Nice to meet you, everyone! My name is Kushiro Tourism & Convention Association! We will disseminate information about Kushiro City, Hokkaido, an attractive city where nature and culture live. Thank you very much. Kushiro City, Hokkaido is located in eastern Hokkaido (Eastern Hokkaido region) and is blessed with nature with two national parks, Kushiro Shitsugen National Park and Akan Mashu National Park. There are two main gateways to Kushiro City: Tancho Kushiro Airport for access by plane and JR Kushiro Station for access by train. ◎ Haneda Airport 〜 Tancho Kushiro Airport ... Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes ◎ Kushiro Airport 〜 JR Kushiro Station ... About 30 minutes by car or 45 minutes by bus ◎ JR Sapporo Station 〜 JR Kushiro Station ... Approx. 4 hours JR Kushiro Station has a bus terminal for city lines, so please use it for sightseeing in Kushiro city. Kushiro's summer climate is one of the coolest cities in Hokkaido, with an average maximum temperature of about 21.4 degrees Celsius. There is no residual heat, and in September, the temperature drops below 20 degrees and you can spend a comfortable time. In winter, there is little snow, and the first snow is around November. It is an area with little snow in Hokkaido. Kushiro, with its vast wetlands, beautiful lakes, and rich wildlife, is full of attractions. Since it faces the Kushiro River and the Sea of Okhotsk, you can also enjoy fresh seafood. Here are some of the fascinating tourist spots! 【 Kushiro Shitsugen National Park 】 It is a national park with the largest wetland in Japan, with a total area of 287.8 km², which is the size that completely encompasses Tokyo. It is also a habitat for valuable animals and plants such as the natural monument cranes, and the Japanese white-bellied cranes and the white-bellied cranes. 【 Akan Mashu National Park 】 It is a historic park designated as the second national park in Japan by 1934 (Showa 9). With a total area of 914.13 km², you can see calderas formed by volcanoes such as Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo, and Lake Mashu in the park. 【 Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve 】 Opened in 1958, this wetland park was created for the purpose of protecting and nurturing red-crowned cranes, which are special natural monuments. In 1970, we succeeded in artificially hatching cranes for the first time in the world, and this facility possesses this technology and cranes breeding technology. You can appreciate the rarest cranes throughout the year. 【 Lake Akan 】 Located in Akan Mashu National Park in the northern part of Kushiro City, this lake has been rated three stars by the Michelin Green Guide Japan, and is a tourist spot that represents eastern Hokkaido. Marimo, a special natural monument, also inhabits the area, and you can enjoy sightseeing boats, autumn leaves, and Japanese smelt fishing in winter when the lake surface freezes. 【 Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf MOO 】 Opened in 1989, it is a commercial complex where you can enjoy shopping and events of Hokkaido famous confectionery. The innovative exterior design with the motif of Kushiro's nature was designed by Mr. Kiko Mozuna, an architect from Kushiro. At the Minato Yatai on the 2nd floor, you can enjoy fresh seafood and other Kushiro gourmet dishes. Please stop by for souvenirs and meals. 【 Kushiro City Zoo 】 Opened in 1975, it is the largest zoo in Hokkaido. You can also observe Ezomomon moths, cranes, polar bears, etc. There is also an amusement park and a barbecue corner in the park, which is a recommended spot for families and animal lovers. 【 Road Station Akan Tancho no Sato 】 Akan Tancho no Sato is a roadside station located along National Route 240, halfway between Kushiro city and the shore of Lake Akan. At the hot spring facility "Red Beret" on the premises, you can enjoy 100% free-flowing natural hot springs. In addition, the restaurant offers a menu that uses local ingredients such as Akan Momiji, Akan Pork, Akan Black Wagyu Beef, and Akan Malt Beef. 【 Kushiro Akachochin Yokocho 】 Started operating in bicycle-towed food cart in 1952 after the war, it is the oldest food stall village in Hokkaido. About a 15-minute walk from JR Kushiro Station, there are many unique shops with a taste that retains the remnants of the Showa era. 【 Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train 】 Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train is a sightseeing train that runs through the Kushiro wetlands. You can fully feel the magnificent view of the marshland spreading out the train window. Kushiro is also famous for its delicious seafood. Here are some recommended markets. Along with Sapporo Nijo Market and Hakodate Morning Market, Kushiro Washo Market is called the "Three Major Markets in Hokkaido" and is popular with locals. You can enjoy the local taste in a lively atmosphere, and the famous "Katsutedon" is exquisite, which is eaten on a bowl by choosing a lot of fresh ingredients. In addition, various festivals are expected to take place in 2023. Please participate in events such as "KIRI FESTIVAL 2023", "The 76th Kushiro Port Festival" and "20th Kushiro Tairyo Donpaku" where you can feel the local traditions and culture, and enjoy the lively atmosphere. Kushiro City, Hokkaido is an attractive city where nature and culture are in harmony, and you can spend quality time. We will send out the charms of Kushiro City, which still has many more, in COOL JAPAN VIDEOS, so thank you!

