Exploring part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park

What?
The Shinkotsu Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園) is one of several national parks in Hokkaido. Most famous is Lake Toya (洞爺湖) which is located (and created) near active volcanoes. Despite the danger Toya was transformed into a popular onsen town. The Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark (洞爺湖有珠山ジオパーク) stands as a reminder of the volcanic power of nearby Mt. Usu (有珠山) and Mt. Showa Shinzan (昭和新山).
Where?
The national park is spread out, but Lake Toya is fairly easy to access from Sapporo as the limited express train between Sapporo and Hakodate stops at Toya Station (洞爺駅). From the station you can take one of the very infrequent buses to either Toyako Onsen Terminal (洞爺湖温泉ターミナル), or - as I did - walk to the south entrance of the Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark, which is around 20 minutes away. A taxi to the south entrance is around 1000 yen.
URL
Japan Guide Outline Toya Usu Geopark Lake Toya

The title mentions the Shikotsu Toya National Park, but truth to be told, I never had the intention to actively explore it. My main goal were the hiking trails in the Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark. In 2000, and earlier in 1977 (and many times before that) the Usu Volcano erupted leaving not only a trail of destruction in the nearby Toya village, it also changed the whole landscape. The interesting thing about this geopark is that they show how much the land has shifted, but they have also left in place several ruins of the eruption to show the destructive force of the volcano.
Leaving very early in the morning and starting at the south entrance (the closest to Toya Station) I was utterly alone in my endeavor. The first thing you see at the south entrance is an abandoned preschool and the wreckage of its buses. As an opener, this is a very strong one. The whole walk was one filled with awe of both fascination and fear. Crossing the middle of the park which is actually the main access to 2 different routes, I continued on the walk which initially shows more of the newly created hills and caldera lakes, and ended in the ruins park right next to the visitor center of Toyako Onsen. While all trails can easily be done in 1 hour and a half, it’s better to sometimes stop and take things in: the nature, the ruins and how to co-live with an active volcano.
Truth to be told, not all was great: after so many years nature starts to take over again, and some landscape changes and ruins were barely visible. It is of course part of the transience that is all-developing, but it does take away part of the impressiveness of the area.

Ruins of a preschool open the hike.

Mt. Yotei in the distance.

View on Lake Toya.

Some interesting sculptures around Lake Toya.

I clearly overestimated the time needed to cross the geopark, so I wandered off into Toyako Onsen to see what it had to offer. Apart from a atmospheric stroll along the shore of the lake… nothing special. The lake itself is beautiful, but better to be seen from afar like during the geopark crossing. A boat ride on the lake, even if you get off at the center island is a waste of money.

So I decided to take a look what the Usuzan Ropeway was about. I had just seen a leaflet at the tourist center but expected a circus like so many ropeway areas in Japan. And that is partially true: the ropeway extends from the foot of Mt. Showa Shinzan – a new mountain created during the eruption of Mt. Usu in 1945 – to the top of next door's Mt. Usu. They erected a whole village at this spot, with a cage where you can see a poor bear and more than enough souvenir shops. As I had nothing better to do I decided to ride the ropeway to the top. While I knew the top would give me good views of both Mt. Showa Shinzan and Lake Toya, it was only inside the cable car that I heard there was a path around the rim of the Usu Volcano. This however could not be done without challenging more than 600 stairs!!
But I had the time, and boy, I do not regret taking that path around the rim. It is big. It is tiresome. It is not a volcano volcano; barren landscapes are scarce. But it is a truly impressive sight. Views on the one side of a slightly steaming volcano and on the other side of a plain half covered in clouds. Volcanos are truly awe-inspiring and demand respect and introspectiveness.

All these attractions, the geopark, Lake Toya, the surrounding Toyako Onsen, Mt. Showa Shinzan and Mt. Usu are part of the way bigger Shinkotsu Toya National Park. It is my clear intention to explore the other parts somewhere in the future.