Boasting the title of Japan’s largest marshland, Kushiro Shitsugen National Park is a whopping 269 square kilometers of wetlands found between Kushiro City and Akan National Park in Eastern Hokkaido. Not to be underestimated, this protected national park is home to a huge number of complex ecosystems and fascinating wildlife including the iconic Japanese crane.
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![Kushiro Shitsugen National Park]()
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
Officially recognised as a national park in 1987, Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, or Kushiro Wetlands, is a huge expanse of marshland that is home to many living things both beneath and above its surface. The wetlands straddle the Kushiro River which runs through down the eastern side of the park with the Senmo trainline running perpendicular to the river.
![Kushiro Shitsugen National Park]()
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
While Kushiro may not be the prettiest of Hokkaido’s national parks, what it lacks in idyllic landscapes it makes up for in adventurous activities and enriching stories of wildlife. The numerous observation points and boardwalks around the park, both along the river and in the west, give visitors splendid panoramic views onto the far-stretching marshlands that appear to continue for kilometers upon end. Observatories along the way also provide more in-depth explanations of the multifarious ecosystems, plants, and wildlife found all around the national park.
![Kushiro Shitsugen National Park]()
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
Kushiro Shitsugen is home to more than 600 types of plant across its 269 kilometer expanse. To get a closer-up look there are certain points where visitors can take a canoe out onto the marshland. As well as the huge variety of plants and small wildlife including dragonflies and the lizard-like Siberian salamanders, the park attracts red-crowned cranes. The Akan International Crane Center 20km west of Kushiro Shitsugen pays homage to these graceful birds that at one point risked extinction in Japan until a conservation program was established in Kushiro.
![Kushiro Shitsugen National Park]()
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
Surrounded by alluring forests, Kushiro Shitsugen makes the ideal day out for walkers. While the paths remain relatively flat, they drift through dreamy woodland whose colors change with the seasons with wooden paths, staircases, and bridges adding to the area’s charm. With the JR Senmo Line running down the east side of the national park, visitors without a car can catch the train in order to stop off at observation points as well as the three picturesque lakes to the east of the park: Lake Takkobu, Lake Toro and Lake Shirarutoro.
![Kushiro Shitsugen National Park]()
Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
- Kushiro National Park
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- Hokkaido Kushiroshi , Kushiro-gun Kushiro-cho, Kawakami gun Shiba-cho, Akan-gun Tsurui Village
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