Lake Mikazuki was formed in the Meiji era (1868-1912) when a bend in the Ishikari River, the largest river in Hokkaido, was naturally short-circuited by the flooding of the river. Later, based on a flood control plan, a new waterway was excavated starting in 1941.

It is usually in March when swans fly in to mark the end of the long Hokkaido winter. They spend the winter in the lakes and marshes of Honshu and head for distant Siberia. Fukurochi Swamp is an important resting place on their long journey.
In the distance is the symbolic mountain "Pinneshiri" in the town of Shintotsukawa.
Swans are pecking at firs spilled from the autumn harvest in the melting rice paddies.