Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Discover Japan’s largest caldera lake, where natural hot springs meet vast blue waters. From summer canoeing to winter ice formations, Lake Kussharo offers seasonal beauty and tranquil open-air baths.

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

Before you stretches a vast expanse of deep blue water, with Nakajima Island resting quietly at its center. To the south, the Wakoto Peninsula extends into the lake, creating a dramatic landscape shaped by ancient volcanic activity. This geothermal energy remains active today, with natural hot springs emerging along the shore and rustic open-air baths nearby. Dip your hand into the water and enjoy its refreshing coolness as gentle waves lap the shoreline.

As Hokkaido’s second-largest lake, Kussharo offers outdoor activities such as canoeing and windsurfing. In winter, it reveals a mystical side through the “Omiwatari” (God’s Crossing) phenomenon, when giant ridges of ice form across the frozen surface.

Surrounded by the faint scent of sulfur and the calls of wild birds, Lake Kussharo is a place where time seems to slow amid the vast wilderness of Hokkaido.