Akan National Park
Discover Akan National Park
Akan Mashū National Park (阿寒摩周国立公園 Akan-Mashū-kokuritsu-kōen) is a large national park in the eastern part of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. In the name, Mashū was added in 2017. The park's attractions are its three sparkling clear mountain lakes, the eponymous Lake Akan (阿寒湖 Akan-ko) to the west, Lake Mashū (摩周湖 Mashū-ko) to the east and Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖 Kussharo-ko) between them. The largest settlement nearby is Teshikaga (弟子屈), to the south of Lakes Kussharo and Mashu.
Taste of Akan National Park...
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Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe nearest airports are in Kushiro, an hour and a half to the south, Nakashibetsu, an hour to the east, and Memanbetsu, an hour and a half to the north. The JR Senmō Line (釧網本線) runs north–south across the park on its way from Abashiri (網走) to Kushiro (釧路), stopping at Kawayu and Teshikaga (Mashu station). There are around 4 trains daily to Abashiri (2 hours, ¥1600) and 6–7 to Kushiro (1 hr 40 min, ¥1790). There are 4 buses daily between Akan and Kushiro station. Infrequent buses connect the lakes to each other and the train station at Bihoro. In the high season (May–October) busses run to Lake Onnetto, serving the Meakan and Akan Fuji trail-heads. Buses are infrequent and cover only the main routes. A rental car will come in very handy here. A 2days pass is available at hotels, convenience store and train stations. It gets you around the area with Eco-friendly buses (run on bio diesel fuel) and it's also valid on the JR Senmo line between JR Mashu and JR Kawayuonsen. More info here....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Buses are infrequent and cover only the main routes. A rental car will come in very handy here. A 2days pass is available at hotels, convenience store and train stations. It gets you around the area with Eco-friendly buses (run on bio diesel fuel) and it's also valid on the JR Senmo line between JR Mashu and JR Kawayuonsen. More info here. On the shore of Lake Akan, the small village of Ainu Kotan is home to one of the largest concentrations of Ainu artisans in Hokkaido. There are numerous galleries and studios selling textiles, paintings and carved works for the well-heeled.
Money & Budget
On the shore of Lake Akan, the small village of Ainu Kotan is home to one of the largest concentrations of Ainu artisans in Hokkaido. There are numerous galleries and studios selling textiles, paintings and carved works for the well-heeled.