[Akankohan Lookout in Kushiro] One of Best Views of Lake Akan

Akankohan Lookout

Akankohan Lookout (阿寒湖畔展望台) is a viewing point in the south side of the Akanko Onsen Resort. The distance is around 3 km away from the center of the Akanko Onsen Resort, and the lookout is built at about 530 m above sea level to overlook Lake Akan on a slope of Akankohan Ski Resort (阿寒湖畔スキー場). It is a lookout from June to November, and it turns into the ski resort from December to March. The lookout and a parking lot are on the site. The mountainside can be reached by car. It takes about 3 minutes from the parking lot to the lookout on foot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of Akankohan Ski Resort

Akanko Onsen

Akanko Onsen (阿寒湖温泉) is a hot-spring resort in the south side of Lake Akan (阿寒湖) located between Kushiro city and Abashiri city, and is the largest hot-spring resort in Eastern Hokkaido, and is a base for sightseeing of Akan Mashu Natioanl Park (阿寒摩周国立公園), and 1.5 million people visit here annually. It has a long history, and Ainu people had already used hot springs in 1858. After that, it is said that the origin of the Akanko Onsen is that a ryokan was built in 1912. About 20 accommodations are built at the Akanko Onsen, and huge buildings catch people’s eyes. Maeda-Ippoen Foundation (前田一歩園財団) owns almost lands and the hot springs of the Akanko Onsen, and provides the hot springs gushed from 13 hot spring sources to hot spring facilities and private houses. Without mixing the hot springs gushed out from 13 hot spring sources, the hot springs are slightly different depending on the hot spring facilities. Therefore, visitors can enjoy difference in the hot springs at various hot spring facilities. By the way, the largeest Ainu Kotan (アイヌコタン) in Hokkaido is formed thanks to Mrs. Mitsuko Maeda (前田光子), the 3rd-generation president of the Maeda-Ippoen Foundation. Read More

Lake Akan

Lake Akan (阿寒湖) is a caldera lake in the northern part of Kushiro city, and the Akan means “Immovable” in Ainu language. In Akan Mashu National Park, the perimeter of the lake is about 25.9 km. The maximum water depth is 45 m. The lake is well-known for growing Lake Ball (Marimo). Old Lake Akan was dammed by eruptions of Mt. Oakandake (雄阿寒岳) 10,000 years ago, and 3 lakes, the Lake Akan, Lake Panketo (パンケトー) and Lake Penketo (ペンケトー) were born. Trees such as Yezo spruce, Abies sachalinensis, Painted maple and Mongolian oak grow naturally around the lake, and the lake side is covered with the primeval forest. 24 types of wild animals such as Brown bear and Yezo deer and 65 types of wild birds such as Black woodpecker inhabit, and the lake has been designed as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention since 2005. Around the Lake Akan, there are Takiguchi (滝口) that is famous for a beauty spot of fall foliage, Akankohan Lookout (阿寒湖畔展望台 * Akankohan Ski Resort) with a good view, Lake Onneto (オンネトー), Mt. Oakandake (雄阿寒岳), Mt. Meakandake (雌阿寒岳), Sokodai Lookout (双湖台) and Sogakudai Lookput (双岳台). Read More

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Lookout

A observation deck is not built on the mountainside, but the field of vision is widely opened to see Mt. Oakandake (雄阿寒岳) and the Lake Akan by a ski course. As far as I know , there are few places to see the Lake Akan from a high place, so here is one of the best views of the Lake Akan. In a summer, a conbination of fresh green, the Lake Akan and the Mt. Oakandake is beautiful, fall foliage is amazing in an autumn, and a snow view is great in a winter, too.

Atmosphere of Akankohan Lookout Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Akankohan Lookout

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Lake Akan. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

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Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings(あかん湖 鶴雅ウィングス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Akan Yuku-no-Sato Tsuruga(阿寒悠久の里鶴雅)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
New Akan Hotel(ニュー阿寒ホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Akankoso(ホテル阿寒湖荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Akan-no-Mori Tsuruga Resort Hanayuuka(阿寒の森 鶴雅リゾート花ゆう香)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Akan Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza(あかん鶴雅 別荘 鄙の座)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
La Vista Akangawa(カムイの湯 ラビスタ阿寒川)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Onsen Minshuku Ryougoku(温泉民宿 両国)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Sansuiso(山水荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hoyu-so(芳友荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hachiya Ryokan(八谷旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Gozensui(ホテル御前水)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Onsen Minshuku Yamaguchi(温泉民宿山口)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tohokan(東邦館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Matsuoka(ビジネスホテルまつおか)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Ginrei(民宿 ぎんれい)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tsuruga Lake Akan Lodge Turano(鶴雅レイク阿寒ロッジ トゥラノ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Akankohan Campsite(阿寒湖畔キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten