Tour Duration: 6 days
Price : 466,000yen/person
Departure Location: Memanbetsu Airport
Experience winter-specific outdoor activities at Shiretoko and Akan Mashu, two national parks. Discover the spectacular scenery of eastern Hokkaido, which includes the Shiretoko mountain range, the Mashu and Kussharo calderas, and the volcanoes of Akan.
The drift ice, which develops along the Shiretoko shore in January after traveling from the mouth of the Amur River, some 1,000 kilometers distant, is the highlight of your trip to Shiretoko National Park. Put on snowshoes and make your way to an observation point in the Shiretoko forest to witness the drift ice. After that, proceed to the water to enjoy walking on and floating through the drift ice.
When Shiretoko was designated a World Natural Heritage Site in 2005, its distinctive ecosystem—which spans both land and water and depends on drift ice for its biodiversity—was acknowledged. On this tour, experience the drift ice with all of your senses while viewing it from land and the water. Learn more about the Shiretoko animals and its natural environment at the same time.
Day 1 Arrive at Memanbetsu – Shiretoko (Utoro)
Meet your tour guide in the arrivals lobby at Memanbetsu Airport (MMB). JAL, ANA, or AIR DO offer direct flights from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Memanbetsu Airport; once your group is assembled, take a private vehicle to the Hokkaido Museum of Northern People. The museum displays the societies that previously thrived in Hokkaido along the Sea of Okhotsk coast. Learn about the way of life of the inhabitants of this bitterly cold area and how their culture impacted Hokkaido today.
Head to Kitakobushi Shiretoko Hotel & Resort at Utoro, the entrance to the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site, from the museum. The Sea of Okhotsk, which will serve as the scene of the upcoming day’s events, may be seen in its entirety from this location. It is one of the best locations in the region because it is close to a sightseeing boat pier, a gas station, and a convenience store. Shiretoko’s facilities, including a footbath, bar area, and numerous others with a view of the sea, make it more enjoyable to stay there.
After you check in, stay for a briefing on the agenda before dining at the hotel’s buffet.
Day 2 – Shiretoko
The vistas are nicer on the wide snowfields, so put on your snowshoes and start wandering through the winter forest. Enjoy the strange environment that the snow creates while keeping an eye out for signs of wildlife, such as tracks in the snow. Spend some time admiring the partially frozen falls after arriving at the Furepe Falls observation point. Before heading back to the nature center, marvel at the sight of drift ice on the Sea of Okhotsk and the Shiretoko mountain range shimmering in the chilly air from the sheer cliffs that are a feature of Shiretoko.
Enjoy a stroll on the drift ice in the afternoon, a winter pastime exclusive to Shiretoko. Follow your guide across the water’s surface while wearing a wetsuit that was especially made for the task. The constantly shifting weather means that the ice frequently acts as stepping-stones.
Through this experience, it is possible to observe winter wonders that are not visible from the ground. These include the ice slabs’ dimensions and hues. Follow your guide to a location that offers breathtaking sunset views after the drift ice stroll. After spending the day in Shiretoko, head back to the hotel to witness the magnificent sun sinking over the ice.
Day 3 – Lake Onneto
To continue from the previous day, leave your hotel and drive for around 10 minutes to the Shiretoko Nature Center. Our Shiretoko forest snowshoe excursion is our main focus today. In the breathtaking environment of the ancient forest, where few people have gone before, follow your local guide. Hike far into the woodland in the snow. Watch for the footprints of the species that live in this hard environment, which is an essential component of the Shiretoko ecosystem, as well as the reflections of birds and trees in the snow. From the exposed snowfields, Cape Shiretoko, the tip of the Shiretoko Peninsula, is visible.
After lunch, go in a private vehicle to the Lake Akan Tsuruga WINGS hot spring hotel on the lake’s shore. As soon as you arrive, take in this distinctive atmosphere and the Ainu exhibition in the lobby. The hotel offers a variety of rock baths with different temperatures, scents, and herbs, as well as nutritious meals made with local, seasonal ingredients and the least amount of additives.
Day 4 – Lake Akan
Depart the hotel in a private car with a guide who speaks English and is knowledgeable about the area wildlife. Onneto is a tiny lake with a circle of roughly 2.5 kilometers. It is located at the base of Mount Meakan, an active volcano. In the native Ainu language, the name translates to “great old lake.”
Before entering the heavy snow of the Sakhalin spruce ancient forest, put on snowshoes. You should proceed through the woodland. Enjoy the striking contrast between the evergreen leaves and the white snow, and keep an eye out for signs of wildlife, such as tracks in the snow. It takes roughly one hour to get to Lake Onneto. During the colder months, the lake, which has an extraordinary shimmer in the summer, freezes. Enjoy the breathtaking vistas of Mt. Meakan and Mt. Akan-Fuji reflecting silver in the fresh air from the frozen lake’s surface.
Experience cycling that is exclusive to Lake Akan and this season in the afternoon. Cycle across the icy expanse of Lake Akan on a fat bike with tires that are one size thicker and 4.8 inches wider than usual while you take in Mt. Oakan’s immense immensity. Cycling over ice elicits an exhilarating sensation that is impossible to resist.
Day 5 – Lake Akan
Depart the hotel in a private car with a guide who speaks English and is knowledgeable about the area wildlife. Set off to hike the Bokke Nature Trail with your snowshoes. The Ainu word “bokke” refers to the geological occurrence of mud volcanoes and meaning “a location that is boiling.” Coniferous trees like spruce and fir coexist with broad-leaved trees like katsura and mizunara in the bokke forest. Additionally abundant in wildlife, it is home to numerous squirrels and Yezo sika deer. The opportunity to experience the entirety of the volcanic Akan Mashu National Park’s winter offerings is provided by this two-hour hike.
Japan’s native Ainu people reside in the villages that dot the island of Hokkaido. The largest Ainu settlement in Hokkaido is Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, which has about 120 people. The Ainu culture values nature strongly. Start the day by creating a mukkuri, a traditional Ainu musical instrument, under the guidance of a local Ainu guide. Then, discover from your guide the historical significance of the lakefront forest for clothes, food, and shelter. Learn about the significance of the many plants in the traditional Ainu way of life as you listen to forest tales. The best place to test out your brand-new mukkuri is in the forest. Snowshoes are worn if necessary, and Mt. Oakan, one of the “One Hundred Mountains of Japan”, can be seen from among the trees. Spend time here taking in sights long cherished by the Ainu and learn more about their culture.
Day 6 – Lake Akan to Kushiro
The hotel will serve a breakfast buffet for you. Leave the ryokan and drive your own vehicle to Kushiro Station or Kushiro Airport.
