How to travel between Akan National Park and Tokyo
ANA and JAL each operate two flights per day between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and both Memanbetsu Airport and Kushiro Airport. Flight duration is 1.5 hours. The regular one way fare is around 41,000 yen, however, discount tickets are typically available for between 27,000 and 31,000 yen. With an air pass, you can fly for even less.
The discount airline Air Do also flies between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Memanbetsu Airport. Fares are typically 20 percent lower than for ANA and JAL.
See the orientation section below for details on how to get from the airports into Akan National Park.
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Orientation
Akan National Park consists of two distinct sections. The western portion contains Lake Akan, while the eastern portion contains Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo, Iozan (Sulfur Mountain) and the hot spring resort of Kawayu Onsen.
Because public transportation is infrequent and inconvenient, a rental car is highly recommended for accessing and exploring Akan National Park. By car, the park can be reached within 1-2 hours from Bihoro, Kushiro or Abashiri. Car rental outlets are available at the airports, in Kushiro and in Abashiri.
Akan Bus provides infrequent scheduled bus service between Kushiro and Lake Akan (4-5 buses/day) in the park's western portion and even less frequent service around Kawayu, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. Service between the park's western and eastern portions is almost non-existent. Akan Bus also operates various sightseeing bus tours, however, they are in Japanese only.
The JR Senmo Line, which connects the cities of Kushiro and Abashiri, traverses the eastern portion of Akan National Park, stopping at Kawayu Onsen Station along the way. It takes around two hours to reach Kawayu from either Kushiro or Abashiri by local train, and there are about 4-7 trains per day.
Two airports serve the area: Kushiro Airport is most convenient for accessing Lake Akan, while Memanbetsu Airport can be an alternative to Kushiro Airport for accessing the park's eastern part.
From Kushiro Airport, there are direct buses to Lake Akan (one hour, 2090 yen one way, 4-5 buses per day). In order to reach Akan's eastern portion, take the airport bus to Kushiro Station (50 minutes, 910 yen) and catch the JR Senmo Line to Kawayu Onsen (100 minutes, 1790 yen, 4-7 trains per day).
From Memanbetsu Airport, take a bus into Abashiri (25 minutes, 880 yen), from where you can take the JR Senmo Line to Kawayu Onsen (2 hours, 1600 yen, 4-7 trains per day). There are also a few sightseeing bus lines from Abashiri and Bihoro into Akan National Park.
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