Kushiro, located on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, serves as a gateway to Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, the largest wetland in Japan, home to rare wildlife like the iconic red-crowned cranes. The city's harbor offers fresh seafood, with the Kushiro Washo Market being a must-visit for its delectable kattedon (customizable seafood bowls). Kushiro's coastal charm extends to scenic spots like the Kushiro Fisherman’s Wharf MOO and stunning sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.
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This museum is dedicated to the rare wild red-crowned cranes, also known as tancho crane, which live in the nearby national park. Within the facility are informative displays about the birds. Between November and March, visitors can observe the cranes being fed at the neighboring ‘Tancho Observation Center’ where as many as 300 birds come to feast a day.
The displays at this museum center around the geology, flora and fauna, and history of the area including information about the Ainu and Jomon peoples as well as even a fossilized jaw from the extinct Kushiro Tapir which lived during the Ice Age.
The Kushiro Shitsugen National Park is located between Kushiro city and Akan National Park, and is often visited when traveling between the two. The park offers bird watching, nature viewing, and walking trails. These marshlands are home to around 700 plant species and about 1,300 different animals including the rare wild red-crowned crane. Once thought to be extinct due to overhunting and habitat destruction, a group of about 20 cranes were discovered within the marshes of Kushiro in 1926, and with conservation efforts, they have since made a dramatic recovery and number more than 1000 birds. The cranes can be viewed year round.
Kushiro’s oldest market, Washo Ichiba is ranked as one of Hokkaido’s three most famous markets alongside Sapporo’s Nijo Market and Hakodate’s Morning Market. At Washo, the stalls at this indoor market sell fresh and processed seafood, meats, vegetables, and souvenirs. The main attraction for visitors is the ‘kattedon’ which is a customizable seafood donburi: after purchasing a bowl of rice, you can add seafood of your choice on top of the rice such as crab roe, smelt, uni (sea urchin), sweet shrimp, whelks, and slivers of fresh fish.
One of Hokkaido’s popular winter festivals, this one at Lake Akan sees fireworks set off from the frozen surface of the lake itself. Around 300 fireworks are launched every evening, from early February to early March each year. The clear skies from the sub-zero temperatures and location away from the light pollution of the city make the colorful display especially easy to see.
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Spend 8 days exploring Japan’s wild side as you travel in luxury from eastern Hokkaido to Sapporo. You’ll capture glimpses of wild cranes, partake in the magical ‘light festival,’ glide through ice aboard an icebreaker cruise, and visit the ultimate symbol of Winter in Hokkaido: the Abashiri Winter Ice Festival.
Across the Nusamai Bridge in Kushiro and a short walk from Itsukushima Jinja Shinto temple rests the Hotel La Vista Kushirogawa. Casual, comfortable rooms are equipped with such modern amenities as wood furnishings, flat-screen televisions, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Some rooms have tatami floors, futons, and chabudai dining tables. The hotel houses an informal restaurant with Japanese dishes and a gender-segregated bathhouse with natural indoor and outdoor tubs as well as a sauna, all fed by hot spring water, where guests can relax. Additionally, some of the best views of Kushiro are provided at the hotel’s observation lounge. Parking is complimentary, a business center is available, and a free shuttle to the train station is organized.
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