On April 7, the winter road closure on the road leading to the mysterious lake Onneto, a tourist attraction of the Ashoro, was lifted. Today, Onneto is almost completely ice with some exceptions. Please come ♪ to GW Ashoro *Onneto takes about 45 minutes by car from the city center. The temperature is lower than in the city, so please come in warm clothes. There is no direct public transportation service to Onneto, so please come by rental car.

Hello everyone! This is the Lake Mashu Tourism Association. We will introduce many highlights and ways to enjoy Teshikaga in Hokkaido to everyone who watches the Cool Japan video! First of all, do you know how to read "Teshikaga Town"? This is read as "Teshikagacho". Speaking of Hokkaido, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo are popular tourist spots visited by many tourists, but Teshikaga Town has Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. Lake Mashu has deep blue water and is known as the Lake of Gods. The blue surface of the water is called "Lake Mashu Blue" and boasts the highest transparency in the Japan and one of the best in the world. To enjoy this beautiful lake, we recommend visiting the observatory. Mashu Daiichi Observatory is the most popular observatory visited by 1 million people a year. There is also a toilet and rest house in a large parking lot, so you can use it even for breaks. The parking lots of the Mashu Third Observatory and the Uramashu Observatory are also free, and you can see the different faces of Lake Mashu. From the Mashu 1st Observatory and the Mashu 3rd Observatory, if luck and weather conditions are good, the entire surface of Lake Mashu is covered with mist, and the accumulated mist can be seen as a "sea of clouds". Lake Kussharo is one of the largest caldera lakes in the world and the largest caldera lake in Japan (a lake where water accumulated in the crater after the volcano erupted). There are many natural hot springs gushing out on the lakeside, so you can enjoy hot springs in open-air baths, saunas, and large hotels that make use of nature as it is. In summer, you can also enjoy water sports such as camping, canoeing and yachting. In Teshikaga Town, where nature spreads, you can also enjoy activities such as horse riding, golf, fishing, cycling, and dairy farming experience. When you visit Teshikaga Town, please enjoy the specialties and gourmet food of Teshikaga Town. There are many popular gourmet foods such as "Mashu Soba", which is said to be "phantom soba noodles" that are particular about quality, "Mashu Melon" that is in season in early ~ late August, potatoes packed with the blessings of the earth, "Mashu Pork" and "Mashu Wagyu" produced at Teshikaga's farm! Teshikaga Town in Hokkaido is about 75 minutes by car from Kushiro Airport and about 70 minutes by car from Memanbetsu Airport, making transportation access convenient. Please enjoy the great nature of Teshikaga Town. From now on, we will deliver the charms and sightseeing information of Teshikaga Town, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo to everyone through the Cool Japan Video, so please follow us if you like!

What kind of place is Ashoro? We will introduce plenty of Ashoro attractions and sightseeing spots to everyone who sees the COOL JAPAN VIDEOS, so thank you! Ashoro is the largest town and village in Japan in the northeastern part of Tokachi. Forestry and agriculture are thriving, and about 80% of the town's area is forested. The population is about 6,500. Basically, you can travel by car in the town, and access by car from major cities in Hokkaido is as follows. ・About 1 hour by car from Obihiro ・About one and a half hours by car from Kushiro ・About one and a half hours by car from Kitami ・About 3 and a half hours by car from Sapporo ・About 3 and a half hours by car from Asahikawa One of the popular tourist spots of such a Ashoro is "Ashoro Galaxy Hall 21" in the center of the Ashoro. It was originally built as an ashiyoro station on the Hokkaido Chihoku Kogen Railway "Furusato Galaxy Line" and was registered as a roadside station in 2004, but after the "Furusato Galaxy Line" was discontinued in 2006, it was reopened in 2011 and became its current appearance. In the facility, the tracks and trains used for 95 years are reproduced by making use of the original platform. In addition, Ashoro is the birthplace of singer-songwriter Chiharu Matsuyama, and the "Chiharu Matsuyama Gallery" in the facility is decorated with her favorite guitar and stage costumes. "Onneto" is recommended for those who want to enjoy sightseeing spots surrounded by Ashoro nature. Onneto is a lake with a circumference of 2.5 km west of Akan-Mashu National Park and was formed by the eruption of Mt. Meakan about 2,000 years ago. Since the color of the lake surface changes depending on the season, weather, and where you see it, it is also called "Goshikinuma" and "Mysterious Lake". * It takes about 50 minutes by car from the Ashoro city center. * During the winter period (December ~ April), the road leading to the lake is closed and vehicles are not allowed to pass. For details, please see the website of the Ashoro Tourism Association. Finally, we would like to introduce some of Ashoro's most popular events. The "Ashiyoro Furusato Bon Odori Ryogoku Fireworks Festival" held every August is the largest event in the town where as many as 8,000 fireworks dye the night sky of Ashiyoro in vivid colors (* In 2022, only fireworks were launched). When sightseeing in Hokkaido, please come to Ashoro. Japan's largest town with untouched nature awaits you with the best hospitality.