Welcome to Shikotsu-Toya National Park
Lake Shikotsu and Lake Toya have such a wealth of interesting attractions that visitors sometimes have a difficult time planning their itineraries. Fortunately, it is easy to take advantage of the visitor centers at both lakes. The Shikotsuko Visitor Center is housed in a large, log house–style building on the lakeside. Inside you will find maps, photos, and life-size replicas of foxes, bears, and birds, as well as samples of local trees. There are TV monitors with easy-to-understand videos explaining the geologic history of the area and a 4K theater with an excellent video presentation.
The Toyako Visitor Center is equally as impressive and also features a fantastic Volcano Science Museum with a variety of visual and text-based information. You can see train tracks bent by ground deformation and a small pick-up truck that was “bombed” by falling rocks from a recent eruption.
Do yourself a favor and take a few moments to explore one or both of these visitor centers before you start your visit—you will be glad you did.