Lake Akan
Lake Akan is a peaceful lake, surrounded by forest.
Lake Akan is famous for hot springs, Ainu village and Marimo.
There are a lot of hot spring inns, souvenir shops and restaurants.
You can see beautiful mountain next to the lake.
It's Mt. Oakan, the elevation is 1,370m.
Ainu village
Photo by (c)Tomo.Yun (http://www.yunphoto.net)
Ainu is native people of Hokkaido. They lived with nature and has an unique culture.
However, Japanese people came from main land and persecuted them for several hundred years.​
Ainu regards animals as gods and think that everything have their soul.
Nowadays Ainu are member of Japanese citizens and they make effort to regain their indigenous rights.
There is a biggest Ainu community at Lake Akan and you can touch with their way of life and beautiful handcrafts.
Marimo
It is difficult to watch Marimo because they live at a bottom of the lake, but you can meet with them at these nature centre.
Marimo means “moss ball”, it’s a very rare species of algae.
Only at Lake Akan, you can watch Marimo in the world.
Actually, they are lump of tiny algae.
They get together and make a ball by rolling at the bottom of the lake.
There are two facilities where you can meet with these cute Marimo, Marimo observation centre and Lake Akan visitor centre.
Lake Mashu
Lake Mashu is one of the clearest lakes in the world.
You will be moved by its beautiful blue water when looking from the observatory.
The blue sky and white cloud are displayed on the surface, it feels like you are being drawn into the lake.
Lake Mashu is surrounded by 150~350m of steep cliff and nobody cannot reach the lake.
Surprisingly, no river flows into or out from the lake.
Only rain and spring water flows into the lake, so the water is very clear and it has a beautiful blue color.
Mt. Ioh
Around this mountain, a smell of volcanic gas is drifting in the air.
The closer to the mountain, the landscape beside the road willl be changing.
Influenced by the volcano, the soil is white and there are no tall trees.
Steam blows out from everywhere and the rocks covered with yellow sulfur.
Be careful! The steam is very hot.
You can feel the dynamic volcanic activity of the earth.
Lake Kussharo
Lake Kussharo was also made by eruption of volcano same as lake Akan and Mashu.
The lake made by eruption is called "caldera lake", and lake Kussharo is the largest caldera lake in Japan.
The magma is still deep under the lake, so hot springs gush at the lake everywhere.
There is some kayak/canoe houses at the lake.
You can choose the styles.
1. Paddling by yourself and go to nice spots in the lake with the tour guide.
2. Tour guide paddles the canoe and you concentrate watching nature and birds at the river.
Bihoro peak
The view from Bihoro peak is one of the most spectacular views in Hokkaido.
You can see beautiful Lake Kussharo, Mt. Io and mountains of Shiretoko.
There are a rest stop and restaurants and it is nice to eat foods while watching the panoramic view.
Fried potato, spicy carry rice and roasted deer meat rice bowl...every dishes are made with local foods!