Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Discover the majesty of Japan’s largest caldera lake, where natural hot springs meet expansive blue waters. From summer canoeing to winter’s mystical ice formations, Lake Kussharo invites you into a world of seasonal beauty and tranquil open-air baths.

Spanning a circumference of about 57 km, Lake Kussharo is the largest lake within Akan-Mashu National Park and the largest caldera lake in Japan. Its name originates from the Ainu word Kutcharo, meaning “the place where a lake becomes a river and flows out.”

Before you lies a vast expanse of deep blue water, where the lush greenery of Nakajima Island floats in quiet solitude. To the south, the Wakoto Peninsula extends into the lake, creating a striking landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. This geothermal energy remains alive today; natural hot springs emerge along the shore, with rustic open-air baths scattered throughout. Dip your hand into the water and feel its refreshing coolness, accompanied by the gentle sound of lapping waves.

As Hokkaido’s second-largest lake, it also offers a variety of outdoor activities, including canoeing and windsurfing. In winter, the lake reveals its most mystical side with the “Omiwatari” (God’s Crossing) phenomenon—giant ridges of ice that rise across the frozen surface.

Surrounded by the faint scent of sulfur and the songs of wild birds, this is a place where time seems to gently slow, embraced by the vast beauty of Hokkaido’s wilderness.