[Refreshing Vacation Travel Diary] I left work for two weeks and went to Hokkaido
table of contents
- 1 What is a refreshing vacation?
- 2 How do you spend your holidays?
- 3 Destination: Hokkaido
- 4 Let's go to Hokkaido!
- 4.1 Sapporo
- 4.2 Daisetsuzan Sounkyo and Mount Kuro (Nutakukamu Ushupe)
- 4.3 Memanbetsu (Memanpet) ~ Abashiri
- 4.4 Shiretoko
- 4.5 Lake Mashu (Kamui To)
- 4.6 Kawayu Hot Springs (Sesekipets)
- 4.7 Mount Io (Atosanupuri)
- 4.8 Lake Kussharo
- 4.9 Lake Akan
- 4.10 Kushiro Marsh (Kushuru)
- 4.11 Lake Shikotsu
- 4.12 Hakodate (Usukeshi)
- 4.13 Tomakomai - Ferry
- 5 Interesting things I found in Hokkaido
- 6 lastly
Hello. I'm Nomura from the System Development Department, aka Beyond's Slacker Demon
...No, I wasn't slacking off.
I took advantage of the refresh leave system and went on a trip to Hokkaido (※ This was back in 2023...). It's
been over 20 years since I became a working adult, but this was the first time I'd ever had such a long vacation of two weeks. I was a
little worried about whether I'd be able to return to work after all this time, but I still enjoyed a good rest.
What is a refreshing vacation?
For those wondering what the Refreshment Leave System is,
this blog post.
In short, it's a system that grants two weeks of leave every five years of service. You even get a 100,000 yen bonus for your service. How generous!
How do you spend your holidays?
Well, I was excitedly planning what to do for the next two weeks, but
my father has been saying for a while that he wants to go on a long trip with me. He even
saying, "There probably won't be many more opportunities to travel together before I die... (glances)"
so I decided to dedicate this vacation to him.
I'm such an unfilial son that I haven't been able to do much for my parents, so I thought I'd treat him once in a while.
Destination: Hokkaido
So, at my father's request, we decided to go on a trip to Hokkaido together. It was a 7-day, 6-night trip
Before we left, my father made a travel itinerary for us in Excel
My father's handmade itinerary. Isn't he putting too much effort into it?
to start in Sapporo on the first day, then cross Hokkaido eastward to Shiretoko, then head south to Kushiro, and from there cross westward to Muroran.
However, since I decided to return to Fukui with my father, we had some extra time and decided to go further west to Hakodate, which wasn't in the original plan.
We traveled all the way from one end of Hokkaido to the other by car, a tough journey covering over 1,000 km in total.
I had intended to drive, but my father wouldn't let go of the steering wheel, and in the end, he drove alone the whole way. My father (73) is still full of energy...
Let's go to Hokkaido!
My father traveled from Fukui Prefecture to Tomakomai East by ferry with his car, while I, living in Yokohama, flew from Narita Airport to Chitose Airport.
We met up at Chitose Airport, and our Hokkaido trip officially began.
*The Ainu names for each place are written in parentheses. However, there are multiple theories about the origin of the word, and pronunciation can be complicated, so please use this information as a reference only
Sapporo
When you think of Sapporo, you think of the clock tower (?)
Daisetsuzan Sounkyo and Mount Kuro (Nutakukamu Ushupe)
Galaxy Falls. Feel the universe
Near Daisetsuzan National Park, right in the center of Hokkaido
Memanbetsu (Memanpet) ~ Abashiri
Memanbetsu Fairy Tale Hill. This kind of format is typical of Hokkaido
Abashiri Prison, familiar from Golden Kamuy. It was too early and we couldn't enter..
Shiretoko
Shiretoko Five Lakes. It's a bit of a walk, but the air is so fresh!
