Notice on the reopening of the MtPonpon trail. The MtPonpon trail, which is currently closed, will reopen on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Please note that Doba, which connects to the trail, will remain closed to general vehicle parking until December 30, 2026, because it is being used for forest maintenance work. Please check nearby public parking and use those facilities. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Contact: Kushiro Western Forest Management Office, Kawayu Forest Office Tel:015-482-2469

🎎 Mini Exhibition at the Local History Museum: Hina Doll Festival The Local History Museum presents a full display of its hina dolls collection. With support from the Michikusa Tsurushi Hina Group, hanging tsurushi hina will also be exhibited. Please come and see for yourself 🎎݁˖ . ݁✶ Dates: Saturday, February 14, 2026 – Tuesday, March 2, 2026 Hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Closed: Tuesdays Venue: Local History Museum inside the Kushiro Area Mashu Tourism and Culture Center Admission: Free; no advance reservation required

🏅 The winners of the 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest have been announced!! We accepted entries from November 1, 2025 through January 20, 2026, and this year’s contest attracted more submissions than last year. A panel of 15 judges, including contest chair Takeshi Mizukoshi and Takayuki Watanabe, President of the Lake Mashu Tourism Association, reviewed the entries and selected the winning works 📸🖼️ [Grand Prize] "Colors of the Earth" Etsuko Yamamoto [Excellence Awards] "Listening to Ice Patterns" Shinmen Yasushi "Bare Mountains and the Milky Way" Yoshikazu Jimbo "The Cosmos of Lake Kussharo" Daisuke Utsumi [Tourism Association President’s Award] "Capturing Sheer Impact" Isao Nagaya See other winning entries and details on Teshikaga Navi. (Check the link in our Stories‼︎🔗) Starting today, we will gradually share the winning photos on Instagram and X (Twitter), so look forward to it 🤩 *This post’s fifth image: Grand Prize "Colors of the Earth" by Etsuko Yamamoto* Congratulations to all the winners‼︎ Thank you to everyone who entered‼︎ We appreciate your continued support for the Teshikaga Photo Contest and for Teshikaga Navi 🙇❣️

Onsen website “From the Information Desk” updated 📝🆙 Announcement from the Tourism and Commerce Division, Kawayu Onsen District Development Office: We will hold open-house style briefings about the Kawayu Onsen district redevelopment. The sessions will take place at Kawayu Furusato Hall on March 1 and March 2. No specialized knowledge is required. Feel free to join us! Location Kawayu Furusato Hall 2-3-40 Kawayu Onsen Date and Time Sunday, March 1, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday, March 2, 2026 — 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM No prior registration is required; please come directly to the venue if you wish to attend. The content will be the same on both days. Organizer Teshikaga Contact 015-482-2940

[Gems Found in Kushiro💎] While the "jewelry ice" seen in Toyokorocho, Tokachi is very famous, you can find similar ice on Kushiro’s shores during the bitter cold from late January through February. These photos were taken last week at Otanoshike Coast. The light brings out even more beauty, making it truly lovely✨ By the way... can you read the name of the beach? It’s pronounced "Otanoshike" 😙 Not "Dairakke"!

Introduction to hot spring inns in Teshikaga ♨️ Teshikaga has two hot spring areas, Mashu Onsen and Kawayu Onsen. The water quality and healing benefits vary by spring and by inn, so be sure to explore a variety of ryokan and hotels. 😉🔥 Next time, we will introduce an inn located in Mashu Onsen—stay tuned!! *Services and offerings may change depending on the season. Please check directly with the accommodation before booking.*

-11°C early morning walking tour on February 16! With winds of 5 m/s, the perceived temperature fell below -15°C, offering an extreme cold experience. Pale morning sunlight peeked through the clouds, and a magical view unfolded from the hot spring pools where steam rises. You can reserve the early morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※This winter has been unusually warm, and for safety reasons due to lake ice conditions the tour route or end time may be changed. ※Depending on temperatures and other conditions the day before the tour, we may cancel the tour for safety reasons. Thank you for your understanding.

A very warm early-morning walking tour on February 15 at −5°C! (A wild world where subzero temperatures feel warm 😆) I was able to see Unryu for the first time this season. The inverted frost flowers forming in the cracks of the ice were in top form again today ❄✨️ You can book the early-morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※Because this winter has been unusually warm, please understand that the tour route and end time may change depending on lake ice conditions for safety. ※Please also understand that we may cancel the tour for safety reasons depending on temperatures and other conditions the day before the tour.

Limited time only — until March 20, 2026. Tsurui Crane Guided Tour with an expert guide. Meet them at the best time, in the best place, for unforgettable moments. Experience the nature of Kushiro more deeply. Reservations available from the profile URL. https://www.instagram.com/kushiroprincehotel/...

A walk tour on the early morning of February 14 under thin clouds with drifting snow! Through gaps in the clouds we saw the rising sun, creating a magical view♪ It was a relatively mild −13°C, but we still observed rime ice and red fox paw prints 🐾🦊♪ We even spotted an inverted frost flower emerging from a crack in the ice ❄ You can book the early morning walk tour from the following URL. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... ※This winter has been warm, so for safety reasons the tour route or the tour finishing time may change depending on the condition of the lake ice. Please understand. ※Depending on temperatures and other conditions on the day before the tour, the tour may be canceled for safety reasons. Please understand.

On Saturday, February 21, the Forest Snow Park 2026 in Kawayu Onsen will take place in front of the Kawayu Visitor Center. With the theme "Play in Kawayu's Winter," a variety of activities and events will be offered again this year. There are plenty of experiences for adults and children alike, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, campfires in tipis, Sakhalin fir (akaezomatsu) distillation workshops, wooden coaster making, and slide talks. Hot milk and homemade cookies prepared by students from Teshikaga High School will be available in the tents on site. Please come with friends and family. Forest Snow Park 2026 in Kawayu Onsen (Event Overview) Date and Time: Saturday, February 21, 2026, 10:00–21:00 Venue: Kawayu Visitor Center and surrounding area (Kawayu Onsen 2-2-6, Teshikaga) Admission: Free (All programs are free to enjoy.) ※ Food and drinks are sold separately. Activities <10:00–16:00> ● Cross-country skiing　● Ski-shoe experience　● Snowshoe experience <Ongoing> ● Snow play area　● Campfire in a tipi Events ● Forest stories and a forest walk　13:00–14:00 ● Sakhalin fir distillation experience　10:00 / 11:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 15:00 ● Wooden coaster making　10:00 until supplies run out ● Slide talk "With Reverence for the Brown Bear"　15:30–17:00 ● Free talk session　17:30–19:00 ● Stargazing　18:45–19:30 ● Snow candles　17:00–21:00

😉Come hear presentations by high school students from Kyoto😉 Students from Ritsumeikan High School in Kyoto will visit Kushiro next month, March☺ They will present what they felt while touring and learning about Kushiro over several days! How does Kushiro look through the eyes of high school students from outside Hokkaido? These students, who study in a completely different environment, investigated Kushiro’s tourism and industries and will offer proposals for Kushiro’s future as the result of their findings. ✨ This is a very valuable opportunity, so please come and join us(^^)/ ● Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026 ● Venue: Kushiro Lifelong Learning Center meeting room 705 and 706 ● Time: Registration 9:00, starts 9:15, ends 10:45 No prior registration required ・ Free admission

Everyone, come on over! Teshikaga⭐️Fireworks Village On Sunday, February 22, 2026, Teshikaga⭐️Fireworks Village will take place on the grounds of Teshikaga Junior High School! The event runs from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features endless handheld sparklers, hot-air balloons, food trucks, and more. Some activities have limited spots depending on the program, so please join early⌚️💦 At the same time, the downtown venue will host the Teshikaga Downtown Photo Gallery! Enjoy a collaboration between Teshikaga High School and Miyazaki Flower Shop, food trucks and Teshikaga Marche vendors, and a small snow slide! Come and join us☃️🎆✨ Check the flyer for details!! We look forward to seeing you☃️💕

