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Published: June 13th 2008
Abashiri certainly turned the weather on the following day.
After my body demanding a lie in, I just made it to the Okhotsk sea to the east of town, before having to head to back and be ready for a 10.01am train to Kushiro.
The city of Abashiri was not the bustling metropolis of Wakkanai (!!), but the weather similar and fresh in a northerly/ southerly climate kind of way. The morning walk took in the pier, ther river, the rubbish truck playing, of all things, 'chopsticks', and some smelly seaside fishermen working on a retaining wall for the Okhotsk sea. At least my musically uncultured brain thought that was what I heard, I can't think what else it could be here! It does get a little trying at times hearing happy birthday, or similar nursery rhyme type tunes, in the city streets.
And not just Abashiri....no, but it occurs everywhere, it permeates every facet of your living existence here in Japan, whether you walk through the centre of Asahikawa heading to the very conveniently located supermarkets and depaatos, or waiting patiently for the crossing signal to chime (at which point new music appears!), or sitting in the
Abashiri port
those bouys get a lot of attention, again.local park or toilet block with piped tori noises (thats bird sounds!) in order that you relax that little bit more....I can see the concept, and maybe that is why the locals are such a helpful, polite lot?
So if one had time, one could see the prison, the abashiri art museum, or in winter the ice breaker boats do a mean trip to see, you guessed it, ice being broken. There were no icebergs I saw of, and the reason? Global warming.....so much so that my hotel digs for the night, the green hotel abashiri (not too bad for 6300 yen, but alternative budget accommodation few and far between, especially with late arrivers like me) has a policy that they set their thermometers lower than usual so as to preserve this corner of Earth. Thoughful eh!
But the Green hotel did invite me to partake in some naughty behaviour should I like, that perhaps my partner may be unable to provide.....................in that sneaky, under the covers (pun intended) japanese way, yes, I could access the porn channels, and even order my take out food from.........lets call them downmarket geishas dressed in very little but with too much
Suonkyo onsen rainbow
If you hold this the right way you can see a pot of yen at then end of the hill! En route to Abashiri just as the rain started.. make up in my view....... I could attach a photo of an Hokkaido local reading on the train the equivalent of the page 3 Truth, but you can use your imagination for this one....ahhh, the power of the zoom and digital camera and a little female cunning!!
So I got to the train easily on time, and satisfied having had touched the eastern sea, and the northern too a day earlier.
The train ride would have to shape up as one of the best I have been on. If I did this again, I would spend 2 days in Abashiri, and go out 3 or 4 stops eastward from Abashiri central station, and take in the ocean (clean, looking), northern flora, and the gorgeous view of the Shiretoko peninsula and the snow covered ranges up to 1700m high. This was followed by rolling valleys and gave way to dense forest then swamplands as you enter the Kushiro region. The soils and farming here is understandably rich, and although I did not stay in Kushiro (long enough to get to the next platform, but not without a pallava about whether I was on the right one or not, and holding
Finger on the tip of Hokkaido
Notomisaki peninsula, just east of Abashiri town, along the smelly waterfrontage to to Okhotsk sea (spelt that right for first time!) the train up by 1 minute.......Always pays to check!), it is a good base to access this train-less, bus only part of eastern Hokkaido. It is isolated, and attracts a lot of migratory birdlife I have heard. Leave that until the next trip, right??
I did spend longer in the Shintoku region which was due to poor train connections. Imagining it to be a large town, I arrived to a quiant one horse provincial place of I would say 2000 people, with not internet, no tourism info, and some fortunately helpful train staff. Deciding the next connection was 4 hrs away, and that I did not fancy a 80000 yen taxi ride half way, I made an effort to wander the streets and just be at one with provincial northern japan. The very kind train staff quickly summonds a nice young man who had spent 1 yr in Ottawa,Canada, and spoke perfect english, and who according to his shirt works for Club Med, Sohoro or something, a japanese resort god knwos where. I never knew thay had club med in japan!!!
Anyhow, this english speaking person helped immensely, and without an internet cafe I had no way of
Abashiri estuary
No swimming here, despite the enticing climes.... getting a map (suggested by the owner, and a good suggestion it was pitch black when I got there at 9.15pm) where I was to stay that night. So amongst themselves they called the minshuku, printed me a map and ensured i got a train that ended up at this town, weven with the owner waiting at the front for me with his car. This 'Minshuku Bibaushi' was, of all places, in Bibaushi, another one horse town with a shed for a train station. If you want peace and quiet, come here - Kamifurano, Furano (bit bigger, less quiet), Biei and Bibaushi have a few minshuku that are affordable and some even speak a little english for you. So Shintoku captured me for 4 hrs...I found the curling rink, the sports centre with japanese girls trying to do their ballet warm ups, locals on low riding bikes taking their shopping home, many a bent over local walking to the shops for their necessities, kids walking home from school, Mums leading kids and dogs on leashes.....small town stuff. I met these people i the same boat as I from taipei and have been invited to tstay there should I come, and
touching it
the Okhotsk sea of course! where does the novelty end you ask.... it is a great place they say too, with clean and green parts I had not dreamed of........here comes the next travel plan. how many more yrs will I need to live and work to pay for, for this to eventuate??!!
