Wander Bar-ひがし北海道観光情報メディアー
Wander Bar-ひがし北海道観光情報メディアー
Kushiro and Lake Akan are rich in nature, and there are many outdoor activities and nature tours offered by various tour companies.
Most tourists simply tour around the sightseeing spots, but if you have come all the way to the nature-rich East Hokkaido, you should enjoy yourself even more!
If you have enough time to travel, I highly recommend that you experience all of the contents in order to experience the abundant nature in this area.
As a transplant from Tokyo to Hokkaido, I have enjoyed many activities in this area, and I feel that whether or not you actually experience the activities makes all the difference in the satisfaction level of your trip.
Kushiro area and Lake Akan area are more than one hour apart by car even in Kushiro city.
Therefore, it is difficult to experience both activities in one day, so I will introduce activities in Kushiro area and Lake Akan area separately, so please refer to them according to your plan.
Canoeing, not kayaking, is famous in Kushiro.
It is often mistaken, but kayaks have two blades and canoes have one blade.
Canoes are more difficult to maneuver, so tourists generally paddle and guides control the canoe.
The Kushiro River, which flows through the Kushiro Marsh, is called “sacred ground” by canoeists because there is not a single dam on its 154-km main channel, and canoes can descend from Lake Kussharo to the Pacific Ocean in one stroke.
Canoeing on the Kushiro River, which meanders slowly through the Kushiro Marsh, is a perfect way to spend a relaxing time while feeling the great nature of Kushiro Marsh.
Most canoeing in Kushiro starts from “Lake Toro” and goes down the Kushiro River from there.
Actually, many courses like this start from Lake Toro and go down Kushiro River to a place called Hosooka.
The course and time differs from company to company, so you should decide it while looking at your travel schedule.
Kushiro Marsh is designated as a national park and protected by the Ramsar Convention, so most of the area is inaccessible.
Therefore, Kushiro Marsh is usually viewed from an observatory or a train.
The view from a canoe allows you to feel the majestic Kushiro Marsh up close, so this is an activity that you should definitely try when you come to Kushiro.
If you are lucky, you can see wild birds and animals such as Japanese cranes, Ezo sika deer, white-tailed eagles, and in winter, striped eagles and Steller’s sea eagles.
Ezo deer
In fact, bird lovers from overseas tend to enjoy canoeing in Kushiro.
Kushiro is often foggy in summer, but that is also fantastic, and in winter, the weather is fine and the view is great, so it can be enjoyed regardless of the season.
The time required for canoeing varies from one and a half hours to five hours, depending on the canoe company.
There are many guided canoe tours in Kushiro, so search the Internet for “Kushiro Canoeing” and contact the guide you like on their website!
Hokkaido is known throughout the world as a place rich in nature, but most people get around by car.
However, Kushiro has cycling courses that are perfect for those who love cycling.
One is a 10-kilometer course from Kushiro City to Iwabokki Water Gate(岩保木水門), and the other is a 44-kilometer course leading from Kushiro City to Akan Town.
Cycling road to Iwaibokki Water Gate
Cycling course leading to Akan Town
Both of these courses are rich in nature and run through Kushiro’s natural surroundings, so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery and ride straight through to feel Hokkaido.
Personally, I recommend the cycling road from Kushiro City to Iwaibogi Water Gate, where you can see more Hokkaido-like scenery.
If you want to cycle a longer distance, try the 44-kilometer course from Kushiro to Akan Town.
In many cases, you may not have a bicycle.
If you want to rent a bicycle near Kushiro Station, you can rent a bicycle at Kushiro Citizen’s Activity Center “Watto（わっと）” at a reasonable price.
Please note that bike rental at Watto is only available from spring to autumn.
If you want to rent a sports bike, you can rent one at Cycle Garage Paz near the tourist spot “MOO”.
This is available all year round, so you can decide when you visit Kushiro and which bike you would like to rent.
Many companies offer nature guiding services in the Kushiro area.
Most tourists will probably just take pictures of the spectacular scenery and go on to the next sightseeing spot.
By joining a nature guide tour, you can learn about plants, animals, Ainu culture, the topography and history of Kushiro Marsh, and other things that you might otherwise miss, making Kushiro sightseeing more enjoyable.
Most guided tours are held from spring to summer, when you can enjoy plants and other natural attractions.
Those who want to have a deeper understanding of nature and have a fulfilling stay in Kushiro should participate in these tours!
Fat bikes are bicycles with extremely thick tires, more than twice the normal size, about 4 inches long.
They can be ridden on various surfaces such as snow, dirt, and gravel, so they can be ridden in summer and even in winter, and you will sometimes see people riding them on a daily basis in Hokkaido.
Kushiro Marsh FatBike Guided Tour offers tours on forest roads and up-and-down mountain roads in Kushiro Marsh during the green season from May to October, and tours on fresh snow and snow-covered mountain roads during the winter season from December to February.
Wakasagi ( Japanese pond smelt) fishing on the ice is a winter tradition in Hokkaido.
