Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

Wednesday, took the train out to see the Kushiro marshlands. Kushiro Shitsugen is the largest wetland in Japan, about the size of Tokyo, and has been given National Park status since 1987. It is the home of lots of wildlife, most famously the red crested white crane - a symbol of Japan and protected species. I took the Noroko Go tourist train, which takes a route through the marshlands and has wood finished, viewing carriages. All looked great until I realised that my ticket was for the unreserved carriage stuck at the end, which is duller than a Scotrail carriage and with mean little square windows. Was only on it for 20 mins before arriving at Kushiro Shitsugen Station, and didn't miss much really.

The station has a quaint little wooden waiting room(see above), which everyone both on and off the train immediately started taking photos of. After the initial camera rush, everyone headed off for the next photo opportunity, and I was left alone. There was a staircase leading uphill towards a couple of viewing points from which to look out over the marshlands. Got a few photos then headed off up a long windy, bumpy road leading nowhere. Found a few tracks leading into the wilderness, and one came out into a clearing with 3 deer standing on the slope. Really peaceful, with white butterflies fluttering about, dragonflies buzzing and the odd yelp of a deer (sounds a bit like a puppy). Started raining, had my brother's old North Face jacket to protect me, but was getting hungry and rain getting heavier so turned back. Didn't realise quite how far I'd walked, but eventually made it back to the lookout points, by which time the rain was pounding, and took shelter under a wooden rotunda.

Set off into the rain again in search of the visitor's lounge and coffee shop, and was pleasantly surprised to find it just round the corner. Headed straight for the bathroom and when I came out the rain was now falling in sheets. Visitors lounge was unsurprisingly rather full. Its a wooden building with comfy seats positioned around an unlit furnace, and a tv playing dvds about the National Park. Had a pizza and a coffee, the rain stopped, people started leaving, and realising there was a train back soon, headed back to the station. The train home was one of the regular local trains - only one carriage, quite a funny looking thing really.