This morning it was already time to say good-bye to Hakodate and jump on a Hokuto Limited Express train (the Japanese version of an intercity train), heading for Toya; here it was onto a local bus for Toyako-Onsen. After a quick ramen lunch,  made my way to the shore of Lake Toya, a volcanic caledera lake, taking in the views of  Nakajima Island. As there was not much else to do, I decided to do the kitschy ship tour on the lake (in a castle-shaped ship): out to the island and back with more great views – now including town and Mt.Usa.

From here it was on to the visitor center of the National Park with its Volcano Science Museum – providing an overview of Mt.Uso, its eruption history, the aftermath and the preparatory work that is done to mitigate some of the impacts of an eruption – overall another excellent and interactive museum. From here it was on to my accommodation – and into a jukata and then a hotspring pool.