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E-190 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake Shikaribetsu
然別湖Hokkaido
Hokkaido's highest-elevation lake (810m), a volcanic caldera lake ringed by lava domes in Shikaoi town, just south of Daisetsuzan National Park. In winter the frozen surface hosts 'Kotan,' a village of hand-built ice igloos with an open-air hot spring set directly on the ice. Best timed for winter (Kotan ice village, late Jan-late Mar) or summer (canoeing, hiking).
- Best season
- Spring · Summer · Winter
- Crowd level
- Hidden gem
- Rating
- 4.3· 325 reviews
- Opening hours
- Daily Open 24 hours
- Admission
- Natural caldera lake, free to visit (winter ice-village 'Kotan' facilities/onsen may charge separately).
- Nearest station
- No train access; nearest stations are Shintoku or Obihiro (~60-90 min drive)
Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.
Today
Open 24 hoursFreeStored weekly hours
Daily Open 24 hours
Tags
naturelakescenic
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