Kushiro Port | Cruises Hokkaido

The gateways to eastern Hokkaido - Kushiro Port and Kushiro Airport ? are surrounded by diverse natural landscapes, including two national parks. The area features Kushiro-shitsugen, the largest wetland in Japan, mysterious lakes of Akan, Mashu and Kussharo, Mt. Meakan-dake, Mt. Oakan-dake and other mountainous areas, primeval forests, magnificent dairy-farming scenery on the Konsen plain, as well as wildlife such as Japanese cranes, Blakiston's fish owls and marimo (algae balls). Moreover, Kushiro is only a day trip away from Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site. These areas offer opportunities to enjoy nature tours, such as trekking, canoeing, and fauna & flora tours.
Environs include sites registered under the Ramsar Convention, such as Kushiro-shitsugen Wetland, Kiritappu-shitsugen Wetland, Lake Akkeshi and Bekambeushi-shitsugen Wetland, and Lake Akan, where attention is focused on eco-tourism in which participants come into contact with specific local nature and culture without destroying any of the natural surroundings, while at the same time developing an understanding of the value of natural environments and importance of nature conservation from the viewpoint of wise utilization of natural resources.
Visitors to eastern Hokkaido can also appreciate delicacies unique to this area, including local cheeses, ice cream and other dairy products made with milk produced in the excellent natural environment, as well as salmon, saury, shishamo smelt and other fresh seafood.

Kushiro-shitsugen Wetland

Japanese crane

Marimo (algae balls)

Seafood
Seafood

Kushiro-shitsugen Wetland
This, the largest wetland in Japan extends 25 km from east to west and 36 km from north to south, covers an area of 19,340 ha, and was the first wetland in Japan to be registered under the Ramsar Convention.
From the observatories dotted around the entire Kushiro-shitsugen Wetland, various landscapes, such as the sun rising and setting over the marshes, can be seen.
There are many ways of appreciating the wetland: hiking along footpaths, horse trekking, canoeing on the river, and viewing scenery from the window of the Norokko sightseeing train or Fuyu no Shitsugen steam locomotive.
The wetland is inhabited by Japanese cranes, a special national treasure whose population has increased to approximately 1,000. They can be seen in winter at feeding sites around the wetland.

Kushiro marshland nature tour