Daytime on a sunny day☀️ is great, the starry night sky🌠 is great too, a spot Kitami City can be proud of, a city with few scenic spots (or rather, almost none lol). About 35 minutes from Kitami Station, about 15 minutes by car🚙 from the Fusato Dam🅿 campground⛺, climbing through the mountains, you'll arrive at the 3rd Plaza parking lot right near the observation deck. Unfortunately it was cloudy that day so I couldn't see the distant mountains, but on a clear day with crisp air you can see the Shiretoko mountain range including Mt. Rausu (Rausudake) and Mt. Unabetsu (Unabetsudake) on the Shiretoko Peninsula, the standalone peak Mt. Shari (Sharidake), and even Mt. O-Akan (Oakandake) and Mt. Me-Akan (Meakandake)—a grand-scale chain of volcanoes—letting you feel the vastness of eastern Hokkaido. Beyond those mountains is the Notsuke (Notsuke) Peninsula, Japan's largest sandspit (sashi); there's Kushiro City, with a port boasting one of the country's top fish🐟 catches and one of the world's three great sunsets🌇; and beyond the Konsen (Konsen) Plateau with its vast pastures🐮🌿 lies Nemuro City, home to Cape Nosappu (Nosappumisaki), Japan's easternmost point. When you come here, I want you to daydream about your trip: "Alright, which way should I head next❓" 😆

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It doesn't seem to be well known; nobody was there. If you come in from the Aiuchi side, it's paved, but you have to go quite a distance along a narrow section where passing oncoming cars is difficult. I think access from the Toyosato Dam side is better. From the observation deck, you can see all the way toward Kitami City. There's a parking lot, but no restroom, so be careful.

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Visited on November 10, 2022. I had been to Fusato Dam below before, but this was my first time at this observation deck. It's a ranch called Honzawa Ranch, managed by Kitami City. It's 200–300 m from the parking lot to the observation deck. It starts right off with a steep climb. It's pretty tough, so those with heart problems should go up slowly. The view from the observation deck is the best. Unfortunately, although it was sunny, it was a bit hazy, so I couldn't see the Shiretoko mountain range. Apparently the observation deck is at an elevation of 460 m. The road up here is paved and comfortable. Even if an oncoming car comes, there are quite a lot of places to pull over, so no worries. I don't think brown bears appear, but it's better to wear a bear bell to let them know people are around.

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As always, I'm still going around visiting observation decks (^^) This observation deck is part of a ranch It turned out to be surprisingly close to Fusato Dam, which I posted the other day But you have to walk from the parking lot, and from there it's a steep slope and a long way… lol When I finally arrived and climbed up the deck, the view was so amazing I forgot all the hardship! As expected it looked a little hazy, but I could see the mountains and Kitami City in the distance～☆ This time in the parking lot, instead of photographers, there were several people sketching☆ When I went to the deck, a married couple was drawing intently, but word came from below that a bear had appeared, so I eagerly headed back down too— that's the story of this observation deck ^^; But every place gives me a fresh and beautiful experience (^_^)/

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Maybe a precious scenic spot for Kitami, which doesn't have many sights I took photos at dawn. The spot is near the parking lot, and the road is well maintained and easy to drive.

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