Taxi to Lake Mashu, Kussharo

I'm planning to visit these 2 lakes in Winter and by searching this forum I found many threads talking about charter a taxi from Kushiro. But I wonder what if I take a train to stay around Kawayu Onsen or Mashu station then catch a taxi from there, isn't that a cheaper approach? The questions are:

1. Is it difficult to find taxi from both stations or from the Kawayu downtown.

2. What about the way back from the lakes? Is there any taxi there? Or an phone number/ mobile app to call taxi? Or any restaurant where we can eat there and ask them to call us a taxi?
(For the Mashu I plan to showshoe trekking from No. 1 - No. 3 Deck)

3. Any showshoes renting shop around?


Thank you in advance for any advices.

any restaurant where we can eat there and ask them to call us a taxi?

A few years ago in deep winter I visited Lake Mashu, and could not recall seeing any restaurant . The palce was dead quiet.

Have you considered bus?
http://uu-hokkaido.com/corporate/akanbus.shtml

Shinji, thank you very much for the information.

Regarding bus, I think, 20 min. here and 30 min. there, it's not our travel style. We walk very slow and need time to admiring the beautiful scenery.

How about the Lake Kussharo? Is it possible to call taxi from the lake?

You are likely to get a taxi in Kawayu Onsen.
Unsure about Mashu station, when I arrived there in Feb many years ago, not a soul in the station.
Lake Kussharo was also dead quiet. I remember taking local bus from Mashu station, and enjoyed a free onsen by the lake in Kotan. There were many swans in the lake by the onsen, we were watching each other (I was the only one in the bath).
https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=Kotan+lake+kussharo&rls=com.microsof...


http://www.masyuko.or.jp/pc/english/access.html

http://www.eco-passport.net/map/

The Kotan Onsen is really very good atmosphere , but as it's a free outdoor onsen and male/female area are not completely separated, I wonder is it ok to wear swimming suit into the onsen. And is there a change room there?

Regarding the Taxi, I have an idea, how about we call the hotel where we have stayed or the officer at the Kushiro tourism office and ask their help to call the taxi to pick us up at the Kussharo lake.

Just wonder if the Hokkaido taxi will accept this kind of request? And would the hotel staff feel inconvenient to help us in this way?