HOME > Top 10 Highlights of Eastern Hokkaido
 |
Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's main islands, is blessed with breathtaking natural scenery, from its soaring mountains to its pristine surrounding seas. Among Hokkaido's many areas of natural bounty, the east of Hokkaido is held in great esteem for its beautiful views and famous places, which include: the precious ecosystem of the Shiretoko Peninsula (a World Heritage Site); the three caldera lakes of Lake Akan, Lake Mashu, and Lake Kussharo and their surrounding hot springs; as well as Kushiro Shitsugen, Japan's largest wetlands. With some of Japan's leading fishing grounds around the coast, and the prosperous agriculture and dairy farming areas inland, a lot of delicious food is produced here, making this one of our highly recommended Japan travel destinations. Summer and winter, great food and the great outdoors: we here at JAPANiCAN.com are happy to bring you the Top 10 Highlights of Eastern Hokkaido! | |||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | |||||||
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
To get the most out of Hokkaido's bountiful natural attractions, visitors can try out a host of outdoor activities that can be booked in the Nature Centers dotted around the island. Experienced guides and staff members offer a range of activities from guided nature walks to more adventurous activities like canoeing, kayaking, hot-air ballooning and paragliding! For example, you could book a short hot-air balloon ride at the Tokachi Nature Center in the Tokachigawa Onsen area. The rides are done early in the morning when the wind is lighter, meaning that visitors with limited time can get the most out of their day with this pre-breakfast activity. From the hot-air balloon, visitors will be able to see over the Tokachi Plains, the Hidaka Mountains, and Mt. Daisetsu. Also, from Lake Akan, visitors will be able to look over Lake Abashiri, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Shiretoko Mountains from a height of 30 m. And, at only JPY 1,800-2,000 (plus spending money) this is a great way to experience the beauty of Hokkaido's nature at an economical price. | |||
|
| ||||
| Air Tripping through the forest treetops! |
 | |||
|
At the Shikaribetsu Nature Center, I got to try something really fun with an “Air Trip” nature tour! At the center, I got decked out in full climbing gear and helmet, and then we set off for the forest. We climbed up to a high platform where a zip line trailed down below. Strapped in and hanging high in the treetops, I’ll admit it was a little scary, but the next thing I new I was zipping down the line! I felt like I was flying, just like Shikaribetsu’s squirrels, eagles, and dragonflies! After just one trip, I’m hooked! You have got to try this!
Floating on a lake surrounded by greenery
I also went canoeing on the beautiful waters of Lake Shikaribetsu. After putting on my life jacket and getting some quick pointers on rowing, I was off. There was absolutely no wind as we got on the water, which made the lake peaceful and calm. I floated along, and the smooth surface of the water reflected the surrounding mountains and emerald green forest. With the birds resting on the water’s edge and the fish swimming in the water below, I really felt like I was communing with nature. Spending a little quiet time relaxing in the clean air and fantastic natural surroundings was really a luxury. (By K.) |
 | |||
|
|
 | |||
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Lake Shikaribetsu, located in the southern part of Mt. Daisetsu National Park, was created by a volcanic eruption 20,000 years ago. The surrounding mountains and virgin forest give the lake a mysterious, primeval atmosphere. The area now plays host to activities all year round, with canoeing, mountain climbing and trekking all available in summer. During the coldest period of the year on the other hand, from the end of January to March, the Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan ice village appears on the frozen surface of the lake, replete with chapel, ice lodge, ice bar and a unique open-air ice bath! You can even try making your own glass out of ice in the ice bar for a small fee. This is a place that you should definitely try and visit once in your life, so if you are coming to Hokkaido in midwinter, come and drop in on this wondrous ice village. | |
|
| ||
| A taste of rustic beauty in Lake Shikaribetsu | ||
|
Standing on the shore of Lake Shikaribetsu, all guest rooms and both indoor and open-air public hot spring baths command views over the lake. Here you can enjoy the changing face of the lake and its surroundings close-up, season by season. A lakeside footbath is also available.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
An enduring image of winter in Hokkaido are the ice floes: huge pieces of drift ice that originate in the Amur River in Siberia, and are blown by the wind southward across the Sea of Okhotsk. Given that this is a natural phenomenon, its timing is prone to change every year, but for the past couple of years the ice floes have been arriving on the coast of Abashiri in early February. In recent years, higher temperatures caused by global warming have caused a decrease in the amount of ice, as well as a shortening in the time it remains frozen. To experience the ice floes firsthand there are a number of activities that we recommend; the most obvious choice being a cruise on the Aurora, a special sightseeing icebreaker ship that tours the Abashiri Ice Floe. For the more adventurous, you can don a dry suit and try your hand at ice floe walks or even ice floe diving! Shiretoko ice floe walking and diving from Shinra [External link] If you mention JAPANiCAN in the remarks column of the booking form, on arrival you will get a commemorative Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site Visitor Certificate absolutely free! | ||
|
| |||
| Watching the ice floes from Kitahama Station |
| ||
|
Kitahama Station on the JR Senmo Line faces the sea coast and is a great place to see the ice floes in winter. The station building even has a viewing platform built next to it. The station waiting room has a wall completely covered by messages and name cards left by people who have come to see the ice floes.