●Lotus Leaf Ice on the Kushiro River● On the Kushiro River today, many lotus leaf ice floes were drifting. This phenomenon occurs when several conditions line up, so you might not see it at certain times of day, and finding it always brings a smile☺ It feels like I’ve seen more of it this year than usual. You’re more likely to spot it on cold mornings. You might see it around Nusamai Bridge, Kusuri Bridge, and Asahi Bridge. The beautiful scenery makes the cold disappear‼ Enjoy the magical winter of Kushiro in February to the fullest✨

A chilly 1°C yet unusually warm for Akanko in February in the early morning It was cloudy, but that very cloudiness made the scene—snow and the dark-looking conifer forest—resemble an ink-wash painting as I walked across the surface of Lake Akan Today was warmer than yesterday daytime, so the lake ice softened and water rose in places; for safety we altered part of the route and ended the tour 30 minutes early, but everyone enjoyed Akanko’s nature You can reserve the early-morning walking tour from the URL below 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... *Because this winter has been mild, please understand that, depending on lake ice conditions and for safety reasons, the tour route or tour end time may change.

🖼️Onsen website 'From the Information Distribution Bureau' updated📝🆙 The 16th Gokkan Art Festival, a winter event at Kawayu Onsen, opened on February 2. This annual festival takes place around the same time each year and draws many visitors. Event period: From Monday, February 2, 2026 to Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Venue: Around ARtINn Gokkan Art Transmission Device (Kawayu Onsen 3-2-40) The festival offers a delightful space filled with beautiful art. Come and visit🧑‍🎨🎨

Everyone come! Teshikaga ⭐️ Fireworks Village — Downtown Venue Teshikaga Downtown Photo Gallery on Display! On February 21 and 22, 2026, a photo gallery will be held on Teshikaga Chuo-dori Shopping Street (the street in front of the former Kushiro Shinkin Bank). A collaboration between Teshikaga High School and Miyazaki Flower Shop, food trucks and the Teshikaga Marche, and a small snowy slide for children are also planned. There will be a fireworks display on the night of February 22, so please enjoy both days. [Event Schedule] 2/21 (Sat) 3:00 PM–9:00 PM Photo Gallery / Illumination 2/22 (Sun) 10:00 AM–3:00 PM Photo Gallery / Illumination / Otochu Shoten / Teshikaga High School x Miyazaki Flower Shop / Food Trucks / Camp Meals / Pop-up Marche / Mini Slide Please see the flyer for details. Note that the photo gallery and the fireworks venue are at different locations, so be careful‼︎🚨We look forward to seeing you!

Akanko in the early morning of February 9th chilled down to −16°C! Despite the heavy clouds, we were still able to catch a clear sunrise☀ The wind was a bit strong, but in spots where the trees sheltered us, frost flowers appeared❄✨️ You can book the early morning walking tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... Please note that the tour route and start time may change depending on ice conditions on the lake and the weather.

2026 Sapporo Snow Festival 8-chome Hiroba! At the Akan Tourism Association booth, our beloved Marimokkori from Lake Akan is making an appearance!! Our association staff are sharing the charms of Lake Akanko together with it♪ Please come and see us 🟢

Early morning walk tour on February 8! It was forecast to be cloudy, but the sky cleared beautifully. Though small, we saw frost flowers and caught MtMeakan and the moon together♪ I couldn’t capture it in photos, but diamond dust also appeared. We tried freezing soap bubbles in subzero temperatures, poured hot water into the air to watch it freeze, and enjoyed full-body winter fun at Lake Akanko with Nordic-style snow angel play♪ You can book the early morning walk tour from the URL below. 　　↓ https://ja.kushiro-lakeakan.com/things_to_do/19977/... Please note that the tour route and start time may change depending on lake ice conditions.

