Winter has arrived in Hokkaido with full force. While it's tempting to stay warm and cozy at home, one of Hokkaido's great charms is the many sights you can only see in winter. So bundle up extra warm and let's go find some breathtaking scenery!

Starting from the Mount Muroran Trailhead!

Today, we're introducing "Sudare no Taki" (Sudare Falls) in Muroran City. Located at the foot of the 911-meter-high Mount Muroran, this isn't a powerful, thundering waterfall, but rather a modest, gently trickling one.

Park your car at the parking lot of Mount Muroran Sanroku Sogo Park, also known as "Danpara Park," and enter the Mount Muroran hiking trail. (As a side note, "Danpara" is apparently short for "Danran Paradise," meaning "Happy Family Paradise.")

After walking for a while with a stone engraved with the character for "God" (神) on your left, you'll see a charming little mountain hut with a red triangular roof. This hut, named "Hakucho Hütte" (Swan Hut), is a starting point for two courses: the "Natsumichi (Summer Trail) Course" to the right and the "Nishione (West Ridge) Course" to the left. The waterfall is on the "Nishione Course," so make sure you don't take the wrong path.

Find the Pink Tape That Leads to the Falls!

As the trail gradually descends, look for the pink tape markers in the woods on the left side. This is your sign for the path to the waterfall. If you miss it, you'll end up heading towards the summit of Mount Muroran, so keep a sharp eye out for the pink ribbons tied to the trees.

Sudare no Taki is a hidden gem known only to a few, so the path is often not broken in. The trail is frequently covered with snow on top of bamboo grass, and wearing just boots can cause you to sink in, wasting precious energy. In such cases, snowshoes make walking much easier.

As you make your way through the pathless terrain, passing by the scattered tracks of a fox and trees with bark peeled off, likely by deer, you'll come to a river called the Petotoru River. Naturally, the river is icy cold in winter. It's not very wide, but you'll have to cross it several times, so be careful not to fall in.