At the westernmost edge of Akan-Mashu National Park, nestled at the foot of Mount Meakan and Mount Akan-Fuji, lies a quiet lake with a circumference of just 2.5 kilometers—Lake Onneto. The name comes from the Ainu language, meaning “old, large lake.” Depending on the weather, season, viewing angle, and wind direction, the lake’s surface shifts […]
Lake Mashu in winter. The small island at center is Kamuishu — the petrified grandmother of Ainu legend — with Mt. Kamuinupuri (Mashu-dake) rising on the right (Photo: Suicasmo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) In 1931, scientists measured the water clarity of Lake Mashu (摩周湖, Mashū-ko) at 41.6 meters — at the time the
Thirty lakes, each a different color, formed by a single volcanic eruption 138 years ago. Emerald green. Cobalt blue. Turquoise. Rust red. Pale azure. The lakes of Goshikinuma sit only meters apart, yet each one reflects a completely different hue. The same water flows from Mount Bandai, but dissolved volcanic minerals—aluminosilicates, iron oxides, sulfur compounds—scatter
Located in southwestern Hokkaido, Lake Toya is a caldera lake formed by a massive volcanic eruption approximately 110,000 years ago. With a circumference of about 43 kilometers and maximum depth of 180 meters, this beautiful lake was certified as the “Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark” in 2009, drawing attention as a mystical power spot where visitors
A 2-hour 15-minute JR bus ride from Hachinohe Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line brings you to Lake Towada — a double caldera lake straddling Aomori and Akita Prefectures. At 326.8 meters deep, Japan’s third-deepest lake shifts between sapphire, cerulean, and emerald with the seasons, earning its centuries-old reputation as “the lake where the dragon
Located in Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture, Lake Kawaguchi is a beautiful lake with the longest shoreline among the Fuji Five Lakes. At approximately 830 meters elevation, with a circumference of about 21 kilometers and maximum depth of about 15 meters, the “Inverted Fuji” (Sakasa Fuji) reflected on the lake surface is an iconic
In eastern Hokkaido, surrounded by primeval forest, lies the mystical Lake Akan—a caldera lake formed approximately 150,000 years ago through volcanic activity. With a circumference of about 26 kilometers and maximum depth of 45 meters, this lake is world-renowned as the habitat of the nationally designated Special Natural Monument “Marimo” (moss balls), attracting approximately 1.5
Lake Akan (Hokkaido): Marimo Moss Balls, Ainu Kotan Village & Caldera Lake Guide (2026) Read More »