Akan Kohan

Akan Kohan Review

The small town on the lakeshore is a major stop on regional bus tours, with giant hotels blocking off the lake from the main road running through the town. Kitschy souvenir shops sell endless rows of carved Ainu-style bears, and bottles containing marimo (algae) that may never grow. At the northern end of the town is the Ainu village, one cobbled street lined by shops and restaurants, with the Culture Performance Center and a small museum at the top. From May to October there are excellent 30-minute, traditional dance performances five times a day, and the 9 pm show features yukara (chanted epic poems). Performances cost ¥1,100.