Lake Furen is one of Nemuro's ten scenic spots and a famous wintering ground in Japan for whooper swans. Large numbers of swans gather here every winter, so when I visited in the fall, I saw many swans on the lake. It truly felt like “Swan Lake.”
On this return visit, the winter scenery before me was completely different. The vast lake was covered in snow and ice, and the surrounding area was blanketed in thick white snow. Although the swans I saw in the fall were gone, the landscape had a serene and magnificent winter atmosphere.
Unfortunately, the snow was too deep to walk to the lakeshore this time, but there is an observation deck near the roadside rest area where you can look down over Lake Furen. If I get the chance next time, I'd like to climb up and see the lake from a different angle.
