Hokkaidō: A Tapestry of Lakes and Rivers

Tucked deep within the Akan-Mashū National Park, Lake Penketō lies in a thickly forested area near Lake Akan that is normally closed to the public. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Lake Penketō (foreground) and Lake Panketō connect to Lake Akan, which drains into the Akan River. The three bodies of water were formed by volcanic activity that filled in sections of an ancient caldera lake. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

A rainbow appears over the choppy waters of Lake Kussharo following an evening squall brought by a cold front. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

A dawn mist drifts over Lake Shikaribetsu in the Daisetsuzan National Park. Formed by a volcanic eruption damming the Shikaribetsu River, it is the highest lake in Hokkaidō, at 810 meters above sea level. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

The crystal-clear waters of Kaminoko Pond are fed by underground water flowing from Lake Mashū. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

After the morning mist clears, Lake Kussharo comes into full view. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Lake Mashū, parts of which have sadly been ice-free even in the depths of winter in recent years, is one of the world’s most transparent lakes. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Lake Fūren is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Including its famous flocks of whooper swans, it is home to more than 300 types of wild birds. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

A type of glasswort called akkeshisō tinges Lake Tōro on the east side of the Kushiro Marsh in reddish autumn colors. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

The Kushiro River snakes its way through the Kushiro Marsh. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

One of the many alpine marshes that dot the area around Mount Asahidake in the Daisetsuzan Range. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Cherry salmon from the Sea of Okhotsk navigate a waterfall on their way up the Shari River to spawn. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Asian dust gives ice at the mouth of the Teshio River a yellow hue. Mount Hakkōda in Aomori Prefecture used to be the northernmost extent of the meteorological phenomenon, but it has started to be observed in northern Hokkaidō as well. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Flowers of the aquatic plant baikamo bloom in early summer in the Nishibetsu River. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Rapids on the upper reaches of the Akan River. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

Snow falls near the headwaters of the Kushiro River. (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)

The Setsuri River meanders through the Kushiro Marsh. In winter, the trees along the banks are encased in blowing snow and water vapor, creating juhyō, or “snow monsters.” (© Mizukoshi Takeshi)