As the winter mountain season commences, mountain hiking and skiing enthusiasts are pouring into the Mt. Mokoto (1,000 m) area in Akan Mashu National Park and soaking up the breathtaking scenery woven from Lake Kussharo below and the mountains of Eastern Hokkaido.

Mt. Mokoto is the highest peak of the Lake Kussharo somma rim. But it has a gentle slope and is easy to hike, and is popular both in the summer and winter.

According to the Kitami Kinrosha Alpine Club, area vegetation like broad-leaf sasa bamboo and Siberian dwarf pine bushes were covered by the snow that fell last week, making it easier to traverse the mountain in skis and snowshoes. A man from Kushiro who climbed to the summit in snowshoes on January 23 enjoyed the scenery with a smile, saying, “The weather is great, and the breeze is weak, which is perfect. The frost covered trees are very beautiful.”