About Adventure Hokkaido
Our story, people, values & tours
Your local Hokkaido Adventure Travel Specialist
Adventure Hokkaido was started by a group of local outdoor guides, led by Ayaka Yoshikawa & Kazu Arai. Both Ayaka and Kazu spent several years in New Zealand working, studying and of course travelling and exploring the outdoors. After returning home to Hokkaido, their dream was to create memorable outdoor adventures for visitors to Hokkaido and to help travellers enjoy the best hiking, cycling, nature and snow activities Japan’s “North Island” has to offer.
Ayaka leads a team of passionate local guides, who live and breathe the Hokkaido outdoors, this is where they grew up and their love of the outdoors was born.
We offer small group, guided hiking, cycling and nature tours, so there’s something for all adventurers. Our tours are packed with authentic, off the beaten track experiences, locations and people, the kind of magical moments most visitors to Hokkaido will never experience. We take pride in designing unique itineraries based on the experience of our expert guides, all proud Hokkaido locals.
Our Values
Adventure in Hokkaido for Generations to Come
Hokkaido is our home. We are firmly committed to making sure our tours have a net-positive impact on the environment and communities we visit. We want to see people travel to and enjoy Hokkaido for generations to come.
See our sustainability practices for more details of what we are doing to meet this goal.
Innovative Adventurers
Our team is made up of experienced adventure tourism and outdoor education professionals. Drawing from their backgrounds in conservation, education, outdoor safety and mountaineering our guides love putting their minds together to create unique outdoor adventures for our guests. We hold a Class 2 Travel Agent Licence issued by the Hokkaido Government. This means we’re licensed to package and operate tours in a safe and sustainable way and our guides are certified. We are also a registered member of the Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies.
Adventure for Everyone
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing lakeside stroll or a challenging hike along rugged mountain trails, Hokkaido has something for everyone. The word “adventure” is often associated with high adrenaline activities. However, we also value cultural encounters as another kind of adventure, which everyone can enjoy regardless of their age and fitness level. What makes Hokkaido unique is the culture shaped by the Ainu, its colonial history, and our distinctive geological features. Our itineraries are carefully crafted for you to see of our way of life and what really makes Hokkaido unique from any other part of Japan.
100% Made in Hokkaido
All of our team are based in Hokkaido, we are as local as you can get! We believe that on our tours, guests will go beyond what has been written about Hokkaido in any travel guidebook. Over the years, our guides have made lasting connections with people all over Hokkaido, so don’t be surprised when you are treated like family! Our itineraries are all unique to Adventure Hokkaido and are the product of our own passion for our homeland. As creators and adventurers ourselves, we can’t help but get excited ourselves when we plan trips. Come and see for yourself.