Beautiful place to visit after lake Akan. A must visit place to feel like heavenly atmosphere. Cool breeze and beautiful views and nice pictures to be taken. Enjoyed this place but the driving was little winding road so be careful and drive within limits of the speed mentioned. Sharp turns are inclined.

Amazing spot to get a full 360 view of the lake but also the mountains! Cute little cafe to buy souvenirs, snacks and drinks. Sell a delicious soft ice as well! The chocolate milk is a must try!

By the time we arrived, it was so foggy that we couldn’t see anything from the observation deck. Many visitors left after a short stop at the souvenir shop. We decided to check the weather forecast, which predicted clear and sunny skies later in the day. So, we took our time—had some coffee and a light lunch—hoping the sky would clear up. About twenty minutes later, a magical moment happened! When we looked out from the shop, we saw patches of blue sky, and the fog began to lift. Soon, we were able to enjoy a stunning view of the entire lake, shimmering under the sunlight. It’s highly recommended to check the local weather forecast before visiting, as it can really help you plan your trip better.

If you only have limited time around Lake Mashu, head to Observatory 1, where there's a bird's eye view from a high vantage point for the entire lake. Grab an ice cream or pork rice at the cafe and pick up some souvenirs as well.

Most beautiful sea I saw so far 🫡 One observatory is free, the other one has 500¥ parking fee for cars.

Cold and windy day but the views of Lake Mashu and nearby mountains are great. Lots of wildlife in the area, so please be careful while driving.

The observatory is a deck on top of the Lake Mashu visitor center and a further deck at the top end of the car park. The visitor center contains a souvenir shop, cafe and toilets. It costs ¥500 to park, but the ticket will also cover parking at Mt.Io on the same day. The top deck has seating. The entrance for the Mt.Mashu hike is at the bottom end of the carpark near the 24 hour toilets.

Good place to see sunrise and sea of cloud. Sea of cloud forms when there is rain the day before. Good parking lot beside view point.

It was long journey with the rent car from sapporo, but the weather was great and I could see the real blue of Mashu lake. I visited here a year ago but still this photo is my window background. I never forget feeling.

Jaw dropping views of this caldera lake. The pristine blue, the sheer size. The carpark is just opposite the roadside. Short climb to the top. Many insects in summer but the view is more than worth it. Must visit in Hokkaido!!!

Beautiful view of the lake but there are no facilities - if you need, best go to No. 1 viewpoint (but the view from there is not as good!)

3rd observatory is free but if you go to the 1st, ticket include the visit of the Mt IO rest house

It’s like paradise on earth. Better than the national parks in the U.S. not a piece of scrap found.

Wonderful point of view with parking, ice cream 🍦 picture of the lake at mid april

This is quite a worthy stop with a small visitor centre too. The platform built atop has a superb view of Lake Mashu, which is unique in its deep crater walls. Do stop by if you are driving past it!

Extremely beautiful viewpoint of the lake. Peaceful. It's absolutely worth a stop if you're driving in the area. Really special!

Though Lake Mashu was surrounded by clouds, I enjoyed seeing the view from this spot. Mashu Blue is waiting for you:) It might be better to have some brunch shorter so as to see entire lake.

The road to observatory is closed until 19th of April 2023 due to snow, I took this picture at the beginning of the road today. Please check before you drive up there , took me 40 mins to drive from first observatory 🥹

This place is better than another side. (The general route for 3 lakes). If you would to have the different of experience, please stop by. Autumn is the best timing to here.

Foggy most of the time. Great views on sunny days. Free parking. Small souvenir shop. No food. Drink vending machine. But worth a visit if u r staying at Teshikaga or passing nearby.

Absolutely breathtaking. We came in the afternoon with a breath of fog lingering. Can't compare to the other viewing points since I didn't stop at those, but I would certainly travel around lake mashu the next time I return. The toilets at this stop are not very clean and dont have soap. You can buy tissue at the nearby small store.