Teshikaga Town Public Hall Presents How to Enjoy Teshikaga’s Starry Sky 13th Session: “Learn About the Total Lunar Eclipse!” — Join us🔭🌕 A total lunar eclipse will occur on March 3. To mark this event, we will learn about total lunar eclipses and, if the sky is clear, observe the phenomenon together! How to Enjoy Teshikaga’s Starry Sky consists of a lecture to deepen your knowledge of Teshikaga’s night sky plus a segment on current astronomy topics. Let’s enjoy the magnificent starry sky together🌌 For details, please check the February issue of Teshikaga Public Relations. We look forward to many people joining us🌟

📝♨️ Hot Spring Website "From the Information Dispatch Office" Updated📝🆙 Notice from the Tourism and Commerce Division, Kawayu Onsen District Improvement Office: We will hold an open-house style briefing on the reorganization and redevelopment of the Kawayu Onsen district. The event will take place at Kawayu Furusato Kan on March 1 and March 2. Please feel free to drop by!

The judging meeting for the 15th Teshikaga Photo Contest was held ✨ The winners will be announced in mid-February. Stay tuned for the results 🏆📸

🏮✨ Onsen website "From the Information Desk" updated📝🆙 The Kawayu Onsen lanterns, first unveiled at last autumn’s Kawayu Marche, were formally lit at a ceremony late last year and are now displayed at hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants and other spots throughout the Kawayu Onsen district. This time we bring you a story about the "Kawayu Onsen Lanterns," which are becoming one of the faces of the Kawayu Onsen district🏮❄️Please take a look🐻

🧊Appearance of lotus-leaf ice🧊 This year, lotus-leaf ice has begun appearing frequently. In the bitter cold, a combination of conditions seems to form these shapes.😊 They often vanish by the afternoon even if visible in the morning, but the other day they stayed afloat in perfect form long after the sun rose. You won’t see them every cold day, so consider yourself lucky if you do.✨ Winter in Kushiro is wonderful! Come and visit us ^ ^

Winter Hanabi, fireworks that light up Akanko’s frozen night sky🎆 Starting tonight! The venue features not only fireworks but also an original ceremony✨ ⁡ Event period ▶︎ February 1 (Sun)–March 1 (Sun) ※From March 2–15, only fireworks will be launched ⁡Time ▶︎ 7:45 PM Welcome Ceremony 8:00 PM Fireworks display ⁡ ✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼••┈┈••✼ Enjoy Akanko more conveniently and economically with Marimo Pay🉐 ⁡ Marimo Pay is a tourism app that lets you gather information about Akanko, make reservations, and complete payments all on your smartphone! For details, visit the link in the profile! Instagram profile https://www.instagram.com/akan_tourism_association/...

Warm up your chilled body from the winter cold… Here’s a recommended day-trip hot spring guide for you♨️

Kawayu Onsen website article updated 📝🆙 An article about “Kawayu Onsen’s Enkiri Bath Tour” has been posted ♨️❄️ Please take a look ✨ Kawayu Onsen’s Enkiri Bath Tour Stroll through highly acidic hot springs that can even dissolve nails, and let them melt away your daily frustrations, fatigue, and bad ties to refresh yourself! Why not try Kawayu Onsen’s new plan, the “Enkiri Bath Tour”? *The map on the third page is for staying guests 🗺️ https://www.kawayu-onsen.com/activity/990/...

🍽️♨️🐚 Kawayu Onsen Akkeshi Clam Fair Starts in March At three ryokan affiliated with the inn association (Oyado Kinkiyu Annex Suikazura, Kawayu Kanko Hotel, KKR Kawayu), original clam dishes will be served at dinner or breakfast during the fair. Enjoy hearty, flavorful large clams and revive your spirits—eat clams to recharge! Soak in the hot springs to revive yourself, too♨️✨

👹✨February 3 is Setsubun✨👹 When you think of Setsubun, you think of ehomaki! The lucky direction for 2026 is south-southeast. Face that direction, hold a wish in your mind, and silently take a big bite of the whole thick roll—this is the tradition of eating an ehomaki. This year, why not make your very own ehomaki at the sushi counter?🍣 Using delicious, naturally sweet rice from Kikuchi and guided directly by a sushi chef, enjoy a rare rolled-sushi-making experience. It’s designed so even young children can join in, making it perfect for creating family memories. Bring your family and friends and make special Setsubun memories together✨ 📌Details and reservations here https://kikuchikanko.ne.jp/taikenplan...