Mount Moiwa Hike: Everything You Need to Know + Where to Eat Afterwards
Mount Moiwa is one of the most popular and easily accessible hikes from the city of Sapporo, and it’s definitely been one of our favourites since we moved to the area.
Generally this can be hiked throughout the entire year (but extra precautions and checks should be made if you plan to climb during the very snowy months).
If you’re planning to hike it during your stay, here’s everything you can expect, the trails you can take, along with the best Italian restaurant nearby that you should head to after the hike!
Mount Moiwa Hike: Trail Guide, Hiking Time, Difficulty & Where to Eat Afterwards
Our Mount Moiwa Hike Experience
We hiked the more challenging of the three routes at the end of July, and it was certainly a sweaty hike, and one of the most humid times of the year you could probably do it in Sapporo.
If you’re coming by car, this parking lot was free and is about a 1 minute walk to the entrance of the most challenging trail.
The trail itself is a mix of steep incline, rocky, uneven terrain and steps in places, I’d say it was harder than the Mount Hakkenzan hike we did in Sapporo, but not as challenging as there are no ropes or additional support that’s needed to climb it.
Of course, there’s always a risk of running into a bear, so we did bring bells and bear spray with us. However, there was actually a lot of hikers here during the same time of us, yet we certainly weren’t on top of each other during it.
We started around 10am and it took us 1 hour to reach the top of the observation deck at Mount Moiwa, during the walk you initially reach the first summit station where you can take the steps to the top which is 200m, or walk without the steps which is 500m. If you have difficulty with uneven surfaces, I’d recommend taking the slightly longer path, whilst it’s hillier, it’s totally flat.
It was a tiring hike, but I’m sure you can agree that the views at the observation deck are totally worth it! You can take in the sweeping views of the city below, it’s particularly beautiful during sunrise and sunset, but obviously if you’re hiking it, you need to be even more careful during early morning and late evening with bears which is when they are most active.
More about the facilities below, but you can rest here, grab a drink or like we did, grab some water, take some photos and started making our way back down.
If you were wondering just how sweaty the hike was… If you’re hiking during the summer, bring cool wipes and you can buy these cool towels in Japan (most places like supermarkets, pharmacies and Don Quijote stock them) that if they get wet, they stay cold for ages and are great for covering your head with to keep you cool.
Which Mount Moiwa Hiking Trail Should You Take & Times
There are three different trails that you can take to climb Mount Moiwa, all with differing levels of difficulty so you can pick one that best matches your fitness.
Each route guarantees incredible views, so you’re best leaning into one that is easily accessible to you, and to match your hiking ability.
Jikeikai Hospital Trail
The Jikeikai Hospital Trail is the most popular route. Starting behind Jikeikai Hospital, this well-maintained trail is ideal for first-time visitors and has toilets and drinking water available at the trailhead.
Most hikers reach the summit in 60–90 minutes, depending on their pace.
Asahiyama Memorial Park Trail
Beginning at Asahiyama Memorial Park, this route takes you through peaceful woodland before joining the Jikeikai Hospital Trail higher up the mountain.
It’s a little longer and slightly more challenging, with most hikers taking around 90–120 minutes to reach the summit.
Moiwa Ski Resort Trail
The Moiwa Ski Resort Trail starts from the base of Sapporo Moiwa Ski Resort and this is the one that we took.
Although it’s the shortest route to the top, it’s also one of the steepest, making it a good option for those looking for a slightly more challenging climb. It took us one hour to reach the top, but allow up to 90 minutes to complete it.
Facilities at the Summit
At the summit, there is toilets, vending machines, plenty of benches and places to rest, a take out corner with light snacks and drinks and a formal restaurant called The Jewels Restaurant that I highly recommend if you fancy making a proper stop before you do the descent.
This restaurant offers lots of fine dining options, we actually had a 7 course dinner when we came during sunset, but of course, we were taking the ropeway back down which is considerably easier after a large meal, rathe than hiking back down!
Of course, you do have that option to get the ropeway back down to the bottom if you’re too tired, or you do indeed stop at this restaurant.
What to Pack for the Mount Moiwa Hike
If you’re familiar with hiking, you’ll know to pack the standard essentials, but in Japan you’ll need some extras just in case any bears cross your path here.
There have been sightings on the Moiwa trails before so it is absolutely something you need to be prepared for. This isn’t a definitive list, but it’s everything that we packed for this hike (there are plenty of facilities to grab more food and drinks at the top too);
- Water / hydration drinks
- Cool wipes / cool towel for head (especially recommend during the summer)
- Tissues
- SPF
- Bells
- Bear spray on a holster (so it’s easily accessible)
- Camera and phones
Where to Eat After the Mount Moiwa Hike
Just around the corner from the car parking of the Moiwa Ski Resort Trail is the best little Italian restaurant called pizza beccafico that even has some outdoor seating under cover.
They’re only open between 11:30-3pm though and they get very busy on weekends, although it’s totally worth the wait.
We enjoyed some delicious pizzas and cold drinks after the walk whilst taking in the beauty of the surrounding nature and flowers. Please note that this restaurant also only accepts cash!
If you’re looking for a challenging but manageable hike in Sapporo that will only take up half a day, Moiwa might be one of the best that’s easily accessible from the centre of the city and offers stunning views of the city below. If you’re staying for more than a few days, take a look at our 7 days in Sapporo itinerary for more inspiration on what to do during your stay.
