Back to explore
Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Mashu First Observation Deck
摩周湖第一展望台Hokkaido
Lake Mashu is a caldera lake in Teshikaga, eastern Hokkaido, seen only from observation decks set on the crater rim, because the Ministry of the Environment forbids access to the shoreline itself. The First Observation Deck is the main visitor platform, sitting at about 552 metres with the widest sweep over the water and the fullest facilities, including the Kamui Terrace rest house. The lake has no significant inflowing or outflowing rivers, which is why its water is renowned for extraordinary clarity and deep blue colour. Dense fog rolls over the caldera often, especially in early summer, so a clear view is a matter of luck rather than planning.
- Best season
- Year-round
- Late spring through autumn brings the most comfortable conditions and the best odds of a clear view, with autumn generally less foggy than early summer; winter visits are possible and often crisply clear, but bitterly cold.
- Crowd level
- Popular
- Rating
- 4.3· 8,850 reviews
- Opening hours
- Daily Open 24 hours
- Admission
- There is no admission charge to walk onto the observation deck. Visitors arriving by car should be ready for a seasonal parking charge at the deck car park, collected during the main visiting season; check the rate on arrival.
- Nearest station
- Biruwa Station
Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.
Today
Open 24 hoursStored weekly hours
Daily Open 24 hours
How to get there
From Sapporo Station · ~5h 23m by car
Tags
landmarklakesceniceast hokkaido
Location
More in Hokkaido
Continue exploring
Your turn
Plan a trip like this — free
Built from 2,650+ verified hidden places — real routes, ferries, and events matched to your dates. Yours takes about a minute.
No credit card, plan your first trip now!