Japan
The Confluence of Nature, Taste, Scenery and Adventure
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
When you combine incredible vistas of nature with fantastic seafood and conversations with warm, friendly people, you must be Hokkaido!
On my first trip in 2012, I explored popular venues: Obihiro, Furano, Sapporo, Otaru, Lake Toya, and Niseko. In 2024, my friend and I chose other cities to explore, emphasizing nature, food, culture, history, people, and photography.
We flew from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Kushiro, Hokkaido. On the train to Nemuro, the easternmost city in Japan, portents of being in a unique destination began to appear: glaring yellow banners warning of Brown Bear sightings, and vigilant Ezoshika, Hokkaido Sika Deer, staring at us from the woodlands.
Immersion into Hokkaido culture followed fast.
Nemuro
After checking into Guest House Nemuroman near the waterfront, we wandered past high-tech fishing boats en route to the Nemuro Kotohira Shrine. It sits on a promontory overlooking the city and Nemuro Bay, where sunset was the perfect time for reflection.
Our first Hokkaido dinner tastefully set the tone for future meals.
At Izakaya Hyotan, our grand repast included tuna, shrimp, and octopus sashimi, deep-fried oysters, ikura (salmon roe), grilled Hokke (a mackerel-like fish), chicken yakitori (grilled on a skewer), and Mushi Yaki (steamed and roasted) with clams, abalone, red shell, shrimp heads, and salmon. This was accompanied by Kitano Katsu, a smooth, dry sake from Nemuro.
The following day, at Shunkunitai Wild Bird Sanctuary, about 30 minutes outside the city, we hiked through the forest and strolled on the boardwalk. Grazing family groupings of Ezoshika, some sporting large, curvy, branched antlers, nonchalantly glanced as we passed by. And further afield, there were Japanese Red-crowned Cranes, Black Kites, Japanese Tits, Shorebirds, Swans, and more.
Kushiro
The return ride to Kushiro took about two hours. Across the street from the train station, the stalls in the Washo Market displayed symmetrical arrangements of Red Snapper, Mackerel, Sole, Flounder, Salmon, Sardines, Oysters, and ready-to-eat sashimi. However, Snow Crab was the flagship product. We tried to claw our way through the prices of whole crabs but were a bit shell-shocked at 10,000 yen per kilo (USD 65.00; CAD 92.00).
Nevertheless, the food scene in Kushiro is exceptional. Senchan Shokudo is located by the fishing port, and if ever there was a restaurant that you would travel long distances to re-visit as a destination unto itself, this is the place! For breakfast, the Salmon Makanai Don, salmon sashimi on a bed of rice with green onion, ikura, nori (seaweed), and sesame seeds, lightly bathed in a sweet chili sauce, was unbelievably tasty!
However, the Oyakodon at lunchtime sealed the deal. Oyakodon is known as ‘parent and kid’; a funny comment on the ingredients: chicken and egg. At Senchan Shokudo, the Oyakodon is Salmon and Ikura, a humorous ‘take’ on the concept of ‘parent and kid’. But the freshness and taste were no joke. After each bite, we had to rest our chopsticks and mindfully savor the delicate flavors.
Food wonderment continued at evening meals: Boiled, grilled, and salted Quail eggs in the shell and served on a skewer. (You eat them whole). Shitake mushrooms grilled with sake, garlic, butter, and soy sauce. Luscious, thick and creamy raw Kushiro Oysters. Meaty, buttery grilled Hokke. And the Zangi, deep-fried chicken with garlic, was chopstick-licking good!
Lake Akan and the Wetlands
One day, we rented a car for the two-hour drive to Lake Akan, past fields and farmlands. The Lake appeared picture-perfect under a deep blue sky, with billowy white clouds seemingly dancing on top of Mt. Oakan. In town, many shops sold finely detailed wood carvings of Brown Bears, Owls, Red Foxes, Salmon, and mythical creatures, all associated with deities and spirits in the culture and beliefs of the Indigenous Ainu people.
