Enjoy fine cuisine and retro townscapes. A two-day, one-night trip around Kushiro city

Ai Nishimura

Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.

Kushiro Trip: 2-day, 1-night itinerary

[Temperature and Climate in Kushiro] Be aware of the differences between the coastal and inland areas

Before your trip, check out the temperature and climate of Kushiro. We explain how the climate differs greatly between the coastal and inland areas.
Coastal areas such as the downtown area around Kushiro Station are cool all year round, and even in midsummer August the daytime high temperature is usually between 20 and 25 degrees. It is rare for it to reach over 30 degrees on a midsummer day.

In winter, the hours of daylight are long and strong seasonal winds blow. Although it is bitterly cold, there are relatively few days in mid-winter when the maximum temperature drops below 0°C, even in Hokkaido. Even when it does snow, the amount of accumulation is not large, so roads are rarely covered in snow for long periods of time.

In the inland areas, where Lake Akan is located, temperatures can reach over 30 degrees Celsius in the summer. However, the humidity is low and there is a refreshing breeze, so compared to Honshu, it is dry and comfortable to live there.
In winter, the temperature can drop to as low as -20°C, and snow piles up in great piles. Advance preparation and caution are required when traveling by car.

[Transportation for traveling in Kushiro] If you're sightseeing around Kushiro Station, we recommend using buses and rental bicycles.

bus

If you are planning to sightsee mainly in the former Kushiro city and Kushiro town, you will want to use the Kushiro Bus or Akan Bus.
A passport that allows unlimited travel on both lines is available only on weekends and holidays and costs just 600 yen (no discounts for children or people with disabilities). Passports can be purchased on the bus or at the Kushiro Station Bus Terminal.
If you are sightseeing around Lake Akan Onsen, the free "Marimo Family Bus" is also convenient.

Bicycle rental

There are several bicycle rental services around Kushiro Station. There are few hills and it is easy to get around by bicycle, so please try them out. (Please note that rentals may not be available depending on the season.)

■ Kushiro Civic Activity Center Watto
Bicycles: 200 yen for up to 3 hours (100 yen for each additional hour)
Mountain bike: 300 yen for up to 3 hours (200 yen for each additional hour)
・Electric bicycles: 500 yen for up to 3 hours (300 yen for each additional hour)

■Kushiro City Tourism and International Exchange Center
Electrically assisted bicycles, mini velo, mountain bikes: 1,600 yen for 3 hours, 2,800 yen for 8 hours

train

If you are traveling by train around Hokkaido, including Kushiro city, we recommend the Hokkaido Free Pass, which allows unlimited rides on JR Hokkaido trains and buses (excluding some routes).
The Hokkaido Free Pass is priced at 26,230 yen for adults for 7 days, and includes regular reserved seats up to 6 times. If you want to enjoy your train trip with plenty of time to spare, this is a great deal.

7:00 A luxurious seafood bowl for breakfast, unique to Kushiro

On the second day, get up early and have fun in the morning.
If you go in the morning, I recommend Washo Market and Kuidokoro Sakebanya. Both are seafood restaurants.
Although it is a well-known specialty rice bowl, the "Kattedon" at Washo Market is still worth trying. You can make your own rice bowl by adding a little of your favorite ingredients onto the rice.
Also, at Sake Banya, they grill seafood right from the morning! They grill seafood over charcoal in the morning. It's a nice service that the staff will do it for you.
We will introduce two restaurants unique to Kushiro where you can easily enjoy seafood.

Washo Market

Salmon Restaurant

15 minutes by bus from Kushiro Station (North Exit of the Station → Tottori Odori 3-chome)

*Nippon Paper Cranes ceased operations in March 2019. They have restarted as the Eastern Hokkaido Cranes and are still based in Kushiro.

Eastern Hokkaido Cranes official website: https://cranes.team/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cranes1949/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cranes1949

10:00 Visit the practice of the ice hockey team "Nippon Paper Cranes"

I went to the Tottori area to watch the practice of the Kushiro-based ice hockey team, the Nippon Paper Cranes. Since I had come all the way to this cold region, I wanted to do something that could only be done here.

The Nippon Paper Cranes, based in Kushiro City, participate in the Asia League, an international league made up of players from Japan, Korea, and Russia. Since the tournament began, they are the team that has won the most games, and expectations are high for them to continue to grow.
The ice hockey season is the opposite of the baseball season, running from fall to winter.
The rules are simple: whoever puts the most pucks into the goal with their stick wins. Six players compete in a group. During the game, players are required to move quickly and vigorously on the ice, so the five players other than the goalkeeper are replaced in short periods of time.

