Category: 旅のしおり / COLO’s Traveler Guide

Times and services listed are the timetables at the time of the visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 1215 (Japan Airlines JAL543) >> Kushiro 1355

Dinner: Shubo Chiba

Overnight stay: Kushiro Prince Hotel

Tips for Day 1
– The sunset in Kushiro was beautiful. I saw that there was a sunset cruise at Kushiro Port. I wished I had noticed it earlier.

Day 2

Kushiro Station 0855 (local bus) >> Onnenai Visitor Center 0940

– Kushiro Marsh (Onnenai Visitor Center)

Onnenai Visitor Center 1218 (local bus) >> Kushiro Station 1310
Kushiro 1414 (JR Senmo Line) >> Kawayu Onsen 1546
Kawayu Onsen Station 1600 (local bus) >> Kawayu Onsen Town 1610

Overnight stay: Suikazura

Tips for Day 2
– I took a local bus from Kushiro Station to Kushiro Marsh. I thought visiting Kushiro Marsh in winter was difficult but found it was relatively easy using public transportation. There are seating spaces, vending machines and restrooms at the Onnenai Visitor Center. You can adjust time for return local bus in the Center, so there should be no problem as long as weather is cooperative.

Day 3

– Mt. Io-zan

Kawayu Onsen 1045 (East Hokkaido Express Bus) >> Abashiri Port 1200 – 1345 >> Monbetsu Garinko Station 1555

– Abashiri icebreaker boat (Aurora)

– Monbetsu icebreaker boat (Garinko) – Sunset Cruise

Monbetsu Garinko Station 1800 (East Hokkaido Express Bus) >> Monbetsu Bus Terminal 1815

Overnight stay: Monbetsu Okhotsk Palace

Dinner: Sushi Gen

Tips for Day 3 Tips
– The bus from Kawayu Onsen to Monbetsu stops at Abashiri Port for 1 hour 45 minutes. You can take Abashiri icebreaker boat during this time.

Day 4

Monbetsu Bus Terminal 0515 (bus) >> Monbetsu Garinko Station 0530

– Monbetsu icebreaker boat (Garinko) – Sunrise Cruise

Monbetsu Garinko Station 0745 (bus) >> Monbetsu Bus Terminal 0800
Monbetsu Okhotsk Palace 1000 (East Hokkaido Bus) >> Abashiri 1245

– Abashiri Old Prison

Memanbetsu 1725 (Japan Airlines JAL 3164) >> Tokyo Haneda 1925

Day 4 Tips
– There is an old man named “Monta” who is a character of Monbetsu. I finally got him at souvenir store in Monbetsu Bus Terminal.

Times listed are the timetables at the time of the visit.

Day 1

Tokyo Haneda 0625 (Japan Airlines JAL641) >> Kagoshima 0815
Kagoshima 0850 (Japan Airlines JAL3741) >> Yakushima 0930

Tour: Shiratani Unsui Gorge Half-day Trekking

Overnight stay: Yakushima Green Hotel

Dinner: Iso-no-kaori

Day 1 Tips
– I found a sushi restaurant “Iso-no-kaori”, which serves local fish. There was a hotel with a good reputation in front of the sushi restaurant, so I decided to stay there. It was a nice combination of the sushi restaurant and hotel, no need to worry about going back to hotel after having local shochu.

Day 2

Tour: Shiratani Unsui Gorge Half-day Trekking

Yakushima Anbo Port 1300 (High Speed Boat 128) >> Kagoshima Port South Pier 1535

– Satsumachi Shops at Kagoshima Chuo Station

Kagoshima Chuo Station Bus Terminal 1730 (Airport Bus) >> Kagoshima Airport 1810
Kagoshima 1910 (Japan Airlines JAL652) >> Haneda 2050

Day 2 Tips
– There is a ferris wheel on the roof of the Kagoshima Chuo Station, and you can see Sakurajima Island just in front of it. It was a nice sunny day, I took the ferris wheel.
– I bought some Satsuma-age (local fish cake), Karukan (sweet bean curd), local pickles, and green tea from Chiran region before returning from Kagoshima. The freshly made Satsuma-age was delicious.

Day 0

– Itsukushima Shrine
– Rokai Boat

Hiroshima (Shinkansen) >> Fukuyama

Fukuyama Station (Tomo Railway Bus) >> Tomo Port

– Tomonoura (Tomo Port)

Tomo Port (Tomo Railway Bus) >> Fukuyama Station

– Bar Akatsuki

Tips for Day 0
– I found a small boat called Rokai Boat (Rokai Fune) at Itsukushima Shrine. I passed through the torii gate on the boat and paid respect to the shrine on the sea. This seems to be very traditional way of visit this shrine. The boat service is operated only when weather is good at high tide, mainly on weekends. It was fortunate that I can ride it.

Day 1

Fukuyama (Tomo Railway Bus) >> Tomo Port

– Tomo no Kumo
– Houmeishu (Local liquor)
– Amo Chinmi

Dinner: Yiki-sanchi

Overnight stay: Tomonekoan

Tips for Day 1
– Take a walk in Tomonoura old town. I found a store that serves delicious sweets.
– I went to Amo Chinmi to buy fish cakes and had a chance to make hand-rolling fish cake by myself, which was then freshly baked.
– Tomonoura area has traditional liqueur called Houmeishu. Many shops are still in old-style buildings, nice visit.
– I stayed at an inn that had been converted from an old private house.

Day 2

Tomonoura 1100 (Setouchi Cruising) >> Onomichi 1200

Lunch: Yasuhiro Sushi

Onomichi 1428 (etSETOra train) >> Hiroshima 1735

Dinner: Teppan-ya (Okonomiyaki – Hiroshima-style pancake)

Hiroshima 2001 (Nozomi64) >> Shin-Yokohama 2327

Tips for Day 2
– Took a boat from Tomonoura to Onomichi, operated only on weekends and holidays. The boat passed channel along small islands, nice view of Seto Island Sea. I wished it was a sunny day.
– After eating okonomiyaki in Hiroshima, returned home by the last Shinkansen but Hiroshima was indeed far away. There were many people coming in and out the car at Shin-Kobe, Shin-Osaka, and Nagoya stations that I could not sleep even though I was drunk. Taking a flight could be a good idea but Hiroshima Airport is located a bit too far from the city.