The town center’s Owl archway and totem poles mark the restaurant area and lead to cultural connections at the Ainu Theater, Folklore Museum, and Eco Museum.
The Folklore Café (Mingei Kissa Poronno) delectably specializes in traditional Ainu cuisine. Our tasty lunch featured salmon, deer, steamed rice, beans, mountain vegetables, pickles, and mushroom tea.
On a second day of exploration, we drove to the Hasooka Observatory north of Kushiro to see Japan’s largest wetland and its two active volcanoes, Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan. Nearby, a curious Ezo Red Fox stopped traffic as he casually sat in the middle of the road, watching us, watching him. At the Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary, we learned about the endemic Japanese Red-Crown Cranes, regarded in Taoism as symbols of good luck and longevity. And with fortune shining down on us, we spotted over 50 cranes feeding in the dry rice fields during several highway stops on the return drive to Kushiro.
Noboribetsu
As our train arrived at Noboribetsu, the foremost Hot Springs (Onsen) resort in Hokkaido, more fortune was on the way. We checked into the Hotel Mahoroba and then started to explore. Many stores on the main street, only a 5-minute walk from the hotel, displayed statues of Oni, demonic creatures in Japanese folklore that can bring good fortune and wealth despite their horrific toothy appearance. The largest Oni stood by the entrance to Shikotsu-Toya National Park, where Jigokudani (Hell’s Valley) is located. The sunset lighting on the stark valley landscape, steaming vents, and colorful autumn foliage clinging to the surrounding mountainside was nothing short of surrealistic.
Nearby, a path ascended to a lookout over Oyunuma Pond, lying at the base of Mt. Hyori. Steaming vents surrounded the pond, while at the same time, a fumarole flowed directly skyward from the crater on the mountain’s summit, resulting in an unbelievably beautiful vista.
Hakodate
Mountain vistas continued at our last stop in Hakodate. Our room view at the Tokyu Stay Hotel focussed on Mt. Hakodate looming over the city, the harbor, and the Brick Warehouse, the go-to tourist hangout for shopping and food.
And foodies adore this seafood-centric city. The Maitake and Cod dish at Kaisen Dokoro Hakodate Yama was outstanding. It was grilled in pepper and butter and then steamed. The flavors exploded with each bite.
Lunch was at Shigechan Sushi, a six-person stand-up counter. The affable chef/owner, Shigeru Soyama, pampers guests with perfect sushi rice, crisp, fresh nori, and exceptionally delicate sashimi.
Our last night dinner at Fusaya was taste bud bliss: Herring, Hokke, and Salmon sashimi, Kawahagi (Filefish) and liver, Komai Yaki (Grilled Saffron Cod), and grilled chicken wings.
Each of the city’s three seafood markets has a unique personality. In Nakajima Renbai, which caters mainly to locals, we were drawn to a shop selling Shiokara, fermented seafood. The friendly vendor offered us tastes of the different varieties. Jiyu-Ichiba, the Freedom Market, caters to a mix of locals and tourists. The Morning Market, a block from the train station, is a tourist mecca where visitors can purchase ready-to-eat fish cakes and sashimi as well as catch their own seafood from stocked aquariums.
And history comes alive at Goryokaku Fort. In 1854, Hakodate Port was opened to facilitate international trade after the American ‘black ships’ demanded that Japan open its trade doors to the world. Goryokaku Fort was completed in 1864 to defend the city. Then, in 1868-1869, the Fort was front and center in the Boshin War between the forces of the Shogunate and those of the Imperial Court. Visitors can wander the grounds of the Fort, tour the restored Magistrate’s House, and visit Goryokaku Tower for fantastic views of the star-shaped Fort.
Our Hokkaido adventure was exhilarating on many levels: Nature, wildlife, hiking, food, sake, culture, history, photography, and conversations with the Ainu. Travelers looking to do something different and meaningful on a trip to Japan need to head to Hokkaido.
