Lake Shikotsu
Encyclopedia
is a caldera lake in Chitose
, Hokkaidō
, Japan
. It is a part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park
.
. It is the 8th-largest lake by surface area in Japan and the second largest of Japan's caldera lakes, surpassed only by Lake Kussharo. It is surrounded by three volcanos: Mount Eniwa
to the north and Mount Fuppushi
and Mount Tarumae
to the south. The caldera formed in the holocene
when the land between the volcanos subsided.
Due to its depth, the volume of Lake Shikotsu reaches 3/4 of the volume of Lake Biwa
, Japan's largest lake, despite of having only 1/9 of that lake's surface area. Due to the small surface area to depth ratio, the water temperature remains quite constant throughout the year, making it the northernmost ice-free lake in Japan. The Bifue, Okotanpe, Ninaru and Furenai rivers feed into it, and its main outlet is the Chitose River
.
on which Lake Shikotsu sits was formed 40 to 50 thousand years ago. According to the Global Volcanism Program, the caldera was formed 31 to 34 thousand years ago by one of Hokkaidō's largest quaternary eruptions. The caldera consists mainly of dacite
, rhyolite
, and andesite
. The volcanoes Mount Tarumae
, Mount Eniwa
, and Mount Fuppushi
formed on the rim of this caldera.
shikot, meaning big depression or hollow. To the Japanese, this sounded too much like , so they attempted to rename it engi, but this name did not stick.
(locally called "chippu"), introduced from Lake Akan in 1895, has become a noted product of the area and chippu fishing is now a favourite pastime in summer. A visitor centre, various campgrounds and Onsen
provide facilities for tourists coming to the area.
Chitose
is famous for its Indian Fish Wheel, a device situated in Chitose River
to collect salmon returning to spawn at Lake Shikotsu.
and Date
. Highway 453 runs from the eastern and northern parts of the lake to Sapporo.
City bus routes from Chitose lead to the lake. Hokkaidō-Chūō buses connect Shikotsu-ko with Chitose Station
and New Chitose Airport
. In the summer, there is also a bus from Sapporo Terminal. The former bus service between the lake and Tomakomai has been discontinued.
Chitose, Hokkaido
-Economy:China Airlines operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.The airline Hokkaido Air System was at one time headquartered at the New Chitose Airport in Chitose...
, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is a part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park
Shikotsu-Toya National Park
is a national park in the central part of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. Named after the volcanic caldera lakes of Lake Shikotsu and Lake Tōya, it has a total area of 993.02 square kilometers...
.
Geography
Lake Shikotsu is located in the south-west part of Hokkaidō. It has an average depth of 265 metres (869.4 ft) and a maximum depth of 363 metres (1,190.9 ft), making it the second deepest lake in Japan, after Lake TazawaLake Tazawa
is a caldera lake in Semboku, Akita Prefecture, northern Japan. It is the deepest lake in Japan . Because of its depth, it never freezes....
. It is the 8th-largest lake by surface area in Japan and the second largest of Japan's caldera lakes, surpassed only by Lake Kussharo. It is surrounded by three volcanos: Mount Eniwa
Mount Eniwa
is an active volcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits opposite Mount Tarumae and Mount Fuppushi on the shores of Lake Shikotsu, the caldera lake that spawned the volcanoes. Mount Eniwa is the tallest of the three volcanoes....
to the north and Mount Fuppushi
Mount Fuppushi
is dormant volcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits adjacent to Mount Tarumae and opposite Mount Eniwa. Mount Fuppushi is on the south shore of Lake Shikotsu, the caldera lake that spawned the volcanoes.-References:*...
and Mount Tarumae
Mount Tarumae
is located in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is located near both Tomakomai and Chitose towns and can be seen clearly from both. It is on the shores of Lake Shikotsu, a caldera lake. Tarumae is a 1,041 metre active andesitic stratovolcano, with a lava dome.-Eruptions:The...
to the south. The caldera formed in the holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
when the land between the volcanos subsided.
Due to its depth, the volume of Lake Shikotsu reaches 3/4 of the volume of Lake Biwa
Lake Biwa
is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture , northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.-...
, Japan's largest lake, despite of having only 1/9 of that lake's surface area. Due to the small surface area to depth ratio, the water temperature remains quite constant throughout the year, making it the northernmost ice-free lake in Japan. The Bifue, Okotanpe, Ninaru and Furenai rivers feed into it, and its main outlet is the Chitose River
Chitose River
is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan. The river is a class A river. In the city of Ebetsu, the river is sometimes known as .In the Ainu language Chitose was originally called shikotsu, meaning big depression or hollow, like Lake Shikotsu a caldera lake. To the Japanese, this sounded too much like , so it...