Parking lot located at the top of the mountain. Absolute gorgeous view. Stayed in the car overnight to shoot a time lapse movie. Can get very windy and cold overnight so be cautious and geared if you plan to stay late.

Stumbled upon this by accident, but amazing views as a present. No commodities here though (no bathroom or shop), just a parking spot and nice views.

Drove past it by accident going down the mountain — very quiet and just a simple overtaking deck with not very many amenities but a nice overlook to view the lake.

Stunning view. Would recommend stopping by here for pictures

The observatory is built at 725 meters above sea level of Mt. Mokoto (Mokotoyama). It is a marvelous and popular viewing spot that tourists can look over Lake Kussharo or Mt. Shari (Sharidake), too. There is a restaurant, souvenir store and rest rooms in the rest station, admission free for visitors. And the car parking slot is also free of charge.

am4:30 2025.8.18

The view was spectacular.

Surrounded by beautiful natural scenery and fresh, crisp air, this place feels like a retreat into nature. Watching wild geese by the cold lake made for a unique and unforgettable experience.

Very interesting as the sand is warm but water in the lake is cold. There is a beautiful morning mist that makes the scenery beautiful. You can see sunset here. There are big parking spaces facing the lake and public toilet which is clean. I came here in a camper van for 1 night. The road leading to this destination is dark at night.

My experience at Sunayu Beach, Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido. During our recent Hokkaido trip, we visited Lake Kussharo early one morning. The scenic Sunayu beach, with its stretch of sandy shore, offered breathtaking views of the lake. What made this spot unique was the natural hot-spring water flowing directly onto the beach – dig a hole in the sand, and warm water would gush out! It is perfect for soaking one's feet and unwinding. The surrounding area featured plenty of trees and ample space for a leisurely morning stroll, which we thoroughly enjoyed. The combination of natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere made Sunayu beach an unforgettable experience.

This was really a splendid stopover for us. The sand beside the lake has hot water underneath and people brought their chairs to sit by the water. Toilet is clean, you could also stop your campervan in the parking lot to sleep overnight. There is a trash bin which was amazing because we finally threw out trash. Loved this place!

Sunayu view point, great place to stop by for onsen foot bath and for snacks/coffee You can dig your own foot bath 😉

Was not sure what to expect but really enjoyed it. We arrived around 5pm and there were not many people around making it very peaceful. We dug a hole and enjoyed warming our feet in the nicely warm water and sand.

Amazing even when all you need to do is to shove your feet into the sand and you can instantly feel the heat on your feet, pretty hot LOL!

We were a bit unlucky with the weather so we couldn't fully experience Akan National Park and its famous stargazing experience but we truly enjoyed the beautiful hike up Mount Mokoto and the stunning view on the volcanic lake and it's characteristic central island.

Must visit when you go to Kushiro. Beautiful even in the summer.

I thought Shiretoko might be the most beautiful national park in Hokkaido, but after visiting Akan-Mashu... well, maybe it was the weather that we were blessed with! A must-visit in Hokkaido! I had already visited in winter, but it was completely transformed in summer.

It's a beautiful and majestic site , usually not crowded , excellent facilities, recommend visiting

Sea of clouds, big&beautiful lake, spiritual pond, mountains, and etc are awsome

Caldera lakes, an active volcano, oodles of onsens; this is a must-visit in Hokkaido.

Lake Kussharo is awesome

Observation deck at the Tsubetsu pass at 947m above sea level. Very good vantage point to see the sunrise. The pass is opened from Jun to Sep. The observation deck is only opened from 9am but the view from the outside of building iw good enough. Check the sunrise timing. Its 3.40am in Jun. Beware of deers when driving up.

I drove to there early in the morning at 5am in the July. It’s bright enough but you still need to be careful of the narrow roads and shape turns. We didn’t have luck to see the “sea of clouds” but still had chances to see the beautiful scenes along the roads. We couldn’t go to the top of the observatory building as it’s reserved for tours only ...disappointed.

Spectacular view of the lake and island from a high vantage point.

