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As consumers, it’s crucial to support brands that prioritise the planet. By choosing products from Urban Traveller & Co’s eco-conscious roster, you’re not only investing in quality and style but also contributing to a brighter, greener future for generations to come. This Earth Month, let’s celebrate and support sustainability together.

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Urban Travel Co manages family vacations, honeymoon destinations, business travel and fulfill vacation dreams through my commitment to personalized, world-class service. I provide the highest level of travel expertise in the industry. Urban Travel Company believes our service should exceed industry standards and be the best value for the customer. Urban Travel Company mission is simple, I replace the stress of travel planning by handling all the details while meeting your budget and expectations, so you can completely relax and get excited for you dream vacation!

Urban Travel Co builds you a one-of-a-kind vacation by choosing from over 25 Disney Resort hotels. I customize a package personalized just for you, that lets you take advantage of all 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and over 150 Walt Disney World Resort dining locations! Urban Travel Co understands navigating and trying to book a Disney vacation can be very overwhelming. Urban Travel Co takes away the stress of planning. I make all reservations and keeps you updated on everything the park has to offer. Urban Travel Co provides you with a completely personalized itinerary for the perfect Disney vacation!

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2,5 absolutely FREE DAILY walking tour in Moscow. We're TOP-rated company according to TA reviews! Book now and get meeting points details!

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• DAILY tours. Moscow Free Tour is the only company in the city offering 5 daily tours, including the Kremlin, regardless of the weather, day of the week and group size!
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Since 2011 Moscow Free Tour has been rated number 1 among all the Moscow tour companies (according to TripAdvisor.com, the world's largest travel site). Our Free Tour covers the most important and interesting attractions of the city: St. Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, Lenin's mausoleum, etc.

WHY DO WE RUN THIS TOUR FOR FREE?

• We love our city and we want to share it with guests, regardless of their budget. We want to change foreign tourists' perception of Moscow and show a beautiful, modern, open-minded and friendly city. You might like our Free Tour so much that you will decide to join our paid tours.

Just make a booking, and our guides will eagerly take you for an amazing walk through our magical city!

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Moscow kremlin tour: 2.30 pm, except thursday.

The Moscow Kremlin is a must-see attraction in Russia, a beautiful fortress in the heart of the city full of history and legends. It used to be a residence of Russian tsars and communist leaders and now it's a working place of the president of Russia. Behind medieval walls you will discover the oldest square of Moscow and amazing cathedrals where Russian rulers used to get married, crowned and buried. You will see once the largest cannon and church bell in the world. 8 hundred years of Russian history in one place. Don't miss this experience with Moscow Free tour. No prepayment and no cancelation fee.

PLEASE PAY YOUR ATTENTION: PREPAYMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR KREMLIN TOUR

Moscow Kremlin Introduction Tour: Every day 3PM, except Thursday

This tour is definitely useful and beneficial for tourists who visit the Kremlin for the first time. The guide will meet you in front of the Monument to Marshal Zhukov nearby the Four Seasons Hotel and take you on a 45-minute introduction tour about the Kremlin in English. You’ll receive the most important information about the Kremlin as well as other city center highlights. Behind medieval walls you will discover the oldest square of Moscow and amazing cathedrals, where Russian rulers used to get married, crowned and buried.

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For more than 70 years Moscow was the capital of the huge Soviet empire. The streets of the city are still full of remnants of the communist regime and the Cold War, and the fearsome Soviet strongholds still guard the young democracy in Russia.

Alternative Moscow Tour, 6:00 PM.

• St. John's hill, a quiet place in the city center with a pre-revolutionary spirit
• Khokhlovka, Russian hipsters and street art
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• Zamoskvorechie, beautiful streets and lanes full of legends and love stories.

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Bunker-42: A Secret Stalin's Times Bunker in the Center of Moscow

Hit the secret nuclear bunker of the the Cold War times in the center of Moscow!

• walk with a guide across all levels of the secret Bunker-42
• visit the Museum of the Cold War and get a crash course on the history of the war
• as a little bonus, you will "survive" a nuclear attack and launch a ballistic missile!

Please note that tour happens not every day and the schedule may vary. If you booked the tour online, please wait until our administrator will contact you to confirm the date and time of the tour. Or contact us +7 495 222 34 66.

