Area around Lake Toya, Hokkaido

ASTER bird's-eye view of the area around Lake Toya (July 27, 2006).

Lake Toya, the ninth-largest lake in Japan, is located in Toya Caldera, southwestern part of Hokkaido.
In the southern part of the lake (lower in the image) you can see Mt. Usu, which violently erupted in 2000, as well as Mt. Showa Shinzan to its east.

When you look to the north, you can see Mt. Yotei, also knownas "Ezo-Fuji", and Niseko mountain range.
Lake Toya is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park with many hot springs around, and one of the most popular tourist spots in Hokkaido.

The Lake Toya resort has recently been selected as a venuefor the G8 summit in 2008.
On the top of the mountain in the west of the lake, you can see the hotel where the summit is to take place.
The summit leaders will enjoy scenery like this next year.