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K.F. / CC BY-SA 3.0
Sunayu, Lake Kussharo
屈斜路湖 砂湯Hokkaido
Sunayu is a hot-spring sand beach on the eastern shore of Lake Kussharo in Teshikaga, eastern Hokkaido, where geothermal water seeps up through the sand so visitors can dig a hollow with a spade and sit in their own improvised footbath. Lake Kussharo is the largest caldera lake in Japan, big enough that it has several separate visitor anchors rather than one centre. The other two worth knowing are Kotan Onsen, a rustic lakeside open-air bath a short drive around the southern shore, and the Bihoro Pass viewpoint high above the northwestern rim, which gives the classic panorama over the whole caldera. In winter the warm shallows at Sunayu stay unfrozen and draw flocks of whooper swans.
- Best season
- Year-round
- Enjoyable year-round. Late spring to autumn suits comfortable beach digging and lake activities, while winter brings the whooper swans and steam rising off the shallows against the snow.
- Crowd level
- Moderate
- Rating
- 4.1· 3,445 reviews
- Opening hours
- Daily Open 24 hours
- Admission
- Free to visit and free to dig your own hot-spring pool in the sand. Bring a small spade or borrow one locally, plus a towel. Nearby shops and any equipment hire are charged separately.
- Nearest station
- Kawayu-Onsen Station
- Website
- sunayu.teshikaga.asia
Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.
Today
Open 24 hoursFreeStored weekly hours
Daily Open 24 hours
How to get there
From Sapporo Station · ~5h 11m by car
Tags
landmarklakesceniceast hokkaido
Location
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