🦢 Hokkaido · 3 days
Eastern Hokkaido: The Crater Lakes, Bihoro Pass & Shiretoko
The great wild drive of eastern Hokkaido: from the crane fields near Kushiro through the crater lakes of Akan, Mashu and Kussharo, over Bihoro Pass to the Okhotsk coast, and up the Shiretoko Peninsula — 7 michi-no-eki across Japan’s emptiest corner.
Where central Hokkaido is patchwork farmland and flower fields, the east — Doto — is raw nature on a scale found nowhere else in Japan: a chain of deep volcanic crater lakes, a coast that freezes over with Okhotsk drift ice each winter, and the Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness of bears, waterfalls and roadless shore. Trains barely reach it; the distances are big and the traffic is almost nothing. This is the drive you rent a car in Hokkaido for.
The route runs east and north from Kushiro — the crane capital, where red-crowned cranes dance in the marshes — up to Teshikaga, the hub between Lake Mashu (Japan’s clearest, ringed by cliffs) and the vast caldera of Lake Kussharo. From the Bihoro Pass viewpoint high on the Kussharo rim, the road drops to the Okhotsk coast at Abashiri, then follows the shore through Shari and up the Shiretoko Peninsula to Utoro and, over the Shiretoko Pass, the fishing town of Rausu. Every michi-no-eki is a genuine local larder — Okhotsk seafood, Akan venison, Kushiro marsh dairy.
The stops, in driving order
- 1 Michi-no-Eki Akan Tanchou No Sato 道の駅 阿寒丹頂の里 · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Akan Tanchou No Sato (道の駅 阿寒丹頂の里) is a government-designated roadside station in 釧路市, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 1996 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a hot-spring (onsen) bath, a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop and a campground. There is free parking for about 35 cars and 8 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 5月–9月 9:00–18:00 10月–4月 9:00–17:00 観光案内所10:00–16:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Shiranuka Koi Ton, Aioi and Mashuu Onsen.
- 2 Michi-no-Eki Mashuu Onsen 道の駅 摩周温泉 · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Mashuu Onsen (道の駅 摩周温泉) is a government-designated roadside station in 川上郡弟子屈町, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 1993 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi, a tourist-information desk and hands-on experiences. There is free parking for about 69 cars and 9 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 8:00–18:00（11–4月は9:00–17:00）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Gurutto Panorama Bihoro Touge, Papasurando Sattsuru and Nonkiirando Higashimokoto.
Nearby: 🌄Lake Mashu 1st Observatory (8.6 km) · 🌄Lake Mashu 3rd Observatory (11.1 km)
- 3 Michi-no-Eki Gurutto Panorama Bihoro Touge 道の駅 ぐるっとパノラマ美幌峠 · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Gurutto Panorama Bihoro Touge (道の駅 ぐるっとパノラマ美幌峠) is a government-designated roadside station in 網走郡美幌町, Hokkaido, Japan, one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an observation deck. There is free parking for about 120 cars and 14 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 4月–10月 9:00–18:00 12月–3月 10：00–16：00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Nonkiirando Higashimokoto, Mashuu Onsen and Aioi.
Nearby: 🌄Bihoro Pass Viewpoint (0.3 km) · 📸Ikeno-yu Hot Springs (9.6 km)
- 4 Michi-no-Eki Ryuuhyou Kaidou Abashiri 道の駅 流氷街道網走 · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Ryuuhyou Kaidou Abashiri (道の駅 流氷街道網走) is a government-designated roadside station in 網走市, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 2008 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 106 cars and 16 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–18:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Meruhen No Oka Memanbetsu, Hanayaka ( Yousai Nobana ) Koshimizu and Nonkiirando Higashimokoto.
