Two of Hokkaido’s most beautiful National Parks
Hokkaido is Japans last wilderness, here you will find dramatic mountain peaks, rugged coastline and maybe the odd higuma (brown bear). Very few people make it this far north, which is a blessing for those that do. Offering some of Japan’s most spectacular scenery the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks are well worth the time and effort.
Although this article is full of great photos, we have another article of photos from Hokkaido.
Getting There and Getting Around
Renting a car is the best way to get around Hokkaido. The JR network, whilst being extremely reliable does not cover the entire island. Also public transport in and around the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks is very limited. The size of both National Parks also contributes to the necessity of a car. We have an article on renting a car in Japan with all the necessary info you need.
Where to Stay
Shiretoko National Park
Utoro is the last town before entering the national park. There are a few hotels and guesthouses dotted around the town centre. We stayed at the Iruka Hotel which was 7000 yen a night including breakfast. It was also walking distance to the town centre, very convenient.
The nearest major town is Shari, which is as far as the JR will get you. This is still an hours drive to the national park itself, so it’s not the best option for exploring.
Akan National Park
We stayed at Hotel Parkway, in between Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu, close to the town of Teshikaga. This is an onsen hotel which means shared Japanese style bathrooms and hot springs, which is excellent in the autumn.
There is nothing within walking distance of the hotel so you will need a car to eat and shop. Do be aware that most restaurants in the Teshikaga area close around 7:00-7:30pm, however convenience stores are open much later, some are even open 24 hours.
Akan is much larger than Shiretoko, so there are a number of other excellent locations. The park covers an area encompassing Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu. Whilst Lake Kussharo and Lake Mashu are only 15 minutes (give or take) apart by car, they are between 45 minutes to 1 hour drive from Lake Akan. So depending on what you plan on doing will depend on where you stay.
Eating
Sadly this is pretty limited in both parks after 5pm. During the day time there are plenty of little restaurants and cafes that are open in the small towns in or surrounding the parks. After 5pm the majority of these close and your choices drop. That being said, convenience stores are open till late, and there are even a couple in Teshikaga that are open 24 hours.
Shiretoko National Park
Iruka Hotel has a pizza restaurant inside, if you fancy Japanese food however you will need to head down route 334. A 10-15 minute walk from the the hotel there is an excellent little izakaya (Japanese pub) serving a huge variety of amazing food. In the town centre itself there is a small ramen restaurant just beyond the 7-eleven.
Akan National Park
Akan town itself is littered with small cafes and restaurants, however in Teshikaga your choices consist of 2 restaurants. One serving ramen and the other serving tempura. Both of them are excellent, but the close between 7 and 7:30pm. Outside of that convenience stores are your best bet in the Kussharo/Mashu area of the park.
What to see and do
We spent 2 full days at each park, however it is quite possible to spend more time exploring both of these stunning national parks. Both are littered with excellent hiking trails and stunning scenery.
Shiretoko National Park
Shiretoko Go-Ko
One of the highlights of the national park, this winding route takes you through colorful forests past 5 stunning lakes. It takes around 90 minutes to complete, you will need to pay for parking as well as entry fee if you choose to take the route past all 5 lakes. If you wish to only walk around lake 1 its free. If you choose to the longer 90 minute route you will need to attend a short lecture on what to do in the event of a bear attack. Spoiler, its better to avoid one. As a result, bear sightings will result in the closure of the longer route.
Kamuiwakka-yu-no-taki
A hot water waterfall 20-30 minutes north of the Shiretoko go-ko trail is a lovely place to dip your feet.
Furepe Waterfall
You can do this 1 hour or so hike from the Shiretoko Nature centre. Excellent coastal scenery and wonderful autumn colors make this a winner.
Oshinkoshin Falls
A short drive from Iruka hotel this lovely waterfall is also a great place to watch sunset.
Foot Spas
There are numerous free public foot spas dotted around Utoro. Simply pull take your shoes and socks off and go to town.
Take a Cruise
Taking a cruise down the western side of the cape offers amazing views of the coastline as well as the chance of seeing brown bears from distance. Expect to pay around 3000 yen per person for a 1 hour cruise.
Shiretoko Pass
Offering stunning views of Mount Rausu and the eastern side of the peninsula this is a must. Weather here can be extremely temperamental, so expect wind and rain. There are some hikes that will take you all the way to the top of Mount Rausu, a demanding but very rewarding hike. Sadly we didn’t have enough time to do this.
Rausu and the Eastern Cape
With stunning coastal scenery and beachside onsen’s this little explored region of the National Park is well worth a visit. The town of Rausu is home to an incredible sashimi restaurant just south of the turnoff to the Shiretoko pass next to the beach.
To find the beachside onsen’s turn left from the Shiretoko pass road and keep on going until you see them on your right.
Akan National Park
Climb Mashu Dake
One of the three lakes that make up the national park, Mashu Ko is home to an excellent day hike. The hike offers excellent views over Mashu-Ko and the surrounding area. The hike starts from the lower viewpoint car park, and should take anywhere between 4 and 6 hours return. The path is well maintained an easy to follow. The last 20 to 30 minutes is a very steep, narrow path leading to the summit. The weather can change very quickly at the summit, even though its not particularly high. We encountered a snow storm just as we arrived at the summit in the middle of October.
Star Gazing at Mashu-Ko
Head back to the the same car park as the Mashu Dake hike at night to check out the incredible star gazing opportunities. This is considered one of the best places in Japan to enjoy the night sky.
Mt Ion
The Akan National Parks regular spewer of sulphur. With breathtaking views of Hokkaido’s famous autumn colours, Mount Ion is well worth a visit. We visited on the way to Lake Kussharo.
Lake Kussharo
We spent the morning exploring Lake Kussharo’s hot water beaches and doing a lovely walk around the peninsula that sticks out into the middle of the lake. There are numerous other walks, foot springs and onsens to explore which are well worth a visit.
Bihoro Pass
Possibly one of the most stunning viewpoints in Hokkaido the Bihoro Pass is the North Western entrance to the park. The views over Lake Kussharo are simply stunning.
We entered the national park from the North East at a different pass where there was a car big enough to hold 5 cars. From here you will have some incredible sunset views.
Lake Akan
We spent the afternoon wandering around Lake Akan and the little town that lies on its shores. There isn’t a huge amount to see to be honest, but there are a couple of excellent foot spa cafes which are worth a visit. There are a huge number of hikes around Lake Akan that we would imagine are well worth doing, sadly we didn’t have time.
