is a

national park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

located on the island of

Hokkaidō is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Along with

Daisetsuzan National Park , or Taisetsuzan is located in the mountainous center of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō. At , Daisetsuzan is the largest national park in Japan, and is approximately the size of Kanagawa Prefecture. Daisetsuzan, meaning "great snowy mo ...

, these are the two oldest national parks in

. The park was established December 4, 1934. Akan is an area of volcanic craters and forests, covering . The park is famous for its crystal clear lakes, its hot springs, and its large

marimo Marimo (also known as Cladophora ball, moss ball, or lake ball) is a rare growth form of ''Aegagropila linnaei'' (a species of filamentous green algae) in which the algae grow into large green balls with a velvety appearance. The species can be ...

. It is the only place where marimo of appreciable size form naturally in Japan.

Sites

The park can be divided into two general areas, Kawayu and Akan.

Kawayu

Mount Iō and the Kawayu

Onsen In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...

offer natural hotsprings and sulphur fumaroles. Around

Lake Kussharo is a caldera lake in Akan National Park, eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. As with many geographic names in Hokkaidō, the name derives from the Ainu language. It is the largest caldera lake in Japan in terms of surface area, and sixth largest lake in ...

, a caldera lake, are

Bihoro Pass is a town located in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. The name is derived from the Ainu word ''piporo'', meaning "place of much water". Largely agricultural, the town is best known for the Bihoro Pass, which has views over Lake Kussh ...

Mount Mokoto is a dormant volcano in Akan Mashu National Park, in eastern Hokkaido.National Parks of Japan Akan National Park; retrieved 2012-12-12. It is located on the north side of Lake Kussharo and straddles the towns of Koshimizu, Hokkaido, Koshimizu ...

, and

Mount Nishibetsu Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

. At the lake, Wakoto Peninsula is an area with high ground temperatures and uniquely adapted wildlife. Lake Mashū is a

caldera lake A volcanic crater lake is a lake in a crater that was formed by explosive activity or a collapse during a volcanic eruption. Formation Lakes in calderas fill large craters formed by the collapse of a volcano during an eruption. Lakes in maars ...

. It is one of the clearest lakes in the world with visibility up to 40 meters.

Akan

Akan Caldera is a large caldera over 20 km across. Emerging from within caldera is the

Akan Volcanic Complex Akan Volcanic Complex is a volcanic group of volcanoes that grew out of the Akan caldera. It is located within Akan National Park, about 50 km Northwest of Kushiro in eastern Hokkaidō, Japan. Description A number of peaks are arranged ar ...

, which includes the highest mountain in the park,

Mount Meakan is an active stratovolcano located in Akan National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is the tallest mountain in the Akan Volcanic Complex. The volcano consists of nine overlapping cones that grew out of the Akan caldera, on the shores of Lake Akan. ...

. The lake also features boiling mud, called ''bokke''. Churui island is one of four islands in the lake and the site of the Marimo Exhibition and Observation Center.

Lake Onnetō , from the Ainu ''onne'' (ancient) and ''to'' (lake), is a freshwater lake near Ashoro in Akan National Park, Hokkaidō, Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in ...

is at the foot of Mount Meakan. Nearby is a hot water waterfall, '' Onnetō Yu-no-taki''. From Sokodai, one can observe Lake Penketo and

Lake Panketo A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

Mount Hakuto Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

Observatory,

Mount Kikin Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

Tsurumi Pass Tsurumi may refer to: Places (鶴見) *Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama **Tsurumi Station **Tsurumi Line *Tsurumi River, Kanagawa *Tsurumi-ku, Osaka *Tsurumi, Ōita People with the surname * Koko Tsurumi (鶴見虹子, born 1992), gymnast *Shuji Tsurumi (鶴� ...

, and Akan Lakeside Observatory offer panoramas of the surrounding countryside. On the

Akan River is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan. Course The Akan River rises from Lake Akan, above sea level. The lake formed when the Akan River was dammed by an eruption of Mount Oakan some 6000 years ago. The river exits the lake at ''Takiguchi'' as a waterf ...

people view the mouth of the river ''Takiguchi'' as it flows into Lake Akan from Takimi Bridge. The area also offers

Lake Jiro A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

and

Lake Taro A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

External links

Akan Mashu National Park
- National Park in Japan
Akan Eco Museum Center
**

References

National parks of Japan Parks and gardens in Hokkaido Protected areas established in 1934 Akan National Park {{Japan-protected-area-stub