Akan National Park
阿寒国立公園
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Lake Mashu (September 2005)
Location	Hokkaidō, Japan
Nearest city	TeshikagaNearest city: Teshikaga
Coordinates	43°32′40″N 144°17′1″E / 43.54444°N 144.28361°E / 43.54444; 144.28361Coordinates: 43°32′40″N 144°17′1″E / 43.54444°N 144.28361°E / 43.54444; 144.28361
Area	904.81 square kilometres (349.35 sq mi)
Established	December 4, 1934 Established: December 4, 1934
Governing body	Ministry of the Environment

Akan National Park (阿寒国立公園, Akan Kokuritsu Kōen^?) is a national park located on the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. Along with Daisetsuzan National Park, these are the two oldest national parks in Hokkaidō.^[1] The park was established December 4, 1934.^[2][3]

Akan is an area of volcanic craters and forests, covering 90,481 hectares (904.81 km²).^[2][3] The park is famous for its crystal clear lakes, its hot springs, and its large marimo. It is the only place where marimo of appreciable size form naturally in Japan.

[edit] Sites

The park can be divided into two general areas, Kawayu and Akan.^[4]

[edit] Kawayu

Mount Iō and the Kawayu Onsen offer natural hotsprings and sulphur furmaroles. Around Lake Kussharo^[2], a caldera lake, are Bihoro Pass, Mount Mokoto, and Mount Nishibetsu. At the lake, Wakoto Peninsula is an area with high ground temperatures and uniquely adapted wildlife.^[4] Lake Mashu is a caldera lake.^[2] It is one of the clearest lakes in the world with visibility up to 40 meters.

[edit] Akan

Akan Caldera is a large caldera over 20 km across. Emerging from within caldera is the Akan Volcanic Complex, which includes the highest mountain in the park, Mount Meakan.^[2] The lake also features boiling mud, called bokke. Churui island is one of four islands in the lake and the site of the Marimo Exhibition and Observation Center. Lake Onneto is at the foot of Mount Meakan. Nearby is a hot water waterfall, Onneto Yu-no-taki. From Sokodai, one can observe Lake Penketo and Lake Panketo. Mount Hakuto Observatory, Mount Kikin, Tsurumi Pass, and Akan Lakeside Observatory offer panoramas of the surrounding countryside. On the Akan River people view the mouth of the river Takiguchi as it flows into Lake Akan from Takimi Bridge. The area also offers Lake Jiro and Lake Taro.^[5]

[edit] External links

• Wikitravel: Akan National Park

[edit] References

v • d • e National parks of Japan Abashiri Quasi-National Park · Akan National Park · Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park · Aso Kujū National Park · Bandai-Asahi National Park · Chichibu Tama Kai National Park · Chubu-Sangaku National Park · Daisen-Oki National Park · Daisetsuzan National Park · Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park · Hakusan National Park · Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park · Hidaka Sanmyaku-Erimo Quasi-National Park · Hyōnosen-Ushiroyama-Nagisan Quasi-National Park · Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park · Ise-Shima National Park · Jōshin'etsu Kōgen National Park · Kirishima-Yaku National Park · Kushiro Shitsugen National Park · Meiji no Mori Takao Quasi-National Park · Minami Alps National Park · Nikkō National Park · Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-National Park · Nishi-Chugoku Sanchi Quasi-National Park · Ogasawara National Park · Ōnuma Quasi-National Park · Rikuchu Kaigan National Park · Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park · Saikai National Park · Sanin Kaigan National Park · Setonaikai National Park · Shikotsu-Tōya National Park · Shimokita Hanto Quasi-National Park · Shiretoko National Park · Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park · Tanzawa-Ōyama Quasi-National Park · Tenryū-Okumikawa Quasi-National Park · Towada-Hachimantai National Park · Unzen-Amakusa National Park · Yatsugatake-Chūshin Kōgen Quasi-National Park · Yoshino-Kumano National Park

This Hokkaidō location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This article about a national/quasi-national park or protected area in Japan, or related topic is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e