Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [486]
If you’re driving, Rte 39 connects Sōunkyō Onsen to Asahikawa in the west and Abashiri in the east.
Tokachi-dake Onsen
Northeast of Furano, this remote hot-spring village is the traditional end point for the Grand Traverse (see the boxed text, opposite). It is much less crowded than Asahidake and Sōunkyō Onsen, but still serves as a good base for hikes into Daisetsuzan National Park. For instance, if you’re not embarking on the entirety of the Grand Traverse, you can still climb the peak Tokachi-dake (; 2077m) in a long day.
With Furano so close by, most travellers choose to press onwards as accommodation in Tokachi-dake is very limited. However, an excellent upmarket spot were you can unwind in luxury after a multiday trek is Kamihoro-sō (; 0167-45-2970; http://tokachidake.com/kamihoro, in Japanese; s/d incl 2 meals from ¥15,700/25,400; ), which has large Japanese-style rooms and pleasant hot-spring baths with a great view of the surrounding mountains. If coming by bus, get off at Kokumin-shukusha-mae, which is almost right in front of Kamihoro-sō.
Frequent futsū run on the JR Furano line between Furano and Kami-Furano. Kami-Furano station is connected to Tokachi-dake Onsen by regular buses (¥500, 20 minutes). If you’re driving, just take it slow along windy Rte 291.
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DŌ-TŌ
Eastern Hokkaidō is the Japanese equivalent of Canada’s Yukon Territory, a harsh yet hauntingly beautiful landscape that has been shaped by vast temperature extremes. In the winter months, dramatic ice flows off the coast of Abashiri can be seen from the decks of icebreakers. However, Akan Kohan, an Ainu cultural stronghold, and Shiretoko, a pristine national park, are best explored during the mild summers, which is coincidentally when all of the bears that live here are most active!
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ABASHIRI
0152 / pop 40,000
To most Japanese, Abashiri is as synonymous with the word prison as Alcatraz is to Westerners, and mention of the prison (still in operation) sends chills through the spines of even the most hardened individuals. Winters here are as harsh as they come, yet this is exactly why the area’s become a tourist attraction.
Looking out at a snow-white plain of frozen floes from the deck of an icebreaker is a surreal experience, and the sound of bergs grinding together from the force of the sea’s currents make a deep impression on all who hear it.
Up to 80% of the sea is ice-clogged during the dead of winter, but Abashiri is still a popular destination other times of the year. A ski resort operates from December through to April, and the city is inundated with tourists when the coral grass blooms in September. As the closest major city to Shiretoko National Park, Abashiri is also a good base for hikers.
Information
The tourist information office (44-5849; 9am-5pm) outside Abashiri station has English-language maps and a wide offering of pamphlets on eastern Hokkaidō.
Sights & Activities
Tento-zan, the main mountain presiding over Abashiri (207m), is steep enough that its 5km climb will leave you winded unless you’re going by bus or car. At the top are some excellent views, a park and several interesting museums.
A cycling road runs for 25km from Abashiri proper to the coral-grass viewing areas (see opposite) and beyond, providing some beautiful views of the area’s lakes, forests and pumpkin fields.
In summer, the northern coastal areas are perfect for pretty, easy walking, with lots of sand dollars and other small shells.
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SCENIC DRIVES
Hakodate to Sapporo
Shikotsu-Tōya National Park
Asahikawap612 to Wakkanaip616
Around Biei and Furano
Pretty much anywhere in Dō-tō (Eastern Hokkaidō; left)
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ICEBREAKER SIGHTSEEING BOATS
From roughly late January to mid-March, the Aurora (;43-6000; cruises ¥3000) departs four to six times a day from Abashiri port for one-hour cruises into the frozen Sea of Okhotsk. Slicing