オススメ度
外国語対応
About Lake Akan, Mashu, Kussharo
Lake Akan, Lake Mashu, and Lake Kussharo are caldera lakes formed by large-scale volcanic eruptions.
Each is massive, clear and exquisitely beautiful.
Surrounded by a tranquil deep forest of primeval time, with negative ions emitted everywhere, your mind and body will feel healed. If you enjoy nature, you’ll love this place.
The land around the 3 lakes is a volcanic area, naturally gushing with high quality hot springs, so you’ll find several nice hot spring resorts.
Try visiting Lake Akan, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo when visiting Kushiro and Abashiri since they are relatively close to one another.
Recommendations/Worthy Mentions
Enjoy nature, hot springs, and cultural experiences.
Bask in the surrounding nature by strolling around the lakes and viewing them from the lakeside, hill, and sightseeing cruises. As for hot springs, there is a medium-sized hot spring resort on the lakeside of Lake Akan.
It is supreme bliss to soak in a bathtub and look out on the spectacular view of Lake Akan, Mt. Oakan, and the deep forest.
If you’re looking for a cultural experience, you can get a peek of the traditional culture of the Ainu, the original inhabitants of Hokkaido, through dances and plays at the Ainu Village on Lake Akan.
Access to Lake Akan, Mashu, Kussharo/Data
Without a car you’ll find that getting to Lake Akan, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo very inconvenient.
You can take a bus or train plus a cab from Kushiro Station or the airport (Kushiro and Memambetsu), but there are only a few buses a day, they are expensive and take extra time.
If you don’t have a car, you may want to take one of the following sightseeing tours (available in several languages).
Lake Akan
Lake Akanko is a freshwater lake located in eastern Hokkaido with a circumference of 30 km and an area of 13㎢. The entire area is included in the Akan-Mashu National Park, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido. The blue surface of the lake, the beautiful silhouette of Mt. Oakandake, Mt. […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Lake Akan Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Bus:Take the Akan Bus from[…] |
| Tel | 0154-67-3200 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Lake Kussharo
Lake Kussharo, with a circumference of 57 km and an area of 79.3 km2, is the largest caldera lake in Japan. It was formed about 30,000 years ago inside the Kussharo Caldera, which is the largest caldera in Japan, measuring about 26 km east to west and 20 km north to south. Incidentally, the word […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Teshikaga-cho kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | |
| Tel | 015-483-2670 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Lake Mashu
Lake Mashu is a caldera lake formed by the accumulation of water in a depression created by a huge eruption about 7,000 years ago. The lake is the second clearest in the world (the first is Lake Baikal in Russia). The reason for the high transparency is that there are no rivers flowing in or […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Genya, Teshikaga-cho, Kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Train:Take the Akan Bus fr[…] |
| Tel | 015-482-1530 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Sightseeing
Lakes
Lake Akan
Lake Akanko is a freshwater lake located in eastern Hokkaido with a circumference of 30 km and an area of 13㎢. The entire area is included in the Akan-Mashu National Park, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido. The blue surface of the lake, the beautiful silhouette of Mt. Oakandake, Mt. […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Lake Akan Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Bus:Take the Akan Bus from[…] |
| Tel | 0154-67-3200 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
[ Sightseeing Cruise]
Akan Sightseeing Cruise
The Akan Sightseeing Cruise circumnavigates Lake Akan and operates 4 to 11 times a day between May and November. The boat departs from the pier on the south side of the lake and cruises for about 85 minutes, taking in the view of Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan, with stops at Churui Island (where the […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 4-5-8 Akanko Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Bus:Take the Akan Bus from[…] |
| Tel | 0154-67-2511 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Lake Kussharo
Lake Kussharo, with a circumference of 57 km and an area of 79.3 km2, is the largest caldera lake in Japan. It was formed about 30,000 years ago inside the Kussharo Caldera, which is the largest caldera in Japan, measuring about 26 km east to west and 20 km north to south. Incidentally, the word […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Teshikaga-cho kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | |
| Tel | 015-483-2670 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Lake Mashu
Lake Mashu is a caldera lake formed by the accumulation of water in a depression created by a huge eruption about 7,000 years ago. The lake is the second clearest in the world (the first is Lake Baikal in Russia). The reason for the high transparency is that there are no rivers flowing in or […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Genya, Teshikaga-cho, Kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Train:Take the Akan Bus fr[…] |
| Tel | 015-482-1530 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Mountain pass / Observatories
Bihoro Pass
Bihoro Pass is a 525m high mountain pass located on the outer rim of the Kussharo Caldera. The view from here is an unbelievably brilliant panorama, and is one of the most spectacular views in Hokkaido. Not only do you have a panoramic view of the 57km-long Lake Kussharo, but you can also see Mt. […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Furu-ume National Forest, Bihoro-cho, Abashiri-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Train:30 min by taxi from […] |
| Tel | 0152-75-0700 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Tsubetsu Pass Observation Facility
Tsubetsu Pass is the highest of the four passes around Lake Kussharo, at 947 meters above sea level. It offers a 360-degree panorama with an unobstructed view of Lake Kussharo below, the Sea of Okhotsk, the Shiretoko Mountain Range, and Daisetsuzan. If your timing is right, be sure to see the sea of clouds and […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 716 Kamisato, Tsubetsu-cho, Abashiri-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | 90 min by car from Memanbetsu[…] |
| Tel | 0152-76-2151 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Lake Mashu Observatory No.1
There are three observatories on Lake Mashu, but this one is the most popular and famous. Located at the top of Lake Mashu’s outer rim at an elevation of about 520 meters, the observatory offers a panoramic view of the deep blue waters of Lake Mashu, Mt. Oakandake, the Kushiro plains, the Pacific Ocean and […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Genya, Teshikaga-cho, Kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Train:Take the Akan bus fr[…] |
| Tel | 015-483-4100 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Volcanic Mountain
Mount Io
Mount Io is a 512-meter-high active volcano located between Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. Its other name is Atosanupuri, meaning “naked mountain” in Ainu. In the past, it was used as a mine to extract sulfur. With the blue sky in the background, the plumes of smoke and the sound of gurgling are quite impressive. […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Teshikaga-cho, Kawakami-gun, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Train:20 min walk from Kaw[…] |
| Tel | 015-483-3511 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Entertainment
Hot Springs
Lake Akan Hot Springs
Due to the volcanic land, the area around Lake Akan gush with high quality hot springs; one hot spring town on the lake’s south shore has around 20 lodging facilities. Among them, roughly 10 of the lodges (like the 2 below) allow you to enjoy their hot spring for about ¥1500 without having to stay […]
[ See details ]
| Address | Lake Akan Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Bus:Take the Akan Bus from[…] |
| Tel | 0154-67-3200 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
Culture
Lake Akan Ainu Kotan
In a corner of the Lake Akan hot spring resort, there is the Ainu Village, the largest Ainu village in Japan, where about 30 houses and 120 people live. The Ainu Theater Ikoro (where Ainu dances are performed), two museums introducing the culture, souvenir stores selling wood carving goods, and restaurants that serve Ainu local […]
[ See details ]
| Address | 4-7-19, Akanko Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro City, Hokkaido |
|---|---|
| Access | By Bus:Take the Akan Bus from[…] |
| Tel | 0154-67-2727 |
| URL | [ Click ] |
