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Japan鈥檚 northernmost island of 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 is best known for two things: winter sports and Sapporo beer. But the little-known eastern side of the island is a dream escape at any time of year for the adventurous visitor, whether you鈥檙e into beer or not.

In eastern 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 wildlife wonders abound (is that a bear snacking on freshly caught salmon?); there are lakes, sulphur-spewing volcanoes and hot springs aplenty; and there鈥檚 an indigenous culture trying to reassert itself after years of decline. Plus, all this comes with very few tourists. Here are five good reasons to get off the beaten track and visit.

Shiretoko National Park: bear necessities

Like a finger pointing away from the rest of 贬辞办办补颈诲艒, the World Heritage Shiretoko National Park was known as the 鈥榚nd of the world鈥� to the indigenous Ainu people and is as far from the rest of Japan as it鈥檚 possible to get without bumping into Russia. The peninsula consists of cliffs rising straight out of the sea, of forests through which bear and deer roam, of plunging waterfalls and cloud-scraping mountains 鈥� all just begging for exploration.

Pick up information at the visitor centre near Utoro on the park鈥檚 west side, then choose from the challenging, two-day Shiretoko Traverse hike (open from June to September), a gentler stroll to Furepe Waterfall, or a cruise (from May to October) out on the Sea of Okhotsk to spot brown bears along the shoreline. Or, between April and November, take a drive on the Shiretoko Pass 鈥� this beautiful route cuts across the peninsula through silver birch forests, with the park鈥檚 highest peak, Rausu-dake, looming overhead.

Akan National Park: untamed nature

What eastern 贬辞办办补颈诲艒鈥檚 other national park lacks in wildlife it more than makes up for in wild geology and where鈥檚-my-camera views. As with most of 贬辞办办补颈诲艒, the land here was formed by volcanic activity. The simmering forces of nature just below the surface are nowhere more evident than on the slopes of 滨艒-锄补苍. The yellow staining on the side of this mountain? That鈥檚 sulphur seeping out of the earth (and also the cause of the rotten-egg smell). That bubbling water with steam rising off it? Those are boiling pools, heated by the volcanic energy underground 鈥� don鈥檛 even think about putting your finger in.

Nearby are a couple of more benign volcano-produced features: a pair of stunning caldera lakes. 惭补蝉丑奴-办辞 is regularly named Japan鈥檚 prettiest body of water and has a hiking trail leading up the mountain Mash奴-dake. Kussharo-ko offers trails and watersports, along with the remote chance of spotting Kusshi, the lake鈥檚 very own Loch Ness Monster wannabe.

Rausu: whale-watching and body-bathing

The tiny fishing town of Rausu, on the Shiretoko Peninsula鈥檚 eastern side, is the jumping off point for to spot some of nature鈥檚 biggest beasts: whales. The channel between the coast here and the Kuril Islands offshore is 2000m deep and the perfect environment for the kings of the sea. Sperm, minke or Baird鈥檚 beaked whales can be spotted from May to October, along with dolphins, and orcas in May and June. Anyone happy to brave the bitterly cold winters here can head out on a sea-eagle-watching cruise amid the ice floes between January and March. Afterwards, swap chilly water for something decidedly more pleasant at hot spring Kuma-no-yu ('Bear's' onsen). A couple of kilometres inland from Rausu, this outdoor onsen is maintained by the locals and is one of the area鈥檚 best.

Kushiro and Kiritappu: a birder鈥檚 delight

Once thought extinct (ironic given they鈥檙e a symbol of longevity in Japan), the red-crowned white crane is still rare enough to bring any ornithologist worth their binoculars out in an excited sweat. Two wetland areas in eastern 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 are home to the crane and several other bird species. Kushiro-shitusugen has been a national park since 1987, charged with protecting the crane鈥檚 habitat in 269 sq km of wetlands. Cranes can be seen at the Japanese Crane Reserve and the Akan International Crane Centre, at the site of a winter feeding area (winter is the best time to see cranes, though you can spot them throughout the year). And for a train-crane combo you can hop on board a vintage locomotive that trundles through the national park from the town of Kushiro.

Further east and even less visited is the Kiritappu Wetland, the country鈥檚 third largest. Along with cranes and other fauna, it鈥檚 famous for its flora, and the whole area comes alive with colour from spring to autumn. Some 280 bird species (half of all species in Japan) can be seen here. A few kilometres away, on the headland beyond Kiritappu town, cormorants sun themselves between dives and sea otters float on their backs, cracking sea urchins open on their bellies.

Ainu territory: 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 before the Japanese

Once thriving but now largely integrated into Japanese society, the Ainu formerly dominated 贬辞办办补颈诲艒, living in harmony with nature in hunter-gatherer communities. Today, pockets of their culture can still be uncovered, though their legacy is scattered across the region.

In Utoro, on the Shiretoko Peninsula, guesthouse Sh奴ch艒 no Ie is a great place to stay and eat while learning more about the Ainu. South, in and around Akan National Park, is a more concentrated collection of museums and accommodation options dedicated to the island鈥檚 original inhabitants. Ainu Kotan is the largest indigenous village on 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 with the Ainu Folklore Museum sitting above it on a hill. Ikor has regular performances of traditional singing and dancing, as does (though less frequently) Marukibune guesthouse, run by an Ainu musician and located right next to Kussharo-ko (there鈥檚 an outdoor, lakeside onsen to enjoy too).

Getting around and getting by

A couple of airports serve the east of 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 with connections to Tokyo and Sapporo. Memanbetsu Airport in the north gives easiest access to Shiretoko, while Kushiro Airport in the south is close to the wetlands and is convenient for Akan. There are a few bus and train options to the east from Sapporo, but public transport is very limited. Having your own car is a huge bonus and 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 is excellent for road-tripping. Roads are quiet and scenic and parking is easy 鈥� just remember not to leave food in your car in areas where bears could be present or you might be making an insurance claim. Locals are friendly and polite, but little English is spoken so a good phrasebook or translation app will be very useful.

Clifton Wilkinson travelled to 贬辞办办补颈诲艒 with support from the . 糖心传媒 contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.