Utopian Soviet Buildings

• The Palace of the Soviets instead of the Cathedral of the Christ the Saviour. It could have become one of the highest buildings in the world with a 100 m Lenin statue on the top.
• The eighth Stalinist skyscraper instead of the Zaryadye Park. It was supposed to be the tallest of all the Sisters.
• The Narkomtiazhprom (the People’s Commissariat of Heavy Industry) building instead of the GUM. How would the Red Square look like with three skyscrapers or gigantic staircases going all the way up to the 16th floor?
• The Palace of Labour instead of the Moskva Hotel. What was it, kind of a fantastic beast lying on the square or an ultimate Constructivist manifesto?
• The alternative Lenin’s Mausoleum, the “Leningradskaya Pravda” buildings and many others.
• Moscow Free Tour
• Moscow Free Tour rated "excellent" by travelers
• 177 reviews of Moscow Free Tour in Moscow

Testimonial

"A very enjoybale day in Moscow. We had a very nice and knowledgeable guide Anastasia.(Nastia) She was very passionate about the City and we learnt so much in our brief four hours walk with her! Certainly this walking tour added a lot of value to our Moscow Holiday. A great idea to educate visitors about Russia and Moscow. The group was intimate enough to ask questions and stop for snacks etc..we thoriughly enjoyed it and would highly reccomend it.Carry on doing a great job!"

"I really enjoyed the tour, it was a great experience, very informative and fun. I will definitely tell everybody about that tour, keep it it is a fantastic idea!"

"Sorry I do not remember the names :( ... They were very talkative and very into everything. I think they both really love the city, and they made me feel like this to. They knew much about History, which was very informative! Great guides!!!"

"We partook of the fantastic Petersburg Free Tour. Due to our timing during the low season (shockingly not everyone is flocking to Moscow while the average temperature is 15F), it ended up being just us and Sonia, the afore-mentioned super-guide. She quickly ascertained the limited scope of our wanderings.."

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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Fear the impending heat? Escape to Kushiro, the land of no summer.

So far, 2024 is shaping up to be one of the hottest years on record, with abnormal spring temperatures in the Tokyo area already worrying scientists and residents alike. Escape from the metropolis’ heat may seem impossible, but for Kushiro, far to the north in eastern Hokkaido, scorchers are the exception, not the rule.

A once mighty fishing port, Kushiro now aims to capture the hearts of tourists seeking escape from sweltering urban jungles for a misty paradise. In a bit of great irony, Kushiro is famed for her sunset: a natural treasure often hidden in the 100-plus days of foggy weather.

Even without a picturesque sunset, Kushiro can be a perfect escape for temperature-tortured travelers. From August to September, Kushiro’s riverside district hosts the Here Garden , a free-admission beer garden — a play on the word “ hiya ” meaning something cool to the touch.

The main gate of the Here Garden greets customers by flaunting Kushiro’s daily temperature compared to central Honshu. Last year on Aug. 28, Kushiro hit a high of 24.6 degrees Celsius in contrast to Tokyo’s 33 C. Summer averages float in the high teens and low 20s, not necessitating widespread air conditioning usage in homes and businesses. It’s not uncommon to hear Kushiro residents moan complaints — “It’s a scorcher!” — on days when the mercury barely tops 26 C.

During days when the fog abates, seawinds keep the city cool, preserving an impressive horizon of volcanic peaks. In the evening, when the thermals slack, the fog crawls back in, tucking the city under its heavy blanket. Old lights around the city glow dim orange with a jazzy evening tenor.

Kushiro’s much-vaunted cool summer emphasizes a bounty of nature that attracts locals and inbound tourists alike.

‘Nature always feels closer’

Rob Thompson, founder of the Hokkaido outdoor adventure guide Hokkaido Wilds , notes that while summertime activities in east Hokkaido and Kushiro are consistent with other offerings in rural prefectures, the land is much less tamed.

“Nature always feels closer,” says Thompson, who hails from New Zealand. “Big birds and big mammals — they’re a more real and tangible presence than (in) the rest of prefecture. Horizons — there are more of them: sea and land horizons, with wide open spaces.”

The centerpiece of the east Hokkaido expanse is the Kushiro marshland, Japan’s largest protected wetland at a staggering 22,070 hectares. The endangered red-crowned crane, known as sarurun kamuy or “gods of the marsh” in the indigenous Ainu language, calls the marshlands home during the summer, along with another 170 species of birds, including Steller’s sea eagles, Blankinston’s fish owl and more. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise where seeing rare species perched among evergreen forests is a regular sight.

Above the emerald sea of dense foliage stands the Kushiro Marsh Observatory , a brown stone tower with panoramic views of both coastline and wetlands (not to worry: cooler days mean less pesky insects). Across the seemingly infinite marsh is the Hosooka Observatory , perfect for viewing Kushiro’s serene evening horizon.

