Sunayu

On the eastern shore of Lake Kussharo, Sunayu is a sandy beach where digging a shallow hole in the ground causes natural hot spring water to well up. Visitors can soak their feet in the self-made pool while looking out over the lake. From November onward, whooper swans arrive from Siberia, drawn by the geothermal warmth that keeps parts of the lake from freezing completely. The nearby Kussharo Kotan museum explores Ainu culture through everyday artifacts and offers visitors a chance to try Ainu embroidery. An open-air onsen bath on the lake's shore is free to use year-round and is particularly popular at sunset.