Mick Hultz, founder of Asobi Master®, backcountry snowboard guide in Higashikawa Hokkaid

Your Guide in Hokkaido — Mick Hultz, Founder of Asobi Master®

From Fun Boss to Founder

I fell in love with the outdoors early — leading wilderness canoe trips at 15, then building a career on it: a Master's in Leisure Studies, Wilderness Education Association instructor certification in 2001, and 17 years running outdoor programs for the U.S. military across Japan as the official "Fun Boss." Backcountry snowboarding at Mt. Hakkoda and paddling Lake Towada pulled me deeper into Japan's wild places, until one of them finally kept me: Hokkaido.

Today I live in Higashikawa, at the foot of Daisetsuzan National Park, where Asobi Master® runs guided kayak, SUP, snowshoe, and backcountry snowboard programs — plus professional training in paddlesports instruction and wilderness medicine.

Why paddle or ride with Asobi Master®?

Hokkaido has no shortage of beautiful places. What's scarce is certified, insured, legally registered guiding in English. That's the standard I built this company on:

The only ACA (American Canoe Association) Instructor Trainer, Leader Trainer, and Guide Certification Trainer in Japan
Paddle Canada certified Lake Canoe Instructor
US-licensed EMT, Wilderness EMT, and Wilderness Medical Associates instructor — practical medical training most guiding operations in Japan simply don't carry
Avalanche-trained (AAI Professional Level 1), Swiftwater Rescue Technician, K38 rescue watercraft operator
Asahidake Ski Patrol and Higashikawa-cho Search & Rescue Team
Fully insured and operated through 北海道国際アドベンチャーマスターズ株式会社 (Hokkaido International Adventure Masters Co., Ltd.), a registered Japanese company — Legal・Legit・Local™

Whether you're an experienced paddler chasing the Shakotan coast or trying snowshoes for the first time, you'll get the same thing: real instruction, honest risk management, and a guide who plays every day in the terrain you came to see.

CLICK HERE - START YOUR HOKKAIDO ADVENTURE

Play Safe, Have Great Adventures

More than 20 years as an outdoor guide, instructor, and program manager have taught me one thing: the best adventures are built on real skill, not luck. Every Asobi Master® program — sea kayaking, SUP, snowshoeing, backcountry snowboarding — runs on professional risk management, current medical training, and honest local knowledge of Hokkaido's conditions.

Whether you're a seasoned paddler or trying Japan's backcountry for the first time, you'll get genuine instruction along the way — not just a ride to a photo spot. Come discover Daisetsuzan, the Kamikawa lakes, and the wild coastlines of Hokkaido with a guide who lives here year-round and plays every day.

The "Legit" in Legal・Legit・Local™

Active Certifications & Career Qualifications

American Avalanche Institute (AAI) - Professional Level 1
SOLO Schools - Wilderness EMT | New Hampshire Registered EMT
American Canoe Association (ACA) Instructor, Leader, Guide Trainer
Wilderness Medical Associates International — Instructor
U.S. Navy - Afloat Recreation Specialist serving onboard USS ESSEX (LHD 2)
U.S. Navy Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Supervisory Recreation Specialist
Wilderness Education Association (WEA) National Standard Program: Outdoor Expedition Leader Certification
Snowboard Instruction New Zealand
Avalanche Canada AST2
Rescue3 International - Swiftwater Rescue Technician, Level I
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
Backcountry Access (BCA)
Japan Marine Recreation Association
Professional Climbing Instructors Association (PCIA)
Success Oriented Achievement Realized (SOAR) - Course Director, Wyoming
K38 Rescue - Rescue Watercraft Technical Operator, Stage III
SUP Instructor Japan
Viristar Risk Management
Leave No Trace - Outdoor Ethics Practice
Paddle Canada - Lake Tandem Canoe Introductor
Higashikawa Search & Rescue | Asahidake Ski Patrol (Seasonal)