While access to the heart of the wetlands is off-limits by foot, tourists can commission local guides for jaunts down the leisurely Kushiro River that cuts through the heart of Kushiro Shitsugen National Park .

Hokkaido Wilds has mapped out a four-day grand odyssey for travelers interested in canoeing more than 100 kilometers from Lake Kussharo in the north to the Pacific far to the south.

For those seeking a more leisurely way to take in the sights, the Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko train runs along the border of the marshland. During the summer months, you can catch this train for ¥840 from Kushiro Station to Toro Station.

As you arrive at Toro Station, you may bump into Keisuke Tatsukawa, a former Yokohama office worker. The ranges and fresh air of east Hokkaido drew Tatsukawa, 31, into a new venture just next to the station, where his guesthouse, the Geek , looks down upon the tracks leading to the platforms. Inspired by Tatsukawa’s time spent in Portland, Oregon, the Geek features 14 beds, with dormitory-style rooms and private accommodations, all anchored by a large common space and bar to create bonds between strangers.

Throughout the year, guests can enjoy a Finnish-style sauna with views of passing trains, tranquil rivers and wetlands stretching into the distance to crowning mountains. Popular both in summer and winter, the Geek’s sauna recently featured on TBS’s “Love It!” program as Japan’s sauna with the best view .

But few come all the way to Kushiro just to lounge in spacious rooms or an impressive sauna. Tatsukawa partners with local guides to offer experiences throughout the year: birdwatching, canoeing on nearby Lake Toro and fishing during the day with an American-style barbecue with locally sourced ingredients in the evening under the glow of classic Kushiro sunset — as long as the fog cooperates.

For Tatsukawa, conveying the beauty of east Hokkaido is not a one-man mission; it runs in the family.

On the other side of the tranquil Lake Toro, Keisuke’s sister, Rika Tatsukawa, owns and operates Heart Ranch , a nearly 50-hectare campground and farm offering horseback riding. Heart Ranch is also planning on expanding offerings to include glamping and a sauna tent in the brisk nature of Hokkaido.

“We want to bring closer the relationship between horses and humans in Japan,” she says. “If guests want to take photos with baby horses, we expect two new baby horses in July.”

‘You can’t buy silence’

About 100 kilometers to the northwest of Kushiro’s marshes, open fields narrow to steep glens that rise to the smoky sulphuric peaks of the Akan Volcanic Complex. Here, veridian old-growth forests sway with cool mountain winds. The small onsen (hot spring) town of Lake Akan stands quiet next to the tranquil waters. Above the Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, a small downtown area decorated in traditional Ainu fashion, large wooden owls posted in the middle of the shopping street guard tourists and residents alike.

One of the latter is Ernest Mok, 29, originally from Hong Kong, but now a member of the regional revitalization corps (part of a national initiative to breathe new life into Japan’s declining rural communities) and a travel designer with Hibi Japan .

“Nowadays, many tourists not only want to take great photos and enjoy good hotels but are also keen on local cultural experience,” Mok says. “Lake Akan is shifting to providing special experiences and moments to tourists.”

Guided tours through forests, traditional Ainu dancing workshops, playing traditional Ainu instruments crafted by locals such as the tonkori crafted by locals have increased in popularity.

“Most of our tourists come from big cities, (but) you can’t buy silence in big cities,” Mok says. “Watching the starry skies, chilling by an outdoor onsen, exploring a deep forest — these experiences are priceless.”

Getting around, getting fed

Kushiro Airport is not connected to the more centrally located Kushiro Station by rail, so visitors coming by air usually board a limousine bus (¥950) or hop into a rental car. In order to witness all that east Hokkaido has to offer, having your own wheels is preferred.

Though Kushiro’s entertainment district, Suehiro, and its assorted eateries are easily accessed from Kushiro Station by foot, hidden gems require a longer journey. About a 15-minute walk from the station is Natsubori Ramen (open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), a local favorite that offers ramen lovers all the quality you’d desire with the coziness of a family-run store.

In Lake Akan Onsen, Marukibune (open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.), specializes in traditional Ainu food. The Jomon curry, a soup curry with vegetables and deer meat, is highly recommended.

Original to northern Japan is robata , a style of cooking where food is delicately cooked around a central hearth. The most famous shop in Kushiro, simply named Robata , is located downtown and prior reservations are a safe bet during the summer (though not oppressively summery) months.

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