.
Geology
The calderaCaldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
on which Lake Shikotsu sits was formed 40 to 50 thousand years ago. According to the Global Volcanism Program, the caldera was formed 31 to 34 thousand years ago by one of Hokkaidō's largest quaternary eruptions. The caldera consists mainly of dacite
Dacite
Dacite is an igneous, volcanic rock. It has an aphanitic to porphyritic texture and is intermediate in composition between andesite and rhyolite. The relative proportions of feldspars and quartz in dacite, and in many other volcanic rocks, are illustrated in the QAPF diagram...
, rhyolite
Rhyolite
This page is about a volcanic rock. For the ghost town see Rhyolite, Nevada, and for the satellite system, see Rhyolite/Aquacade.Rhyolite is an igneous, volcanic rock, of felsic composition . It may have any texture from glassy to aphanitic to porphyritic...
, and andesite
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
. The volcanoes Mount Tarumae
Mount Tarumae
is located in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is located near both Tomakomai and Chitose towns and can be seen clearly from both. It is on the shores of Lake Shikotsu, a caldera lake. Tarumae is a 1,041 metre active andesitic stratovolcano, with a lava dome.-Eruptions:The...
, Mount Eniwa
Mount Eniwa
is an active volcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits opposite Mount Tarumae and Mount Fuppushi on the shores of Lake Shikotsu, the caldera lake that spawned the volcanoes. Mount Eniwa is the tallest of the three volcanoes....
, and Mount Fuppushi
Mount Fuppushi
is dormant volcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits adjacent to Mount Tarumae and opposite Mount Eniwa. Mount Fuppushi is on the south shore of Lake Shikotsu, the caldera lake that spawned the volcanoes.-References:*...
formed on the rim of this caldera.
Origin of the name
The name of Lake Shikotsu derives from the Ainu languageAinu language
Ainu is one of the Ainu languages, spoken by members of the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō....
shikot, meaning big depression or hollow. To the Japanese, this sounded too much like , so they attempted to rename it engi, but this name did not stick.
Use
The red salmonSockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
(locally called "chippu"), introduced from Lake Akan in 1895, has become a noted product of the area and chippu fishing is now a favourite pastime in summer. A visitor centre, various campgrounds and Onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
provide facilities for tourists coming to the area.
Chitose
Chitose, Hokkaido
-Economy:China Airlines operates its Sapporo office on the third floor of the airport building.The airline Hokkaido Air System was at one time headquartered at the New Chitose Airport in Chitose...
is famous for its Indian Fish Wheel, a device situated in Chitose River
Chitose River
is a river in Hokkaidō, Japan. The river is a class A river. In the city of Ebetsu, the river is sometimes known as .In the Ainu language Chitose was originally called shikotsu, meaning big depression or hollow, like Lake Shikotsu a caldera lake. To the Japanese, this sounded too much like , so it...
to collect salmon returning to spawn at Lake Shikotsu.
Transport
National Highway 276 runs along the southern bank, connecting the lake with TomakomaiTomakomai, Hokkaido
is a city and port located in Iburi, Hokkaido, Japan. Though its name implies a small, idyllic town, it is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 173,504 and a population density of 310 persons per km²...
and Date
Date, Hokkaido
is a city located in Iburi, Hokkaidō, Japan.Date was established around 1869 and became a city on April 1, 1972.Date lies at the conjunction of National Highway Route 37 and Route 453....
. Highway 453 runs from the eastern and northern parts of the lake to Sapporo.
City bus routes from Chitose lead to the lake. Hokkaidō-Chūō buses connect Shikotsu-ko with Chitose Station
Chitose Station (Hokkaido)
is a railway station on the JR Hokkaido Chitose Line. It is located in Chitose, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Station structure:The station has two island platforms serving four tracks.Platforms-Surrounding area:* Chitose Post office* Chitose Police station...
and New Chitose Airport
New Chitose Airport
, is an airport located south southeast of Chitose and Tomakomai, Hokkaidō, Japan, serving the Sapporo metropolitan area. By land area, it is the largest airport in Hokkaidō....
. In the summer, there is also a bus from Sapporo Terminal. The former bus service between the lake and Tomakomai has been discontinued.
External links
- World Lakes Database: Shikotsu-ko
- Volcano World: Shikotsu
- Shikotsu-ko Visitor Centre (in Japanese)
- Shikotsu-ko Onsen-Ryokan Association (in Japanese)