Practices are held every day, and in addition to building basic physical strength, the team also works on improving agility, skating, and teamwork. Because there are many situations where the team must play with fewer players due to penalties, a small-group simulation practice was held on the day in question.

When asked what are the highlights of the sport that even beginners can enjoy, he replied, "The speed, physical strength, and the intense sound." It is a sport that is also called "martial arts on ice," so the supporters also heat up and get excited, forgetting the cold.
There is an skating rink at the elementary school, and many of the skaters are from the local area of Kushiro or Tomakomai and have been familiar with ice from a young age, so the skaters are probably idolized by the people of Kushiro.
Watching ice hockey is a fun way to fully enjoy the snowy countryside of Kushiro.

Recommended for lunch or a snack. Local cuisine perfect for watching ice hockey.

Chilled Melon Bread from "Flanders Confectionery Shop"

We'll introduce you to some delicious local foods that you can purchase near the ice arena.
One of them is the "hiyashi melon bread" from Flanders, a local pastry shop that has been in business for 38 years. This melon bread is made with crispy cookie dough and is filled with plenty of whipped cream. The exquisitely made cream is so fluffy that it will melt if left in a warm place, making it perfect for eating in the cold ice arena. Other varieties include custard and half and half.

There are so many cakes, pastries and breads in the shop that it's hard to choose, but if you're looking for a souvenir, be sure to try the "Senbazuru" (a milk bun made with local cream and Hokkaido-grown azuki beans), which uses the character "Kushiro" from Kushiro.

12:00 Walk around the Tottori area. Have lunch at a cafe.

Miscellaneous goods and coffee. En Share Place

En Share Place, located along Tottori Odori, is a single house with three handmade goods stores, a cafe, and a free space. The second floor is a bread-making class, a store selling cloth accessories, bags and clothes, handmade babouches (slippers), and more, and the first floor is a space where you can have lunch or have tea.
The cafe is generally open Monday through Thursday, but is sometimes open at other times for events, so be sure to check their website or social media.

Tottori Shrine: A place where you can feel the history of Kushiro's development

The Tottori area is said to have become known as "Tottori Village" after samurai from Tottori Prefecture moved here to help develop Hokkaido.
Its history began when 207 samurai from the former Tottori domain, under the rule of the Ikeda family, came to this area. In 1891, these samurai from Tottori separated their guardian deity, Okuninushi, from Izumo Taisha (Shimane Prefecture) and founded Tottori Shrine.

Currently, a museum called the Tottori Centennial Hall has been built within Tottori Shrine to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tottori Village. Here, visitors can learn about the lives of the pioneers at the time and how the Tottori samurai supported each other as they developed Kushiro.
This shrine is also where the Nippon Paper Cranes pray for safety and victory, so be sure to stop by when you're watching a game!

15 minutes by bus (Tottori Odori 3-chome → Station North Exit), 20 minutes on foot

16:00 Search for souvenirs at Fisherman's Wharf MOO. Recommended is "Sanmanma"

After exploring the Tottori area, we went back to the Kushiro Station area to look for souvenirs. We stopped by Sanmanma in Uomasa, inside Fisherman's Wharf MOO.

The pacific saury, slowly grilled with sauce, has a crispy skin that is delicious. It is also boneless, making it easy to eat and recommended as a snack. There is also an eat-in area, so you can eat it on the spot.

17:00 Early dinner at Kushiro Club with a beautiful night view

If you want to spend your last night in Kushiro relaxingly, we recommend the Kushiro Club, a cafe restaurant with an excellent location. The restaurant has large sofa seats and table seats where you can enjoy the night view. The food is also very elaborate, from appetizers to main dishes.
You can enjoy your meal while taking in the view of Kushiro's atmospheric port from the large windows. There is also a wood-burning stove, so you can relax with the gentle heat of the fire.

45 minutes by shuttle bus from Kushiro Station

20:20 Depart from Tancho Kushiro Airport

It's time to say goodbye to Kushiro. Kushiro was a great city, with delicious food and a laid back atmosphere.
The whole town is like a retro movie set. Another place I definitely want to visit has been added to my list.

November 13, 2017