[Choubushi Swamp in Toyokoro] Brackish Water Lake Sometimes Connects to Sea

Choubushi Swamp

Choubushi Swamp (長節沼) is a brackish water lake in Toyokoro town located in the southeastern part of Obihiro city, and is generally called Lake Choubushi. Nemuro city also has same Kanji lake, Lake Chouboshi (長節湖). The Choubushi means "It is broken by itself" in Ainu language. It was named after the Choubushi Swamp connecting to the sea when the sea is a high tide. The swamp is near Otsu Beach (大津海岸) that is famous for Jewelry Ice. The perimeter of the swamp is 8.6 km. The maximum water depth is 2.0 m. The southeastern lakeshore of the marsh faces the Pacific Ocean, and a long sandbar spreads over between the marsh and the sea, and Choubushi Marsh Primitive Flower Garden (長節沼原生花園) that about 300 types of wild flowers such as White Ramanas Rose, Yezo Daylily and Thermopsis Lupinoides grow naturally is at the both sides of a town road. The primitive flower garden has been designated Hokkaido Natural Monument "Otsu Beach Choubushi Lakeside Wild Flower Colony (大津海岸長節湖畔野生植物群落)" as since 1963. Wild birds such as Bunting can be observed, too. Choubushiko Campsite (長節湖キャンプ場) is at the end of the town road, and is the only sightseeing facility around the swamp. A parking lot, a public restroom and a common kichen are built at the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. The town road is closed in a winter.

Movie of Choubushi Swamp

Speaking of the Toyokoro, American Donut (アメリカンドーナツ) of Asahido (朝日堂) is famous. I guess that few hot springs gush out in the Toyokoro, but a day trip bathing (non hot springs) can be enjoyed at the Tokachi Royal Hotel (十勝ロイヤルホテル).

Jewelry Ice

Jewelry Ice is ice on Otsu Beach (大津海岸) in Toyokoro town located in the southeast part of Obihiro city, and was named by Mr. Hisashi Urashima (浦島久), a school principal of an english school, because it looked like a beautiful jewery. Water of Tokachi River is frozen, and river ice flows to the sea, and is washed ashore on the sandy beach at the mouth of the river. Here is well-known for a shooting place for a work of Mr. Mitsuhiko Kamata (鎌田光彦), a famous photographer. Clear ice polished by the waves is beautiful, so here becomes a popular shooting place. It was featured by the New York Times, and attracts the world's attention. This splendid scenery can be seen in a cold winter, about from mid January to early March. Article is here

Tokachi Coast Wetlands Group

Tokachi Coast Wetlands Group (十勝海岸湖沼群) is a group of wetlands spreading over in the southeastern part of Tokachi District. I do not know exactly where the extent of the Tokachi Coast Wetlands Group is. It is said that Yudo Swamp (湧洞沼), Choubushi Swamp (長節沼), Oikamanai Swamp (生花苗沼), Horokayanto Swamp (ホロカヤント沼), Kimontou Swamp (キモントウ沼), Kimontou-konuma Swamp (キモントウ小沼) and Touen Wetland (当縁湿原) are between Toyokoro town and Taiki town. The group of the wetlands has been chosen as one of 500 Important Wetlands in Japan (日本の重要湿地500), and is a site proposed for the Ramsar Convention Wetland, so people say that it is a paradise for wild flowers and wild birds. About 200 types of the wild birds are observed here. I also encountered Japanese cranes. Because those wetlands do not become tourist attractions, it is said that the group of the wetlands is a little-known spot that tourists can enjoy nature calmly. Therefore, those places are not accessible by public transportations unfortunately. Article is here