All Reviews of Mt. Showa-Shinzan

Even from far away, you can see a bare, dark red peak suddenly rising out of the vast green forest, with thick white steam constantly billowing from all around its slopes. This is the incredibly impressive Mt. Showa-Shinzan! The story behind this mountain is unbelievable. This area was originally just a flat wheat field, but during the Showa era, a series of powerful earthquakes and volcanic crustal activity caused magma underground to forcefully push up the surface. In just two years, it grew into an active volcanic lava dome nearly 400 meters tall. Looking up from the trail at the foot of the mountain, the rough reddish-brown rock face is completely barren. Up close, you can see white steam continuously hissing out from cracks in the rocks and even smell a faint hint of sulfur. Seeing the powerful vitality of the earth pulsing from within with your own eyes feels just like witnessing a miracle of nature!

Walking into the Showa Shinzan Bear Park next to Mt. Showa-Shinzan, the most exciting part is getting an up-close look at these huge yet incredibly clever Ezo brown bears! Looking down over the park from above, I saw the bears waving, stretching, clasping their paws together as if begging, and even lying on the ground acting cute to encourage visitors to toss them apples or bear cookies. My heart melted instantly. It completely changed my stereotypical image of brown bears as fierce and imposing.

I bought special bear cookies at the entrance shop and tried tossing them to the bears in the park. Watching them catch the cookies accurately and look satisfied brought constant surprises and laughter. Although the park’s concrete structures feel a little like an old-fashioned zoo, watching these adorably clumsy brown bears playfully beg for food was still a fun, interactive, and memorable little experience. It is definitely an entertaining attraction you shouldn’t miss when visiting Lake Toya and Mt. Showa-Shinzan!

Japan Showa-Shinzan Bear Park | Hokkaido Travel Notes
When I arrived at Showa-Shinzan Bear Park in Hokkaido, before I even entered the park, I was drawn to the eye-catching wooden “WELCOME HOKKAIDO” sign at the entrance. The cute bear statues and large brown bear sign immediately created a strong Hokkaido travel atmosphere.
What I looked forward to most, of course, was seeing Hokkaido brown bears up close. Through the secure fences and feeding windows, I could clearly see the bears leisurely moving around and waiting for food. A few even came right up to the fence and curiously interacted with visitors. When they looked up at us, the feeling of both excitement and nervousness made me keep reaching for my camera to capture the moment.
Sunlight poured over the park, and the bears against Hokkaido’s natural scenery created an interesting travel scene. This visit to Showa-Shinzan Bear Park wasn’t just about seeing bears; it also became a Hokkaido memory filled with surprises, laughter, and childlike fun.

Mt. Showa-Shinzan is a very unique volcano. Seeing its towering shape and reddish-brown rocks in person made me feel that nature is truly fascinating. While walking around and enjoying the scenery, you can see the spectacular traces left by the volcano. It's completely different from the mountains you usually see. This visit left a deep impression on me and gave me an even greater sense of the power of Hokkaido's natural landscape.

Seeing it in person is really pretty mind-blowing. The fact that a whole mountain just popped up like that is wild.

I arrived a bit late, so all the souvenir shops nearby were already closed. In the evening, there were a bunch of crows in the sky, which looked a little scary.

You can see all of Showa Shinzan in about 10 minutes. There's a ropeway station nearby that takes you up to Mt. Usu, and you can also see Lake Toya from there.

This is a very young mountain that's still smoking. It feels like it could erupt at any moment.