Lake Mokoto

What it is

• A brackish lagoon located within the Abashiri Quasi-National Park in Hokkaido
• A significant wetland designated by the Ministry of the Environment
• The name originates from several theories in the native Ainu language
• A productive fishing site for Corbicula clams, oysters, and pond smelt

What to see

• Migratory birds including whooper swans that visit the water
• Red-crowned cranes that use the area as a breeding ground
• The Mokoto River flowing into the lake and out to the Okhotsk Sea
• Livestock grazing on the northern flatlands of the lakeshore
• A frozen lake surface during the cold winter season

Getting there

• Located near Mokoto Station on the Senmo Line
• Accessible by road via National Route 244 and Hokkaido Route 102

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.