Lake Tofutsu

Shallow coastal lagoon on Hokkaido's northeastern shore, separated from the Sea of Okhotsk by a narrow sand barrier. The wetland is protected under the Ramsar Convention for its importance to migratory birds, and in winter, whooper swans gather here in numbers large enough to cover sections of the water in white. Walking trails run along the shore through marsh grasses and low vegetation. The lake is close to Abashiri, which makes it easy to include alongside a visit to the drift ice coast or the Okhotsk Sea museum.