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Best Things to Do
Popular Best Things to Do in Kawakami District [2025]
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Lake Mashū
4.4
/5
111 reviews
4.4
Based on 784 reviews
24.5 km from downtown
Phone +81154822200
Address: Teshikaga, Kawakami District, Hokkaido, Japan
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Verified user reviews
Lake Mashu is located in Teshikaga Town in eastern Hokkaido. It is a crater lake formed by geological movement 7,000 years ago. Its name comes from the Ainu word "mas-un-to", which means "lake with seagulls". Due to its relatively primitive ecological environment, Lake Mashu was once the lake with the highest water transparency in the world. Whenever the weather is sunny, the lake surface presents a unique "Mashu blue". Lake Mashu is shrouded in fog for about 100 days a year, and it often appears in the early morning of summer. There is a saying circulating in the local area: People who see Lake Mashu without clouds are often considered unable to get married in a short time, and if lovers see Lake Mashu on a sunny day together, they will break up.
Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo and Lake Akan are collectively known as the "Three Lakes of Eastern Hokkaido". Among the three lakes, the scenery is second only to Lake Kussharo (personal opinion), public transportation is the most convenient, and the most tourists are during the lunch hour.
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🚌Transportation
📍Take JR from Abashiri, Shiretoko Shari or Kushiro to Mashu, and then transfer to Teshikaga Bus "Mashu Line" to Lake Mashu First Observation Deck. This bus only runs twice a day (the brown part only runs in summer)
📍Starting from 2023, Akan Bus will operate the "Kushiro Shiretoko" sightseeing bus every late summer, early autumn and late winter. This bus is currently the only public transportation from Kushiro to Lake Mashu
📷Photography location
📍Lake Mashu First Observation Deck
⏰Best shooting time
📍12:00~15:00 (before 12:00, the observation deck is backlit, and after 15:00, the light on the lake is dim), early morning and evening in June and July
📍Lake Mashu First Observation Deck is 120 meters long from north to south and is divided into two parts, the old and new. The new observatory is a two-story building, with a souvenir shop and cafe on the lower floor and a terrace with a rest area on the upper floor. The left view is blocked by trees and the nearby lakeshore cannot be seen. The right view is not blocked by trees but the view is average. The old observatory is a simple arc-shaped terrace with no rest area. The view is slightly blocked by trees but the nearby lakeshore can be seen. It is located in the front, which is convenient for placing the God Island in the lake in the center when taking pictures.
📍There is a short section on the mountain road from Mashu Station to Lake Mashu where you can see Lake Kussharo in the distance. Sitting by the window on the left side of the bus has a better view.
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⚠️Precautions
⭕There are often wild animals around Lake Mashu. If you go there in the early morning or evening, it is recommended to bring a bear alarm
Eastern Hokkaido Wonder Experience snow shrouded forests and villages in eastern Hokkaido. When every rooftop is coated with icing, every twig lined with soft fluffy cotton and you are wadding through fresh fallen powder snow you will find yourself in wonderland .It’s truly a beautiful feeling that makes lasting memories
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Lake Kussharo
4.3
/5
40 reviews
4.1
Based on 355 reviews
29.7 km from downtown
Phone +81-15-4822200
Address: Teshikaga, Kawakami District, Hokkaido, Japan
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No.1 of Water fun & Cool Retreats in Kawakami District
37% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Lake Kussharo is the largest crater lake in Japan. The lake is calm, so there are many water activities. In addition to fishing in the lake, canoeing on the lake is the most popular sport! Paddling in pairs on the clear lake, you can see the emerald green tunnel in summer, the red maple leaves along the coast in autumn, and the sparkling transparent lake water in winter. It is dotted with frost flowers, and the trees along the coast are decorated with white mist and ice. It feels like you have come to the dream world of Frozen!
Nakajima Island floating in the center of the lake is the largest freshwater lake island in Japan. It is a very popular resort where you can engage in water sports such as camping, speedboating, and surfing. The lake will freeze in winter, but due to the high geothermal heat, part of the ice will melt and turn into hot springs, so hundreds of swans will rest here every year, giving tourists a feast for the eyes.
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