A lake of wild birds and swans. Sea smoke and frost flowers on winter mornings
| From Tomakomai Station | By car about 15 min (about 12 km by road) Estimated from road map data. Traffic lights, congestion and winter roads can make it take longer. |
|---|---|
| Area | Tomakomai |
| Our photos | 2013, 2015, 2021, 2025, 2026 |
| Map | Route from Tomakomai Station / Open map |
What is Lake Utonai like?
Lake Utonai is a lake in eastern Tomakomai City, south of New Chitose Airport. It is an important stopover for migratory birds, and in 1991 it became the fourth wetland in Japan registered under the Ramsar Convention. On the lakeshore there is a nature center that opened as the first bird sanctuary in Japan, and Roadside Station Utonaiko is right next to it.
In spring and autumn, huge flocks of swans, geese and ducks rest here. On clear midwinter mornings, you may see “kearashi” (sea smoke), which rises from the lake surface like steam, and “frost flowers,” which bloom on the ice.
Getting there from Tomakomai and travel time
From JR Tomakomai Station, it takes about 15 min by car. The distance is about 12 km by road.
Travel times are estimates based on the road distance from map data (OpenStreetMap), assuming an average speed of about 55 km/h (about 70 km/h for routes longer than 40 km). Traffic lights, traffic jams and winter road conditions can make the trip longer. Please check the latest road information before you go.
How people living in Tomakomai can enjoy it
It is close to central Tomakomai, so you can stop by on a morning walk on your day off. You can also shop and rest at the roadside station, so it is an easy outing with children or older family members.
You can stop there on the way to or from New Chitose Airport. When family or friends visit from outside Hokkaido, it is an easy place to show them their “first typical Hokkaido scenery.”
Our photo record
Our president visited 7 times between May 2013 and April 2026 and recorded about 776 photos.
This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.
Photos: Banana House Inc. (taken by our president). Do not reuse without permission.
Our photo records and timestamp certificates
The 9 photos in this article were taken on site by our president. We list the SHA-256 hashes of the published files and have them signed by timestamp authorities (DateSealed, DigiCert, Sectigo)(First certified: 2026-11-03 12:40 JST). A signature shows that the same file existed before that time; it does not prove the date the photo was taken.
You can check the signature and hash of each photo from its timestamp certificate. To see whether a photo you saved matches our records, use the photo timestamp verification page (Japanese) .
Frequently asked questions
When can I see swans at Lake Utonai?
Many can be seen during the migration seasons in spring (around March to April) and autumn (around October to November). The timing varies from year to year.
When can I see sea smoke and frost flowers?
You may see them early in the morning on clear, very cold days in midwinter. They appear only on days when the temperature and wind conditions are right.
Nearby spots
- Tomato Kashiwabara Observation Deck (about 7 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 20 min)
- Tomakomai Port and ferry terminal (about 9 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 5 min)
- Midorigaoka Park and observation deck (about 9 km in a straight line / from Tomakomai Station about 5 min)
Looking for a home or selling in Tomakomai?
“Lake Shikotsu or Noboribetsu on weekends”, “I want to live near the airport”: we suggest areas that fit the way you want to live. We also help with selling and vacant houses.
Banana House Inc., 1-1-1 Honkocho, Tomakomai. We never use pushy sales. Please write in English or Japanese.