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Hokkaido Day 8 - Journey to the North

Travel Reports by Aaron Chong view profile of Aaron Chong

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July 9, 2016 - Hokkaido Day 8 - Journey to the North

It's time for Hokkaido Part 2 folks!

One week had passed in Hokkaido and it was now time to continue on with the second week of the trip. On this day, I would be taking a long train ride all the way to the northernmost city of Japan, Wakkanai! There would be no sightseeing involved on this day so brace yourselves for some boring pictures of my ten-hour train journey.

At Camp Clione I made friends with three Japanese guests. In order to keep their identities a secret, I will address them as Takoyaki-san, Udon-san and Kurobuta-san instead in this post. Apparently, Udon-san and Kurobuta-san were also heading to Wakkanai but they would be going there by rental car. Takoyaki-san had been to Wakkanai before coming to Shiretoko and apparently the weather over there wasn't that good. So it looked like I'd be finally seeing some depressing, wet rainy weather over there.

Udon-san and Kurobuta-san offered me to ride in their car to Wakkanai but I couldn't as I had gotten myself a 7-day Hokkaido Rail Pass for the week. They instead dropped me off at Shiretoko-Shari station and we arranged to meet up at Wakkanai for dinner.

I soon got on the one-man train bound for Abashiri and we would soon find out which one of us will arrive there first!

Loving the blue seat covers with birds native to Eastern Hokkaido
Horses spotted along Lake Tofusu
Beautiful and calm Okhotsk Sea
All aboard the Okhotsk Limited Express at Abashiri
Next stop, Asahikawa
Looks like there's a family day event in Engaru
JR Hokkaido has this habit of decommissioning unused stations annually. One of the stations is the one frequented by the girl who got a train for herself to get to school.
No, I'm not covering Sounkyo Onsen on this trip
Weather still looks good at Asahikawa

I got off at Asahikawa Station for the next train bound for Wakkanai. I had an hour's worth of layover time to have a proper lunch in Asahikawa. Asahikawa Ramen perhaps?

But my mouth immediately watered when I saw this glorious stall
After all that seafood in Shiretoko, finally we have some meat!

And now it's time to head back to the station and board the train to Wakkanai!

Asahikawa's modern train information displays
Here comes the Sarobetsu Limited Express
Next stop, Wakkanai
I wonder why the hay bales are covered in white plastic
Charcoal cream puff with Wakkanai milk custard. Yum!
I hope we don't bump into another deer
My lucky streak with good weather has finally ended
The mighty Teshio River

After ten hours starting from Shiretoko-Shari, I finally arrived at Wakkanai, the northernmost city in Japan!

This time, I went a bit more extravagant as I had booked a double room at the Dormy Inn. After checking in, I got a Facebook message from Udon-san. Apparently they had already arrived in Wakkanai 3 hours earlier than me!

Car - 1, Train - 0

Achievement unlocked: the northernmost rail station in Japan!
Finally a double bed all for myself!

Kurobuta-san soon came to the hotel to pick me up for dinner at their place. They were currently staying at a rider house above a seafood restaurant at Cape Noshappu. Although the restaurant does not open for dinner, Kurobuta-san had requested for my meal to be prepared for the night. The food sold here was pretty cheap compared to other places that I've been to.

Quiet neighborhood at Cape Noshappu
The aptly named Fisherman's Shop
Oh my, this is even cheaper than the food in Shiretoko
All this for a mere JPY1950

I had my dinner at the rider house upstairs while Kurobuta-san went to pick up Udon-san from a sento ten minutes away. Even though rider house was worn out and patrons were forced to take their baths outside, it only costs JPY2500 a night with sea-urchin breakfast and dinner included, a stark contrast to the JPY8000 room at the Dormy Inn. This was not something that could be booked online and the only way that people find out of such cheap lodging was through word of mouth.

After dinner, all the guests came back from their baths and we had a nice conversation together with the fisherman who owns the place along with some free sashimi and booze on the house.

If you are willing to rough it up with just JPY2500 including meals, be my guest
I see Doraemon and Sakuragi Hanamichi!

Stay tuned for the next post where I'll visit Cape Soya, the northernmost point of mainland Japan.

Please visit my Flickr album to see more pictures of this trip.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124829205@N08/albums/72157668285612204

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List of Posts:
2019/05/31 - Matsue Horanenya - Koyasan
2019/05/30 - Matsue Horanenya - Horyuji and to Wakayama Prefecture
2019/05/29 - Matsue Horanenya - Uji
2019/05/28 - Matsue Horanenya - Amanohashidate
2019/05/27 - Matsue Horanenya - Tottori Sand Dunes
2019/05/26 - Matsue Horanenya - Kangyosai ŠÒŒäÕ
2019/05/25 - Matsue Horanenya - The World Heritage Sites of Hagi
2019/05/24 - Matsue Horanenya - Akiyoshido and Akiyoshidai
2019/05/23 - Matsue Horanenya - The Beluga Whales of AQUAS
2019/05/22 - Matsue Horanenya - Chunichisai ’†“úÕ
2019/05/21 - Matsue Horanenya - Matengai Cliff and the Kuniga Coast
2019/05/20 - Matsue Horanenya - Sakaiminato
2019/05/19 - Matsue Horanenya - Izumo Taisha
2019/05/18 - Matsue Horanenya - Togyosai “nŒäÕ
2019/05/17 - Matsue Horanenya - Getting to Matsue from KIX
2016/07/15 - Hokkaido Day 14 - End of the Trip and My Top Five Highlights
2016/07/14 - Hokkaido Day 13 - Biei's Patchwork Road and the Blue Pond
2016/07/13 - Hokkaido Day 12 - The Lavender Fields of Furano
2016/07/12 - Hokkaido Day 11 - Usuyukiso Habitat and Peach Rock
2016/07/11 - Hokkaido Day 10 - Rebun's 4-Hour Trekking Course
2016/07/10 - Hokkaido Day 9 - Wakkanai, the Northernmost City of Japan
2016/07/09 - Hokkaido Day 8 - Journey to the North
2016/07/08 - Hokkaido Day 7 - Last Day in Shiretoko
2016/07/07 - Hokkaido Day 6 - Bear Watching Cruise and Rausu
2016/07/06 - Hokkaido Day 5 - Shiretoko Five Lakes
2016/07/05 - Hokkaido Day 4 - Obihiro Butadon and the Kushiro Norokko Train
2016/07/04 - Hokkaido Day 3 - Hell Valley and Heavenly Ramen
2016/07/03 - Hokkaido Day 2 - Yoichi and Otaru
2016/07/02 - Hokkaido Day 1 - Late Night Ramen Dinner
2015/05/02 - Hanami 2015 Day 6 - The Wisterias of Ashikaga Flower Park
2015/05/01 - Hanami 2015 Day 5 - Kakunodate and Long Winding Route to Aomori
2015/04/30 - Hanami 2015 Day 4 - The Lonely Sakura of Koiwai Farm
2015/04/29 - Hanami 2015 Day 3 - Matsushima and the Shiogamazakura
2015/04/28 - Hanami 2015 Day 2 - Hirosaki
2015/04/27 - Hanami 2015 Day 1 - Shibazakura in Chichibu