What to Do in Kushiro in 2 Days? Travel Guide and Tips

Day 1 | Morning

Kushiro City Red-crowned Crane Natural Park

Opening Hours: Open from 1/1-4/9(Winter),9:00am-4:00pm;Open from 4/10-10/14(Summer),9:00am-6:00pm;Open from 10/15-12/31(Winter),9:00am-4:00pm

Ticket Price: 480 JPY

Recommended Length of Stay: 2-3 Hours

Location: １１２ Tsuruoka, Kushiro, Hokkaido 084-0926

The local Ainu regard the red-crowned crane as the "God of Wetland". There are more than 20 rare red-crowned cranes living in the park, and you can watch them up close. In May every year, you can also see cute baby birds.

Day 1 | Afternoon

When time permits after visiting Kushiro City Red-crowned Crane Natural Park, don’t forget pay a visit to Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train.

Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train

Opening Hours: Open all day

Ticket Price: 200 JPY

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: 14 Chome-5 Kitaodori, Kushiro, Hokkaido 085-0015

Every year from the end of April to the end of October, the summer viewing train runs between Kushiro and Toro on the Kushimi Main Line. Sitting in the green and brown two-color train, the train moves slowly at an average speed of 30 kilometers per hour. During the journey of about 1 hour, you can enjoy the magnificent scenery of the entire wetland through the train window. If you are lucky, you may see the Ezo deer living in the wetlands, and the red-crowned crane, a "special natural monument". Please confirm the travel date before departure, it does not operate every day. Entering October, the driving section usually extends from Tang Road to Chuanyu Hot Spring, so you can pay attention to confirm it in advance.

Day 1 | Evening

After visiting the glorious Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train, La Vista Kushirogawa nearby is the best place to stay.

La Vista Kushirogawa

La Vista Kushirogawa offers air-conditioned rooms with free wired internet access and spacious public baths with great views. It is less than a 10-minute walk from JR Kushiro Station.
Rooms come with a TV, refrigerator and an electric kettle. The en suite bathroom features a shower booth and toiletries. Slippers are provided.Outdoor baths are provided on the top floor and offers a beautiful view of Kushiro River.La Visa Kushirogawa is a 45-minute drive from Kushiro Airport. A scheduled shuttle bus from JR Kushiro Station is provided.

Day 2 | Morning

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

Opening Hours: Open from 9:00am-5:00pm

Ticket Price: 460 JPY

Recommended Length of Stay: 1.0-2.0 Hours

Location: 6-11 Hokuto, Kushiro

The building is conceived with the sedge plant "Valley Landlord" in the wetland, and it is full of ancient Western European castle-style buildings. The origin of the Kushiro Wetland, its flora and fauna, relics, topography, geology, and other scientific knowledge are explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner using a drawing board. From the roof, you can overlook the wetland landscape with different styles of the four seasons.

Day 2 | Afternoon

Now we come to another great highlight in the city: Akan International Crane Centre.

Akan International Crane Centre

Opening Hours: Open from 9:00am-5:00pm

Ticket Price: 470 JPY

Location: 23-40 Kamiakan, Akan-cho, Kushiro, Hokkaido

Red-crowned cranes pass through Lake Akan in winter, so the Akan International Red-crowned Crane Center was specially set up on the shore of Lake Akan. In addition to conducting research on related work here, there is also an artificial breeding ground. There is also a library and a screening room in the International Crane Center, so that interested people can visit and learn about the ecology and habits of red-crowned cranes. The newly born red-crowned crane is a rare sight. Visitors who have the opportunity to travel to Lake Akan or Kushiro should not miss it.

* All reviews in the blog are machine-translated.