- July 8th, 2014
- Nature
- TouristSpots
- EasternArea
[Lake Furen in Nemuro] Shunkunitai with Todowara and Hashirikotan with Full of Nature
CONTENTS
Lake Furen
Lake Furen (風蓮湖) is a brackish water lake between Nemuro city and Bekkai town, and is the 3rd largest brackish water lake after Lake Saroma (サロマ湖) and Lake Notoro (能取湖) in Hokkaido, and has been designed as a wetland under Ramsar Convention since 2005, and was named after Furen River meant “A red river” in Ainu language. The perimeter of the lake is about 96 km, and the maximum depth is 11 m. The lake is famous for one of the largest sweetbrier colonies in Japan, and is well-known for watching White-tailed Sea Eagle and Steller’s Sea-eagle in a winter. In addition, it is well-known as a paradise of deers around Hashirikotan (走古丹) in the north side of the lake. There are Shunkunitai (春国岱), Roadside station “swan 44 Nemuro (スワン44ねむろ)”, Hashirikotan Primeval Flower Garden (走古丹原生花園) around the lake. A song of “Lake Furen” sung by Mr. Keishuke Yamauchi (山内恵介), a Japanese famous enka singer, uses here as a motif.
Movie of Lake Furen
Movie of White-tailed Sea Eagle
Movie of Hashirikotan
By the way, Express Aurora-go (オーロラ号), an express bus, runs between Sapporo and the Nemuro, and Limited Express Nemuro-go (特急ねむろ号), an express bus, runs between the Kushiro and the Nemuro. Unfortunately, the express bus does not run between New Chitose Airport and the Nemuro. Besides, Rent-a-car can be rented around Nemuro Station.
NEMURO
Nemuro (根室) that about 26,000 people live in is the 26th largest fishery city in Hokkaido, and one of regional hub cities of the East Hokkaido area, and is the easternmost port town in Japan. The Nemuro has 4 ports, Nemuro Port (根室港), Hanasaki Port (花咲港), Ochiishi Fishing Port (落石漁港) and Habomai Fishing Port (歯舞漁港), and it is famous for catching Hanasaki Crab (花咲ガニ) and Saury, and a catch of the saury is the largest in the Japan. As for a climate, the Nemuro faces the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pcific Ocean, so a wind blows hard. Average annual temperature is 6 degrees, and it is chilly in a summer, and it does not snow hard in a winter. Various things such as Cape Nosappu (納沙布岬) is the easternmost in the Japan, so visitors know the joy of the easternmost things in the Japan. It is a good point to see the earliest sunrise in the Japan, too. In addition, It is said that the Nemuro is famous for coming the last Cherry Blossom Front, and is one of latest cherry blossoming places in the Japan. Read More
List of Tourist Attractions
The Shunkunitai and the Roadside Station “Swan 44 Nemuro” are in the east side of the lake, and the Hashirikotan Primeval Flower Garden is in the middle of the lake. My visited places are as follows.
Shunkunitai
An island with 3 sandbars of 600 ha between the Lake Furen and the Bay of Nemuro is called the Shunkunitai, and was named after a forest of Yezo Spruc in Ainu language. The 8 km length and 1.3 km width island has various environments such as Sandy Beach, Marshland, Forest and Grassland, and is famous for Picea Glehni growing wild on the sandbar only here in the Japan. 1st sandbar has one of the largest sweetbrier colonies in the Japan, and the Picea Glehni spreads over 2nd sandbar, and the forest grows thick at the 3rd sandabar. Here is also famous as the largest landing place for swans in the Japan, and about 260 types of wild birds such as the White-tailed Sea Eagle, the Steller’s Sea-eagle, Black Woodpecker and Blakiston’s Fish-owl have been observed, and the lake has been designed as Shunkunitai Wild Birds Park (春国岱原生野鳥公園). Shunkunitai Nature Center (春国岱ネイチャーセンター) is built near the lake, so visitors can gather information about the wild birds. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.
Wooden paths are built on a tideland, and tourists can enjoy the lake and nature along the wooden paths. After walking from the parking lot for about 20 minutes, Todowara (トドワラ), Picea Glehni died by seawater, comes into sight, so I think that the Shukokutai is very valuable. Unfortunately, the Todowara (トドワラ) of Notsuke Peninsula (野付半島) almost becomes extinct at present. 5 walking courses, Lark Course (ヒバリコース), Rugosa Rose Course (ハマナスコース), North Fox Course (キタキツネコース), Picea Glehni (アカエゾマツコース) and Small Path of Small Bird Course (小鳥の小道コース), are built, and bird-watching is popular. It takes about 90 minutes along the Lark Course, the North Fox Course and the Picea Glehni on foot. The Rugosa Rose Course seems to be needed to go a round trip for 3 and a half. I walked along the Lark Course and the North Fox Course for about 60 minutes.
