TOYA
Where Lake and Volcano Create a Stunning Landscape
Your Complete Guide to the Toya Area
Lake Toya, known as an “unfreezing lake,” the still-active Mt. Usu and Showa-shinzan, and Lake Toya Onsen along the shoreline. This is an area where you can enjoy grand natural scenery and hot-spring relaxation all in one visit.
Toya lies in southwestern Hokkaido, centered on Lake Toya, part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park. The area combines the beautiful scenery unique to a caldera lake, an active volcano still venting steam today, and a historic hot-spring town along the water’s edge—giving Toya its distinctive appeal of natural sightseeing paired with relaxation.
Lake Toya — Nature & Activities
Discover Lake Toya’s natural side: cruises around Nakajima Island, the volcanic scenery of Mt. Usu and Showa-shinzan, boating, canoeing, cycling, and the famous Long-Run Fireworks display.
See Lake Toya’s Highlights →Lake Toya Onsen — Hot Springs & Hotels
A detailed guide to spending time in the Lake Toya Onsen hot-spring town, including hotels and ryokans known for lakeview open-air baths, plus info on free foot baths.
See Lake Toya Onsen Accommodations →About Lake Toya
Scenic ViewLake Toya is a caldera lake roughly 50km in circumference, with the uninhabited “Nakajima Island” floating at its center. Located in one of Hokkaido’s milder regions, it’s known as an “unfreezing lake” that never ices over even in winter. Along its shores rise the active volcano Mt. Usu and Showa-shinzan, a mountain born from a 1944 eruption—giving visitors an up-close view of nature’s raw power.
Lake Toya Onsen Hot-Spring Town
Hot SpringThe hot-spring town along the lakeshore is home to many inns and hotels where you can soak in an open-air bath with a full view of the lake. Day-use bathing and free foot baths are also available, making it easy to drop by between sightseeing stops.
Lake Toya Long-Run Fireworks Festival
EventFrom spring through autumn each year, a roughly 20-minute fireworks display is launched over the lake every single night for about half a year—a rare, long-running festival unlike anything else in Japan. Both overnight guests and day-trippers can watch from the lakeshore.
A Private Charter Taxi Is the Easy Way to See Toya
In the Toya area, highlights like Lake Toya, Mt. Usu, and Showa-shinzan are spread around the lake, and with the distance from New Chitose Airport or Sapporo, getting there by public transportation often means changing trains or buses.
With a private charter taxi, you can travel directly from the airport or Sapporo to Lake Toya Onsen with no transfers, and easily combine it with a tour of the volcanoes and lakeside sights.