Kushiro

Kushiro is cool and foggy in summer and cold in winter, so bring a jacket.

Kushiro is located in eastern Hokkaido and is known for Japan’s largest wetland, wild red-crowned cranes, sunset views, and fresh seafood. The city has a relaxed pace, a well-preserved natural environment, and a nostalgic Showa-era feel, making it suitable for travelers who want a quiet encounter with nature.

Below is a travel reference for Kushiro and the surrounding area:

Main Sights

Kushiro’s highlights are mainly wetlands, wildlife, and city landmarks. Plan your route according to the season and transport conditions.

• Kushiro Shitsugen Wetland: Japan’s largest wetland. You can take the Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko sightseeing train to Hosooka Observatory for views of the Kushiro River winding through the marshland. In summer, the Onnenai Wooden Boardwalk is good for walking, while in winter you can arrange a wetland canoe experience.

• Tsurui Village & Ito Tancho Sanctuary: An area well suited for observing wild red-crowned cranes. On winter mornings, you can often see morning mist and flocks of cranes feeding, with scheduled feeding activities in the afternoon.

• Nusamai Bridge: Kushiro’s representative landmark, often described as one of the “world’s three great sunsets.” Around sunset, you can enjoy the evening glow and blue-hour night views from the bridge or from the free observation area below it.

• Washo Market: Located in central Kushiro, this market lets you create your own “katte-don” seafood rice bowl, choosing fresh seafood such as sea urchin, sweet shrimp, and hairy crab. Prices are relatively reasonable.

Classic Itinerary

Allow 2–3 days to connect central Kushiro, the wetlands, and the Lake Akan area.

• Day 1: City walk and seafood experience
  • Morning: After arriving in Kushiro, check in to a hotel near JR Kushiro Station. Head to Washo Market to try a DIY seafood rice bowl or oyster ramen.
  • Afternoon: Explore the city on foot. You can visit Shussezaka, a steep tree-lined slope good for photos, as well as the TV Tower and Kushiro City Museum to learn about the local ecology and city background.
  • Evening: Go to Nusamai Bridge to watch the sunset.
• Day 2: Wetland visit and canoe experience
  • Early morning: Take the Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko train or a chartered car to Kushiro Shitsugen Wetland, and photograph the morning mist from Hosooka Observatory.
  • Morning: Try canoeing on the Toro River and observe the wetland ecosystem up close. If you are lucky, you may see red-crowned cranes, deer, and foxes.
  • Afternoon: Visit Tsurui Village to observe red-crowned cranes, or go to Otowa Bridge to photograph the wetland scenery, then return to the city in the evening.
• Day 3: Nearby lakes and hot spring relaxation (optional)
  • Full day: Take the Akan Bus to Lake Akan and enjoy an infinity-style hot spring. You can also visit Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo to see clear lake water and try the Sunayu footbath.

Dining Reference

Kushiro is a port city, so seafood and robatayaki are central to local dining, and there are also many long-running local restaurants.

• Robatayaki: Kushiro is regarded as the birthplace of robatayaki. Options include Kushiro Aburiya, a long-established local restaurant that grills seafood over binchotan charcoal, and Nusamai, a small mother-and-daughter-run place with a friendly atmosphere.
• Katte-don (seafood rice bowl): Washo Market is the main place to try it. You can choose ingredients at stalls such as Sato Shoten and have your bowl made on the spot. The king crab is comparatively good value.

• Western-style food and izakaya: Options include Izumiya, a Western-style restaurant popular with locals and known for generous portions of pork cutlet spaghetti, and Kushiro Shokudo, an izakaya that uses ingredients from eastern Hokkaido.

• Specialty noodle shops: Tsubuyaki Kadoya has been in business for 60 years and focuses on grilled whelk and soy sauce ramen; Uocchi Ramen specializes in Michelin-level fish broth noodles.

Practical Travel Tips

• Transport: Sights in central Kushiro are fairly concentrated, so most city travel can be done on foot or by taxi. For the wetlands and Tsurui Village, renting a car or hiring a chartered car is recommended, as public transport is limited and timetables should be checked in advance. The JR limited express “Super Ozora” connects Sapporo and Kushiro in about 4 hours.
• Best season: In summer (July–August), wildflowers bloom in the wetlands, making it good for canoeing and walking. In winter (December–March), you can see flocks of red-crowned cranes, morning mist, and the SL Fuyu-no-Shitsugen steam train, but temperatures are low, so prepare well for the cold.
• Accommodation advice: Prioritize hotels near JR Kushiro Station or Nusamai Bridge, such as Dormy Inn, which has a natural hot spring and free late-night ramen. These areas are convenient for transport and sunset viewing.
• Notes: When hiking in the wetlands, be aware of the risk of bears and consider carrying a bear bell. Some long-established local shops do not accept credit cards or Alipay/WeChat Pay, so it is best to prepare cash.