ROAD TRIP (4/6) : Lake Mashu and Shiretoko Goko

FINALLY! Finally the weather got better. The sky was still grey and cloudy. BUT the clouds were not as low as the day before. I hoped I could finally see the famous Lake Mashu and hike to the top of Mount Mashu. It was supposed to be the first hike of my trip and I couldn’t wait for it!

LAKE MASHU

Unlike the day before, I could see the water and the whole lake this time! Only the summit of mount Mashu was still in the clouds.

Lake Mashu is well known for its water purity and clarity. It is considered as the clearest lake in the world. When the sky is clear (and it wasn’t unfortunately), at nightfall, you can see the reflection of the stars on the surface of the water like in a mirror. The lake’s water is deep blue, a colour called « Mashu blue ». Lake Mashu just like Lake Kussharo is in the caldera of a potentially active volcano. It’s also referred as « foggy Lake Mashu » due to its steep crater walls. The lake is foggy more than 100 days a year.

It was time to start walking! From the first observatory to the top of mount Mashu, the hike is 7km long and around lasts around 3hours. It’s better if you’re not too tall because the pathway is between trees shaped as low covered alley. Along the path you start to have some nice views upon the lake and the Akan-Mashu park. I was motivated, I was feeling great, I couldn’t wait to reach the top… and I got lost in the clouds halfway. I couldn’t see 50 meters ahead. I chose to stop and get back to the car. There was no point to go farther away to see absolutely nothing at the end. I already wasted half a day the day before, I didn’t want to waste another one. I was really unlucky with this lake!

Next stop of my trip: Shiretoko national park.

SHIRETOKO GOKO

Shiretoko national park includes Shiretoko peninsula at the very east of Hokkaido. Shiretoko means « the place where the earth ends » in Ainu language. In 2005 the park was designated as one of the UNESCO World heritage sites. Therefore it is a protected area. It hosts primitive forest, some places where humans never set a foot, volcanoes, lakes and waterfalls as well as wild animals such as Japan last bears. The peninsula isn’t totally open to the public. Only one third is accessible to visitors.

For the first time since I left Sapporo, it was sunny! Hallelujah! I was driving towards Shiretoko Five lakes when I spotted some people pulling over and going into the woods. I was curious so I pulled over as well and followed them. That’s when Oshinkoshin waterfalls appeared in front of my eyes. 80meter high, they are the highest ones of Shiretoko and part of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. Indeed, they are stunning. I had goosebumps watching them.

Shiretoko five lakes or Shiretoko Goko are probably one of the most touristic places in the park. If you want to have a walk in this area of the park you need to follow rigorously one of the three pathways.The first one is free and you can watch one of the lakes only. The second path shows two or three of them and the third path shows all five. For the seoncd and third pathways, before to start, you have to watch a video to warn you about the dangers in the forest. The danger being to ENCOUNTER BEARS. Just that. The video teaches you the behaviour to have (clap your hands, make little screams to scare the bears so they don’t come anywhere close, safety position in case the bears is near) and to not have (don’t step out of the path, make sudden movements, run away). I originally wanted to walk the third path but it was the one with greater odds to enconter a bear… Not that I wouldn’t like to see a bear but I’d rather like to see one from afar where it cannot reach me. The day before the pathway was actually closed because bears were seen. I chickened out and took the second pathway instead.

The landscape is beautiful and the vegetation is specific to the park. Fortunately I didn’t enconter any bear on my way and unfortunately I didn’t see any from the observatories. The walk I had in the woods was very pleasant especially with this sunny weather. However I didn’t think it was an extraordinary place.

This fourth day was very nice but not incredible. The waterfall of Oshinkoshin was the only thing that deeply moved me. Finally I was supposed to go to Kamuiwakka hot springs waterfall. Unfortunately the road was closed. Maybe it was because of the bears! Once again, not very lucky!