Lake Toya, Hokkaido, is among the deepest lakes in Japan, with a max depth of 180m. The lake is one of the many sections of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park.
In the middle of Lake Toya, you can find Nakajima Island, which translates to “Inner Island”. The Island of Nakajima is uninhabited as it is a nature reserve. Wild animals, such as deer, roam free in their herds through the dense woods. There is a clearly marked hiking trail on the island, and the abundance of nature makes venturing out to Nakajima well worth it.
one of the more notable attractions around Lake Toya, are the variety of cruise options offered by Toyakokisen, with cruises that venture out to Nakajima Island the large island in the center of Lake Toya. It’s a highly enjoyable experience, and coffee and drinks can be purchased aboard.
The area around Lake Toya is a geothermal hot spot, resulting in geothermal sites and onsens which are plentiful in this area. Along the waterfront, you can even find naturally headed footbaths to soak in for a few moments and refresh yourself.
On the southern end of the Lake, there is Mt.Usu Memorial Park, a tribute to the damages and losses of the 4 eruptions in the past 100 years, the most recent being in the year 2000, which displaced several thousand people.
Lake Toya Cruise Hours
- Hours: 8:00am - 4:30pm (Mid April - October)
- Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm (November - Mid April)
- 1420JPY Per Person
- Official Website
- Closed: Open year round
Where To Stay
Accessing Lake Toya
Lake Toya can be accessed with public transport from the town of Toyako. From Sapporo Station, Toya Station is a 2 hour train ride. This is a very scenic train route, taking you along Hokkaido’s southern coast, and is a really pleasant ride to Toya Station.
From Toya Station, you cancatch a bus to the Toyako Onsen Bus terminal, where you can find a lot of the accomodation around the lake, as well as the Toyakisen scenic cruise.
The journey from Sapporo Station will take 2.5 hours all up, and cost about 6500JPY. Large savings can be made by using a Japan Rail Pass on the Sapporo to Toya Station leg.
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