If you come to Eastern Hokkaido in summer, Akan is a great place to spend a couple of days relaxing with nature and hot springs (“onsen“ in Japanese).

Akan is a cozy onsen town located right next to a beautiful lake with lots of charms and features of the culture of Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido.

So here is a 3-Day Summer Akan Itinerary Without a Car! If you are traveling in winter, check out this winter Akan itinerary.

Let’s dive in!

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Transportation to Akan

Akan is easily accessible from Kushiro Airport. You can take a bus called “Akan Airport Liner” departing after every arrival flight for just one hour to Akan. One way costs 2,150 yen per person (1,080 yen for a child).

There’s also a local bus from JR Kushiro Station to Lake Akan for one hour.

Looking for a flight for your trip? Here are 5 easy tips to book cheap flights to Hokkaido.

WHere to Stay in Akan

There are many options for nice onsen hotels in Akan. You can enjoy natural hot springs and delicious meals using fresh local ingredients, often in a buffet style. Here are some of my recommendations.

1. Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga Lake Akan

Having been listed in Michelin Guide Hokkaido, Akan Yuku no Sato offers an amazing onsen stay experience. They have different room types that match your needs — Japanese ryokan, western, and mixed-style rooms, with or without a private hot spring in a room.

There are various hot springs that you can choose from as well. Two public baths provide beautiful lake views from different angles, looking over the lake from the top floor, and sitting right next to the lake on the ground level to immerse yourself in nature.

A private family bath (reservation required) and a relaxation spa are also available.

2. Tsuruga Wings Akan

If you are someone who likes taking good care of your body, Tsuruga Wings Akan is the place for you. Its dinner buffet offers many healthy dishes using lots of vegetables.

What I like about this hotel is its hot stone sauna (bedrock bath). Lying down on a warm stone bed to sweat out is the most calming relaxation.

The hotel interior features the Ainu culture at every corner. The wooden sculpture gallery in the lobby is worth visiting even though you are not staying here.

3. Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza

Tsuruga Besso Hinanoza is a perfect place to stay for a special occasion. All 25 rooms have a private hot spring where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful lake view. There is also a public hot spring equipped with a hot stone sauna.

The dinner offers various dishes prepared with carefully selected local and seasonal ingredients from seafood to vegetables.

There are also a bar lounge and a public foot bath accessible for all guests. To ensure a calm and luxurious stay for everyone, this hotel is exclusive for adults and children over 13 years old.

Akan is located inside Akan Mashu National Park which covers a number of mountains and lakes. There are many ways to best enjoy outdoor activities in the area. Here are five of my recommendations for you to choose from!

1. Hiking

If you are a hiking lover, there are many nice hiking trails for you to try around Akan. You can check available routes with the tourist information center.

I’ve been on this trail going through a forest and looking over Lake Akan at the end, which made an amazing hike. There are interesting spots on the trail, called “Bokke” which comes from the Ainu language meaning “boiling place”. It is a mud volcano steaming from underground.

You will find some warning signs to keep your distance from Bokke as it produces a toxic gas. But no worries, you are safe as long as you stay on the trail, not getting closer to them.

This trail is 4 km long out and back, and takes about 2.5 hours to make a round trip. The starting and ending point is Lake Akan Ski Area, which takes about a 20 min walk or a 3 min taxi ride from the town.

2. Bokke Nature Walk

There’s another way to see Bokke with much easier access from Akan central area. A 1.5 km loop path takes you from the ferry dock to a Bokke spot, walking on the lakeside for about 15 min. After enjoying observing Bokke, you can take the same path back or another way to reach Akan Eco Museum Center in the town. Find a map here. The whole trip would take about 45 min.

3. Forest Walk Tour

Want to explore deeper in the National Park? Join a walking tour to visit natural springs and streams in a protected forest area, managed by Maeda Ippoen Foundation. The foundation is working to preserve the beautiful nature and wildlife there.

Note that you are allowed to enter this forest only accompanied by certified guides. SIRI, a local tour guide company, offers a few programs to explore the forest. Please contact them directly to make a booking for an English guide.

4. Fishing

Does anyone want to try fishing? Akan is a good place for it. Siri offers some fishing tours that take you to fishing points in Lake Akan and River Akan.

A full-day tour for 7 days and a half day tour for 3 hours are available. Check with the company about gear rental and English guide in advance.

5. Cycling

If you are into cycling, rent an e-bike to explore the Lake Akan area. The price is 5,500 yen for one day. an e-bike is a motorized bicycle with a motor to assist you when you’re pedaling. This helps you to go on a longer distance, more easily.

My recommendation for a cycling trip destination is Lake Onneto, located 20 km away from Akan. This hidden-gem lake is known as “Lake of Five Colors”, as it changes its color on the water depending on the time and weather conditions. Surrounded by a forest and with two big mountains behind, the lake offers beautiful landscapes and tranquil moments to enjoy nature.

Lake Akan Ferry

To finish off your last day in Akan, get on an excursion ferry in the lake! Starting from a ferry dock on the lakeside, it will take you on a round trip visiting a small island where you’ll have 15 min to observe a famous local symbol “Marimo” and a beautiful view spot on the way back.

Marimo is ball-shaped green moss that inhabits Lake Akan. Some of them grow up to 20-30 cm, which is bigger than the ones you can find anywhere else in the world. These unique plants are a popular tourist attraction in Akan - you will find a lot of souvenirs featuring Marimo, ranging from snacks to stationaries.

The ferry ride takes 85 min and costs 2,000 yen per person. It departs multiple times a day (every hour from 8-16 except for 12 during summer).

Ainu Kotan

Before you head to the next destination, make sure to visit Ainu Kotan located just one block away from the main street.

Ainu is the indigenous people of Hokkaido, and Ainu Kotan means “Ainu community“ in their language. Akan is home to about 120 Ainu people, which is one of the biggest Ainu communities in Hokkaido. In Ainu Kotan here, you can find many Ainu traditional craft shops, as well as museum and theater exhibitions to learn about Ainu’s unique culture and history.

THAT’S ALL!

Hope you enjoyed this 3-day summer Akan itinerary without a car! I’d love to hear from you, whether it’s feedback or questions - Reach out to me on my Facebook page or Instagram. We also have Eastern Hokkaido Travel Group on Facebook where you can ask questions or share experiences about trips to Eastern Hokkaido. Join us!

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