Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Akan River, flowing through Akan Town, is known as a wintering ground for Japanese cranes. From June to the end of October, Black☆River offers a course where you can experience rafting in the relatively strong-flowing Akan River. Rafting down through the river’s choppy rapids is the ideal activity to enjoy on a hot summer day. You may also encounter cows that come to the riverside, and Japanese cranes that appear in the morning and evening. With Black☆River lending out rain gear, sandals, and life jackets, etc., this course is accessible even to beginners. Why not make your rafting debut in Kushiro?

Lake Onnetoh, located in Akan-Mashu National Park, known as one of the three great secret lakes in Hokkaido, shows various expressions depending on the season, weather, and viewing angle. For those who want to explore Lake Onneto, we recommend “Onneto Hiking”, provided by Tsuruga Adventure Base SIRI. On a tour, while listening to the guide’s explanation you can take a leisurely stroll through natural landscapes of alpine plants and pure forests of Picea glehnii (Sakhalin spruce), which are rare even in Hokkaido. Reservation required.

Mt. Meakan (elevation 1499 m), located in the southwest of Lake Akan, is a mountain that was formed by repeated eruptions about 20,000 years ago, and its volcanic activity continues even today. At Mt. Meakan, you can enjoy the area’s varied scenery while you climb, such as the forest belt, the active volcano’s crater, and the fumaroles (holes in the earth’s crust) where smoke rises. At the Shalom Guide Office, the tour guide Kadota Norihisa offers a mountaineering tour for small groups, where you can enjoy the charms of the various faces of Mt. Meakan. Tours take about four to five hours. The beauty of Lake Akan seen from the top of Meakan is exceptional. Reservation required.

To relieve your tired body from a day of outdoor activities, we recommend visiting Kawayu Onsen, which stretches between Lake Kussharo and Mt. Io. Here, you can enjoy one of the most strongly acidic hot springs in Japan, flowing directly from the spring’s source. Such hot water, which causes a tingling sensation on the skin, is said to be effective against poor circulation, fatigue, and gynecological illness. Kinkiyu, which was founded in 1941, has bathtubs with different temperatures of high, medium, and low, and you can thoroughly heal your tired body with water at your desired temperature. Open to day-trippers as well as to overnight guests, you can stop by after lunch and enjoy a relaxing bath to feel rejuvenated after your morning activities.

The Kushiro River, which flows from eastern Hokkaido to the Pacific Ocean, has a low elevation difference and is ideal for enjoying canoeing. The Kushiro River downstream headwaters tour, provided by Matatabi, starts from the entrance of Kushiro River, at Choko Bridge, and participants can choose between a short course of about 3 km or a long course of about 7 km. The water of the Kushiro River that flows out of Lake Kussharo is clear and serene, and the spring-water point reflects the surrounding scenery so beautifully that it is also known as the “Hall of Mirrors.” You can encounter not only fish living in the river but also wild birds and animals along the river’s banks.

With the Kushiro area being home to many wild animals, an enjoyable activity in winter is animal tracking, which involves searching for the footprints of wild animals left in the snow. At the Onnenai Visitor Center, a base for exploring the Kushiro Marsh where you can take a rest and collect information about the marsh, snowshoes and cross-country skis can be rented free of charge for private use during winter. Look for footprints left in the snow by animals such as rabbits, red-crowned cranes, and Yezo sika deer. The use of snowshoes and cross-country skis is at your own risk, so please enjoy these according to your physical fitness and comfort level.

Kushiro Marsh is a special reserve where nature remains untouched. The Kushiro Marsh FatBike Tour allows you to see the magnificent nature of the Kushiro Marsh while traveling around on a “fat bike” bicycle, with thick tires designed for terrains such as hills and fields. You can enjoy cycling through lush forests from May to November, or traveling along snowy mountain roads during the winter season from December to February. One instructor will be assigned to each group, giving lessons on how to ride a fat bike, so even beginners can rest assured. However, please be aware that you need to have the physical strength required to ride a bicycle for about 10 km. In addition, these bikes can only be rented by people who are 150 cm or taller.