Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

The setting of the village is Lake Shikaribetsu, also known as “Lake in the Sky". Located about 80 minutes by car from Obihiro City, it is the highest natural lake in Hokkaido.

Surrounded by virgin forest, the lake is rich in nature and is home to rare birds such as black woodpeckers, white-tailed eagles, and Blakiston's fish owls, as well as the Ezo night heron, which is said to have lived here since the Ice Age. It is the motif of the Hokkaido tourism PR character “Kyun-chan".

When winter arrives, the temperature drops dramatically around Lake Shikaribetsu, which is located at a high altitude. The lake is covered with ice 60 cm to 100 cm thick in the extreme cold, where temperatures below minus 30 degrees Celsius are not uncommon. On top of the ice, a phantom village called “Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan” appears.

The largest building in the village is the igloo, a series of “ice bars” and “ice halls”.

It is surprisingly warm inside. When you take a breather and look around inside, you will be surprised to see that everything, even the pillars and tables, are made of ice.

This igloo is sometimes two-story depending on the year. Of course, going up to the second floor is not as intimidating as stepping on thin ice, but rather a reminder of the strength of the ice that supports the building.

After enjoying the fantastic igloo, you can have a toast at the ice bar! Here, you can enjoy drinks in ice glasses made of ice. The colorful cocktails look like jewels and enhance your extraordinary mood.

In the hall attached to the Ice Bar, concerts are held mainly on weekends. The hall echoes with beautiful sounds that match the atmosphere and the passionate voices that do not let the cold of winter get the better of them, delighting visitors.

The Ice Chapel, whose design changes dramatically from year to year, also attracts visitors. Several couples actually hold their ceremonies in the Ice Chapel every year.

During the daytime, the interior of the chapel is a fantastic world of blue and white light shining through the igloo ice. The church is so silent that if you listen closely, you can almost hear the sound of snow piling up, filling the air with an air of holiness and solemnity.

During “Candle Night,” held every night from mid-February, flickering candles create a peaceful and warm atmosphere. A romantic moment in the church is sure to become an unforgettable memory.

If your body cools down during your stay at Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan, warm up in the famous “open-air bath on ice. On days when the temperature difference between the outside temperature and the bathtub is close to 50 degrees Celsius, you will feel numb in your hands and feet as you enter the hot water, but by the time it subsides, you will be in heaven to enjoy the open-air bath while looking out over a silver world. Moreover, the hot spring water is free-flowing from the source. The muddy brownish water, rich in iron, will warm your body from the core.

Although the baths are mixed during the daytime, bathing is allowed with swimsuits, and after 18:00, men and women are separated by time of day. The night sky over Lake Shikaribetsu, where there are no street lights, is filled with countless stars, providing a completely different view than during the day. Both day and night are sure to be wonderful experiences.

Lodging is available at the Hotel Feng Shui, the only hotel on the lakeshore. There is also an “ice lodge” in the kotan where you can stay in an igloo, so it will be fun to spend the night here.

When spring comes and the late snow melts on Lake Shikaribetsu, the kotan quietly returns to the lake.

From then on, Lake Shikaribetsu is crowded with people enjoying its rich nature and activities. Canoes and kayaks out on the lake, which boasts some of the clearest water in Japan, allow visitors to see even the fish swimming at the bottom of the lake. The autumn leaves and lake bottom railway tracks are also beautiful and popular as a photogenic spot.

And when winter arrives, the phantom village appears again.