Daisetsuzan Hogoku Line — Sounkyo to Mikuni PassLoop.
Distance
200 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,800 m
Daisetsuzan Hogoku Line — Sounkyo to Mikuni Pass Loop.
A wild Hokkaido loop through the heart of Daisetsuzan National Park — Japan's largest. Route 39 follows the Ishikari River into the dramatic Sounkyo Gorge, where 200 m basalt columns flank the road on both sides. Route 273 then climbs over the Mikuni Pass (1,139 m) — Hokkaido's highest national highway — through untouched boreal forest before descending to Nukabira and looping back via the lavender plains of Furano.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance200 km
Days1
Total climb1,800 m
Fuel stops1 along route
DifficultyChallenging
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The route.
AsahikawaStart · Start in Asahikawa, Hokkaido's second-largest city. Fuel and breakfast here — services thin out dramatically inside the national park. Route 39 heads east toward Kamikawa.
KamikawaFuel Stop · Small gateway town for the Daisetsuzan wilderness. Last reliable fuel before Sounkyo — fill up here. The volcanic mountains rise to the south.
Sounkyo GorgePhoto Spot · Route 39 enters the gorge: vertical basalt columns 150–200 m high press in on both sides for 8 km. Ryusei (Meteor) and Ginga (Milky Way) waterfalls drop from the clifftops. One of the great natural road corridors in Japan.
Sounkyo OnsenRestaurant · Hot spring resort village deep in the gorge. Good ramen and soba for lunch. The Kurodake Ropeway climbs to 1,520 m into Daisetsuzan's alpine zone. On summer mornings, brown bears are occasionally spotted on the slopes above.
Mikuni PassMountain Pass · Hokkaido's highest national highway pass at 1,139 m on Route 273. Wide panoramic views across the volcanic plateau. Even in August bring a warm layer — it is cold and exposed at the summit.
Nukabira LakeScenic Point · An artificial reservoir ringed by dense taiga. Nukabira Onsen on the south shore makes a fine optional stop. The onsen here uses sodium-chloride mineral water — very different from the acidic springs of Sounkyo.
FuranoEnd · End in Furano — lavender in July, world-class melon year-round, and a decent wine scene. Route 237 runs 80 km north back to Asahikawa along the Sorachi River on a broad, fast road with mountain backdrops.
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