And today was again a highlight!
I left Bibaushi on the 8.30 train to Kamifurano, after a lovely traditional breakfastof sprats and their eggs, shared with fellow minshuku stayer, lets call him Masahiro, as he was in fact a Masahiro, not a figment of my japanese name imagination. So it was wet, cold, and the scarfs and hats came out.
We were fortunate once in Kamifurano to find a shop that was....closed. So Masa and I and this generous lady took us about 600m up the road to the local LAWSON conbenience store, and we got our conbenience hit before the bus ride up to Tokachidake onsen.
Masa's motives, a teacher in Nagoya of disabled and sick children in the hospital, were more sedate than mine..............to have an onsen, and a long one at that!. So after getting of mistakenly at Fukiage and not Tokachidake onsen stops (there are many to choose from), the onsen owner somehow
plenty one horse towns en route to Kushiro and Bibaushi
the closest station to the OHOTSKU sea, see I can right it gramattically correctly again, not without a great deal of watching my fingers...! summons the driver to stop and reverse back up again for my benefit, now that is service! So I made it along with an 85 yr old lady who, I was told, was getting old and sore, to Tokachidake onsen the starting point, so I thought of a half day hike. But then I accidently answered the truth to the popular question, 'what do you do', and it was like a cascade of 'itais' (pain). I figured there was some similarity between onsen-ning it in Japan, and running hydrtherapy classes at AUT!!
So where did I walk? Some volcano I cannot read the kanji for, but it was pretty damn good. Only 1km or so up a valley from the onsen bus stop, I realy got amongst it. The lady at the onsen said it was safe, and again an english speaking gent came to the rescue to further translate and assure me I was okay to walk there. The 2nd option of 1.5hrs did not eventuate, partly as there was a lot of snow, and partly as I was just dead keen for an onsen I did not care to walk today. Especially when you take loads of
A snowy Shiretoko peninsula in the distance
taken from the single carriage, that took us to Kushiro from Abashiri photos the time flys too quickly. This volcanoe is in the south of Daisetzuzan national park, but more are present northwards, and for the even lazier, a ropeway takes you to the top of Asahidake san. The resorts (they are not even that!) of Fukiage, Shirogane, and Tokachidake are evidently good ma and pa places, not too touristed.
I can attest to that. It was a case of shedding the clothes and inhibitions again for an indoor scrub and outdoor soak in pools up to 40C. I had visions overnight of having to cut with my swiss army knife my fast dry towel into a thin strip just enough to cover oneself should I decide to go Rotemburo style, that is mixed bathing. Then I found out you wear togs when it is mixed, but by then I really did not care either way, I was cold and wanted an onsen fast! So I did, 1 hr overall, but only 10 mins in the 40C pool. It was HOT!!!
As for Masahiro san, when I left the Fukiage onsen by bus at 10.30am he was going i for his soak....then after having one myself and hiking up a
'pan' anyone?
local cuisine, sold by a charming gent with a parting in the middle, and dyed black hair I am sure. Hey, he's taken a leaf from my book?? volcano, and leaving at the 2.21pm departure on the bus, he had only just finished....must have been some onsen I reckon!
Sp now I am in Otaru, not the provincial northland town, that would be pretty unexotic, but western Hokkaido on the shore. A town of artistic talent (glass), canals, romantic architecture (so the brochure tells me!!!!!) and fishy cuisine.....and the Otarunai backpackers where the owner, called Masa (no joke!!) had spent 1 yr in NZ and has lovely little pics of korus and boats and old honda civicis by the beach in their lounge....
He also has a penchant for jazz so it seems. I have heard the entire works of his jazz collection tonight. I and one sick looking japanese guy are the only guests here. It is not yet 'on' season for the japanese!!! Getting here was a slight mission from the train station, but when you accost the locals they cannot help but help you, especially when you speak their lingo. If not, you are more likely to get shaken heads and confused responses. Depends on how you wish to travel I guess too.
Then it is a long haul back to TOkyo to
meet chihiro and get busy for a few days sightseeing. And did I mention a but of disneyland mania? I still have not had that shaitsu massage I promised myself either, maybe that will eventuate too.....
Well again the eyes are weary and it is time to shut down and reboot for tomorrow.
If you have got this far, well done! I only hope you can share some of your stories in return someday.
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