Shiretoko-Goko Lakes Field House — Attraction in Shari

The park opened again on 20 April which was just in time for us to visit while we were in Shiretoko. It was beautiful, absolutely worth visiting.

The long route was closed due to snow, but the short route and elevated walkway were open. The elevated walkway is free, if you want to do the ground route you pay a small fee and attend a lecture on how to avoid encounters with bears.

The short route takes you past two of the five lakes. Even without the long route, you get a great view and it's still worth the visit. The ground routes join the elevated walkway at the end. The walkway is great for views and is accessible so if you have any issues with mobility it's a great option. If the weather isn't great or is snowy you can rent rubber boots from the Shiretoko Natural Centre for 500yen.

We found it really helpful to check @shiretoko_goko on Twitter as they gave more regular updates on the status of routes and the weather conditions. Just popped the tweets into Google translate! Do check in advance if you are travelling over winter (which includes up to the end of April) as the park isn't open all year round. The frozen lakes did look...

Amazing park! I loved the walk around the 5 lakes - it is a very manageable route. I think it’s great that you must watch an informative video about the local wildlife and ecosystem- I wish more places would do this! The tutorial was comprehensive and easy to understand for an English speaker, and the fee was more than fair for access to the park.

However, if you don’t want to pay the entrance fee, or are not up to a longer walk, the free board walk is absolutely stunning! So I would recommend this place regardless.

I went during golden week, so when it’s a busy season get there early! I arrived at around 8:30 and basically went right in. When I left at 10:30/11 ish the parking lot was FULL, and there were dozens of cars lined up down the road! So plan ahead!

Also - When I went in early May, cherry blossoms were just beginning to bloom - there are a few trees that grow by the lakes. In a week or so I think they’ll be...

The Shiretoko-Goko Lakes Field House is the ideal starting point for exploring the stunning Shiretoko Five Lakes area. Open from late April to early November, it welcomes visitors daily starting at 7:30 AM and remains open until around sunset, with exact closing times varying by season.

Before venturing onto the trails, all visitors are required to attend a brief safety and information lecture to learn about bear precautions and ecological guidelines. From there, hikers can choose between two trail options: a shorter 1.6 km loop to the first two lakes or the full 3 km circuit taking about 90 minutes to visit all five. The Field House not only ensures visitor safety and environmental preservation but also enhances the overall experience, making it a thoughtful and essential gateway into Shiretoko’s breathtaking...