feature found in Sounkyo is its columnar joints.
This is where the rock face appears to be columns stacked neatly beside one another,
and is the result of volcanic activity.
30 thousand years ago, lava from a volcano flowed down in this area,
and cooled, then melted, and cooled again,
so it became this stick-like shape.
This is an incredible shape.
The columns can range in height from 20 to 50 meters
and the rushing river water has cut away at the cliff face for over 10 thousand years.
These columnar-jointed cliffs stretch an incredible 24 kilometers,
making them a rare sight.
Because it's only late December, the river hasn't completely frozen over yet.
As Isis walks with the assistance of her guide...
That is so cool!
They encounter a Brown Dipper.
It's not cold?
Did it just go in the water?
Yes, it dives in the water to eat small insects.
It's a really cute bird.
Oh wow!
The surrounding pure white snow makes it much easier to spot smaller wildlife.
As they continue, they come across much larger things, too.
- Now you can look on your left side.
- Woah!
- Woah! That's huge!!
- It's a big frozen waterfall.
Woah, look at those icicles on there! What!?
The frozen waterfall is 20 meters tall, the height of a 7-story building.
Water flowing through the gaps in the joints froze slowly over time.
This is incredible, I've never been so close to a frozen waterfall.
It's a really special view in this area.
So cool!
There are more than 20 frozen waterfalls like this of varying sizes here in Sounkyo,
making it one of the largest collections of frozen falls in Japan.
They return to the starting point and head upstream to enter a different world of snow and ice.
That's a lot! This is incredible, look at this! It's like the whole rockface!
Welcome to Icicle Land!
Wow!
These icicles are known as ice pillars.
The water seeps through the rocks and forms a curtain of icicles that stretches 200 meters.
Some ice pillars are over 10 meters tall.
Toby checks that it's safe before walking through.
So many different layers of ice.
It's so interesting with all the shapes and the lines in here. Look at that!
And every year you can see different shaped icicles.
Very cool!
Look at that it's even bending!
Sometimes the wind is blowing while the ice is freezing so it bends.
Strange! It's organic!
This is so interesting!
Isis is blown away by the incredible variety of scenery to be found in these extreme winter conditions.
Now for the "SENSEI's Tip!"
Here's how you search for natural frozen formations.
These are called frost flowers. When the water in a river or lake is frozen at minus 15 degrees or below,
large ice crystals form on the surface.
The best time to find them is in the morning, before temperatures rise and they melt.
Splash icicles form when water splashes continuously and freezes on things like trees or rocks.
Wind can create snow rollers, round snow creations that look like rolled cakes.
These frozen creations tend to be made by strong winds.
Try braving the cold and looking for these naturally-occurring winter formations around a river near you!
It's the next day.
Today's the day to tackle winter rafting!
What kind of wintry world awaits?
Hello, nice to meet you!
I'm Toshi. Toshinari Ota.
Okay, I'm Isis.
Isis-san, nice to meet you!
Toshinari is a rafting veteran, having been a rafting guide in adventure capitals like New Zealand and Canada.
Is winter rafting normal, like do people often do it? Or is it rare?
Winter has really special, really beautiful sights on the river.
Okay.
In winter, the river flows gently, and you can take in the peaceful scenery,
but bouts of rapids add an extra thrill!
They'll travel 5 kilometers down the Ishikari River for about an hour.
A dry suit is essential for winter rafting.
It keeps you warm and, if you happen to fall into the water, it will also help keep you afloat.
A life jacket is also put on over the top.
- So, yeah, let's go, right?! Yeah!
- Let's go!
Here we go down the Ishikari River! Woo!
The temperature is minus 6 degrees. Their river rafting adventure begins as the snow falls.
It's really cool!
It's beautiful here quiet like this.
You can see deep into the forest.
Wow, this is amazing!
Look at all the snow!
Every tree branch covered.
The trees are stripped bare of leaves in winter, leaving an unobstructed view of the surrounding scenery from the boat.
As they approach the halfway point, they enter the rapids zone.
Woohoo!
Woah, woah, woah!
Are you okay?
Yeah, this is awesome!
- Grab the rope, hold onto the rope, we're going to hit the rocks a little bit.
- Okay, alright!
- You okay?
- Yep! Good!
The spray of freezing water on the skin only adds to the thrill!
Senses are sharpened, and the ride is exhilarating.
Wow. Wow, wow!
C'mon Ishikari River! Woo!
Winter rafting! Yeehaw!
Hold on tight!
Alright!
Beautiful! Oh my goodness!
Here we go!
A real winter wonderland!
Isis is having the time of her life!
That was really wild! I love it!
Hokkaido Wild!
- Wild Hokkaido? What's the name of the program?
- Wild Hokkaido!
Wild Hokkaido!
So good!
Look how fluffy those are! It looks like marshmallows!
That's cool, it's like they're wearing hats!
They've spotted some snowy mounds sitting on the surface of the river.
They're known as snow caps.
It appears as if the rocks are wearing little caps made of snow.
The unique shapes are actually quite cute.
- It just looks like art. Wherever you look!
- Yeah, it is!
Every direction I look is a piece of art.
I don't want to forget it.
Time to have some fun!
Just like that right, just punching it?
It's super soft!
Wow! It's so powdery!
Fresh snow! The eyes!
Ah, it's so cute!
Yay! Very happy! I'll call it Bob!
Bob?
- Hi Bob!
- Hi Bob!
Yeah, in winter it's a very mysterious, picturesque area.
Now we can see the wall over there more clearly.
Not far from their goal, the snow stops falling to reveal the impressive landscape surrounding them.
Columnar-jointed cliffs tower 100 meters high.
Nature's majesty is truly sublime.
That really stands out against the white snow!
Wow, the cuts in the rock are so cool!
You can only see this view in the winter.
An hour has passed in a flash, signaling the end of Isis' first winter rafting experience.
I have to say, that was the wildest ride I've ever been on!
I was expecting a bit of a calmer river to be honest,
but because it was really adventurous, I had a lot of fun!
There's never a dull moment.
So I think Sounkyo is a secret special place.
Seeing the ice and the snow
frozen by the rivers and on the walls with the icicles. It was incredible.
I was very moved and surprised.
Wild Hokkaido! takes you on great activities in the great outdoors of northern Japan.
Join us next time for another adventure!