
- October 24th, 2015
- Nature
- TouristSpots
- NorthernArea
[Pankenuma-enchi Park in Horonobe] Red Swamp in Green Plain
CONTENTS
Pankenuma-enchi Park
Pankenuma-enchi Park (パンケ沼園地) is a marshland park in Horonobe town located in the southern direction of Wakkanai city. In the middle part of Shimo-sarobetsu Plain (下サロベツ原野) located in the southern part of Sarobetsu Plain (サロベツ原野), Rishiri‐Rebun‐Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園), the Pankenuma-enchi Park is near Shimo-sarobetsu-genya-enchi Park (下サロベツ原野園地) with Naganuma Swamp (長沼) and Horonobe Visitor Center (幌延ビジターセンター). Pankenuma Swamp (パンケ沼) is a brackish lake at the marshland. The perimeter of the swamp is about 8 km, and the maximum depth is about 2.5 m. The swamp is the largest lake in the Sarobetsu Plain. The panke means "The downstream side" in Ainu language. Penkenuma Swamp (ペンケ沼) located at the northern part of the Pankenuma Swamp is a pared swamp with the Pankenuma Swamp, and the Penke means "The upstream side" in the Ainu language. Wooden paths are built on the shore in the southeastern part of the Pankenuma Swamp, and visitors can go a round on foot in about 20 minutes. In addition, Here is linked with the Horonobe Visitor Center through Shimo-sarobetsu Nature Observation Trail (下サロベツ原野自然探勝路) of about 3 km total length, so visitors can enjoy hiking. A gazebo, a bird watching hut, a parking lot and a public restroom are built at the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of Shimo-sarobetsu Plain







The Sarobetsu Plain is a vast plain of 20,000-24,000 ha. The Sarobetsu means "A river flows through reed beds" in Ainu language. Sarobetsu Wetland (サロベツ湿原) of 6,700 ha is in the plain, and is the largest high moor in Japan. In the Sarobetsu Wetland, wetland of 2,560 ha has bee desingated as Ramsar Convention since 2005. The Toyotomomi side of the northern Sarobetsu Plain is called Kami-sarobetsu Plain (上サロベツ原野), and the Horonobe side of southern Sarobetsu Plain is called the Shimo-sarobetsu Plain. * Japanese people often use the Kami or the Shimo as the northern or the southern. Some large swamps and ponds such as the Naganuma Swamp, the Pankenuma Swamp, the Penkenuma Swamp and Kabutonuma Swamp (兜沼) are dotted with the Sarobetsu Plain. More than 100 types of wild flowers such as Ledum palustre L. subsp, the Iris and the Yezo Daylily bloom at the plain, and about 90 types of wild birds such as Steller's Sea Eagle, Siberian Rubythroat and the Yellow-breasted Bunting can be watched.

