Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [470]
Shikotsu-sō (;25-2718; www.shikotsuko.com/s-shikotsusou.htm, in Japanese; r per person incl 2 meals ¥5800; ) A cheerful minshuku (Japanese-style B&B) right behind the bus station, the owner’s hobby is pressing wildflowers, from which she makes postcards, plates and other souvenirs that are available for purchase. For guests, accommodation is in warm and cosy Japanese-style rooms, and meals featuring local fish and vegetables are served in a laid-back dining hall. There is also a small rāmen shop here serving Sapporo-style miso-rāmen (¥650).
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Between mid-June and mid-October there are three to four buses a day in both directions between JR Sapporo station and Shikotsu Kohan (¥1330, 1½ hours). More-frequent buses run all year round between Shikotsu Kohan and New Chitose Airport (¥920, 55 minutes).
If you’re driving, Rtes 276, 78 and 453 hug the lake’s perimeter. Since there are no local buses, you really need your own wheels to get the most out of the area.
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MURORAN
0143 / pop 96,000
This dwindling industrial city is in the process of reinventing itself, and is something of a work in progress. Still, Muroran is conveniently connected by ferry to Honshū, has a dramatic coastline that’s perfect for a scenic drive, and offers whale-watching tours in the summer months.
While the industrialised section of the valley is definitely less than scenic, the shoreline between Wanishi (where the Muroran Youth Hostel is) and Cape Chikyū () is quite stunning. A well-marked road parallels the shore and leads to several observation areas where you can stop and admire the view. Cape Chikyū is known for its returning pair of hayabusa (peregrine falcons) and for its almost 360-degree panoramic views of the sea.
A whale-watching boat run by KK Elm (KK; 27-1822; www.kk-elm.jp/index.htm, in Japanese; per 3hr ¥6000) leaves from the pier three times daily in summer. Whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals are best viewed from May to July, and tours are often booked solid weeks ahead.
Institutional and old, but clean and practical, the Muroran Youth Hostel (44-3357; www.jyh.gr.jp/muroran in Japanese; dm ¥3990; ) affords fantastic views of the bay and easy access to hiking tracks along the cliff top. The black-sand beach behind the youth hostel is gorgeous, a perfect place for an early morning walk as you watch the sunrise. From Wanishi station, turn left and follow Rte 36 until you see the Lawson convenience store on the right. Turn right and follow this road all the way until it ends after a steep climb uphill. Look diagonally across the street to the left and you will see a small sign for the hostel. From there it’s a three-minute walk to the hostel driveway.
Getting There & Away
Long-distance trains arrive/depart from Higashi-Muroran station, three stops east of Muroran itself; transfer to central Muroran is included in long-distance fares. Frequent tokkyū on the JR Muroran line run between Muroran and Hakodate (¥6180, 2¾ hours), and between Muroran and Sapporo (¥4680, 1¾ hours).
Regular highway buses connect the bus terminal in Muroran to Sapporo (¥2250, 2¼ hours), Tōya-ko Onsen (¥1170, 1¾ hours) and Noboribetsu Onsen (¥710, 1¼ hours).
From Muroran-kō, Higashi Nihon (0120-756-564) operates one daily ferry from April to December that leaves Muroran at around 11.30pm and arrives in Aomori the next day at 6.30am (from ¥3460). The ferry terminal, where you also buy your tickets, is about a 10-minute walk from JR Muroran station.
Shosen Mitsui Ferry (029-267-4133) has departures from Ibaraki prefecture to Tomakomai in Hokkaidō (¥8500, 19 hours).
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DŌ-HOKU
Northern Hokkaidō is where the last trappings of civilisation give way to the majestic grandeur of the natural world. Southeast of Asahikawa, the second-largest city on the island, Daisetsuzan National Park is a raw and virgin landscape of enormous proportions. West of Wakkanai, in the shadow of Siberia, Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park is a dramatic islandscape famous for