Shiretoko Five Lakes Elevated Boardwalk was added to Your Favorites!
Shiretoko NP, Hokkaido
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Rather than cut through undisturbed forest, planners routed the boardwalk over dwarf bamboo on former pasture. Experts helped choose its design and construction methods to reduce effects on wildlife, including rare birds of prey.
The 800 m boardwalk stands 2–5 m above ground, with an approximately 7,000-volt electric fence along it. That separation lets the path remain available even when brown bears are active nearby—without inviting visitors to approach them.
The first 247 m opened in April 2006; by April 2010, the path reached Lake 1 at about 800 m. The full extension was built over 3 years at a total cost of ¥800 million.
Crowding on the ground trails had worn paths and nearby vegetation, while bear sightings could close trails for long periods. The boardwalk offers stable access; the forest trails use separate rules to protect nature and guide visits.
Although the boardwalk rises as much as 5 m above the ground, it has no steps and keeps its slope gentle. At about 2 m wide, it was designed to be accessible to wheelchair users.
The boardwalk ends at Lake 1 rather than circling all five lakes. Along the way, 3 observation decks frame different panoramas of the Shiretoko Range, the Sea of Okhotsk and the lake.
A ranger once noted Nemuro water-lilies blooming in a small pond beside the boardwalk, with herons sometimes resting there. Sika deer, too, have been spotted nearby from the elevated path.
