Hokkaido

Iōzan, also known as the Sulfur Mountain spews volcanic gases, rich in sulfur all year round. Standing amidst these steam bellowing vents and yellow crystallized rocks, it feels like we are on a different planet altogether.

Lake Kussharo is the largest of the three caldera lakes that make up Akan National Park. In winter the lake becomes home to hundreds of whooper swans and other migratory birds. The still simmering volcano keeps the water warm for these feathered tourists from the Russian Arctic

We ride to Lake Shikaribetsu, the highest lake in Hokkaido to visit a phantom village. Hidden deep in the mountains, the “Lake of the Sky,” as named by the Ainu, makes for a very serene and peaceful experience. The village exists only during the winter months and disappears with the onset of spring.