Lake Salmon
Everyone knows that salmon breed in freshwater rivers and streams, migrate to the ocean, and then return to freshwater rivers to spawn. So you may be surprised to find a type of salmon that lives its entire life in a freshwater lake. Lake Shikotsu holds a type of sockeye salmon called kokanee (himemasu in Japanese). They are raised in nearby hatcheries and released into the lake, where fishing is banned for most of the year. In the summer, the ban is lifted for a short period, and fishing enthusiasts come to catch their fill. Himemasu is considered a local delicacy, and you can find it on the menu in one form or another at almost any restaurant in the Lake Shikotsu area.