- May 6th, 2017
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[Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower around Lake Kussharo] 360 Degree View and Sea of Cloud Can Be Enjoyed in Highest View Point around Lake Kussharo
Tsubetsu Pass
Tsubetsu Pass (津別峠) is a pass at 745 m above sea level in the west part of Lake Kussharo. Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower (津別峠展望台) near the mountaintop of Hokkaido Road 588 connecting Tubetsu town and Teshikaga town is a popular viewing point with a view of the Lake Kussharo, and is the highest viewing point at 951 m above sea level in some viewing points around the lake. In Akan Mashu National Park, the Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower and a parking lot are built on the site. A food truck “Yamasuke (山輔)” sometimes opens on the parking. The Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower is well-known for seeing a sea of clouds, and the sea of the clouds tour is held with the growing popularity of it recently. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. By the way, Drive safety because the Hokkaido Road 588 is narrow, and has a lot of sharp curves, too. In addition, the road is closed from November to June.
Movie of Sea of Clouds from Tsubetsu Pass Observation Deck
Lake Kussharo
The Lake Kussharo is the largest caldera lake in Japan in Teshikaga town located in the northeastern direction of Lake Akan (阿寒湖), and its shape tuend into the current shape by large-scale eruptions 40,000 years ago. Before then, the lake was larger round lake than the current lake. It is the 2nd largest caldera lake in the world after Lake Toba in Indonesia, too. In Akan Mashu National Park, The perimeter of the lake is about 57 km, and the maximum depth is 117 m, and Nakashima (中島), the largest island on the fresh water lake in the Japan, flotas on the surface of the lake, but landing is prohibited. There are Mt. Mokoto (藻琴山), the Wakoto Peninsula, Bihoro Pass Lookout (美幌峠展望台), Tubetsu Pass Observation Deck (津別峠展望台), Mokotoyama Lookout Parking Park (藻琴山展望駐車公園), Highland Koshimizu 725 (ハイランド小清水725), Wakoto Onsen (和琴温泉), Sanko Onsen (三香温泉), Kotan Onsen (コタン温泉), Ike-no-Yu Onsen (池ノ湯温泉), Suna-Yu (砂湯), Nibushi Onsen (仁伏温泉), Wakoto-kohan Campsite (和琴湖畔キャンプ場), Wakoto Campsite (和琴キャンプ場), Suna-Yu Campsite (砂湯キャンプ場) and Highland Koshimizu Campsite (ハイランド小清水キャンプ場) around the Lake Kussharo. Read More
The distance is around 20 km from the center of the Tubetsu, Unfortunately, a restaurant, a cafe and a convenience store is not built around here. The Bihoro Lookout, the Wakoto Peninsula, the Wakoto Onsen, the Sanko Onsen and Okukussharo Onsen (奥屈斜路温泉) are relatively near here.
Wakoto Peninsula
Wakoto Peninsula (和琴半島) is the only peninsula extending out Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖) in the south side of the Lake Kussharo. In Akan Mashu National Park, Wakoto Field House (和琴フィールドハウス), Wakoto-Kohan Campsite (和琴半島湖畔キャンプ場), Wakoto Campsite (和琴キャンプ場), a nature trail (自然探勝路), Wakoto Onsen (和琴温泉), a souvenir shop, a restraunt, a boat for hire, Koshin-so (湖心荘), a public restroom and a parking lot are built on the site. Fresh green, a canoe and fishing can be enjoyed in a summer, Fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn and a snow scenery can be enjoyed in a winter, and it is said to be a sightseeing base of the Lake Kussharo. By the way, Min-min-zemi cicada (ミンミンゼミ) inhabits here, and they do not inhabit further north than the Lake Kussharo, so they have been designated as a special natural treasure since 1951. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More
Bihoro Pass Lookout
Bihoro Pass (美幌峠) is a pass at about 493 m in height in the northwest side of the Lake Kussharo, and is a popular viewing point with a view of the Lake Kussharo at the hilltop of Bihoro National Route (National Route 243) connecting Bihoro town and Teshikaga town, and is a shooting place for Japanese movie “What is your name? (君の名は)”, too. In Akan Mashu National Park, Bihoro Pass Lookout (美幌峠展望台), Roadside Station “Gurutto-Panorama Bihoro-Toge (ぐるっとパノラマ美幌峠)”, a monument inscribed with a song “Bihoro-Toge (美幌峠)” sang by Ms. Hibari Misora, a public restroom and a parking lot are built on the site. A restaurant, a souvenir shop and a restroom are provided at the roadside station, and visitors can take a rest, too. A soft serve ice cream with striped bamboo flavor is popular in particular. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More
Wakoto Onsen
