Things to do in Abashiri： Lake Abashiri

The sunset view of the lake dyeing it bright red is also spectacular

Lake Abashiri has been known as a scenic spot since ancient times. It is a sea ruin lake with a circumference of 43 km located in the southwest of Abashiri city. The Yobito Peninsula, which juts out from the center of the East Lake shore, has a 7km long promenade, perfect for bird watching and walking. There is a colony of skunk cabbage in the surrounding area, and you can see the beautiful white flowers in full bloom from late April to early May.

 

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すっちん9876(@msutsuchin9876)がシェアした投稿

Lake Abashiri boasts the largest catch of smelt in Hokkaido, and smelt eggs from Lake Abashiri are shipped all over the country, so it’s no exaggeration to say that you can’t talk about Japanese smelt without talking about smelt from Lake Abashiri. is. Under-ice fishing involves drilling a hole in a frozen lake, inserting a net tied to a rope that has been stretched under the ice, and then pulling the net to catch the fish.

 

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KEISORA｜ドローンで彩る北の大地(@keisora_drone)がシェアした投稿

For tourists, rental sets that include rods, tackle, and bait are available, making it easy to experience smelt fishing on the ice. Freshly caught smelt can be made into tempura on the spot, so be sure to give it a try.

 

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emi_saito(@moto44onsenyado)がシェアした投稿

A mysterious lake with two layers

Lake Abashiri was part of the sea 10,000 years ago, but is now a sea ruin lake that was created by changes in sea level and sand drift. Because it is connected to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk through the Abashiri River, a “brackish lake” was formed where seawater and river water mix due to the ebb and flow of the lake.

 

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caféそら(@ozora.cafe.sola)がシェアした投稿

In addition, due to the topography and specific gravity of the lake, the incoming seawater sinks to the bottom of the lake, forming a two-layer structure where the upper freshwater layer and lower saltwater layer do not mix.

 

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Miya(@songocoo)がシェアした投稿

The lower saline layer is in an anoxic state because oxygen is consumed when bacteria decompose incoming pollutants.
Currently, there is a salt-freshwater boundary at a depth of about 7m. The lower saline layer is extremely rich in nutrients and is anoxic with no dissolved oxygen (DO).

 

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Frederic Bastide(@frederic.bastide.528)がシェアした投稿

Link：Hokkaido official tourism website