Wonderful, being able to see some clouds. Great look out from here

Nice view of the clouds

Great view but 美幌卡 has similar and better view

amazing!

This is a natural oxygen bar, surrounded by mountains and embraced by the calm lake. There’s a rest area where you can grab a simple meal and buy some water. It’s a great place to connect with nature.

If you are coming here, come at sunset. The views are magnificent and the colors are a soft hue of red and green. It was breathtaking for me, so highly recommend.

Simply amazing 😍🤩 go for it.The views are spectacular.

It’s my first time visiting! It’s very windy 🌬️ when we came around but even so, it’s a breathtaking view! Recommend to visit at least once!

Great spot for amazing views. There is a food court and small shop. A must place to visit. One day hope to be able to catch the sea of clouds moment.

Absolutely spectacular view of Lake Kussharo. Lavatories available at visitor center.

I was here on a cloudy day , so the view of lake kussharo was not in sight. However the food at the restaurant was good and the general atmosphere of the area even during a cloudy day was nice

Beautiful michi-no-eki! But DO NOT drive up at night or you risk being caught in a dense fog. In the morning and at sunset, the sea of clouds that can be seen from Bihoro-toge rest area is breathtaking. So is driving through it, but in a different way. At night, the sea of deers we saw at the side of the road looked like they were having a fiesta of sorts. Please be careful and drive slow so not to hurt them. Toilets were particularly clean, but either we were too cold in the fog to figure how to open the door, or they lock up at night. It was worth waiting for the shops to open at 10am as the curry bun is a huge recommend. You can skip the coffee.

Such a pretty lookout over Lake Mashu.. so much serenity and peace.. the views over at Observatory 3 was immaculate and a must visit. Head out to Observertry 1 for a quiet dessert in the cafe overseeing the crystal blue Lake Mashu.

Beautiful sight that overlooking the Lake Kusharo. The toilets very clean and woody style. Came here in early June 2025 and not crowded. Weather about 14°C.

Nice rest area. It was nicely warm especially coming in from the cold windy observation area. Interesting & tasty bread with potato inside.

Pulled over during an epic rainstorm and near-zero visibility, only to find this car park came complete with a restaurant and well-stocked shop that had local souvenirs and decent pastries. The toilets are clean and were playing hip jazz. There’s good signage in English and I expect the views are excellent when you can see more than 20 metres in front of you.

Magnificent views and nice food. Try the curry bread with cheese and onions

Great panaromic views. Ample space for photo taking. There is a mini bakery, coffee shop, mini restaurant (soba, noodles etc), souvenir shop and fried potato snacks, ice cream shop in the building with the second floor to rest/eat with great views too. The drive down the hills along the lake also gives some good views.

Little stopover restaurant serving curries, Japanese spaghetti, noodles, fried chicken, and other dishes.

Love this local food restaurant. The kids and folk enjoyed the meal very much. Apart from the food shown in the picture, their oyaku don and teriyaki chicken don are superb. Pricing is very reasonable. They have an english menu and easy to communicate. Get crowded by noon. Suggest to go slightly before 12 to avoid crowd.

Very cute place Operated by an old couple who are very kind and patient. They were able to accommodate my wifes gluten allergy with gluten free fish and salad. The curry was delicious. Very meaty and subtle saltiness.

A welcoming stop after heavy rain and fog around Lake Kussharo. A warm and cosy interior. The hosts are lovely and patient in answering our questions about the Japanese menu. Love the tako scallop pasta and a delicious crab burger (with egg). Big portions, good for sharing. We left very happy with our bellies full for the road trip ahead.

The atmosphere is wonderful. The view from the widows is delightful. And the food delicious. I had the crab burger and it was so good my friend and I had to order a second to share, even though one was plenty. The prices are very reasonable. There is ample parking as we were able to park our camper car with ease. 100% suggest you visit.

Great food! And such a cute location with the fields and the mountains in the distance. A lovely little wooden Japanese lodge. Lovely staff. Yum.

Juiciest burger in the world! Welcoming and friendly people.