Lake Toya is one of Hokkaido's best-known caldera lakes, and widely regarded as one of Japan's great views. Every season looks different here — today, DJB takes you to see its beguiling winter snowscape.

DAIJOBU takes you exploring

In winter, Lake Toya offers more than the sweep of the lake itself; the surroundings are just as beautiful. Crowds are manageable, so lovely scenery is never far away, and in winter the whole landscape turns white.

Lake Toya has a different character in every season. On a clear day it is worth hiring a bicycle and riding the shoreline, and there are fireworks in the evening too. This is one to experience first-hand.

Getting there

By car
About two hours from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport
About two and a half hours from Hakodate
Note that expressway tolls apply

By public transport
Take the JR Muroran Main Line or Hokuto service to Toya Station, then transfer to a Donan Bus and get off at Toyako Onsen (roughly two services per hour)
💡 This is exactly when reliable mobile data in Japan matters. Bring a Japan 5G data SIM and you can check bus times wherever you happen to be.

By taxi
About 15 to 20 minutes from Toya Station, costing roughly ¥2,000 to ¥2,500

Photography tips

You do not need much technical skill to take a good photograph at Lake Toya, because it looks good all year round. Spring flowers, summer greenery, autumn maples and winter snow each set off the lakeshore differently. Here are a few pointers from Daijobu for anyone chasing a great shot.

Spring: head uphill and shoot the whole lake from above
Summer: let the green foliage along the shore frame the water
Autumn: use the deep red maples to carry the season
Winter: wait for the day after heavy snow to capture the shoreline blanketed in white against the lake

Nearby attractions

Cape Chikyu: a Hokkaido favourite, where you can genuinely sense the curvature of the earth
Noboribetsu Jigokudani: the source of a famous hot spring area, with expanses of red rock and yellow-tinged hills

Further reading:
>> The complete Japan data guide: a comparison table to keep your trip running smoothly
>> ICOCA, the Japan travel essential: how to buy it, top it up and where it works
>> Japan autumn leaves 2023: ten top foliage spots plus the bloom forecast