Drift ice at the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum
Mt. Tento has some commanding views of both the Shiretoko Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk. The Okhotsk Ice Floe Museum is located on Mt. Tento and has real pieces of drift ice on display in a room cooled to -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit). The room is so cold that if you take a wet towel and swing it around, it would immediately freeze solid! Can you handle the cold?
For a warmer way to enjoy yourself, you can see some beautiful scenes of the ice floes and Hokkaido's four seasons on the big screen in the museum theater.
History lessons at the Abashiri Prison Museum
Much of the development of eastern Hokkaido was actually achieved through the labor of prisoners. The prisoners who contributed their labor were sent to the very furthest reaches of Hokkaido, and the Abashiri Prison that once housed them has now been dismantled and reconstructed as it was, but is now used as a museum where visitors can experience first-hand the history of the Meiji Era development of Hokkaido. The prison life of people at the time is reproduced using realistic waxwork models. (By J.K.)
| |||
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
 |
Lake Akan is a caldera lake formed by an eruption of the Oakandake volcano. The lake is famous as it is inhabited by marimo, which have been designated a special natural monument. The Akanko Onsen hot spring area, located on the lake's southern coast, is an area surrounded by forest. The Japanese-style ryokan inns and hotels located here on the coast command great views of the lake. Within the hot spring area, visitors can experience the ancient culture of the Ainu people at the Lake Akan Kotan village. Here, old-style Ainu houses have been reconstructed and visitors can learn about the Ainu way of life, as well as see traditional dance performances, and purchase woodcraft from the folk craft shop. There are also restaurants available. | ||
 | |||
|
| |||
| Lake Akan motorboat charter cruise |
 | ||
|
In order to cruise Lake Akan, you can get on a large pleasure boat run by the Akan Sightseeing Cruise Company, which takes an hour and a half and takes you around the large Churui Island (JPY 1,750). Speed boats covering the same route are also available (JPY 2,200). You can even charter motorboats, starting from JPY 500 for 5 minutes. We were not able to make the scheduled pleasure cruise departure time, so instead we hired a motorboat to go around the lake. After leaving from the pier, we headed towards Churui Island with the magnificent sight of Mt. Oakan (one of Japan's 100 top mountains) on our right. Upon landing on the island, the place really felt like something special... the air, the shore... just being there felt like a purification! On this island, the rare round, green algae known as marimo (which is known only to grow here and a few other places in the world, including Ireland) can be seen up-close at the Marimo Exhibition and Observation Center. Here, visitors can learn about marimo's cultivation process, as well as learn about the fish native to Lake Akan, like the whitespotted char and the kokanee sockeye salmon. I love fishing, so I enjoyed every second of it! I promised myself to come back again and catch some fish! After having finished looking at the marimo, our boat headed to the Takiguchi inlet of Lake Akan. The white rhododendron flowers that adorned the lakeshore made the area really beautiful. Depending on when you visit, you will see a variety of different plants in bloom here at Lake Akan, with the lakeshore in spring and summer being colored by forget-me-nots in May, rhododendrons in July and hydrangeas in August. Of course the beautiful red leaves of the surrounding maple and Japanese white birch trees make a beautiful sight from late September to early October, reflected in the lake's surface. Why not come and take a boat ride and enjoy the scenery yourself in spring, summer or autumn? (By J.K.) | |||
|
| |||
| A Lake Akan resort getaway | |||
|
Tsuruga is one of Lake Akan's major resort-style ryokan (Japanese-style inns). Here, guests can take pleasure in a variety of hot-spring baths, including an open-air garden bath close to the lakeshore on the ground floor, and a large indoor bath with fantastic views on the 8th floor. Rooms with their own private open-air baths are also available. Guests can enjoy an overwhelming array of Japanese, Chinese and Western foods at the breakfast buffet.
|
 | ||
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