Atmosphere of Shunkunitai Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Shunkunitai
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (20 Cars) |
| Business hour | Open 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | Open all year round |
| Telephone number | +81-153-25-3047 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 734 411 194*03 |
Roadside Station “Swan 44 Nemuro”
Roadside Station “Swan 44 Nemuro” is located in the south side of the Lake Furen. There are a restraunt, a souvenir shop, a fresh fish direct sales shop, a restroom and an observatory deck at a building. Wooden paths are built around the building, and tourists can make a round trip for about 10 minutes on foot. But a walk path was closed because a bear appeared. Beware of bears. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.
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Atmosphere of Roadside Station “Swan 44 Nemuro” Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Roadside Station “Swan 44 Nemuro”
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (70 Cars) |
| Business hours | 09:00-18:00 * It changes depending on seasons |
| Regular closing day | From May to October: Always open. From November to April: Monday. |
| Telephone number | +81-153-25-3055 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 734 353 152*75 |
Neighborhood of Hashirikotan
The Hashirikotan is located in the north side of the Lake Furen, and there is no facility such as tourist facilities. But 3 deserted houses are like an atmosphere of The Three Little Pigs, a famous fairy tale, and those becomes a popular photogenic spot. In addition, it is famous for seeing true nature, too. A lot of the Steller’s Sea-eagles, the White-tailed Sea Eagles and Yezo Deers inhabit, and I came across the Yezo deers along a roadside when I visited here. The Steller’s Sea-eagle and the White-tailed Sea Eagle are well-known as a winter feature. A road extends to the tip of the Hashirikotan, and the tourists can view the Nemuro Peninsula and the Lake Furen from the tip guarded with tetrapods.
Atmosphere of Lake Furen Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Lake Furen
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Parking lot is not provided |
| Business hours | Open 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | Open all year round |
| Telephone number | – |
| Home page | home page is not provided |
| Mapcode | 734 466 417*88 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Lake Furen. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
NEMURO
Bekkai
A page of Nemuro is here
Nemuro
By the way, Club Tourism (クラブツーリズム), a Japanese tour travel agency, provides various types of tours such as day trip tours or ordinary tours. In the case of bus tours, tourists do not drive their cars themselves, so they can savor alcohol. Choosen tourist attractions are national parks such as Rishiri and Rebun, Shiretoko, and popular tourist places such as Furano and Biei, and some activities such as hiking and fruit picking are also enjoyed depending on seasons. If you are interested in tour trips, you should visit the club tourism's website for details.
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Hi there,
About your inquiry for the bus information & timetable, it is here.
Nemuro Bus
http://nemurokotsu.com/timetable/
Nemuro Bus Attoko Line
http://nemurokotsu.com/pdf/rosen/attoko2.pdf
The left is the bus timetable for Lake Furen.
The right is the bus timetable for Nemuro station.
Left bus timetable.
5th from the top is Nemuro Station Bus Terminal (駅前ターミナル).
9th from the bottom is Hakuchodai Center bus stop (白鳥台センター) near the Lake Furen.
Right bus timetable.
9th from the top is Hakuchodai Center bus stop (白鳥台センター).
5th from the bottom is Nemuro Station Bus Terminal (駅前ターミナル).
There is the road station “Swan44 Nemuro” near the Hakuchodai Center bus stop.
Swan44 Nemuro
http://www.swan44nemuro.com/access.html
Attoko Line Route
https://www.navitime.co.jp/bus/route/00046865/%E5%8E%9A%E5%BA%8A%E7%B7%9A%EF%BC%BB%E6%A0%B9%E5%AE%A4%E4%BA%A4%E9%80%9A%EF%BC%BD
22 is Hakuchodai Center bus stop (白鳥台センター).
There are not many buses on this route in remote area. And I suppose you might often be perplexed by the bus if you do not know the Japanese. But you will be OK once you get used to it.
In addition, there is a direct bus from Kushiro station to Hakuchodai Center bus stop (白鳥台センター).
Nemuro Express Bus
http://www.kushirobus.jp/1/toshikan_n.html
* You would better make a reservation beforehand.
Bus Timetable
http://www.kushirobus.jp/1/pdf/tosikan_n_jikoku.pdf
I am not knowledgeable about Lake Furen and the bus information, so I recommend you to ask Nemuro City Tourist Association the best answer once.
TEL：+81-153−24−3104
E-mail: info＠nemuro-kanko.com
Nemuro City Tourist Association
https://uu-hokkaido.com/corporate/nemuro-kankou.shtml
Have a nice trip!