Do you want to do cycling with both ocean and lake views? Wakka Nature Reserve, one of the biggest coastal grasslands in Japan, is there for you. It is a 20 km spit splitting the Okhotsk Sea and Lake Saroma. You can rent a bicycle at the Wakka Nature Center and take either a kid-friendly flat route or another one with ups and downs but also with nice views.

My recommendations is definitely the latter route. The 4.5 km road treats you with fresh spring water at the end before you double back (no worries, it’s beside the sea but surprisingly drinkable). The round trip would take around 1.5 hour.

Thanks to its geographically unique location, the nature reserve consists of forests, grasslands, wetlands and dunes hosting over 300 kinds of plants. It is also home to many wild animals including white-tailed eagles and Yezo deer (an indigenous kind of Hokkaido), which you might across during cycling!

After you enjoy cycling, why don’t you try gemstone hunting on the beach on the way back? Find out more from here! >> Gemstone Hunt on Okhotsk Beach

Wakka Nature Center（ワッカ原生花園）

Hours: 8 am - 5 pm in May and from September to mid October
8 am - 6 pm from June to August
(Closed in winter)
Bike rental: 650 yen for over 12 years old, 320 yen for under 12 years old
Access: One hour from Kitami and Abashiri by car