The Shiretoko Five Lakes are located on the western coast of the Shiretoko National Park. There is a legend about the lakes saying that they were formed by a God’s hand. If people were to look at the bodies of water from an elevated position, then the formation is supposed to look link the God’s five fingerprints. However, the truth is the lakes were formed long ago by an eruption from Mount Io, which made dents in the earth. Those dents were then filled with water and the supply for the lakes comes from underground springs, which is why they have not dried up despite the lack of rivers. There are two different trails that can be taken to see the lakes. There is an 800- meter-long elevated boardwalk, which was recently built from the parking lot to the first lake. From the boardwalk visitors can see the lakes, the Sea of Okhotsk and surrounding mountainous area. The boardwalk is free to use and can be accessed by those in wheelchairs. The other path is a nature trail that is 3 kilometers long and takes about an hour and a half to complete.
