Enjoy winter adventure in East Hokkaido!
#4 Okhotsk Area
February has begun, and temperature below 0℃ are commonplace on the eastern side of Hokkaido.
The area is covered with pure white snow and ice, creating a fantastical world.
You can enjoy a variety of scenery and activities in eastern Hokkaido in the midst of the extremely cold season.
Why not go outside this winter and fully experience nature with your body?
We have beein introducing winter experiences by area in eastern Hokkaido!
▼ Click here for previous articles
#1 Lake Akan Area
https://www.kamuylumina.jp/en/sp/enjoy/enjoy-5840/
#2 Teshikaga Area
https://www.kamuylumina.jp/en/sp/enjoy/enjoy-5847/
#2 Teshikaga Area
https://www.kamuylumina.jp/en/sp/enjoy/enjoy-5847/
#3 Kushiro Area
https://www.kamuylumina.jp/en/sp/enjoy/enjoy-5847/
Okhotsk Area
In winter, on the Sea of Okhotsk side, you can encounter drift ice that has come all the way from the Amur River.
The rich nutrients carried by drift ice greatly support the ecosystem of Shiretoko, creating an environment where rare wildlife and plants can live.
This time we will introduce activities to enjoy winter in the Okhotsk area.
▼Walking on drift ice!?
Drift ice walking has become one of the popular activities on the Sea of Okhotsk side in recent years.
As the name suggests, this activity involves walking on drift ice, and it attracts many people as an experience that can only be seen here at this time of year.
Drift ice that has piled up along the coast may look like the ground at first glance, but underneath it is the ocean.
It takes a little courage to put on a wetsuit and take a step onto the drift ice, but isn't it exciting to walk on the sea for the first time?
*It is extremely dangerous, so please be sure to join a guided tour and enjoy the Drift Ice Walk! The information center at the roadside station "Utoro sir-etok" also provides information on companies that run drift ice walks, so please refer to it.
▼Going along the winter beast path
The Shiretoko World Heritage Site is surrounded by lush forests in the summer, but in the winter it becomes covered in snow, changing its appearance.
On a guided tour where you can enjoy the virgin forest of Shiretoko, where nature remains untouched, you will put on snowshoes and go deep into the forest, where you will see the footprints of animals living strong in the harshness of winter, and from the snowy field to the cape. You can witness the scenery that makes you feel like "sir-etok" (meaning the end of the earth in Ainu language), such as the steep cliffs and the Sea of Okhotsk covered in drift ice that can be seen at the right time. Here, you will come into contact with the majesty of nature, which is not only beautiful but also powerful, something that humans cannot compete with.
▼Smelt fishing at Lake Abashiri!
Winter in eastern Hokkaido is not complete without enjoying smelt fishing.
There is also Lake Abashiri in the Okhotsk area where you can enjoy fishing for smelt.
Enjoy ice fishing in tents lined up on the ice!
Smelt fishing is also carried out here using a technique called "under-ice net fishing," and you may even see Steller's sea eagles and white-tailed eagles hunting for smelt (that has been fished by fishers) from the nearby trees.
Also, unlike Lake Akan, the smelt caught in Lake Abashiri, which is a brackish water lake, are often larger than those in Lake Akan.
Please pay attention to the difference in taste!
What did you think?
Winter in eastern Hokkaido is the season to go outside and experience the beauty, majesty, and strength of nature.
If you happen to visit during this time, be sure to experience winter to the fullest!
Lake Akan Winter Illumination Event Information
LAKE AKAN Winter Illumination
-Mystic cave of Marimo in Lake Akan-
Event Period：2023.12.9-2024.2.29
Time：EVERYDAY 17:00~21:00
Place：Lake Akan Information Center Marimu Hall
(〒085-0467 2-6-20 Akanko Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan)
＼Share your photo on Instagram for a chance to win prizes！／
How to entry:
1. Follow @akan_tourism_association on Instagram.
2. Take photos of the Marimu Hall illumination.
3. Post the photos on Instagram at #lakeakan
Campaign Period:2023.12.9-2024.2.29
▼Announcement of Winner
Photos posted on Instagram will be screened to determine winners. Winners will be informed by DM from the Akan Tourism Association, and are asked to please reply via DM on Instagram with the required items by the deadline shown in the DM from the Akan Tourism Association.
Lake Akan Winter Illumination
Lake Akan Information Center
Marimu Hall
2-6-20 Akanko Onsen, Akan-cho, Kushiro, Hokkaido, JAPAN