Post-conference trip

Toyako-Shiraoi-Noboribetsu

22 February 2018

Lake Toya (Toyako, top photo) - is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, a part of "Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark". The volcano of Mount Usu (an active stratovolcano erupted four times since 1900: in 1910, 1944–45, August 7, 1977, and on March 31, 2000) lies on the southern rim of the caldera. The 2008 G8 Summit was held at Lake Toya.


Shiraoi, Poroto Kotan with Ainu (indigenous people of north Japan and north-east Russia) museum.

Top-right photo: traditional Ainu folk dances (performance during the trip)
Central-right photo: the unveiling of the statue of Bronisław Piłsudski - a Polish Ainu researcher and a brother of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, with Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Japan Cyryl Kozaczewski (right from the statue) and Minister of Culture and National Heritage Bogdan Zdrojewski (left from the statue), October 19, 2013.


Noboribetsu – volcanic gas (Hell Valley) and hot springs (dinner and hot spring bath).

Bottom-left and -central photos: The Hell Valley
Bottom-right photo: Sengen geyser