Hosooka Visitors Lounge & Observatory （細岡ビジターズラウンジ・展望台）| Kushiro Wetland

Kushiro wetland was designated as a Ramsar wetland site in 1980, for the first time in Japan, and we can enjoy wildlife including red-crested cranes in the site!

I've joined the eco-tour in the area, and will show you a wonderful experience today! First, we entered the forest on the hill.

We've found a seashells!!! 5,000 years ago, the site was near the coastline and we've observed shell mounts and pit dwelling sites constructed in Jomon Era!

The guide asked us whether we know the way to measure trees' age without cutting it........... Actually I didn't know that. The only way to measure the age that I knew was to cut trees in order to count the number of annual growth rings................

Look at this tool↓ We can get a tiny a sample of trees!!

This is the actual sample↓It is as small as "Pocky", but big enough to count the rings! How amazing it is!!

Then we went to Hosooka Observatory.

How huge the wetland is!!! It is the largest wetland in Japan (19,357ha). It is a Ramsar wetland as well as a national park in Japan.

We've found red-crested cranes in the site!

How beautiful they are!

Just for reference..................
This is the pic taken in the summer time↓

Tourist trains very slowly run across the wetland and we can enjoy the site nearby!

This is the pic taken in the winter time↓

We can enjoy the contrast between the black & red parts of cranes and very very white snow!!

Well, well, well, after observing the nature, we visited Hosooka Visitors Lounge.

A lot of red squirrels are running around this area!

How cute they are!!!

I was so excited to see wild squirrels nearby!

I really felt we were in the place blessed with nature!

Let's enter the lounge! We can learn the ecosystem, get information, buy souvenirs, and take a rest here. I really recommend to come here to keep you worm especially in the winter time! They serve hot coffee and you can drink it in the warm space!

Do you want to create something special? How about wood-carving? This Hokkaido-shaped wood board is a postcard and you can carve anything on it!

The director of this lounge showed us how to carve it..........

and we tried in the same way, but...............　Hahaha! Anyway this is a good memory for us!!!

Last but not least, we enjoyed wild vine soft ice cream here!! Yummy x 2!!!

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