Lake Rausu

Lake Rausu sits in the Shiretoko Peninsula, accessible via a trail that passes through brown bear habitat, which the trail signs make clear with pointed directness. The lake itself is calm, surrounded by forest, and in certain light conditions perfectly mirrors the mountains behind it. Rausu is one of the more remote parts of Hokkaido and sees far fewer visitors than Shiretoko's main tourist sites. The trail from the Rausu hot spring trailhead takes about two hours one way. Go with bear spray and make noise as you walk. The combination of the wild setting, the physical effort, and the silence at the lake makes it a different kind of experience from most of Japan's well-managed natural areas.