Akan-Mashu National Park features caldera lakes, boreal forest, Ainu culture and active volcanoes. Here is one of the active volcanoes in the park – Mt. Meakan. There are several routes to the summit of 1,500 m. None of the routes are too difficult, but adequate preparation and equipment to cope with sudden weather changes is required.
Hokkaido is at a high latitude, and mountainous areas at 1,000 meters are said to sometimes have the weather conditions of the 2,000-meter mountains of Honshu, the main island of Japan.
So, if you want to climb this mountain, be well prepared.
Mt. Meakan is called Machinesiri in the Ainu language, a female mountain. Mt. Oakan is called Pinnesiri, a male mountain, and is located on the opposite side of Lake Akan.
Standing on the summit of Mt. Meakan, you can see Mt. Oakan in the distance across Lake Akan at your feet.
