Lake Toya Vicinity
Four seasons of beautiful scenery
Lying about 20 kilometers south of Mount Yotei, Lake Toya is unquestionably one of the most scenic lakes in all of Hokkaido, perhaps in all of Japan. Around the lake you can see many working farms, and to the south and east are onsen hot springs. Just south of the lake are the twin peaks of Mount Usu and Mount Showa Shinzan. The former is an active volcano, while the latter is a small mountain of roughly 400 meters in elevation. A cable car on the side of Mount Usu takes visitors to an observation platform with a panoramic view of Mount Showa Shinzan, Lake Toya, and the surrounding scenery. Despite Hokkaido’s cold winters, due to its great depth (up to 180 meters), the lake never completely freezes, offering beautiful views all year round.