2018 My Holiday at East Hokkaido

Day 1 (Sat) – Flight to Hokkaido and train to Kushiro City

Flew on Scoot Airline TR 892 (Terminal 2) to New Chitose Airport (Transit via Taipei)
Left at 6.10am and finally landed at New Chitose Airport at 4.55pm

New Chitose Airport after exiting Baggage Claims

After collecting our baggage, exit the Green Channel and into the International Airport Terminal.

To get to the train station, we have to walk along a long walkway to Domestic Airport Terminal.

New Chitose Airport towards Domestic Airport Terminal

To get to Kushiro City, we took the last train to Kushiro, leaving at 8.11pm and arriving into Kushiro at 11.55pm.
This will allow us to have a good dinner at New Chitose Airport.
No meals are available on the train.

NCA Third Floor – Dinner

We went to the 3rd floor for our Dinner

To board the train to Kushiro, we took a train from New Chitose Airport to Minami Chitose Station.
Train Fare to Kushiro is about 17,000 Yen (S$204) for two person.
We took the Reserved Seat as it is a long four hours journey.

As it was cold outside the station, we went to Minami Chitose Station (waiting room)

Minami Chistose Station Platform No. 1 for train going to Kushiro

Train to Kushiro was on-time but due to un-foreseen rail track issues, the train took an extra hour to travel to Kushiro. We arrived into Kushiro city around 1.30am on Sunday morning.

Kushiro Station

What a Disaster!

We had informed Super Hotel Kushiro Ekimae that we would be arriving around midnight.
What we didn’t know was that the hotel reception closes at midnight.

After a long day of travel, we finally reached Kushiro Station and walked to the hotel — just a 5-minute walk.
To our dismay, the hotel lobby door was locked, and the reception area was completely closed.
There we were: stranded outside in the cold, tired, and battling the wind with our luggage in tow.

I examined the entrance and noticed a sign that said hotel guests could enter using a keypad password.
But we hadn’t checked in yet — we didn’t have a password.

Just then, a drunken man staggered toward the entrance. He fumbled with a piece of paper but couldn’t unlock the door.
Curious, I looked at the paper he was holding — it had the keypad code.

I entered the code, and the door opened. The man mumbled a slurred “thank you” before disappearing into the building.
We stepped into the empty lobby.

We tried calling every phone number we could find — the hotel, emergency lines, everything.
The reality sank in: the reception was closed, and no staff would be available until 6:30 AM.

We had already been traveling for over 20 hours.
With no other options, we laid down in the empty lobby to wait out the night.

Super Hotel Cafeteria

We cancelled the hotel Booking and left around 6.30am.

Day 2 (Sun) – Washo Market, Crane Santuary, Lake Akan

We stored our luggage at Kushiro Station’s rented locker (S$6).

Went to a nearby Japanese Hotel for a fantastic Japanese Buffet Breakfast.

After breakfast, we walk to nearby famous Kushiro Washo Market (open at 8am).

Kushiro Washo Market Breakfast Stall

Kushiro Washo Market Crabs

Kushiro Nippon Rent A Car

Time for us to rent our car at Kushiro Nippon Rent-A-Car outlet (Right in front of Kushiro Train Station).

We drove north towards Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary (Red Head Cranes) for two hours.

Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary Ticketing Office

When we reach Tsurui Ito Tancho Crane Sanctuary Ticketing Office,
we found out that it is not Crane season (Nov – Feb.) and was closed.

Managed to take a photo of the poster

Next, we drove towards Lake Akan for Lunch (another two hours drive).

Lake Akan Lunch

and went for street shopping.

Lake Akan Shopping Street

Lake Akan Marimo

We found out that Lake Akan is the only place with green ball-shaped seaweed !

Lake Akan Woodcraft

Many shops selling mainly beautiful hand-make woodcraft.

Hokkaido Onsen Japan Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga

We checked into one of the best Onsen Hotel with eleven hot spring baths – Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga

Hotel Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga – Room

Hotel Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga – Bathroom

Hotel Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga has one of the largest range of onsens in Lake Akan

Main hall view of the Onsens

Main Onsen near the entrance

It has natural minerals in the water that gives the greenish color. Must try 5-stars !

Two Onsens with water jets

next to the outdoor onsen at 3rd level

Outdoor Onsen facing Lake Akan

You can feel the cold wind as you enter the outdoor onsen.
Do go straight and walk into the hot spring quickly to avoid getting the shivers.
After 15 mins in the hot spring, coming out of it feels refreshing in the cold air.

Another water jet onsen (in the backgroud) at third level

Splashing hot spring from ceiling

On the right wall of the main Onsen Hall, there are three cubicles with hot spring water splashing from the ceiling down to the seats, and one of them has a marble bed for prone position

After check-in and an hour of relaxing onsen time, we took a walk outside to nearby Japan’s Native People Village

Lake Akan Ainu Village

Lake Akan activity Map

and followed by a huge buffet dinner.

