Mount Rausu

We gasped when we saw this beautiful snow-capped mountain, located on on Shiretoku Peninsula, Hokkaido, and drove around it when crossing the peninsula.

This is the northeastern-most volcano on Hokkaidō, and one of Japan's 100 famous mountains. In the past 2200 years it has erupted three times, with (most recently) a pyroclastic (hot lava) flow about 500 years ago.

On June 1, 1964 - The region around Mount Rausu was named Shiretoko National Park - which covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaido. The word "Shiretoko" is derived from an Ainu word "sir etok", meaning "the place where the earth protrudes".

One of the most remote regions in all of Japan, the tip of this peninsula is only accessible on foot or by boat. The park is best known as the home of Japan's largest Brown Bear population and for offering views of Kunashiri island - ownership of which Japan and Russia dispute.

The park has a hot springs waterfall called kamuiwakka which means "water of the gods" in Ainu.

In 2005 UNESCO designated the area (alongside Russia's Kuril Islands) as a transboundary "World Heritage Peace Park".