First time being a solo traveller to a foreign land could be quite intimidating. The worry of whether I was able to carry out sight-seeing activities while on my own such as being out at night, to check out remote places that require connecting transportation etc. There are hardly any English-speaking tour available in Hokkaido. Nevertheless, I was determined to join local tours especially if it brings me to places that I would not have a chance to visit otherwise.
Since there are no English-speaking tours available, I've picked two local Japanese-speaking tours, where one brings me to
Mount Moiwa and Mount Okura at night (or rather, it was just evening time) and got to eat Jingisukan (a local Hokkaido grilled lamb delicacy), and the other tour where it takes me all the way to the cape area. Hokkaido Regular Sightseeing Bus Tours are so convenient and the best part? The tour operates even if there's just one passenger. Haha! Here is the link to the site:
http://teikan.chuo-bus.co.jp/en/. Very easy to make the reservation via the form available. Just pick a tour that you like (note that some of the tours may not be available during your dates of visit) and make reservation. After reservation has been confirmed, simply remember to redeem the reserved tickets from the Chuo-bus Sightseeing Counter at ESTA Sapporo at least an hour before the tour starts.
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| bus tour ticket to Cape Shakotan |
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| get tickets from here |
So exciting~ The tour bus was full of local tourists. We started off on-time, and the tour guide brought us to our bus.
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| inside the tour bus |
Made a pit-stop at another bus station to pick-up some more tourists from the Otaru bus terminal area. Soon after, we continued our journey. The first sight of the sea, was always exciting. To me, the sea has a calming effect and it made me happy.
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| towards the sea coast |
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| tunnel ahead |
After travelling for an hour or so, we reached our first stop; Nikka Distillery. WooOohoo! Hehe, whisky sampling is included and to think that we did this all in the morning! Nikka Distillery is located in Yoichi. Here is the website for Nikka Yoichi Distillery:
http://www.nikka.com/eng/distilleries/yoichi/
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| Nikka Distillery |
Did you know that Japan's whisky industry was founded by Masataka Taketsuru-san? Ironically, he came from a family of sake brewers but came to love the Scottish whisky and its distillery methods during his studies in Glasgow, Scottland. Upon his return to Japan together with his wife Rita, he helped setup a whisky distillery with a company that would later be known as Suntory. In 1934, he founded his own distilling company and moved to Yoichi, northern Hokkaido as he believed this is the place in Japan that is most similar to Scottland. His company is later renamed as Nikka and Nikka whisky was first sold in 1940.
The bus disembarked and passengers are free to roam around the area for an hour. Head on to the main building for whisky tasting. The room was full of people and one could try one type of whisky each. It was just my second time having whisky in my life, so am not sure of its effect. For beer and wine, two glasses were the max limit. Whisky? Unknown.
For tasting, the selection included Nikka Yoichi 10-years and Taketsuru 17-years and apple wine. The mixers available included oolong and houjicha, mineral water and ice cubes all self-service. I think I ought to be able to handle 20ml of whisky in total.
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| Taketsuru 17-years |
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| Yoichi Single Malt 10-years |
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| on the rocks for both |
Think I liked the Yoichi Single Malt better for a more fruity profile. The surprising find was the Apple Wine produced by Nikka. Very me since I like dessert wines that are not too sweet, and this one was sooo nice!
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| take a glass |
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| sipping apple wine at the window overlooking a nice garden scenary |
Ok, no time to dilly-dally and moving on to explore the grounds of the distillery. There are museum of sorts in there, and one could learn the tools used. Some premium whisky can also be found in there for tasting, with a fee of course. But there's just not enough time...
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| the same logo at Susukino |
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| equipment used |
After a mad-rush to the gift shop for some shopping (they ran out of Taketsuru 21 years whisky!), back to the bus we went for the next destination; Cape Kamui along the Shakotan Peninsula.
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| saw some farmland along the way |
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| inside tunnel |
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| look at that steel structure on the hill-side, those are to catch falling rocks |
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| interesting rock formation on the way to Shimamui Coast |
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| arrived |
Walk through the short dark tunnel, and there's great view to be enjoyed.
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| tunnel to great view |
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| was dark inside, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel (no...no oncoming vehicle, just humans) |
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| ta-dah~ superb view~ look at the colour of the sea |
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| can actually walk down to the beach |
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| keke, doing the tourist thingy - my fellow travellers |
Then, it was time for lunch. Off to the bus and we were driven to Rinkou-Sou Inn for lunch. It was about 20 minutes from Shimamui Coast.
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| Rinkou-Sou Inn |
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| inside the restaurant with tatami floormat |
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| lunching here |
It was a set-meal lunch, and passengers were seated according to the number of pax in their reservation. For us singles, we'd likely to be grouped at the singletons table. Sat across a fellow Japanese single-traveller and diagonal to one girl from Hong Kong. She, eventually, became my travelling companion that I'd converse with during the rest of the trip.
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| lunch course for 1 pax |
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| side dishes |
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| sashimi of salmon and botan ebi, fried hokke fish at the back |
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| mini hotpot of tofu, leek and crab |
Food was nice, and this was the better version of hokke (Okhostk Atka mackerel) that I've tried thus far. Don't know most of the stuff that I was eating as the side dish but my, they were sure tasty, especially the slimy and spicy one. Yums and appetising. The hotpot was soothing but so hot to eat, and we had to hurry since we only had about 35 minutes for lunch.
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| walking from the inn to the our red tour bus |
The place was really quiet. It was as if no one lives there, except for the inn people. Or, perhaps most are hard at work at the farm area?
