Sunset Course （夕日の道）| Onuma Quasi National Park （大沼国定公園）

Onuma Quasi National Park （大沼国定公園） is a 90.83 k㎡ on the Oshima Peninsula （渡島半島） in southwestern Hokkaido. The park encompasses Mt. Komagatake as well as Lake Onuma （大沼）, Lake Konuma （小沼）, and Lake Jyunsai （じゅんさい沼）, which abut against the west slope of the mountain.

These lakes were created when mudflows due to eruptions of Mt. Komagatake dammed up depressions at the base of the mountain, now are dotted with watershields, and surrounded with birch and maple forests.

The park's most attractive area is located among three lakes. Four attractive walking courses let us explore the lakes' peninsulas and 126 islands, several of which are connected with each other by small bredges, in easy 15-60 minute walks.

Now, I'll show you the "Sunset Course（夕日の道）" among the four! It takes about 25 minutes to walk around Lake Konuma.

Let's park a car near Pension KAZA （ペンション風）, and walk around the small lake!

Compared to Lake Onuma, there are not a lot of tourists here, and we can enjoy the nature in a peaceful atmosphere!

Look at the lake! We can easily find wildlife such as carps and

tadpoles in this lake.

This is Konuma Bridge （小沼橋）. There are two bridges in this area.

When you come to Lake Konuma, please make sure to visit this view point!

It is beautiful in the day time, but.......................

It is more beautiful at dusk. That's way this walking trail is named the "Sunset Path".

P.S.

Would you like to try local sweets? Located near JR Onuma Koen Station （大沼公園駅）,

there is Numanoya （沼の家), a long-established local sweets shop founded in 1905.

They serve dumplings with sweet soy sauce, sesame, and red bean paste like this↓ Personally I recommend soy sauce and sesame source combination (right) rather than soy sauce and bean paste combination (left)!

■More information on the Park

Please refer to my other posts!

・ Island Tour Walking Path (50 minutes)→→→Please click here!

・ Oshima Island Walking Path (15 minutes)→→→Please click here!

・ Mathematics Walking Path→→→Please click here!

・ Sightseeing Boat Tour (30 minutes)→→→Please click here!

・ Beef Restaurant→→→Please click here!

・ Microbrewery's beer→→→Please click here!

■Where is "Onuma Quasi National Park （大沼国定公園）"?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Island Tour Course （島巡りの路）| Onuma Quasi National Park （大沼国定公園）

Designated as a quasi national park, and located only 20km north of Kakodate （函館）, Onuma Park （大沼公園） is konwn for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic dormant volcano, Mt. Komagatake.

Onuma Park can be easily visited in either a day trip from Hokodate, or on a stop over on a journey between Hakodate and Sapporo, since most limited express trains between the two major cities stop at Onuma Koen Station （大沼公園駅）.

The park's most attractive area is located among three lakes; Lake Onuma (大沼), Lake Konuma (小沼), and Lake Jyunsai （じゅんさい沼） and can be explored entirely on foot! Four attractive walking courses let us explore the lakes' peninsulas and 126 islands, several of which are connected with each other by small bridges, in easy 15-60 minute walks.

Now, I'll show you the "Island Tour Course （島巡りの路）" among the four! It takes about 50 minutes from Kogetu Bridge （湖月橋） to Koen Hiroba （公園広場）.

This is Kogetu Bridge （湖月橋）↓

This area is known for its masses of water lilies. When I'll be back here next month, I'm sure we can enjoy the beautiful flowers on the lake!

Look at Mt. Komagatake (1,132m), which local people believe looks like a horse back.

 

Actually we were with a nature guide, and could learn a lot about the lakes. If you are interested in the nature, I recommend this option!

 Next, we crossed "Kinpa Bridge （金波橋）. I like this stone bridge!!!

All my tour guests were impressed with the walking path!

 Between Hakamagosi Bridge （袴腰橋） and

Hinode Bridge （日の出橋）, there is a famous view point.

