Lake Kussharo & Mashu February visit

I have some queries for Lake Kussharo and Mashu for my February visit
1. I read that Sunoyu beach in Kussharo-ko would have swans and partially frozen. Do the swans easily found in mid February?
2. It is said the best time to visit Lake Mashu is from end of January to February as it tends to fog less. Is this true? I thought February would be the coldest month? And by means of less fog, does that mean it'd fog daily still but within lesser fog time? My visit time would be around mid February
3. Bus schedule of Lake Kussharo and Mashu for 2019. I found this schedules on Teshikaga tourism but it seems only up to 2018 and not clear for which months.
https://uu-hokkaido.com/corporate/teshikaga.shtml#map
Also the Kussharo loop bus from Prince Hotel back to JR Kawayu Onsen station last bus departs at 2.25pm? It's too early I believe

4. Where could I rent snowshoes from either KawayuOnsen or Mashu JR station? I heard that it's heavy and it'd be our first time wearing it. Is it better we don't use the snowshoe if we are fit walker?
5. How long would it take approximately walking in February snow from Lake Mashu's observation deck 1 to deck 3?
6. What is the best way to reach Lake Mashu's Observation deck from Kawayu Onsen Station? I think bus only stops at deck no. 1. Is it better to take train from Kawayu Onsen Station to Mashu Station then take the Mashu Bus to observatory deck no. 1?

Thank You

This lists the timetables for Mashuko bus and Kussharo bus during this winter (2019 Feb 1 - Mar 20). The JR timetable is at the below.
http://www.eco-passport.net/map/pdf/time.pdf
Four buses go to Lake Mashu #1 observatory and two buses go to Sunayu daily.
http://www.eco-passport.net/map/

Swans come to Lake Kussharo in winter. The following say from late October to late April, from late November to April, or early Dec to early Apr.
https://tourism-teshikaga.co.jp/swan-has-come_kussharo/
https://hokkaido-labo.com/lake-kussharo-swan-9772
http://www.tabirai.net/sightseeing/column/0001808.aspx

I have posted the statistics of Lake Mashu here or at TripAdvisor but I could not found it now. My guess is that the best is early morning in late January. I mean cold and dry. The air could warm and wet in daytime or in February.

Hi Luisjp

I got another 2019 winter timetable that shows the schedule of Kawayu Line Bus. It's in pdf format so I could not post the link. But, the timetable only shows the last bus departs from JR Kawayu Station at 17.45.

I thought the buses from and to JR Kawayu Onsen to town are timed with the train departures and arrivals. I will arrive with the last train at 20.36

Could you please help verifying this?

Thanks

AKAN BUS runs the connecting bus between JR Kawayu Onsen and Kawayu Onsen Town (Taiho Sumo Museum). Almost all onsen ryokans in Japan serves breakfast just before 8:00 and dinner just after 18:00. That is why the buses run only between 8:00 and 17:45. The 17:45 bus is expected to arrive at 17:55 in the onsen town. I do not have any good reasons to get off at JR Kawayu Onsen at 20:36. You would miss the dinner at such a late hour. Even a taxi might not wait for you at the station, then. Especially, the local time is rather earlier in Hokkaido. The Japan Standard Time is based at Akashi in Kobe, far west to Hokkaido. Make sure your ryokan accepts such a late arrival before you dare to do so.
http://www.akanbus.co.jp/localbu/kawayu.htm

This page summarizes the traffic and events this winter. Diamond Dust in KAWAYU starts from 19:00 and ends at 21:00. The period is from 2 Feb to 22 Feb.
https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/travel/higashihokkaido/map.html
https://tourism-teshikaga.co.jp/teshikagaecopassport_winter/

Hi Luisjp

thanks for confirming the bus schedule. yes there's no bus after 5pm but fortunately the ryokans and hotels in Kawayu Onsen provide pick up from the station :) they're aware with the train departures and arrivals schedules that are not covered by the bus

Well, it is your trip. I do not recommend doing so, though. Sightseeing trips are for seeing the sight. I do avoid to move in the dark. Especially moving with the luggage in the dark is risky. How do you tackle the situation when you encounter with the bad weather? If you have ample time, you might be able to manage it. There are 20.37 trains at JR Kawayu. Those are the lasts. I would take 17.39 and 18.15 ones as the realistic last trains for travelers. Crammed trips could result in a tragedy. At least, you would pay much for a little.
https://jrhokkaidonorikae.com/ekihatsu/ekihatsu.php?node=%E5%B7%9D%E6%...
https://jrhokkaidonorikae.com/ekihatsu/ekihatsu.php?node=%E5%B7%9D%E6%...

i've discussed it with the ryokan and as long as we contact them to match the arrival time. they would pick us up from the station and most ryokans there actually provide that service. we only carry day to day amenities with us as we takyubin the big luggages

Start the day early and end it early, too. It is MY current strategy to prevent hassles. I have encountered many troubles: such as no food, poorer services, no (good) room left, and so on. Some hotel canceled my reservation because of my late arrival. In another time, it took me a few hours to get to a hotel, which is just a ten-minute drive away from the airport. It turned that I paid bucks just for a few hours of sleep. Most workers work during the normal working hours, from 9 to 5, even in the travel industries. I hope you would not face bad weather or something similar on this occasion.