Kushiro Shitsugen National Park 釧路湿原国立公園

Official explanation

On July 31st, 1987 Kushiro Shitsugen became Japan’s 28th national park with the aim of preserving this irreplaceable natural environment. Kushiro Shitsugen National Park covers a total of 28,788 hectares in the municipalities of Kushiro City, Shibecha Town, Kushiro Town, and Tsurui Village. It includes Kushiro Marsh, Japan’s largest wetland, as well as the surrounding hills and lakes. The park’s landscape is highly unique within Japan: rivers and streams meander through vast fields of reeds, sedges, and Japanese alder, and it provides an ideal habitat for many species of plants and animals, including rare creatures such as red-crowned cranes, Blakiston’s fish owls, red foxes, and Sakhalin taimen. The wetland contains Japan’s largest area of peat, a layer of partially decayed vegetation formed in bogs and fens. The park’s ecosystems support countless wildlife, plants, and also humans, so it is a major priority to protect the area’s natural environment. In 1980, a 5,012-ha section of Kushiro Marsh was designated as a Ramsar Site, recognizing it as an internationally important wetland that serves as a waterfowl habitat. This designated area was expanded to 7,863 ha in 1999.

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park encompasses Japan’s largest wetland and the surrounding hills. The marsh is a well-preserved natural environment consisting of reeds and sedges, alder forests, and meandering rivers and streams. The park is home to rare flora and fauna such as the region’s famous red-crowned cranes. Boardwalks, observatories, and canoe excursions offer stunning views throughout the year.

Read the full explanation

Kushiro Shitsugen (Marsh) became Japan’s 28th national park in July 1987. The park’s boundaries enclose a total area of 28,788 ha. Within its borders are expansive bogs of reeds and sedges, meandering rivers, lagoons, as well as the surrounding hills. The national park is Japan’s largest wetland. This vast plateau was once underwater as a part of Old Kushiro Bay. When the sea retreated, sand built up at the mouth of the bay, and the area was eventually cut off from the sea, becoming a brine lake. Over the past 3,000 years this brine has turned to fresh water, and peat has accumulated atop the mud and sand, creating the environment that exists today. The wetland is home to many rare species, including red-crowned cranes, Blakiston’s fish owls, Sakhalin taimen, and Siberian salamanders. Many of these animals can be spotted from the walkways and observatories located around the marshland. While exploring the park, it is also possible to see many species of plants such as cuckoo flowers in spring, Japanese irises in summer, and water peppers in autumn. In winter, a small amount of snow accumulates on the plateau, creating yet another unique and beautiful landscape.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.