'''Akan National Park''' (____________ ''Akan-kokuritsu-k?en'') is a large national park in the eastern part of the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Understand

The park's attractions are its three sparkling clear mountain lakes, the eponymous '''Lake Akan''' (______ ''Akan-ko'') to the west, '''Lake Mash?''' (______ ''Mash?-ko'') to the east and '''Lake Kussharo''' (_____H__ ''Kussharo-ko'') between them. The largest settlement nearby is '''Teshikaga''' (___q__), to the south of Lakes Kussharo and Mashu.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airports are in Kushiro, an hour and a half to the south, Nakashibetsu, an hour to the east, and Memanbetsu, an hour and a half to the north.

By train

The '''JR Senm? Line''' (_____{__) runs north-south across the park on its way from Abashiri to Kushiro, stopping at Kawayu and Teshikaga (Mashu station). There are around 4 trains daily to Abashiri (2 hours, ¥1600) and 6-7 to Kushiro (1:40, ¥1790).

By bus

Infrequent buses connect the lakes to each other and the train station at Bihoro.

Get around

Buses are infrequent and cover only the main routes. A rental car will come in very handy here.

See

  • '''Lake Akan''' (______ ''Akan-ko''). The best-known of the trio, largely thanks to mysterious fuzzy green algae balls known as ''marimo'' ''marimo'', which you can view at the free visitor's center. There is also a small '''Ainu museum''' and lacklustre dance performances in the village of '''Ainu Kotan'''.
  • '''Lake Mash?''' (______ ''Mash?-ko''). Entirely protected, without a single building along its pristine shores, Lake Mashu can only be viewed from two designated lookout points, known as #1 (the larger and busier of the two, parking ¥410, on the south shore) and #3 (on the north shore, free parking). A deep volcanic caldera lake, the lookout points are suspended high on cliffs above, and the bonzaiesque appearance of the gnarled trees nearby are a testament to the strong winds that seem to blow incessantly. Often blanketed with a thin layer of fog. Starkly beautiful and worth a visit.
  • '''Kaminoko Pond''' (_____q_r ''Kaminoko-ike''). Literally "Child of God Pond", this is a small pond in the middle of the forest, reachable only by a long dirt track (no 4WD needed). What makes the bumpy trip worthwhile is that the water in the pond is a truly unearthly shade of transparent sapphire blue. The track is a few kilometers north of the Ura-Mashuko (#3) lookout.
  • '''Lake Kussharo''' (_____H__ ''Kussharo-ko''). Also a caldera lake, but a bit livelier than the others as the volcanic peak of '''Mt. Wakoto''' (_a___R ''Wakoto-san'', 266m), jutting out from the southern shore, still bubbles, hisses (and stinks) with geothermal activity. An easy trail runs around the island. Good swimming in the summertime.
  • '''Mt. I?''' (_____R ''I?-zan''). Literally "Sulphur Mountain", which is a fairly good hint of what you will see and smell if you go poke around the ''jigoku'' (hells). 5 minutes north of Kawayu by car.
  • Do

  • '''Canoeing''' along the nearby Kushiro river is a popular if expensive activity, with a 90-minute guided trips from ¥5500.
  • The hot spring resorts of '''Kawayu''' (near Lake Kussharo) and '''Akan Kohan''' (at Lake Akan) offer, surprise surprise, hot springs.
  • There are many excellent hikes in the region. In summertime at the Akan Kohan ski ground (_________X_L_[__), there are two interesting short hikes, one 550m, the other 2.2km. The shorter one takes you to a ski slope with an excellent view of Lake Akan, its islands and the surrounding forest. The longer one starts off climbing about 900m up a ski slope before delving into the surrounding forest and taking you past a hot water creek (47 degrees), and several ''bokke'' (_{_b_P), an Ainu word referring to hot mud caused by volcanism. Another hike from the Kawayu Onsen Visitor's Centre to Iwo-san (2.4km) is a very flat and easy but extremely interesting one starting off in luxuriant forest on a moss path before petering out into desert-like scrub as you approach the poisonous vapours of Iwo-san.
  • Buy

    Near Lake Akan, the small village of '''Ainu Kotan''' is a tourist trap filled with Ainu handicrafts.

    Eat & Drink

    Sleep

  • '''Mash?ko Youth Hostel''' (_________[_X_z_X_e__). Tel. 01548-2-3098, [http://www.masyuko.co.jp/english/index2e.html]. A very friendly youth hostel halfway between the town of Mashuko and the lake. Included in the price are free homemade cakes and yogurt after dinner and all-you-can-drink milk in the morning, fresh from the neighboring farm — and you can even go squeeze your own glassful in the morning! HI members pay ¥3360 a night (VISA accepted). Take a Bihoro/Kawayu-bound bus from JR Mashu station to "Youth hostel-mae", or call for free pickup from the station after 4 PM. Recommended.
  • '''Wakoto Peninsula Campground ''' (_a_______L_____v__ ''Wakoto-hant? kyanpu-j?''). Beautifully located on the shore of Lake Kussharo, with Mt. Wakoto steaming right in front. Facilities include free (but very basic) open-air and indoor hot spring baths to soak in. There is also a convenient restaurant nearby with dishes ¥500 and up. Camping costs ¥400 per person per night.
  • '''Akan yuku no sato Tsuruga'''[http://www.tsuruga-g.com/english/01tsuruga/index.html]. Located on Lake Akan, this modern ryokan hotel has open outdoor baths where you can view the lake, or several indoor baths which are varied and quite nice. There are a variety of rooms for those that prefer Western style, or they have 'semi-Japanese' style as well.
  • Contact

    Get out

  • You're already almost at the end of Japan, so why not head north to the outermost point of all, Shiretoko National Park?
  • The little town of Bihoro has nothing to see, but the trip there via the scenic Bihoro Pass may be worth a drive.