Koshimizu: Dunes, Flowers and Mountain Trails

Koshimizu brings together a distinctive dune landscape, a seasonal flower field, a mountain hiking trail, and striking viewpoints. The Koshimizu Wildflower Park stretches between the Sea of Okhotsk and Lake Tofutsu; Mount Mokotoyama rises on the outer edge of the Kussharo Caldera. These places offer different highlights for planning a trip: plants, hiking, or views of the sea and mountains.

Dune Landscape and Seasonal Blooms

Koshimizu Wildflower Park is a narrow dune area about eight kilometers long, between the Sea of Okhotsk and Lake Tofutsu. A natural flower field has developed on the site. Up to 200 plant species can be seen there from late April through late September. If you are particularly interested in the plants, you can use this period as a guide when planning your trip.

The park is located in Abashiri Quasi-National Park and was registered as a Hokkaido Heritage site in 2004. This connects the landscape itself with two special designations: its protected-area status and its registration as a Hokkaido Heritage site. The narrow dune formation between the sea and the lake also distinguishes the park from a single viewpoint or a mountain hiking destination.

The park is also home to JR Genseikaen, a seasonal summer station on the JR Senmo Main Line. Operating dates may vary depending on the timetable. If you want to include the station in your travel plans, check the current timetable before arranging your journey around it.

Hiking on Mount Mokotoyama

At about 1,000 meters, Mount Mokotoyama is the highest mountain on the outer edge of the Kussharo Caldera. It extends across Koshimizu Town, Teshikaga Town, Ozora Town, and Bihoro Town, and was included in “Hokkaido Natural 100.” In addition to its dune area, Koshimizu therefore offers a mountain whose landscape extends across several municipalities.

A hiking trail leads from Highland Koshimizu 725 to Mount Mokotoyama and takes about an hour and a half to complete. After the initial climb, the trail is relatively gentle; it is considered suitable for families.

The Furetoi Observatory offers a different perspective: this free viewpoint sits on a low rise at the end of a dune and provides views of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Shiretoko Mountains. The hiking trail leads to the mountain, while here the focus is on the sea and mountains. These offer different reasons to visit, without requiring you to choose just one way to experience the landscape.

Choose a Vacation Rental to Suit Your Itinerary

If you are looking for a vacation rental in Koshimizu, it is best to start with the experience you want to define your trip: the plants at Wildflower Park, a hike on Mount Mokotoyama, or the view from Furetoi Observatory. The different destinations offer concrete points of reference for planning—a time frame for the flower field, an approximate duration for the hiking trail, and named views from the observatory.

Your preferred travel pace can also guide your choice. If you want to see the seasonal plants, plan around the park’s stated period; if you want to include the hiking trail, you can take its approximate duration into account. For a train journey that includes the seasonal summer station, the relevant timetable dates are key. This lets you choose a vacation base to suit your own plans, rather than treating flower season, a hiking day, and a viewpoint as interchangeable experiences.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kitami, Wakkanai, Nanporo, Fukuyama, Sapporo, Takikawa, Abashiri, Tsurui.

For the main travel overview: Hokkaido.