Nearby: 📸Boushiiwa (0.9 km) · 📸メルヘンの丘ビューポイント (12.9 km)
- 5 Michi-no-Eki Shari 道の駅 しゃり · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Shari (道の駅 しゃり) is a government-designated roadside station in 斜里郡斜里町, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 2007 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find free Wi-Fi, a tourist-information desk, a baby room and an accessible restroom. There is free parking for about 19 cars and 2 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–19:00. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Papasurando Sattsuru, Hanayaka ( Yousai Nobana ) Koshimizu and Nonkiirando Higashimokoto.
Nearby: 📸Memorial stone for dead Tsugaru soldiers (0.6 km) · 🌋Shari Dake (16.8 km)
- 6 Michi-no-Eki Utoro ・Shirietoku 道の駅 うとろ・シリエトク · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Utoro ・Shirietoku (道の駅 うとろ・シリエトク) is a government-designated roadside station in 斜里郡斜里町, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 2007 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, free Wi-Fi and a tourist-information desk. There is free parking for about 87 cars and 12 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9：00–17：00（レストラン 10：00–15：00）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Shiretoko ・ Rausu, Shari and Hanayaka ( Yousai Nobana ) Koshimizu.
Nearby: 📸三段の滝 (4 km) · 📸Oshinkoshinno falls (5.6 km)
- 7 Michi-no-Eki Shiretoko ・ Rausu 道の駅 知床・らうす · Hokkaido
Michi-no-Eki Shiretoko ・ Rausu (道の駅 知床・らうす) is a government-designated roadside station in 目梨郡羅臼町, Hokkaido, Japan, registered in 1999 as one of the country's official michi-no-eki rest stops for road travellers. On-site you'll find a restaurant, a cafe, a local-products shop, a tourist-information desk and an observation deck. There is free parking for about 25 cars and 3 large vehicles. Typical opening hours are 9:00–17:00（5–10月） 10:00–16:00（11–4月）. Like every michi-no-eki it offers free parking and 24-hour restrooms, making it a reliable stop on a Hokkaido road trip or campervan tour. It also makes a handy base for reaching nearby stations such as Utoro ・Shirietoku, Shari and Odaitou.
Nearby: ⛰Mount Eirei (2.3 km) · 📸Shiretoko pass (8.1 km)
Make this route yours — load all 7 stops into the planner, reorder or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
Customize this route →Route tips
- This is a real three-day drive with long empty stretches — fuel up in the towns (Kushiro, Teshikaga, Abashiri, Shari) and don’t rely on finding a gas station out on the lake and peninsula roads.
- The Bihoro Pass michi-no-eki has one of Hokkaido’s great panoramas — the whole Kussharo caldera laid out below; go on a clear morning before the cloud builds.
- The Shiretoko Pass between Utoro and Rausu opens only from late April to November — outside those months you must detour the long way round the peninsula base.
- Winter turns this into a different trip: the Abashiri drift-ice cruises and the Rausu eagle-and-orca boats run February–March, but the passes close and the roads demand real snow-driving experience.
Before you drive
- Can you drive in Japan? License rules by country
- Renting a car in Japan: the complete guide
- Can you sleep overnight at a michi-no-eki?
FAQ — Eastern Hokkaido lakes & Shiretoko
How many days do you need for the Eastern Hokkaido lakes & Shiretoko route?
3 days is a comfortable pace: roughly 240 km of driving with 7 michi-no-eki stops along the way. You can compress it, but the stops are the point.
Where does the route start and end?
It starts at Kushiro and ends at Rausu (Shiretoko). Load all 7 stops into the free MichiStops route planner to reorder, add or remove stops, then open the finished trip in Google Maps.
When is the best season to drive this route?
May–October; drift ice on the Okhotsk coast February–March.
Do I need to rent a car?
Yes — michi-no-eki are roadside stations, realistically reachable only by rental car or campervan. Most visitors can drive in Japan with a 1949-convention International Driving Permit; check the license rules for your country before booking. License rules by country →
Can I sleep overnight at the michi-no-eki on this route?
Resting overnight in your vehicle is tolerated at most michi-no-eki (camping outside the vehicle is not), and 1 stop on this route has a proper campground next door. Read the overnight-stay guide for the etiquette. Overnight-stay guide →