Hotel Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga – Buffet Dinner

We finally had our first long night sleep, since the start our our trip.

Day 3 (Mon) – Kawayu Onsen, Okhotsk Chipmunk Park, Lake Abashiri

6am, we were up and went for an hour of onsen time, followed by early breakfast.

Hotel Akan Yuku-no-sato Tsuruga – Buffet Breakfast

After checking out from Hotel @ 9am, we drove eastward for Kawayu Train Station
(about an hour drive)

As we arrived at Kawayu Train Station, it was deserted and no one insight.
Thought we have gone to the wrong place !

As we look around, we spotted a small wooden building on the right side of the train station.
We found the famous “Kawayu Onsen Station Foot Bath”.

Kawayu Onsen Station Foot Bath

As we went in, we found two groups of people with their legs in the foot bath.
One group from the Philippines back packing (two middle-age ladies) and a couple of local residents.

Kawayu Onsen Foot Bath (Inside view)

Kawayu Train Station (with the Foot Bath on the right)

As the Kawayu Onsen Town is close by, we went to have a look at the old town.
Right in the center of Kawayu Onsen Town, we found a free Yunikawa River Foot SPA and tried it.

Yunokawa River Foot SPA

To reach Abashiri, we drove towards Lake Kussharo.
When we reached Lake Kussharo, we found a unique lake stop – Sunayo Foot Onsen.

Sunayo Foot Onsen at Lake Kussharo

Sunayo Foot Onsen is unique as the water in the lake is cool to touch, but if you dig a hole in the sand (next to the water edge), there is an underground hot spring water to soak your leg and body.
The deeper the hole, the hotter it becomes.

Sunayo Onsen – soaking in a sand hole with natural hot spring water

There is a Boat pier where you can rent a self propelled cycling boat out to the lake.

Sunayo Onsen Lake Pier

If you are hungry, you can have a quick bite at the local cafeteria next to it.

Sunayo Onsen Pier and main Cafteria

As we drove around Lake Kussharo and headed north, we went upwards towards a mountain range and reached the peak in an hour – Lake Kussharo Pass.

Lake Kussharo Pass Cafeteria

As it is pass 1pm, we had a quick Japanese lunch at Lake Kussharo Pass Cafeteria first before enjoying the scenery outside.

Lake Kussharo Pass Cafeteria Menu

Lake Kussharo Pass – Fried Fish with Vegetables

Lake Kussharo Pass View from the peak

After Lunch, we went out and walk up a path for 100m to reach the peak.
Amazing 180% view of the lake.

As we drove on from Lake Kussharo Pass to Abashiri, we entered Deer territory where they roam freely. We came across a family of three deers nibbling at the grass on the left side of the road.

Road to Abashiri – Snow

With a mountain range between Lake Kussharo and Abashiri, we drove higher up and started to get colder.

Video – Driving to Abashiri

As we still have daylight time when we reached Abashiri, we decided to visit a nearby Chipmunk Park.

Okhotsk Chipmunk Park Office

Okhotsk Chipmunk Park – Feeding cute chipmunks running around

Entrance fee of 600 Yen which include a packet of seeds and free use of hand gloves.

Video – Fun with the chipmunks !

Overview of Hotel Abashirikoso – Main entrance

We arrived at Hotel Abashirikoso 5pm.

Hotel Abashirikoso – Onsen indoor

As Dinner is served at 6pm, we went for an hour of Onsen.

It has a large community hot bath outdoor onsen

Hotel Abashirikoso – Dinner Restaurant

Dinner was served Japanese style with our private cubicle space.
Luckily, our private cubicle space has a leg well at the table that we could sit down comfortably, instead of sitting on our knees.

Hotel Abashirikoso – Dinner

In true Japanese style, we were served with many small colorful dishes of vegetables, pickles, shashimi, pork in a pot, Shrimps, crab legs and desserts.

Hotel Abashirikoso – Main Lobby

Day 4 (Tue) – Abashiri, Oshinkoshin Falls, Shiretoko

Hotel Abashirikoso – Breakfast

Drive to Shiretoko – Shopping

Drive to Shiretoko Town, passing Monkey Rock

Drive towards Oshinkoshin Falls

Oshinkoshin Falls – Entrance

Oshinkoshin Falls

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Arriving

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Dinner

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Room

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Sunset

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Indoor Onsen

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Outdoor Onsen facing the street

Day 5 (Wed) – Shiretoko Cruise, Kumanoyu Onsen, Rausu

Shiretoko Noble Hotel – Breakfast

Shiretoko Cruise – Ticketing Office

Shiretoko Cruise – Towards Pier

Shiretoko Cruise – Aurora

Shiretoko Cruise – Cave

Shiretoko Cruise – Mountain View

Shiretoko Cruise – Top Deck

Shiretoko Cruise – Waterfalls

Video – Enjoy the Shiretoko Cruise !