Lake Toya & Noboribetsu: Volcanic Adventures
Lake Toya is a caldera created by a volcanic explosion approximately 100,000 years ago. I felt lucky I wasn’t alive when that happened. There was a water source underneath the volcano which became Lake Toya. Due to convection, the temperature of the surface water layer does not drop so it doesn’t freeze. Convection causes liquid or gas to heat up. Here are the places to visit in and around Lake Toya.
Day 1-2: Lake Toya Volcanic Caldera
Volcano Science Museum: Learn About Eruptions
The Volcano Science Museum - This explains the history of Lake Toya and Mt. Usu. We learned about native animals that live in the spectacular forests of Hokkaido such as deer, foxes, raccoons and weasels. After the eruption that formed lake Toya, smaller eruptions at a later period led to an island being born in the centre of the lake. It is called Nakajima island. Other tectonic movements created Mt. Usu, which is still an active volcano. There was a canoe and Rebekah and Matthew pretended they were escaping from the explosion of Mt. Usu on a canoe. Matthew asked me so many questions in the car that I got really annoyed!
Swan Boats & Fireworks: Motor vs Pedal Boats
Experiences on boats can be quite exciting in general, but this memory stands out even more because I got to drive a boat on a caldera lake by myself! Can you imagine that? Matthew and I took turns to drive though. There are two types of swan boats that you could choose from: motor or pedal boat. I would recommend a motor boat as then, you don’t have to worry about exerting yourself and you can just switch the speed dial to go faster or slower. It is also an experience to get so close to the water where you can almost see the bottom even though the water is so deep. We tried to catch up with my uncle who was driving the other boat. Rebekah chose to sit with the baby before I did!
Tip of the day: Don’t fall into the water!
Nightly Fireworks Over the Lake
From late April to late October, you can see wonderful fireworks by the lake every night which are set off from two boats in the middle of the lake.
Mt. Usu Ropeway to Crater Views
Mt.Usu is a volcano to the south of Lake Toya. There is a ropeway which you can take to a height of 737 metres. On the way, you might spot Mt. Showa Shinzan, a lava dome created by smaller eruptions from Mt. Usu. There is no trail to the summit but there is a trial to the Konipara crater viewpoint - this crater was created after the 2000 eruption. I thought the crater would be some kind of open area with lava bubbling inside but it turned out to be a black patch of land! There is also a view point where you can take photos with a picturesque backdrop of Lake Toya, Nakajima island and Mt Showa Shinzan.
Lake Hill Farm: Fresh Diary & Outdoor Games
'Lake Hill Farm' is an actual farm on the hillside, with a farm shop that offers products made from fresh cow's milk. Treat yourself to milk pudding, ice cream, strawberry jam or even custard or milk buns - they’re delicious! In fact, Hokkaido is known for its milk and dairy industry, especially the wonderful custard buns. You could relax in the gardens around the cafe or toss a ball back and forth on the field - the farm shop has a few outdoor game kits that customers can borrow! If you need a relaxing end to the day, Lake Hill Farm is the place to go to.
Day3: Noboribetsu Hot Springs (Onsen) & Hell's Valley
Noboribetsu is a UNESCO world geopark with hot springs created by the eruptions of Mt. Hiyori, and Mt. Kasayama about 10,000 years ago. In the 16th century, the hot springs were used to heal diseases and even today there are many Onsen resorts (Japanese hot springs) around this area for people to stay in for their health.
Oyunma Pond: The Sulfuric Experience
Oyunma pond in the Noboribetsu region, is a sulphuric pond and is extremely stinky because of the hydrogen sulphide gas. I hated the smell, it was even worse than the smell of poo! The water is somewhat green and you can see it bubbling because it is so hot! If you walk upstream, you will find a spot where you can dip your legs into the warm water and relax. It isn’t as smelly there either!
Jigokudani (Hell's Valley)
This region is a valley with orange hills. Huge demon statues guard this area and because of the very steep cliffs and the steam coming off the springs everywhere, the locals called this 'Jigokudani (Hell valley)'. There is a boardwalk that will take you through the centre of the volcano. If you look on both sides, you can see the granite-coloured hills towering over you.
You might see a yellowish substance. It is called Sulphur. Since I like learning about the periodic table, I felt this was my favourite place to go to in Japan. At the end of the boardwalk, there is a pond with water that is boiling 80 degrees Celsius! In winter, you can visit the monkey park and see monkeys bathing in the Noboribetsu Onsen!
Noboribetsu Bear Park Experience
The Noboribetsu bear park, is a place where you can see the native species of bear in Hokkaido, the Ezo brown bear. You have to take a cable car up to the bear park. We went on a rainy day so we couldn’t see the view thanks to a huge amount of mist, but I can imagine that the view would be great when the weather is clear! It looked as if the cable car ropeway was coming to an end and we were going to plummet downwards!
Man Cage: Face-to-Face with Giant Bears
The first thing you see as you enter the bear park is an enclosure where you might see bear cubs playing or wrestling with each other. There is also a man cage where you can go face-to-face with a huge male bear from the safety of a glass cage! You can consider yourself lucky if they come to you for some bear snacks or if they stand upright to scratch their backs. Their heights can reach up to 2.3m; that’s two times my height! You will also see an enclosure for female bears - we found some of them bathing in the water or playing with a ball.
Bear Shows and Duck Racing
Furthermore, there is a bear show where you can see bears performing tricks at a safe distance. Finally, there is a duck race which can sometimes be hilarious - you can bet on a duck to win money. Hot tip: Try not to fall into any of the bear enclosures!
Where to stay: Lake Toya & Noboribetsu Accomodations
You could choose to stay in one of the hotels or houses around Lake Toya or choose to stay at one of the Onsen hotels in Noboribetsu. My family choose the former because they don't really allow kids inside the onsens especially my baby cousin.
Our Accommodation at Lake Toya: Relaxing house by Lake Toya
This house is in the peaceful countryside around Lake Toya, and offers a view of the lake. In the mornings, we would go down to the lake and try skipping stones. This place also had a fire pit - even though it was summer and not very cold at night, we lit a fire and toasted marshmallows just for fun. One night we also had a barbecue outside.
