Mashu Lake

Lake Mashu, also known as the "Lake of Mist," is often covered in fog, but on clear days, you can enjoy the stunning "Mashu Blue" lake surface. It's said to have the second highest transparency in the world and is a popular spot for social media-worthy photos. The surrounding scenery also changes with the seasons, making it a must-see not only in the summer, but also for the autumn foliage and winter snowscapes.

Kyu-Marumaru Sougen, located in the same town as Lake Mashu, is a spot where you can enjoy the spectacular scenery of Hokkaido. The ranch, which covers an area equivalent to about 300 Tokyo Domes, has over 1,000 cows leisurely grazing. You can enjoy activities such as park golf and barbecuing, making it a great place to spend the whole day with family and friends.

At the Masyu Hot Springs Road Station, located about a 10-minute drive from the first observation deck of Lake Mashu, you can enjoy a footbath for free. The hot springs have an alkaline simple spring quality, which is said to be effective for neuralgia and muscle pain. It's also a great point that it's open 24 hours a day as it's attached to the road station. It's perfect for healing the fatigue of your journey. Please bring your own towel as there is no rental service available.

Mt. Io (Atosanupuri in Ainu) is a popular tourist spot that you should visit along with Lake Mashu, where you can feel the breath of the earth. Mt. Io is an active volcano that continues to be active, with its mountain surface covered with rough rocks and smoke rising up. Although climbing is not allowed, you can get very close to the mountain surface, and you will undoubtedly be overwhelmed by its power. Since the footing is poor, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes such as sneakers when visiting.

A must-try gourmet food when visiting Lake Mashu is the "Masyu Blue Soft Serve Ice Cream," which is made with the image of Mashu Blue. The refreshing taste is characterized by mixing blue liqueur with milk-flavored soft serve ice cream. It is sold at the rest house on the first observation deck of Mashu, where you can also enjoy local gourmet foods unique to the area, such as Teshikaga Ramen and Hokkaido melon, in addition to soft serve ice cream.