Lake Tōfutsu

What it is

• A 900-hectare brackish lake located within the Abashiri Quasi-National Park.
• A protected wetland site registered under the Ramsar Convention since 2005.
• The name originates from the native Ainu word meaning lake mouth.
• A sand spit separates the lake waters from the Sea of Okhotsk.

What to see

• Over 60,000 migratory geese and ducks that visit the lake annually.
• Yellow-breasted buntings that use the area as a breeding ground.
• Red glasswort plants growing in the salt marshes along the shore.
• Local fisheries harvesting oysters, Corbicula clams, and short-neck clams.

When to go

• Winter months offer sightings of migratory birds, though feeding them is prohibited.

Getting there

• The lake is accessible via the Kitahama and Hama-Koshimizu railway stations.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.