Lake Akan introduced later is famous for Wakasagi fishing, but you can usually do it at Lake Toro located in the east side of Kushiro Marsh.
Lakeside Toro（レイクサイドとうろ） offers a wakasagi fishing experience with rental equipment.
The wakasagi you catch will be deep-fried on the premises, and you can eat them on the spot.
Wakasagi tempura is very delicious, with a fluffy texture and elegant, light flavor.
When the snow is deep enough, it is impossible to walk normally, so snowshoes allow you to walk without sinking.
You can try snowshoeing in Kushiro Marsh, which is available almost anywhere in Hokkaido.
Since you can go into the woods, which are usually inaccessible in winter, you can observe the cute footprints of wild animals such as Ezo squirrels and snow hares left in the snow.
It is inexpensive to rent snowshoes at facilities such as the Onneuchi Visitor Center, and it is fun and easy to just walk around the area, or you can join a guided tour offered by a private company to understand nature as you explore.
Lake Akan area, located one hour north of Kushiro, is one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Hokkaido. The area is not only rich in hot springs, but also in nature, making it a great place to enjoy a variety of activities.
Lake Akan is the fifth largest lake in Hokkaido and is surrounded by Mt Oakan and Meakan and pristine virgin forests, making canoeing on the lake a completely different experience from sightseeing Lake Akan.
Unlike canoeing on the Kushiro River, canoeing on Lake Akan is on the lake, so it is not possible to experience canoeing in winter because the lake freezes over.
From May to October, the Akan Nature Center（阿寒ネイチャーセンター） offers a Canadian canoe tour of Lake Akan, starting from the Akanko Onsen Hot Spring Resort area.
Visitors can experience the charm and nature of Lake Akan, which cannot be seen from the lakeside.
You can enjoy cycling in Kushiro, but of course you can also do it in Lake Akan, which is rich in nature.
A bicycle is a great way to enjoy Lake Akan, which has a circumference of about 26 kilometers.
Rent a bicycle and enjoy both sightseeing and cycling.
At Tsuruga Adventure Base SIRI , you can rent a wide variety of bicycles, including e-bikes, mountain bikes, fat bikes and road bikes, to enjoy the lake at your own pace.
For those who want to learn more about the Lake Akan area, it is recommended to join a guided cycling tour accompanied by an outdoor guide.
Lake Akan and its surroundings offer many places to experience nature, including the mud volcano “Bokke,” a water-filled forest, and the mysterious lakes “Penketo” and “Panketo”.
For this reason, various nature tours are organized in the area.
Some of these tours include special forest walking tours where you are allowed to enter only when accompanied by a designated guide.
The charm of a nature guide is that you can learn and experience things that you would never know just by walking.
Tsuruga Adventure Base SIRI, mentioned earlier, offers a variety of activities.
Guided forest walks, for example, can be experienced even in winter with snowshoes, and are highly recommended for those who have time or are tired of traveling only to tourist spots!
The Akan River, which originates from Lake Akan, is home to trout such as rainbow trout, White-spotted Char, and brown trout, and is said to be a mecca for anglers.
Fishing can be enjoyed from the opening of the season on May 1 every year until November, when Lake Akan freezes over, making it a great place to try fishing in Hokkaido.
However, to fish at Lake Akan, you must purchase a recreational fishing ticket at Fishing Land Akan（フィッシングランド阿寒）.
You can also ask the staff here about fishing spots and how to fish.
Once you have purchased a ticket, you can find the best spots to fish by yourself, or Fishing Land will take you to and from the best spots by boat.
If you want to fish more surely, you can use a guide!
Lake Akan’s wakasagi (Japanese pond smelt) fishing is one of the most famous activities in Hokkaido.
From January to March, when Lake Akan is frozen over, is the season for wakasagi fishing.
During the season, many tents of people enjoying wakasagi fishing are erected near the hot spring resort area.
Holes are drilled in the frozen lake and bait is dropped into the holes to catch wakasagi.
Anyone can rent a complete set of fishing gear and tents, so anyone can enjoy wakasagi fishing.
The wakasagi you catch will be prepared as tempura on the spot, so you can eat them right away.
In the area around Lake Akan, you can experience snowshoe tours through the virgin forest by the lake, or ice ski touring on walking skis on the frozen Lake Akan.
Visitors can enjoy exploring nature in winter in places that would otherwise be inaccessible by skis or snowshoes.
For a quick and easy way to enjoy the lake, rent snowshoes from the Akankohan Eco Museum Center（阿寒湖畔エコミュージアムセンター） and go for a walk.
The staff will also give you recommendations on the best trails.
However, there is a risk of getting lost walking through the woods, so those who are unsure are advised to experience it with a guide.
The Kushiro Marshlands and Lake Akan area is rich in nature, and there are many activities and nature tours that can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Although not introduced here, snowmobiling and other activities can also be experienced in this area.
If you have come all the way here, please go and experience the activities.
You can find guide companies in these areas on this web page!