■Kushiro Shitsugen National Park 26,861 ha.:(July 31, 1987)

This park covers Kushiro marsh, the largest one in the country which spreads into the suburbs of Kushiro city in the eastern part of Hokkaido, lake Toro, Shirarutoro marsh, Takkobu swamp and surrounding hills.
It consists of vast reed plain (Phramgmites communits) dotted with alder forests (Alnus japonica), meandering Kushiro river and its tributary waters, and Akan mountain range hemming the marsh fairly far away. The large-scale horizontal landscape is very unique in the national park of Japan.
The marsh is very abundant with many species of birds, including the sacred crane (Grus japonensis) designated as the Special Natural Monument , and various precious animals such as Salamandrella keyserlingii (salamander), Leucorrhinia intermedia ijimai (dragonfly) etc. For that reason, the central part of the park is registered as the first Ramsar site in Japan (based on the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, (Ramsar Convention))