Sarobetsu Primeval Garden
Sarobetsu Primeval Garden is a wild flower garden in Toyotomi town located in the southern direction of Wakkanai city. In the southern part of Kami-sarobetsu Plain (上サロベツ原野) located in the norhern part of Sarobetsu Plain (サロベツ原野), Rishiri‐Rebun‐Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園), the Sarobetsu Primeval Garden is relatively near Wakasanai-enchi Park (稚咲内園地) and Miyanodai Observation Deck (宮の台展望台). Wooden paths of about 1.5 km total length are built at the primeval garden, and rest platforms and observation platforms are also built along the wooden paths. Here is a good place to see Magnificent Mt. Rishirifuji. Except the primeval garden, there are Sarobetsu Wetland Center (サロベツ湿原センター), Peat Industry Building (泥炭産業館), A Dredger, Museum Shop (ミュージアムショップ), Resthouse Sarobetsu (レストハウス サロベツ), Water Purification Wetland (水質浄化湿地) and a parking lot at the site. Addmission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Shimo-sarobetsu-genya-enchi Park
Shimo-sarobetsu-genya-enchi Park (下サロベツ原野園地) is a marshland park in Horonobe town located in the southern direction of Wakkanai city. In the southern part of Shimo-sarobetsu Plain (下サロベツ原野) located in the southern part of Sarobetsu Plain (サロベツ原野), Rishiri‐Rebun‐Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園), the Shimo-sarobetsu-genya-enchi Park is near Pankenuma Swamp (パンケ沼) and Otonrui (オトンルイ) Wind Power Station. Naganuma Swamp (長沼) is a freshwater lake at the marshland. The perimeter of the swamp is about 2.5 km, and the depth is about 2 m. A wooden path of about 1 km total length is built around the swamp, and Komochikanahebi Obsevation Platform (コモチカナヘビ観察台 * The Komochikanahebi means "Zootoca vivipara" in English), Yachimanako Obsevation Platform (やちまなこ観察デッキ * The Yachimanako means "Hidden pitfalls at a wetland" in the English), Suiseishokubutsu Obsevation Platform (水生植物観察 * Suiseishokubutsu means "Aquatic plants" in the English) are also built along the wooden path. In addition, Here is linked with Pankenuma Swamp through Shimo-sarobetsu Nature Observation Trail (下サロベツ原野自然探勝路) of about 3 km total length, so visitors can enjoy hiking. Alpine plants, damp plants and aquatic plants containing Yezo Dailily, Iris, Yezo Waterlily, Japanese Spatterdock, Cranberry and Peat Moss grow naturally, and can be observed on the wooden path. Wild birds such as African Stonechat, Black-faced Bunting and Red-necked Grebe can be watched, too. Except the wooden path, Horonobe Visitor Center (幌延ビジターセンター), a parking lot and Horonobe Visitor Center Observation Tower (幌延ビジターセンター展望台) are built at the site. Read More
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There are some means of transportation for the Sarobetsu Plain tourism, for example, a fixed-route bus, a sightseeing taxi, a rental car and a rental bicycle. I suppose that the best means of transportation is that visitors rent a rental car in the Wakkanai.
Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park
Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園) located in the northern Hokkaido between Rishiri Island, Rebun Island, Toyotomi Town and Horonobe Town is the northernmost national park in Japan, and has been designated as the national park since 1974. The area is 24,166 ha. It consists of 2 islands, wetlands and the coast, and beautiful nature such as the sea, mountains, wild flowers and wetlands is highlight. Because the Northern Hokkaido has few famous tourist attracsions, the national park is one of the most famous nature tourist attracsions. The Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park is divided into 4 areas, Rishiri Area (利尻), Rebun Area (礼文), Coastal Sand-dune Area (海浜砂丘) and Sarobetsu Area (サロベツ), and the Rishiri Area (利尻), the Rebun Area (礼文) and the Sarobetsu Area have a lot of highlights. Read More

Look of Pankenuma-enchi Park
The water color of the Pankenuma Swamp turns into reddish brown depending on iron of the peat bed permeated water. Common Gold Fishes, Comet Goldfish and Corbicula inhabit there. Of course, fishing is prohibited. Because the Comet Goldfish in Yutorinuma Swamp (魚取沼), Miyagi prefecture has been designated as the National Monument, rare fishes inhabit. Magnificent Mt. Rishirifuji can be seen across the swamp, too.




3 viewing platforms are built along the wooden paths, and hygrophytes or wild birds can be observed from June to September. Wild birds such as YSiberian Rubythroat, Latham's Snipe and Grey Heron and wild flowers such as Yezo Daylily and Iris Ensata are often seen.








Atmosphere of Pankenuma-enchi Park Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Pankenuma-enchi Park
Admission fee | Free of charge |
---|---|
Parking lot | Free parking is provided (10 cars) |
Business hour | Open 24 hours |
Regular closing day | Winter season |
Telephone number | +81-1632-5-1116 |
Home page | Home page is not provided |
Mapcode | 736 403 640*40 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Toyotomi, the Horonobe and the Teshio. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
Horonobe
Teshio
Toyotomi
Toyotomi Onsen
A page of Sarobetsu Plain is here
Sarobetsu Plain
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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