Your base for enjoying the alpine lake scenery and brown bear habitat of the Shiretoko Goko Lakes
The Shiretoko Goko Lakes Field House and Park Service Center are bases for enjoying the natural scenery and brown bear habitat of the Shiretoko Five Lakes area.
Shiretoko Goko Lakes Field House marks the start of an 800-meter-long elevated wooden promenade, which offers a safe and accessible way to enjoy the lakes. Visitors can enjoy picturesque views of the surrounding Shiretoko mountain range reflected on the surface of the Shiretoko Goko (Shiretoko Five Lakes), which were formed by an eruption of nearby Mount Io hundreds of thousands of years ago.
If you want to enjoy more of Shiretoko Goko, there is the option to walk along the Ground Pathway, which has a 1.6-kilometer and a 3-kilometer loop. Before walking on the Ground Pathway, visit the field house for a short orientation on how to avoid encounters with brown bears and ways to protect local plant life.
The park has restrictions on the number of people who can visit the lakes to protect the wild plants and animals. Visitors are limited to guided tours from May to July, due to heightened bear activity. These tours provide a more in-depth look at the Shiretoko Goko Lakes' ecosystem. Tours cost around 5,000 yen and can be reserved on Shiretoko Goko's official English website.
The Park Service Center serves as a rest area, with a variety of commemorative souvenirs and light meals, including its popular lingonberry ice cream. Parking is available for a fee, but arriving by shuttle is recommended as the parking area tends to fill up quickly during the peak summer season.
Details | |
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Open (Field House) | 7:30 a.m. - Sundown (closing time varies throughout the year), end of April - end of November |
Open (Park Service Center) | 8:00 - 17:00 (also applies to kiosks in the facility) |
Closed | Open daily while the Shiretoko Goko Lakes Picnic Site is open |
Cost | Free of charge (Some trails and services may charge a fee depending on the season.) |
Foreign Languages | Guided tours available in English |
Address | Iwaobetsu, Onnebetsu Village, Shari Town, Shari County, Hokkaido |
Phone | (+81) 0152-24-3323 |
Website | https://www.goko.go.jp/multilingual_eng/index.htmlツ(EN) |
Guided tour reservation website | https://www.goko.go.jp/fivelakes/ (EN) |