Ibeshibetsu River

In the Ainu language, Ibeshibetsu means 'abundant food source river,' and the name still holds. The Ibeshibetsu River connects Lake Panketo to the northern section of Lake Akan, its clear water carrying fallen logs and swaying water grass over a visible riverbed of shellfish and small fish. In autumn, white-spotted char and kokanee salmon push upstream to spawn. The surrounding area is managed for conservation, and access is generally restricted. Special guided tours and nature observation events are offered periodically, providing the only way to walk along this river inside one of Hokkaido's most intact freshwater ecosystems.