Shiretoko, Abashiri, and Higashi Okhotsk (Hokkaido)

Marine products like kinki (scorpion fish), blue king crab, and pink salmon are standards on menus in the Okhotsk region. The land is rich and blessed with tasty potatoes, Japanese mountain yams, and fruit, like cherries.

Kinki:

A tasty type of scorpion fish found in very deep sea water with a high fat content

Surrounded by a silent primeval forest, this lake system has a mysterious atmosphere. There is a 3-km long pathway you can use to walk around the five lakes, and the mountain scenes reflected on the lake waters are especially beautiful. Starting in 2008, it is now possible to be accompanied by an English-speaking guide, even in the winter season.

Shiretoko is located at the southernmost point in the northern hemisphere where drift ice floats into the harbor. Here you can see seals and Steller's Sea Eagles, which accompany the drift ice. Recently, "drift ice walks" over the ice floes and diving under the drift ice have become quite popular.