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| see, really quiet |
Back to the bus we went, and now, onwards to Cape Shakotan! Actually, this tour was fairly new then and there wasn't much write-up on it so am not sure what to expect. So far, so good!
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| driving past |
After cruising along the coast, our bus made its ascend to higher grounds with some winding road, and that's when we knew the destination was near. Almost suddenly, the bus was going at very slow speed and the tour guide was explaining something. Oh, there was a fox sitting in the middle of the road and hence, the vehicle was trying to go past it slowly. The fox was so cute! What's the chances of sighting a fox? Hahaa, what a lucky day that was.
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| didn't we drove past down there a while ago? |
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| cute fox smiling |
The bus came to a stop, and we were ready to start the Cape Kamui 神威岬 walk. First, climb up to the gate and that was the starting point. Legend has it that in the olden days, women were prohibited from entering beyond the gates. Why? It was believed that women will bring on rough seas. Hmm.
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| onwards to Cape Kamui walk |
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| いきましょ! |
Tour guide lady said that it'll take 20 minutes to walk from this end to the other and another 20 minutes to come back. The bus will be leaving in an hours time. Ok, no time to be wasted else am not sure what I'll do if stranded here!
The sights along the walk was really amazing. Some snow capped mountains that were as close to the clouds as though they were touching, green rolling hills, clear blue sea.. it was simply, wow.
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| beautiful |
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| up up and away |
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| scenic view |
The weather changes a few times while I was walking. After a while, it was just me and the path ahead. Started off fairly easy as the sides have wooden handrail constructed so that one could hold-on to that for support or just to prevent from being blown off by the sometimes strong winds. As warned by the guide, there were a lot of walking up and down. Some were wooden paths, some were built on steel wires. Then, at one point in time, there weren't anything to hold, just sandy path upward. Nearly gave up and was about to turn back, when an elderly man walked past with his wife and asked if I'm not going forward? He said, "Only a bit more to walk, and the view there is beautiful." Such nice words of encouragement from a stranger. The world felt warm again.
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| can you see the trail? |
Ok, since I came this far, am not going to give up! March on! Lucky, didn't fall flat on my face. Thank goodness, it wasn't raining prior though the sky had turned dark. Not going to think about what if it rains now. Still have that 20 minutes of return trip to tackle.
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| rejoice when one sees the lighthouse |
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| beacon of light |
The view after all the walking, is the rock formation that can be viewed after going past the lighthouse.
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| said to be an incarnation of a maiden transformed into stone |
The wind was strong at this point and thus began, another 20 minutes trip back to the bus. And yes, must go washroom first. Thankfully, there's one (and only one) at the area where the bus was parked.
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| oh boy, here we go again |
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| mountain plants |
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| to the washroom! |
Next, the bus drove towards the coastal area once more where we can get on an optional Shakotan Underwater Observatory Deck Cruise tour. This cruise cost ¥1400 extra and paid directly to the cruise operator. Since we were from the bus tour, we got to enjoy discount on the ticket by showing the bus tour ticket stub. Actually, I didn't know that as the ticket seller was asking me something. My Japanese lunch-mate who stood in-line a few people behind me, helped to translate. Hehe, thanks! Saved me ¥300.
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| get the boat cruise ticket here |
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| ticket to my boat ride |
However, the boat was late and no one knows when it'll be here. So, went around exploring and nearby, was a shop that sells dried and grilled seafood. The smell of scallops being grilled was so heavenly. Talked abit with the shop owners and found out that it was run by a husband and wife team. Wife tends to the dried seafood stall, while husband grills the seafood.
The price was very reasonable and much cheaper than Sapporo seafood markets. Got my fellow passengers to try the seafood while I waited for the boat.
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| grilled seafood and squids being dried |
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| friendly おじさ |
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| I think I'll spend all my money to eat grilled seafood if not for the cruise |
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| shop signage |
After some twenty minutes, the boat came. It had a full load of passengers. Another 10 minutes wait for the boat to be cleaned. Aiyah, should have gotten a grilled scallops or two to eat if I'd known the wait is that long...
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| New Shakotan-gou 水中展望船ニューしゃこたん号 |
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| captain? |
Was quite excited to be onboard. My Hong Kong acquaintance didn't join as she was afraid of being seasick. But the boat was travelling at cruise speed and it was really a soft ride. No motion sickness at all. The feel of the breeze on your face, with vast blue sea was just so nice.
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| let's go! |
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| sun, and the sea, peace |
Nothing much to see for quite a while. Then, the boat came to a stop and we were asked to go to the lower deck. Oh, the lower deck has glass windows to view the seabed.
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| seabed with sea urchins |
Nothing much to see at the lower deck though, so after a few minutes, we were asked to go back upstairs again. Passed by some caves. Looked interesting.
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| caves |
The highlight of the cruise was the appearance of seagulls and feeding them with bread strips. It would be a shame if none appeared! Lucky for us, it was a handfull at the start, then out came a whole flock. Wheee! Freezing winds, never mind. The seagulls more than made up for that.
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| here it comes |
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| so close |
Soon, it was time to head back to shore.
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| heading back |
Then, the bus tour brought us to some roadside store at Yoichi. There's one that sells space food but I didn't go into that. The one that sells normal souvenirs was more interesting. Got myself some Yoichi apple pie souvenir, a box of Taketsuru whisky chocolate and a bottle of Nikka brewed apple cider.
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| Yoichi Michi-no-Eki |
The tour ended when the bus brought us back to Sapporo. Disembarkation at the Clock Tower was possible but I took it all the way back to Sapporo Station as that is nearer to my hotel.
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| nightcap of Rose Apple Cider |
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