About this location: Akan
Lake Akan, a caldera lake, is famed as the habitat of marimo (a Special Natural Monument). The Akanko Onsen town, Ainu Kotan cultural village, summer Marimo Festival, and winter ice-over / stargazing make it a year-round photo destination.
Key features
- Marimo Exhibition Observation Center (Churui Island) — reached by sightseeing boat; close-up views of the Special Natural Monument spherical algae
- Ainu Kotan — one of Hokkaido's largest Ainu settlements, with Old-Style Dance performances, wood carving shops, and living tradition
- Lakeside Promenade — a walking path past «Bokke» mud volcanoes, contrasting the lake surface with volcanic terrain
- Winter Ice Festival (January–March) — smelt fishing, snow sports, fireworks, and skies full of stars
- Marimo Festival (October) — an Ainu ritual returning marimo to the lake, a mystical subject for photography
