Connection between Lake Shikotsu and a sightseeing boat
Lake Shikotsu is known as "Giant Water Spot" and "The Northest Antifreeze Lake in Japan." The view of its quietly surrounded by rich nature is truly mysterious. Please take a look at the scenery created by the contrast between blue and greenery created by nature.
We have several types of tourist boats running through Lake Shikotsu. Underwater sightseeing boats, high-speed boats, pedal boats... Each one has the joys and excitement that only a ship can offer. Every ship should be able to fully convey the wonders of Lake Shikotsu.
History and charm of Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu's history dates back about 40,000 years ago. This is one of Japan's best caldera lakes, created by the eruption of Shikotsu Volcano and the water accumulates in the sinkhole below the crater. Below the surface of the lake is a steep, cliff-like view known as "column joints."
Lake Shikotsu is the second largest in Japan after Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture. As it is called the "giant waterfall," the lake's bottom is located 113m below the sea level. The average water depth ranges to 226m, and because of its depth, it does not freeze even during the harsh winters of the northern land. It is truly the "northest antifreeze lake in Japan."
The beautiful scenery of Lake Shikotsu, with its seasonal changes, is one of the most natural beauty in Hokkaido, where human hands are present. One of the reasons is that the lake itself is surrounded by the rapidly divergent mountains unique to Lake Caldera, making it difficult for people to enter.
The inhabitants of the chips (sea trout) that swim while glowing through the water also give you an incredible sense of the old-fashioned beauty of Lake Shikotsu and the beautiful water.

Chip (Himemasu)
History of Lake Shikotsu Sightseeing Boat
The Shikotsu Lake Tourist Boat has a long history and has been popular with people for a long time since its founding in 1961. Until a few years ago, only leisurely roaming the lake was a pleasure boat, but over time, various ships have appeared on Lake Shikotsu.
The sights of "column joints" reminiscent of a cut cliff, and the cobalt blue lake water that shines as far as you can see, are a mysterious world created by the nature unique to Lake Caldera.
In the past, we only learned the greenery and beauty of the lake water from the lake, but the emergence of underwater sightseeing boats has expanded the world. The windows attached to the bottom of the boat allow us to see the water. You can now enjoy not only the nature on the water but also the beauty of the underwater, and it can be said that you can enjoy Lake Shikotsu to the fullest.
Currently, Lake Shikotsu offers three types of underwater sightseeing boats, highway boats, and pedal boats. The forests at the bottom of the lake shine with cobalt blue, the scent of the flowing wind, and the time of slow flow. Enjoy the overflowing charm of Lake Shikotsu from various angles.