Page 325 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan

STAY

A walkway in the Five such as spectacled guillemots,
Lakes area, Shiretoko Japanese cormorants, and Akan Tsuruga
National Park short­tailed shearwaters. Besso Hinanoza
White­tailed sea eagles nest This elegant lakeside
along the pen insula. In winter inn offers organic food,
e their numbers are swollen by a tree-trunk bar, and
hot-spring baths.
hundreds more arriving from
Shiretoko National Russia. Despite their numbers,
Park they are overshadowed by the ! C2 ⌂ 2-8-1 Akanko,
Akan-cho, Kushiro,
知床国立公園 arrival of pairs of the world’s Hokkaido 085-0467
largest eagle: Steller’s sea ∑ hinanoza.com/en
! C2 ⌂ 216 miles
(348 km) NE of Sapporo eagle. Both types of eagles are 
best seen in winter north of
k Memanbetsu (Abashiri) Rausu on the southeast coast.
or Nakashibetsu Kushiro Prince Hotel
£ Shiretoko-Shari Stn North of Utoro lie the pretty With views of Lake
n Shiretoko Shizen center; Shiretoko Five Lakes, reflecting Kussharo, this hotel
Mount Rausu. An easy 1­mile
(0152) 24-2114 is ideal for those
(2­km) trail starts beyond the
This rugged finger of land visitor center, and onsen fans wishing to explore
jutting into the Okhotsk Sea will not want to miss the hot Akan National Park.
was named Shiretoko (“the Kamui wakka waterfall, north­ ! C2 ⌂ 7-1 Sawaicho,
end of the earth”) by the Ainu. east of here. The high pass Kushiro,Hokkaido 085-
Now a World Heritage Site, from Utoro to Rausu (Route 8581 § (0154) 84-2111
Shiretoko National Park con­ 334) is open from May to 
sists of a well­forested ridge October, and the view east
of volcanic peaks domi nated from here to Kunashiri island Hotel Nemuro
by the 5,450­ft (1,660­m) is dramatic. From near the pass, Kaiyoutei
Mount Rausu. The peninsula a hiking trail strikes off south The rooms of this
supports one of the healthiest for Lake Rausu and Mount Nemuro hotel are clean,
populations of brown bears Onnebetsu, while another roomy, and modern.
left in Hokkaido. Sightings are heads north for Mounts Rausu,
rare, though the boat ride from Io, and Shiretoko, and the ! C2 ⌂ 2-24 Tokiwacho,
Utoro north to the cape during cape beyond. Mount Rausu is Nemuro, Hokkaido
the summer is one pos sible a day hike along a good trail. 087-0041
way of seeing them as they The journey to the cape, how­ ∑ n-kaiyoutei.co.jp
forage along the coastal strip. ever, requires several days and 
Minke whales, dolphins, and careful planning. Note that
porpoises may be seen in hiking is possible only from
summer, too, along with birds June to September.
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