Asahikawa Ride

I didn’t stay at the hostel, but I rented some camping gear from Mr. Tetsu, the owner. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, I had to cancel my camping trip at the last minute. Mr. Tetsu graciously accepted my request without any cancellation charge. I truly salute his business ethics and kindness.

Only used this place for rental gear. Only ski hire I could find in this town. Was able to book skis in afternoon put up same evening to have everything ready for the day after. Great service. Small place but high quality gear. They had everything. We rented Avalanche gear (not backpack, we had our own), boots, bc skis (frame binding, they have pin as well), poles, helmet, googles, skins, and we only paid 30000¥ for two people one day. Great price. I do really recommend them. Would definitely hire from them again. They also speak english so it is easy to communicate.

Don’t rent ski gear from here! I was in touch a couple of weeks in advance and booked my ski rental and was able to change the dates which was great and that was all confirmed. I then emailed two days before to see if I could pick it up the night before during opening hours but heard nothing back. When I arrived on the day, at the time I was meant to get my rental there was no one there. We were stood outside the shut doors ringing the bell and pressing the call button for about 20 minutes and heard nothing. In the end we had to rent up in resort which probably was the best thing to do in the end. I heard nothing from the owner after this.

Warning for advanced level and taller skiers. Cats in the shop are cute but this ski shop only stocks a small and odd selection of gear. Their boots are all 100 flex. The longest skis they have are a single set of touring skis in 188 and no skis with alpine bindings over 178. We really wanted to support a local owned shop, but if you are an advanced level skier you are better off renting from one of the Rhythm (Evo owned) shops at the major resorts.

Dorms are clean and small as other Japanese hostels. Owner is very kind and helpful. 10mins away by walk from Railway station. There are cvs and ramen place nearby the hostel. Good value for money. Ski rental is available.

Dear Tetsu, thank you very much for letting us stay at your warm and cozy hostel. I’ve met nice people here. Lots of restaurants nearby and the rental service is very good. The ava bags are as good as new and the powder ski are high quality. Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu.

I feel nowadays it is getting more and more rare to find a hostel where you can actually meet people and almost feel like a family. In this regard, this hostel is different. It is very familial, and has a cozy little living room area where people sit, eat, drink coffee or plan their travels. Perfect to get in touch with them! The kitchen has everything needed for cooking, and there is free müsli, cornflakes, coffee and tea. The washing machine is free too, and the dryer very cheap. The owner keeps the whole hostel spotless tidy, and is really hardworking. He seems reserved at first, but if you need help, he will do everything in his power to make things work. He organized racing bikes for us for a discount price, and he arranged an additional nightstay for us last minute, when our travels plans didn't add up as expected. In general, I think this hostel is perfect for outdoorsy people, since the owner himself rents a lot of outdoor sports equipment and is generally well connected to other shops. The dorm beds are huge and very comfortable, and offer lots of spaced to hang and store your stuff. The whole hostel was built by the owner himself which is very impressive. To be honest, since the hostel space is quite small, we were a bit sceptic at first, but after 2 days we felt very comfortable and almost like at home.

The owner, Tetsu-san, is incredibly helpful. Although he is a little reserved, he goes above and beyond to serve your needs if you ask. He works hard to keep the place clean and tidy. He also has a lot of local knowledge of the skiing around Central Hokkaido, and is keen to chat if you put in the effort. The hostel was built by the owner and has a very homely atmosphere. The kitchen facilities are good and there is free cereal and coffee for breakfast. Ski rental (including backcountry gear) is available, and you can also get a basic waxing service.