Nature Spectacular scenery of Hokkaido’s nature

The Blue Pond (Aoi Ike) is located in Biei. The blue water, or the "Biei Blue," attracts many people and changes color according to the season. The withered Japanese Larch trees standing in the pond and the surrounding trees reflected in the water look surreal. In spring, the pond is emerald blue, but in the early summer, the waters appear light blue. The pond is lit up in the evenings from November to April, and in the winters, you can enjoy a different type of scenery of snowscapes and the frozen pond.

Shikisai-no-Oka is a picturesque area shown in many Japanese TV commercials and magazines where flowers fill your field of view. The best time is from July to September when the most variety of flowers create a carpet of rainbow colors. In winter, the flower fields are covered in a layer of white snow, which is also a beautiful sight to immerse yourself in. Along with Farm Tomita in Furano, this is a must-visit popular scenic spot of the area.

Shiretoko is a World Natural Heritage Site with an untouched natural environment with a rich ecosystem. One of the major sights in Shiretoko is Shiretoko Goko Lakes, which is most beautiful from May to June. One of the recommended activities to try is nature trekking to see the Shiretoko Mountains reflected on the blue lake. The area also has the "Eight Scenic Views of Shiretoko (Shiretoko Hakkei)" which include Oshinkoshin Falls, Oronko Rock, and Kamuiwakkayu Falls.

Kaminoko Pond is a small pond in the woods of Akan-Mashu National Park. The circumference is 220 meters, with a depth of 5 meters. It has an abundant underground water source from Lake Mashu's crystal-clear water. The water temperature is a constant 8°C, and their waters are crystal clearーenough to see the lake bottom. The white sand at the bottom of the lake also reflects the color of the sky, which turns the waters cobalt blue on sunny days from spring to autumn, and deep indigo during the winters. The fallen, fossil-like trees sinking into the blue waters make for a mysterious and beautiful sight.

The sea of clouds is a natural phenomenon when clouds spread out like an ocean under the right weather conditions. At Hoshino Resort Tomamu, the Sea of Clouds Terrace is one of Hokkaido's famous scenic points for the dynamic sea of clouds. The clouds can appear from May to October. Take a trip to the terrace where it will make you feel like you are floating above the clouds. Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo are also known for the sea of clouds, and in the summer, it is said to have a 60 percent or higher chance of seeing this phenomenon.

Mt. Asahidake is the main peak of the Daisetsuzan mountains and Hokkaido's highest peak at 2,291 meters. It is still an active volcano and Japan's earliest place where autumn leaves turn color, from late August to mid-September. When you ride the Asahidake Ropeway from the foot of the mountain to the fifth station, you can see a panorama of autumn leaves whose colors progress in a gradation as you go higher up the mountain. You can also enjoy the foliage while hiking up the mountain.

Sarobetsu Wetlands is Japan's northernmost marsh in Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, with a total area of 6,700 hectares. You can get a 360˚ panoramic view of the big sky and horizon. In the distance, Rishiri island's magnificent Mt. Rishiri can also be seen. Full of precious flora and fauna, Sarobetsu Wetlands is a Ramsar site designated as a Wetland of International Importance. The best time to visit is from late June to early July when the Ezo-kanzo flower, one of Hokkaido's wildflowers, blooms all over the marsh.

Hokkaido is at the lowest latitude in the world where you can see drift ice. From late January to early March, ice floes travel through the Sea of Okhotsk facing northeastern Hokkaido. This is the only time when you can see the blue ocean covered with white drift ice. With the sun shining, the beauty of the moving ice floes changes each moment. See it for yourself by going on an icebreaker cruise from Monbetsu or Abashiri.

Jewelry ice are clumps of ice that wash up on the coast of Toyokoro. Ice covering Tokachi River flows into the Pacific Ocean where rough waves break and polish the ice into transparent clumps. The broken clumps of ice look like jewels, which is where they got their name. This natural phenomenon can be seen from mid-January to late February. The sight is especially breathtaking under the morning sun when the jewelry ice sparkles.

Frost flowers are a phenomenon in which flower-like frost appears on the frozen lakes of Lake Akan and Lake Kussharo during the severe cold season. The weather must be in the right conditions for the frost flowers to occur. There must be no snow on the frozen surface of the lake, the time has to be in the morning, and the temperature must be below -15˚C or below with no wind. The flowers are dependent on these critical weather conditions; if any of the conditions are absent, the flowers will collapse as the wind blows and melt in the sun. The fragile beauty of frost flowers is what makes this scene a miraculous sight.

Lake Mashu is a pristine, divine lake nicknamed "Misty Lake Mashu." When the temperature is below freezing, the mist's water vapor adheres to the trees. This silver frost makes the entire tree branch a beautiful white. Since the silver frost falls off when the temperature rises, the best time to see it is on cold, early mornings. This natural phenomenon can be seen from January to March. It also occurs at Lake Akan as well as Sarabetsu Village in the Tokachi Region.

Standing 1,898 meters high, Mt. Yotei is in the western part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park. It is nicknamed "Ezo-Fuji" because "Ezo" is the old name for Hokkaido and it has a similar shape to Mt. Fuji. It is beloved by people in Hokkaido as one of the prefecture's most famous mountains. Although Mt. Yotei is beautiful year-round, it is especially beautiful in winter with snow. Skiers enjoying powder snow on Niseko have spectacular views of Mt. Yotei.