Please take a lot of pictures here, or enjoy this soothing atmosphere!!

Ukisima Bridge （浮島橋） and

Wakasagi Bridge （公魚橋） have the same structure like this↓

Look at the swan boat and sightseeing boat! Actually we later enjoyed the sightseeing boat tour, too!

Do you like wildlife? We can easily encounter wild birds such as mallards and

kites in this park!

Azaleas are very beautiful in the spring time!

When you find the masses of azaleas, the goal is around the corner!

This is Koen Hiroba （公園広場）. Mt. Komagatake is very beautiful!!

P.S.
How about squid ink karinto (a kind of fried dough cookies)? Hakodate area is famous for its squid, and we can eat something unique like this↓ Hahaha!

If you want to try the cookies, they are available in Tenboukaku （展望閣）, a souvenir shop in the park!

■More information on the Park

Please refer to my other posts!

・ Oshima Island Walking Path (15 minutes)→→→Please click here!

・ Sunset Walking Path (25 minutes)→→→Please click here!

・ Mathematics Walking Path→→→Please click here!

・ Sightseeing Boat Tour (30 minutes)→→Please click here!

・ Beef Restaurant→→→Please click here!

・ Microbrewery's beer→→→Please click here!

■Where is "Onuma Quasi National Park （大沼国定公園）"?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Japanese Crane Reserve （釧路市丹頂鶴自然公園）| Kushiro

In August 1958, the "Japanese Crane Reserve （釧路市丹頂鶴自然公園）" was opened with five released Japanese cranes, or red-crested cranes in Kushiro area with the aim of protecting and reproducing this endangered species.

Now they have 13 cranes here, and the staff here said some eggs would hatch out in about a week! The spring is the breeding season for them, and it is very rare to see flying cranes in the nature now, but you may see chicks fresh out of the shell in this park!!

First, we've learned details on red-crested cranes in the museum section.　Do you know when they are angry, the red part on the head becomes bigger? Or young cranes don't have the red part on the head like this?

*Adult crane←Young crane←Chick←Egg

After learning the bird, we went out the field! These are not cages, but fences to avoid their territorial battles.

I love this camera hole! Very cute, isn't it??

Wow! Wow! Wow! There are a lot of red-crested cranes around here!

We were so excited to take pictures!!!

 Look at the young crane without the red part on the head!

He flew toward us several times!!

When you come here at end of May, you may see double cherry blossoms in full bloom!

Last, but not least, we enjoyed delicious ice cream just outside of this reserve! Actually this stand serves one of the most delicious ice cream around this area!

 It contains a lot of fresh cream!! Yummy x 2!!

Ops! One of my guests fed a brown beer!! Hahaha!

■Where is "Japanese Crane Reserve （釧路市丹頂鶴自然公園）"?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Monthly Ice Cream (Made by MISSU HOUSE) on the Limited Express Trains of JR Hokkaido | June, 2012

When I use a limited express train here in Hokkaido, I always eat monthly ice cream sold on the train.

This time, I went to Sapporo from Hakodate. This is JR Hakodate Station↓ Here we go♪

First, we dropped by "Shunka （旬花）", a box lunch stand in the station!

They serve a lot of kinds of seafood box lunch! Which should I choose? Everything looks very yummy x 2!! 

We took a Super Hokuto Limited Express Train!

Voila!
This is what I chose↓

I really love sushi!!!
This flounder sushi is made of local ingredients only! Sounds perfect!!

After lunch, of course, it's dessert time!!!
This is my favorite ice cream!!! The monthly ice cream in June is.....................

Yogurt!!
When I use a limited train in Hokkaido, I always buy a monthly ice cream made by MISSU HOUSE, which is one of my favorite ice cram makers in Sapporo!
Hokkaido is famous for dairy products, and we can eat delicious ice cream here!

Do you wanna try it? Hahaha!
It is very creamy and dairy!!! I love it!

We've arrived in Sapporo!! 

■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!