Day 1

Hokkaido is a land of outstanding natural beauty. The area around Lake Akan is no exception, with a vast expanse of land with few people and the sounds of nature filling the air. As I strolled through nature, I forgot about the city and felt I had a blank space in my heart. When I became one with nature, I could feel the smallness of human beings, as if the sky covered the land, and the atmosphere also covered human beings.

Lake Akan
Lake Akan is located in Kushiro City, Hokkaido. Here are a couple of photos from the Canadian canoeing experience.
Onnetō Observatory 
This is an observation point on the west shore of Onnetō, which is southwest of Lake Akan. It is located in Akan-Mashu National Park.
Onneto Yunotaki Falls
At the Onneto Yunotaki Falls, located in the virgin forest at the western foot of the active volcano - Mt. Meakan, you can see 'a living ore deposit', the world's largest manganese dioxide production site that can be observed on land. If you approach the natural hot spring waterfall, you can feel the energy of the earth along with the steam.
Kawayu Forest Night Museum
The trees in the forest are lit up at night, creating a fantastic atmosphere. There are also signboards that adults and children can enjoy learning about plants or animals, and bird models on display.By holding up your smartphone to the QR code attached to the signboards, you can enjoy the "Forest of Illustrated Books" where animals come to life through AR (augmented reality).

Day 2

At 5:00 a.m., 30 minutes before sunrise, the temperature was 2 degrees below zero, and we arrived at Tsubetsu Pass overlooking Lake Kussharo. On the borderline between night and morning, with the World Heritage Site of Shiretoko Peninsula and Mt. Rausu in the distance, I was moved by the grandeur of nature blazing in the morning glow and, forgetting the cold, enjoyed the scenery to the fullest until the sun rose.

Tsubetsu Pass
If the weather is good, you can see the ridges of Lake Kussharo, Mount Sei-Akan, Mount Ou-Akan, and other mountains of Akan below, as well as the Sea of Okhotsk. It is also known as a famous place for a sea of clouds.
Lake Mashu
Lake Mashu is located in the east of Hokkaido and is a caldera lake with a depth of 211.5 meters, the clearest lake in Japan. It is called "Kamuito" in the Ainu language, the lake of the gods.
Kaminoko Ike (God's Child Pond)
This pond is said to have been formed by groundwater from Lake Mashu and is filled with fresh blue water. 
Yumegaoka Observatory
The Yumegaoka Observatory is located about 2.3 kilometers down the Tatsukotake Wooden Road that starts from the Tatsukotake Auto Campground and offers a magnificent view of Kushiro Marsh.
Washo Market
Enjoy the taste of Kushiro! "Kushiro's kitchen, Washo Market, is said to be one of the three largest markets in Hokkaido, along with Hakodate's morning market and Sapporo's Nijo Market

Day 3

The nature that makes up Kushiro Marsh can be enjoyable from many different angles. One of the most pristine is Kirakotan Cape, about a 30-minute walk from the entrance beyond the end of the forest road. While on the way to the destination, we enjoyed watching wild deer and were scared of the appearance of bears a bit. The walkthrough nature in its natural state was an adventure that will surely provide you with a different and meaningful vacation.

1 - 3. Cape Kirakotan
Cape Kirakotan offers a spectacular view of Kushiro Marsh and the nature that has been preserved since ancient times, but as this is a national natural monument area, permission is required to enter the area.
4. Onnenai Visitor Center (Onnenai Wooden Path)
A 2-kilometer barrier-free wooden path is available for strolling through Kushiro Marsh and leads to the Kushiro City Marshland Observatory boardwalk.
5. Kushiro Marsh Observatory
The Kushiro City Marshland Observatory is the starting point of the boardwalk, and there is a satellite observatory along the way.

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