Kushiro City Red-crowned Crane Natural Park

Usu Ropeway

Rausu Kunashiri Observation Tower

This observatory – located on a hill 167m above sea level — presents a great panoramic view of Rausu city, the Shiretoko mountains, the Nemuro Channel, and Kunashir Island (about 25 km away). Stationed telescopes are available, which is nice.

Shinei no Oka Observatory Park

Typical of Hokkaido scenery, the simple sprawling view of Biei’s rolling hills can be seen from this observatory park. The view of the sunset is especially famous for its beauty. The observatory park can be found midway through Panorama Road and a convenient break spot with bathrooms, a rest area, a parking lot, and shops.

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 […]

Fukugi Tree Road

Jigokudani(Hell Valley)

Jigokudani is the aftermath of a volcanic repution that took place 10,0000 years ago. The crater you see today has diameter of 450 meters and an area of 11,000 square meters, and is the most popular tourist attraction in Noboribetsu Onsen. Located in the northeastern part of Noboribetsu Onsen, Jigokudani or “Hell’s Valley” gets its […]

Shiretoko Five Lakes

The Shiretoko Five Lakes are five lakes surrounded by lush primeval forests at the base of Mt.Rasau and Mout Iō. Shiretoko’s scenic mountains (1,500m class) and trees quietly reflect off the pristine surface of the lakes giving you a sense of healing; take in the wonderful views of the ocean, forests, mountains, and lakes all […]

Shikisai no Oka

Located atop a high hill, the garden is one of the must visit spots in Biei with a spectacular view. Enjoy in season flowers from spring to autumn. The garden takes up over 150,000 sq. m. of land and has roughly 30 kinds of flowers planted in stripes of red, yellow, pink, and white, so […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

ニライ橋・カナイ橋

県道86号線から国道331号線へ下っていく途中にある、全長約660mの絶景スポット。 高低差約80mの断崖の上下を、連続する2つの橋が、大きくカーブを描きながら結んでおり、通るとまるで空中をドライブしているかのような感覚になる。 ちなみに上(山側)がニライ橋で、下(海側)がカナイ橋 ※ニライカナイとは、現地の言葉で「海の向こうにある理想郷」という意味だ。 ニライ橋・カナイ橋をドライブする場合は、海を見下ろす絶景を眺めることが出来る、山側から海側へと下るルートを採るべきだ。 ※海側から山側へと上るルートはあまり眺めが良くない。 なお、ニライ橋・カナイ橋のドライブには、橋の上は駐車禁止で、かつ急なカーブが多い道であるため、運転者はじっくり絶景を見ることが出来ないという“致命的な”欠点がある。 車を運転する君は、トンネル(ニライ橋・カナイ橋の頂上付近)にある展望所に行け。 この展望所は、海からは多少遠いが、標高が150mもあるので、ニライ橋・カナイ橋の全景や太平洋を見渡すなどの素晴らしいパノラマビューを楽しむことが出来る。

Mt. Hakodate

The view from Mt. Hakodate is simply magnificent; so much so that it received the highest accolade – 3 stars – from global travel guide book Michelin Green Guide Japan.

Kushiro Zoo

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. […]

Lake Notoro

Lake Notoro – a massive saltwater lake spanning 580,000m2 connected to the Sea of Okhotsk – is home to primeval flowers along the lakeside, famous especially for the infinite sea of red from the Salicornia europaea (also known as Sangocho) in autumn. Mid- to late-September is the best time to visit, when the deep red […]

Shirogane Blue Pond

The pond’s crystal blue appearance, as though something had melted in the water, and the decayed larch surrounding it gives the pond a mysterious aura yet awesome vibe. The blue pond suddenly rose to international fame when it was once selected as one of Apple computer’s wallpaper. Now, this pond is by no means old. […]

Lavender East

The largest lavender field in Japan is operated by Farm Tomita, with approximately 90,000 lavender plants on a 140,000㎡ site. It is open to the public only in July. The view from the observation deck in the center of the grounds is splendid. The lavender fields spread out below you, and you can see the […]

Shirahige Waterfall

The water gushing out and falling 30 meters comes from Mt. Tokachi’s underground water. If you want a great view of it all, head over to “Blue River Bridge”, the bridge standing over Biei River. In winter, the splashes of water and steam magically create silver frost on the trees, depicting a fantasy-like wonder. And, […]

Tree of Ken and Mary

Standing straight and tall towards the sky is this poplar tree. It measures 31 meters tall, and because there are no other tall trees it clearly stands out from a long distance.   The tree became famous when it was introduced as part of a 1972 commercial for Nissan’s Skyline sports car. In the ad was […]

Shiretoko Pass

A 738-meter altitude pass located approximately halfway along the Shiretoko Highway connecting Utoro on the Sea of Okhotsk side and Rausu on the Nemuro Channel side. Popular as a photogenic spot where visitors can enjoy a magnificent view. Mt. Rausu — the highest mountain in the Shiretoko mountains — directly in front of you, the […]