Wakoto Onsen (和琴温泉) is hot spring place in Teshikaga town located in the northern direction of Kushiro city. The hot spring gushes out at the lakeshore in the southern part of Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖) in Akan Mashu National Park. The Wakoto Onsen is the generic name of some onsen. 2 campsites, Wakoto Hanto Kohan Campsite (和琴半島湖畔キャンプ場) and Wakoto Campsite (和琴野営場), are at Wakoto Peninsula. There are a shop, a public restroom and Onsen Ryokan Koshin-so (湖心荘) around a public parking lot. Unfortunately, a convenience store is not built around here. Read More
Sanko Onsen
Sanko Onsen (三香温泉) is a hot spring place in Teshikaga town located in the northern direction of Kushiro city. Only Inn “Sanko Onsen” is built on the shore of Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖) in Akan Mashu National Park, and the distance from the center of the Teshikaga is around 20 km. Unfortunately, a convenience store is not built around here. There are Wakoto Peninsula (和琴半島), Wakoto Onsen (和琴温泉), Kotan Onsen (コタン温泉) and Ike-no-Yu Onsen (池の湯) around the Sanko Onsen, and various natural open-air baths can be enjoyed throughout the year. Cherry blossoms can be enjoyed in a spring, Fresh green and the canoe can be enjoyed in a summer, fall foliage can be enjoyed in an autumn, and whooper swans can be watched in a winter. Read More
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Akan Mashu National Park
Akan Mashu National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園) has Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖), the largest caldera lake in Japan, Lake Mashu (摩周湖), the 6th largest caldera lake in the Japan, and Lake Akan (阿寒湖), the 7th largest caldera lake in the Japan, in the eastern part of Hokkaido, and the oldest national park in Hokkaido along with Daisestuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) in the northern direction of Kushiro-Sitsugen National Park (釧路湿原国立公園), too. In the national park, there are unique mountains such as Mt. Oakandake (雄阿寒岳), Mt. Meakandake (雌阿寒岳), Mt. Akanfuji (阿寒富士), Mt. Mokoto (藻琴山), Mt. Iou (硫黄山), Mt. Mashudake (摩周岳) and Mt. Nishibetsudake (西別岳), and here is a tourist attraction on behalf of Hokkaido containing some hot spring places such as Akanko Onsen (阿寒湖温泉), Meakan Onsen (雌阿寒温泉) and Kawayu Onsen (川湯温泉). The Akan Mashu National Park is roughly divided into 4 areas, Akanko Area, Onneto Area, Mashuko Area, and Kussharoko Area. The area is 91,413 ha in total, it is very vast. It is a highlight that a scenery was borned by growing forests and lakes created by water collecting in the craters of volcanoes after the volcanoes erupting in the primitive period, and it is said that an original scenery of Hokkaido has been creadted by “Volcanos”, “Forests” and “Lakes”. By the way, 900 Sogen Grassland (900草原) and Tawadaira Observaton Deck (多和平展望台) that a typical secenry of Hokkaido can be enjoyed are relatively near the national park, too. Read More
Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower
The Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower like a small fort in Europe is built on the mountaintop. As for The Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower, a public restroom is on the 1st floor, a rest place is on the 2nd floor, a observation deck is on the rooftop of the 2nd floor, and a round observation deck is on the 3rd floor. 360 degree view is can be enjoyed on the round observation deck, and the Lake Kussharo, Mt. Mashudake (摩周岳), Mt. Iou (硫黄山), Mt. Meakan (雌阿寒岳) and Mt. Oakan (雄阿寒岳) can be seen. The observation tower opens from June to October. The public restroom opens for 24 hours, but observation decks are closed from 19:00 to 09:00. While closing time, a observation space is built at the front of the observation tower, and visitors can enjoy a superb view, too. A lot of the visitors come to see the sea of the clouds and starry sky, so they often stay at their cars.
Atmosphere of Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Tsubetsu Pass Observation Tower
| Admission fee | Free of charge |
|---|---|
| Parking lot | Free parking is provided (32 Cars) |
| Business hours | 09:00-19:00 |
| Regular closing day | Winter season |
| Telephone number | +81-152−77−8388 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 739 897 008*40 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Tsubetsu Pass. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.
Tsubetsu
Wakoto Peninsula
Sanko Onsen
Kotan Onsen
A page of Lake Kussharo is here
Lake Kushharo
A page of Akan Mashu National Park is here
Akan Mashu National Park
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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