Lake Furen

About Lake Furen

A brackish lagoon at the base of the Nemuro Peninsula, separated from the Sea of Okhotsk by the Hashirikotan sandspit from the north and Shunkunitai to its south. Vast tidal flats lie inside, and about 280 bird species have been recorded. In winter it is one of Japan's major wintering sites for Steller's sea eagles. It was designated a Ramsar Site (Furen-ko and Shunkuni-tai) in 2005.

Sources: Ministry of the Environment, Ramsar Site leaflet: Furen-ko and Shunkuni-tai, Environment Agency of Japan, Lake Survey Report (1993) (sources in Japanese)

Lake data

Area

64.17 km²#5 in Hokkaido

Maximum depth

13 m#19 in Hokkaido

Average depth

1 m

Surface elevation

0 m

Transparency

4 m#14 in Hokkaidoas of the 1991 survey

Origin

Lagoon-origin lake

Lake type

Oligotrophic

Fresh or brackish

Brackish

Freezing

Freezes in winter

Unmodified lake

No

Natural park

Notsuke-Furen Prefectural Natural Park

Ramsar Convention

Ramsar Site

Lake number

0410number in the national lake survey

Sources: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Area Statistics of Prefectures and Municipalities 2026 (as of July 1), Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Lake Survey (surveyed 1979・1981), Environment Agency of Japan, 4th National Survey on the Natural Environment: Lake Survey Report (1993). Area and depth use newer figures from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan where available. Origin, lake type, transparency, freezing and unmodified status are as of the 1991 survey.

Themes that include Lake Furen

• Lagoon-origin lakes
• Oligotrophic lakes
• Brackish lakes