Shiretoko Pass Observatory. You can see Kunashiri Island across the sea. This is the "eastern edge" of Hokkaido that we visited on this trip. From here, we will cross Hokkaido again, visiting various places
Lake Mashu (Kamui To)
Lake Mashu. It is said to have the highest transparency in Japan. I can't get close to it, but if possible, I'd like to swim there once
Kawayu Hot Springs (Sesekipets)
Early in the morning, I went for a run from the inn. This straight road is the epitome of Hokkaido
This is Kawayu Onsen, where you can enjoy sulfurous hot springs
A typical Hokkaido souvenir shop in Kawayu Onsen (unfortunately, it was closed)
Mount Io (Atosanupuri)
My personal recommendation is Mount Io. The sulfur prevents most of the trees from growing around it
You can get very close to the sulfur vapors spewing out
Lake Kussharo
Lake Kussharo. If you dig into the sand, you can find hot spring water called a sand bath! If you put your mind to it, you might even be able to create your own private open-air bath...! Apparently, many swans fly in from November to April
And... speaking of Lake Kussharo, there's Kushy! ...Huh? You don't know that!? Please read Monthly Moo and learn more
Lake Akan
Take a boat trip around Lake Akan
Lake Akan is famous for its marimo! Unlike the small ones sold as souvenirs, here you can see giant marimo the size of a volleyball
Kushiro Marsh (Kushuru)
Kushiro Marsh. It's hard to convey in a photo, but it's a vast marshland. This scenery can probably only be seen in Hokkaido
Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu. The sunset was beautiful
Hakodate (Usukeshi)
The Red Brick Warehouse is well known in Yokohama, but there is also one in Hakodate
Hakodateyama Observatory. The weather was bad so the view wasn't great... and then we were hit by a downpour
Goryokaku (model)
We also took a stroll inside Goryokaku (the real one)
Tomakomai - Ferry
On the way back, I took a ferry to Fukui. Contrary to my childhood image, the ship was clean and had a game center, gym, and even a bath (although all were small), making for a very comfortable cruise
Interesting things I found in Hokkaido
 This has absolutely nothing to do with Hokkaido, but... You can even adjust the thickness! A vending machine that makes thickened coffee and cocoa. |
 As expected of Hokkaido, local agricultural products are incredibly cheap |
 A strange lineup.. |
 Bear repellent bells, deer antlers, deer, pork, salmon, and scallop jerky, etc |
 "This year's best-selling item"...that's an absolute lie |
 There was a bear's paw (not for sale) in the souvenir shop |
 "Mushroom Kingdom" is the kind of place that would make a certain Mr. Matsuyama scream. The huge building is filled with mushroom products.. |
 Speaking of convenience stores in Hokkaido... that's right, Secoma (Seico Mart). I want one in my neighborhood |
 Ban'ei horse (banba). It's the very same horse that Raoh rides (Kokuoh). Ban'ei horse racing...I'd love to see it at least once |
lastly
September in Hokkaido has perfect weather—neither too hot nor too cold—making it very pleasant. I highly recommend September. It would also be great for a motorcycle tour.
My goal this time was to visit tourist spots where I could enjoy nature, and I was blessed with good weather except for the last day, so I was able to fully achieve that goal and enjoy nature.
Hokkaido's "simply long, straight roads" are something you can't easily experience anywhere else, so that alone is quite exciting (though it can get boring...).
I also encountered
a brown bear, which has been making headlines recently... It was on a side road off a fairly busy road. It wasn't a cub, but it wasn't very big either. It glanced at me once and then walked away into the mountains.
It's terrifying to think what would have happened if I had encountered it on foot instead of driving...
There were also some other things that bothered me compared to my vague memories from childhood..
- Solar panels everywhere.
I noticed this when I went to Kyushu as well, but there are solar panels everywhere (on pastures and vacant lots), and it really spoils the scenery. Of course, they are necessary in certain places, but... - Few tourists...?
It might be due to the time of year (September), but Kawayu Onsen, where I stayed, had very few people, and many shops were closed or even vacant.
I've heard that tourist destinations that were bustling during the bubble economy are gradually declining and disappearing, and I could really feel the impact of the economic downturn of the past 20 years or so on in many places. It's a little sad.
Although I could sense the changing times, all the scenery I saw was wonderful, and the food was delicious. I was able to appreciate the charm of Hokkaido once again. If
you haven't been there yet, I highly recommend you visit at least once.
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