Category: Destinations

Surrounding by the forested mountains and cut through by Toyohira-gawa’s scenic gorge, Jozankei (定山渓) is Sapporo’s closest onsen resort in the northern part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park.

About 15km southwest of Sapporo on Route 230, Fujino (藤野) is a busy and compact town surrounded by the mountains. Koganeyu (小金湯) is a tiny riverside onsen village.

Otaru’s eastern neighborhoods along the Ishikari Bay have some serene onsen, scenic ski areas, hiking trails and beaches. Otaru-chikko (小樽築港) is a gateway to Asarigawa Onsen.

Otaru’s neighboring area around JR Minami-Otaru Station is known as ‘Nantaru’ to locals, and home to the city’s sake brewing and the food market.

On the eastern side of Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Shikotsu-ko (支笏湖) is Japan’s northernmost ice-free lake plunges as deep as 363m – Japan’s second-deepest lake surrounded by volcanic mountains.

The Notsuke Peninsula (野付半島) is a 28km-long, shrimp-shaped sandbank arcing out into the Nemuro Strait. Reaching just a few meters above sea level.

Kiritappu is a foggy town and spreads out the vague wetlands at the eastern end of Kushiro Region, but the poetic natural landscape and fishing villages fascinates travelers from long ago.

Akkeshi (厚岸) is actually the oldest port in Eastern Hokkaido, the Matsumae clan established a trading post in the 1600s.

Japan’s most eastern mainland city, Nemuro (根室) is in the closest position to the 1150km-long Chishima Islands. The 60km-long Nemuro Peninsula is a knob of brackish lakes, dramatic capes and wildflower gardens.

Akan-ko is Eastern Hokkaido’s classic tourist destination that has picturesque lakes, coniferous forest, volcanic mountains, pleasant onsen and the lakeside Ainu kotan (village).

57km of shoreline and up to 117m deep, Kussharo-ko (屈斜路湖) is Japan’s largest caldera lake. Visitors can enjoy taking the onsen roten-buro, camping and fishing on the shore.

Mashu (摩周) is the station for the onsen town of Teshikaga (弟子屈) in the eastern part of Akan-Mashu National Park.

On the northeast of Kussharo-ko, Kawayu Onsen (川湯温泉) is one of Eastern Hokkaido’s most recommended places to soak and a good base for exploring the lake Kussharo-ko.

In the northwest side of Kushiro Shitsugen, Tsurui (鶴居) is home of tancho (Japanese crane), also called sar-or-un-kamuy (god of marshland) by Ainu. During the winter, they nest in a group in local sanctuaries and rivers.

Nature lovers and wildlife-watchers will feel at ease at this Japan’s largest wetland (at 269-sq-km) directly behind the port town of Kushiro.

The refreshing highland town of Shintoku (新得) is the main gateway of Tokachi Region and has grown into the railway town for crossing the dynamic Karikachi Pass.