Fly to New Chitose Airport (CTS), then continue by road to Shikotsu Kohan. The visitor center gives approximately 30 km and 40 minutes by road from the airport, or 25 km and 30 minutes from central Chitose under ordinary conditions.

Airport 4 links the airport, Minami-Chitose, Chitose Station and Shikotsuko. Allow about one hour on the bus from the airport. The provider timetable effective April 1, 2026 shows four daily airport departures, two extra weekend/holiday journeys and a JPY 1,260 adult one-way airport-lake fare. It remains the timetable linked by the at this check. Confirm the travel-date revision before relying on a connection.

The practical air gateway for Chitose and Lake Shikotsu. JNTO airport guide. Confirm the actual airline schedule separately; no route inventory is assumed here. ICAO identifier RJCC is confirmed by JMA.

The village core is suitable for a short walking itinerary; remote shore entries and Marukoma require separately arranged transport. Confirm your actual meeting point, because a Sapporo-based operator's pickup offer does not establish collection in Chitose.

The current Shikotsuko return table shows the last ordinary departure at 17:45. This is a checked timetable detail, not a promise for every future date. An evening festival visit can therefore need a prebooked transfer or overnight stay. In winter, check road and operator notices rather than relying on a normal driving estimate.

Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs passport-specific visa rules before departure. Many exempt nationalities receive a short visit of up to 90 days, but some have shorter stays or electronic-passport and registration conditions. Other travelers need a visa in advance. Follow the conditions for your actual passport and purpose of travel; do not treat a tour booking as immigration permission. Local activity acceptance, certification checks and site access remain separate.

Reserve drysuit and boot sizes before travel and state whether you need a cold-water regulator, computer or instruction. Obtain one itemized quote covering equipment, tanks, weights, access and transport. Bring certification and relevant logs. Ask whether the provider can receive shipped equipment before sending anything. Do not assume walk-up tank rental, independent fills or a shore-entry service. Pack wet gear so it can be separated from dry layers on the return journey.

Use yen for local payments and carry enough cash for confirmed fees. OCEAN DAYS' regular scuba terms specify cash payment; ask every provider separately about deposits and accepted methods. JNTO currency guidance.

Obtain cash at New Chitose Airport or in Chitose before the lake transfer. JNTO identifies Japan Post and Seven Bank international-card networks, with machine and service-hour limitations. A working international-card ATM in Shikotsu Kohan itself was not verified.

Carry a Type A adapter and check each charger's input rating. A plug adapter does not convert voltage. JNTO documents Japan's electrical supply; the provider's prefecture table confirms Hokkaido uses 50Hz.

Communications

Arrange a working phone/data option before leaving the airport; JNTO's airport guide lists SIM and pocket-Wi-Fi services. Download the meeting point, Japanese place names, bus information and emergency details. Mobile coverage at an individual shore entry was not verified, so ask the operator what communication method is available there. Japan uses Japan Standard Time, UTC+9; all local schedules in this guide are local time.

Language

Japanese is the working language of the local services reviewed. The ordinary OCEAN DAYS scuba product explicitly requires Japanese communication; Grande Polpo describes its English as limited. An English website or tourism-language label does not establish an English safety briefing for your session. Confirm the actual guide, language and any interpreter arrangement before paying. Save names and addresses in Japanese for transport.

Insurance

Choose coverage that explicitly accepts your planned freshwater scuba, permitted depth and any specialist winter activity, together with medical treatment, recompression and transport. If considering freediving, obtain explicit acceptance of that activity and its conditions. Ask what the operator's included accident cover pays for and what it excludes; do not assume it replaces personal travel or dive insurance. Keep policy and assistance details available offline.

Packing list

Bring certification, relevant drysuit logs and requested medical forms.
Reserve equipment sizes and bring dry insulating layers, above-ankle socks, gloves and a hat appropriate to the season.
Carry a towel, spare clothing and separate bags for wet gear.
Pack walking shoes with suitable grip, a rain shell, sun protection and drinking water.
Bring a suitable prescription mask if needed; do not rely on ordinary spectacles inside a snorkeling mask.
Keep yen, a charged phone, spare power and the return-transport plan accessible.
In winter, arrange footwear and transport for ice and snow before arrival.

Lake Shikotsu

Logistics

Quick Facts

Getting There

Logistics

Quick Facts

Getting There

Airports

Getting Around

Entry Requirements

Gear Logistics Checklist

Practicalities

Currency

Electricity