Akan-Mashu National Park

Akan-Mashu National Park, located in eastern Hokkaido, is one of the oldest national parks in Hokkaido. Most of the park area is covered with natural forests, mainly subarctic mixed coniferous forests, and is said to be one of the most pristine national parks in Japan. The Akan-Mashu National Park is based on the three caldera landforms of Akan, Kussharo, and Mashu, which were created by the activities of the Kurushima Volcanic Belt. The topography is unique in that several volcano-lake pairs are located in close proximity within a small area, making it one of the most precious in the country. The park can be roughly divided into two areas: the Akan area and the Mashu area. The Akan area offers beautiful scenery of Mt. In the Mashu area, Lake Mashu is one of the clearest lakes in the world, and Lake Kussharo can be viewed from the surrounding mountain passes and mountains, and the forest scenery changes with the seasons. (Source: Ministry of the Environment website https://www.env.go.jp/nature/nationalparks/list/)