Daisetsuzan National Park

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox protected area Template:Nihongo, or Taisetsuzan is located in the mountainous center of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. At Template:Convert is approximately the size of Kanagawa Prefecture. Up until the establishment of Hidakasanmyaku-Erimo-Tokachi National Park in 2024, it was the largest national park in Japan. Daisetsuzan, meaning "great snowy mountains", an apt description of these peaks. There are 16 peaks over Template:Convert in Daisetsuzan National Park, both with and without trails. The park offers some of the most rugged scenery in Japan. Asahi-dake (Template:Convert), located in the north of the park, is the highest peak in Hokkaidō. Daisetsuzan National Park spans two subprefectures of Hokkaido, Kamikawa and Tokachi. Daisetsuzan National Park was established in 1934.<ref name="enc DNP">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="d">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="k">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="n">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="c">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Mountain groups

Daisetsuzan National Park consists of three volcanic mountain groups. The groups consist of stratovolcanoes piled on top of each other. As one vent becomes active, it builds a peak then stops until a new vent appears. These groups are:

1. Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group — lies in the northern part of the park and includes Hokkaidō's tallest mountain, Mount Asahi.
2. Tokachi Volcanic Group — lies in the southwest of the park north of the Yubari and Hidaka Mountains. It includes Mount Tokachi<ref name="d" />
3. Shikaribetsu Volcanic Group — lies in the eastern part of the park and includes Mount Ishikari. The Ishikari River (Template:Convert), which emerges from Mount Ishikari, is the third longest in Japan and the longest in Hokkaidō.<ref name="enc">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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These volcanic groups lie around a central highlands dominated by Mount Tomuraushi. The park is also known for its alpine meadows and remote backcountry.

Nature

Daisetsuzan National Park is famous for its wildlife, and the park is home to several rare species.<ref name="k" /> The park is notably home to a population of brown bears. The pika, a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and no external tail, is also found in the park. The forests of Daisetsuzan National Park are dominated by the Picea jezoensis, the Jezo spruce, and the Abies sachalinensis, the Sakhalin fir.<ref name="enc DNP" /> Of the 450 species of alpine plants found in Hokkaidō, half are found in Daisetsuzan National Park.<ref name="k" />

Onsen

Daisetsuzan National Park also includes the onsen hot spring resorts of Asahidake Onsen, Fukiage Onsen, Sōunkyō Onsen and Tenninkyo Onsen.

See also

• List of national parks of Japan
• List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments
• SOS incident

External links

• Template:In lang Daisetsuzan National Park - National Parks of Japan
• Template:In lang Daisetsuzan National Park - National Parks of Japan
• Official Website of Daisetsuzan National Park
• Daisetsuzan National Park at Biodiversity Center of Japan, Ministry of the Environment
• Gretel Ehrlich: Daisetsuzan, National Geographic Magazine August 2008 link