From today (July 7) the roadside station shop is selling goods from Nonaka Onsen. About six months have passed since the January 2025 fire, and tireless recovery work is underway. Proceeds from goods sales will support the reconstruction. We appreciate your cooperation. [Goods Prices] Tenugui: ¥2,500 (tax included) Mini towel: ¥1,200 (tax included) Sticker: ¥500 (tax included)

On Sunday, June 1, representatives from Ashoro Town, the Ashoro Tourism Association, the Ashoro Mountain Friends Association, the Ministry of the Environment, the Eastern Forest Management Office, Hokkaido Police and other stakeholders gathered to hold the 2025 MtMeakan Climbing Safety Prayer Ceremony, followed by a prayer climb. We recently shared safety reminders about climbing, and we ask anyone planning a climb to take care to avoid accidents and enjoy ascending MtMeakan again this year.

Harsh cold has come to an end, and Ashoro is gradually entering a more comfortable season. As it warms up, the number of hikers on MtMeakan seems to be increasing, so we would like to remind you once more of precautions for climbing MtMeakan. With the recent rise in hikers, accidents on the trails have increased. Many reports involve hikers experiencing leg pain during descent. Prepare carefully according to your fitness, strength, skills, and experience, and do not push yourself beyond your limits. MtMeakan is relatively accessible even for beginners, but it is a 1,500-meter-class mountain in Hokkaido. Even in summer (around July) temperatures can fall close to 0°C depending on the weather, or rise above 35°C in extreme heat. There are many cases where MtMeakan experiences bad weather while Ashoro town is clear. Weather can change quickly. Because it is an isolated peak, strong winds near the summit can fling small stones. Local people avoid climbing when the trees at the trailhead are already howling in the wind. As an active volcano, check volcanic alerts and be fully aware of its volcanic status before deciding to climb. • Do not climb in light clothing. Proper hiking boots are recommended. Many trail sections have tree roots forming a mesh, which become especially slippery when wet. Near the summit there are no trees and the terrain is stone and sand, making descents particularly slippery. Some people have fallen, hit their heads, and required helicopter evacuation. Given sudden weather and temperature changes and the exposed winds near the treeless summit, rain gear such as a mountaineering rain jacket is essential. When we climb around June, we always bring at least one fleece for warmth. Even in July–August, a day that exceeds 30°C can be followed by a day below 10°C. Insulate against cold and make sure to bring adequate food and drink. Don’t forget a map and compass. • Stay on the trail and do not collect plants or animals. We maintain the trail each year and mark it with pink tape and rock markers so hikers don’t get lost (maintenance for fiscal 2025 is scheduled for May 22). For the protection of plants and animals, do not leave the trail. As this area lies within a national park, collecting plants or animals is strictly prohibited. For other precautions and information, please check the website below. https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/spot/spot-9.html...

The Onneto Road, which had been closed for the winter, opened on Friday, April 11! Snow removal has been completed around the campsite and rest shelter, and preparations are steadily underway for the June opening. From this fiscal year, Onneto Rest Shelter and Campsite will be managed and operated by Hotori LLC, a company led mainly by women from Ashoro, together with the tourism association. Come relax at Onneto’s "hotori" and enjoy its untouched nature at a leisurely pace. *The planned opening date for the Onneto National Campsite and Rest Shelter is June 1.*

As some of you may know from newspapers and news reports, Onneto "Yama no Yado Nonaka Onsen," which suffered a fire last month, is currently closed entirely. A rope blocks the entrance to the grounds and a "No Entry" sign is posted. However, trespassing has continued, and some people have come asking, "Is the hot spring open?", while others have committed malicious acts such as entering the baths without permission. Nonaka Onsen is not operating at this time. False information appears to be circulating on social media, so please refrain from visiting out of curiosity. There is currently no timetable for reconstruction; we will announce the reopening when it is decided. Thank you for your understanding.

Currently, the award-winning works of the 2024 Onneto Photo Contest are on display inside Roadside Station Ashoro Ginga Hall 21. Come see these wonderful photographs that capture the four seasons of beautiful Onneto!

This is a recent (December 20) look at Onneto. Snow covers the lake surface, but brushing it away reveals frozen trees and ice bubbles. As noted previously, walking on a frozen lake is very dangerous. For details on how to reach the lake in winter, please see the link below (tourism association website). https://www.town.ashoro.hokkaido.jp/kanko/spot/onneto_area/spot-13.html...

