Sapporo Moiwa (Jikeikai Route: 2.9 km)

 Image: Sapporo from Mt Moiwa - August 2026

There are five trekking routes on Mt. Moiwa in Sapporo.

Jikeikai Route (慈恵会ルート): 2.9 km

Ski Area Route (スキー場ルート): 2.5 km

Asahi-yama Route (旭山ルート): 3.1 km

Kobayashi Tohge Route (小林峠ルート): 4.5 km

Kitanosawa Route (北の沢ルート): 2.4 km

Mt. Moiwa is a wonderful mountain in that it provides us with a variety of route options for going up and down. In this article, I would like to introduce the route most suitable for beginners, called the Jikeikai Route.

Access to the trailhead

There is a free car park right next to the entrance of this route. However, it might be crowded during the summer season. So I would recommend arriving early in the morning if you want to drive to the entrance during that season. 

If you choose public transport, you can catch a bus at Horohirabashi or Nakajima-koen Sapporo Subway Station (Green Line) bound for the Keimei Terminal. From the terminal, a 10-minute walk may be enough to reach the trailhead. 

Map: Trailhead of Jikeikai Route

Trekking

This route can be divided into three segments. The first part is very easy. The path is well maintained and is wide enough. The second part consists of slightly steeper wooden stairs and rocks. After passing this part, you will get to a junction, called Umano-se (馬の背), meaning 'horseback'. The third part is also a steeper section. One hour is more than enough to complete the route, from Jikeikai to the summit.

On this day, our party included a beginner, so we proceeded at a slower pace than usual. We began our short journey at 7:50. 

Image: Trailhead with toilets, Jikeikai Route - August 2026

For your short journey, it is recommended to bring a bottle of water or tea, along with a change of clothes and a towel. More importantly, be sure to wear suitable trekking shoes - the trail becomes increasingly steep and can be quite slippery as you ascend.

While hiking, it is customary to greet fellow walkers as you pass. In such cases, you can say 'Kon-ni-chi-wa (こんにちは)', meaning 'hello' or 'hi'. If it is early in the morning, people may say 'O-ha-yoh-go-za-i-ma-su (おはようございます)'. It is a little longer, but 'Kon-ni-chi-wa' will still be perfectly fine.

You will come across Kannon-sama (観音様: a form of the Goddess of Mercy) on your way to the summit, as there are said to be 33 along the route. Each one is numbered, so if you are familiar with Japanese kanji numerals, you might enjoy tracking your progress by counting them as you climb.

Image: Easy part ends in 20 minutes or so

In the second section, you may want to take breaks more frequently.

When you reach the checkpoint with benches, called Umano-se, make sure to take the left-hand path -  otherwise, you will end up in a different mountain park, Asahiyama Park.

Image: Umano-se (馬の背) - August 2026

After passing through Umano-se, you will come across some more difficult sections.

However, you will be able to reach the destination soon after experiencing the steeper rocky section.

We spent only 15 minutes at the observation deck (the shops are open at 10:30) because the wind was a bit strong, and we decided to head for Asahiyama Park, instead of returning the Jikeikai trailhead.

Image: We went into the path at 9:10

It took 20 minutes to reach Umano-se at a slow pace. We went straight to Asahiyama Park. 

Image: Umano-se (馬の背) - August 2026

There are some ups and downs along the way. 

After going up a steep path, you will get to a small open area with a view of Sapporo.

After that, a checkpoint called T6 appears. Both paths lead to Asahiyama Park, but one of them requires you to go down and back up.

At this point, we chose the left route.

Image: T6 check point - August 2026

There is another junction, but all you need to do is go straight.

You will find a log house called Mori-no-ie (森の家), meaning 'forest house'.

Finally, we arrived at the observation deck in Asahiyama Park.

Image: Asahiyama Park - August 2026

We had parked our car at the Jikeikai Parking Area, so we were supposed to return to the trail. However, the newcomer seemed to find it difficult to continue trekking. Thus, we decided to walk on paved roads. 

If you find it difficult to go back to the trail like we did, what you need is a 15-minute walk from Asahiyama Park to the Jikeikai Parking Area.

Map: Route from Asahiyama Park to Jikeikai Trailhead.