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Shikotsu-Tōya NP., Hokkaido
Claim this place to tell your story your way.
About 30 minutes along the trail, Ōhira Plain opens between volcanic peaks. Nearby, a natural “wind hole” sends cool air through gaps in the rocks—a volcanic landscape feature you can feel.
The 4 islands above Lake Tōya are only the visible peaks: repeated eruptions about 50,000 years ago built a volcanic group of 11 bodies, including forms still submerged beneath the water.
Nakajima’s forest also holds a human story: Jōmon pottery and stone tools about 3,000 years old have been found on Ōshima. Prehistoric sites on islands in lakes are rare in Japan.
Three captive deer started Nakajima’s herd in 1957–65: 2 escaped and a pregnant doe was released. Numbers later topped 450; recorded plant species fell below 30% of 1977 levels, and a 2025–29 plan targets zero deer.
A 31-m Ezo spruce along the walking area was selected as one of Japan’s “100 Forest Giants.” Typhoon 18 toppled it in September 2004; young trees are now being carefully raised.
Here, the forest is the main exhibition: planners imagined the whole island as a museum, with the building as a learning hub and trailhead. The current museum replaced a 1954 forest museum in 2021.
Nakajima’s longest forest route stretches 7.6 km—about 3 hours—on an uninhabited island in the middle of Lake Tōya. Shorter courses offer a taste of the volcanic forest without the full walk.