This is the scene at Onneto this morning, Friday, December 6. The temperature is relatively mild, and many hot-water pits toward the back of the lake have prevented the ice from forming there. The ice seems to be repeatedly freezing and thawing, making it extremely dangerous, so please exercise great caution when approaching the lake surface. Also, as I have reported several times recently, the Onneto Line road from Nonaka Onsen to the lake is closed today and is now closed to vehicles for the winter. If you walk to the lake, be sure to take proper snow and cold-weather precautions and avoid accidents. Onneto is now heading into full winter❄️

This is the state of Lake Onneto as of Monday, December 2. Parts of the lake’s surface are frozen, but the ice remains thin in many areas. In recent years, more visitors have come to see the ice bubbles, but places where natural gas escapes have very weak ice strength, and some spots may never freeze solid even in full winter. For that reason, walking on the lake is extremely dangerous and is not recommended by the local tourism association. As previously announced, Road 949 leading to Onneto (the gate in front of the hot spring) is scheduled to close on December 6. When you visit, please take thorough snow and cold-weather precautions, and enjoy Onneto in winter safely.

This is the view of Onneto today (November 25). The road from the national highway into Onneto is packed snow and ice. Please take great care when traveling. The surface of Onneto has a thin layer of ice only along the shore. It will still take some time before the lake freezes solid. The Onneto Line road leading to the lake will be closed beyond Nonaka Onsen at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, December 6, and will be closed to vehicles for the winter (until April 11 next year). The road from the national highway to the hot spring will remain open, but you will not be able to drive past that point to the lake, so please be aware of this.

It’s autumn at Onneto. The fall colors have mostly faded, and the lake stands quietly as winter approaches. I haven’t posted in a while, but I plan to share updates little by little from now on!

On Sunday, June 4, we held the 2023 safety prayer ceremony for MtMeakan. This year about 30 people attended, including related organizations and members of the public, and everyone prayed for safety on the mountain. After the ceremony, we led a mountain climb with those who had registered in advance. Light rain fell at times and very strong winds blew near the summit, so the weather was not favorable, but participants appeared to enjoy the climb in their own ways.

From today, June 1st, the Onneto National Campsite and UPI Onneto open for this fiscal year. Come and visit us!

On May 31st, together with related organizations, we carried out trail maintenance on MtMeakan. Many people have already been hiking there, but when you visit please make thorough preparations and gather information, and climb with awareness that it is an active volcano. For precautions and other information, please see our association’s website.

What kind of place is Ashorocho? Welcome, viewers of Cool Japan Video—let us introduce you in depth to Ashorocho’s charms and sightseeing spots! Ashorocho sits in the northeastern part of Tokachi and is the largest municipality in Japan by area. Forestry and agriculture thrive here, and about 80% of the town’s land is forest. The population is around 6,500. Within the town you mainly travel by car, and driving access from major cities in Hokkaido is as follows. • About 1 hour by car from Obihiro • About 1.5 hours by car from Kushiro • About 1.5 hours by car from Kitami • About 3.5 hours by car from Sapporo • About 3.5 hours by car from Asahikawa One popular sightseeing spot in Ashorocho’s center is Ashoro Ginga Hall 21. Originally built as Ashoro Station on the Hokkaido Chihoku Kogen Railway’s Furusato Ginga Line, it was registered as a Roadside Station in 2004. After the Furusato Ginga Line was closed in 2006, the facility was renewed and reopened in 2011 to become what you see today. Inside the facility, the former platform has been preserved to recreate tracks and trains that were used for 95 years. Ashorocho is also the hometown of singer-songwriter Chiharu Matsuyama, and the facility’s Chiharu Matsuyama Gallery displays his beloved guitar and stage costumes. For those who want to enjoy Ashorocho’s vast natural scenery, we recommend Onneto. Onneto is a 2.5 km-circumference lake west of Akan-Mashu National Park, formed about 2,000 years ago by an eruption of MtMeakan. Because the lake’s colors change with the season, weather, and viewing location, it is also called the Goshikinuma Ponds or the Mystic Lake. ※It takes about 50 minutes by car from Ashoro town center. ※From December through April, the road to the lake is closed and vehicles cannot pass. For details, please see the Ashoro Tourism Association website. Finally, here is a popular event in Ashorocho. The Ashoro Furusato Bon Odori Ryogoku Fireworks Festival, held every August, is the town’s largest event, painting the night sky with some 8,000 fireworks (※in 2022 only the fireworks were launched). When touring Hokkaido, be sure to visit Ashorocho. This largest town in Japan, with untouched nature stretching as far as the eye can see, awaits you with the warmest hospitality.