Mt. Tarumae

Mt. Tarumae rises between Hokkaido’s coast and Lake Shikotsu. I tried to attack its summit last weekend as it being close to the end of hiking season there. Unfortunately, it was too windy to climb to the top. However, you have a spectacular breathtaking wide-view of mountain range and Lake Shikotsu spreading out right in front of your eyes after only 10min walk from a parking lot. It is just so beautiful. Mt. Tarumae is an active stratovolcano in Hokkaido’s Shikotsu-Toya National Park. It was formed by an eruption in the Shikotsu caldera roughly 9,000 years ago, followed by a cave-in that created today’s crater. I am sure that I go back there next spring.