Kushiro City is blessed with a rich natural environment and is home to many national parks. Local specialties include smelt, whalefish, and Kushiro ramen, popular in the cold season. Another popular tourist attraction is Lake Akan, home to marimo balls, which have been designated a special natural monument. Akanko Onsen is a caldera lake and is located around the lake. Lake Akan Onsen has a long history, and is said to have started as a hot spring inn town in the Meiji period. Currently, there are around 30 inns lined up. The view from the Kushiro Marsh is also beautiful and a feast for the eyes. Although it is now a marshland, it is said that it was previously underwater.