2025 Hokkaido

1st - 11th May 2025.

I last came to Hokkaido 2 years ago in 2023, and it was a special trip with my engagement. It was a short trip that time and we weren't able to explore more of Hokkaido. This year we would have a 1.5 week window to travel - combining Labour day and Vesak day holidays. Hokkaido is huge, and there is lots to see. That being said, I am perfectly happy being in any small town just walking around and eating whatever is available. 

Shiretoko National Park is one of the places that has been on my list, for its remote location far in the north eastern peninsula, rich biodiversity and unspoiled nature. 1.5 weeks would give us enough time to cover some ground and spend some time at the park. With the goal of visiting Shiretoko in mind, we came up with a route to get us there and back, exploring some of the other towns along the way. 

It would again be the Golden Week holidays in Japan. Somehow find ourselves back here during this period. It would be the last region where the Sakuras blossom, as this cold northern island warms up a little. 

Coming along for this trip are my parents, C and myself. We rented an SUV from Nippon Rent A Car - Subaru Levorg Layback.

Day 1 - Eniwa (15km).

It was an early flight departing at 0150hrs. We chose to fly Cathay as that would split the journey to Hokkaido into ~4-5 hour segments, with a mid flight break at Hong Kong airport. This would hopefully give my parents some time to stretch their legs and make the long flight more tolerable. The choice of this early PH flight however meant that we would have a bit of a post work rush to get home and get ready for the trip. Checked in early but was unable to select seats due to a full flight and Cathay’s pre-assigned seats. It was alright as we were together. 

We had a 4 hour layover at HKG airport. The walk into the terminal from the link bridge was somehow very long. We had Putien and Arabica coffee. A set meal at Putien with drinks costs ~68HKD (~11 SGD), the same as an ice latte from Arabica. The queue at Arabica was very long. Probably won't wait in line for it again, but was worth the experience. Walked around to digest and kill time. Checked out the basement roast meat stall + MCD. It was much more crowded at this timing than my previous trip (2024 March for FRCR).

Seats on Cathay were super comfortable and I slept through most of both flights. 

Car rental was from Nippon Rent-a-car. We had previously used Toyota Rent A Car, but the models we were looking at were either booked out or too expensive. Booked a Subaru Forrester on the website but got a Suzuki Layback. It was a similar model and with smart sensing so it was alright. Mainly wanted to have some space to comfortably seat the 4 of us and hold our luggage - 2x 30 inch, 1x 20 inch, with my 40L backpack with room to spare. Borrowed 4x umbrellas from the rental store as well.

Headed to our Airbnb at Eniwa 1-chōme-5-123-1 Izarimachi. It was an old yukata shop bought over by a Caucasian guy who then turned the living quarters behind the shop to an Airbnb. The actual Yukata shop seems to somewhat still be in operation - IZARI Village (イザリビレッジ). It was a huge 3 story house that had decent insulation. Definitely needed to keep the heater on as it was very chilly at night. We chose to stay at Eniwa as it was near enough from the airport, and we did not really want to squeeze into Sapporo or Chitose city. Coming from a big city, we all enjoy staying in the smaller towns where possible. 

Another big reason for choosing Eniwa was a small sushi shop that we had chanced upon when C and I came here in 2023 - Naniwa Hisashi Sushi 浪花 亀すし. Back then we were just looking for some local food to have on our way to Chitose. This time it was a purposeful trip back. It is a small family run sushi shop manned by a father and son duo. We were the only patrons of the shop back in 2023, and were treated very hospitably despite the major language barrier. Braving the cold winds, we headed to the shop. We were greeted by the same smiling father and son duo. This time they also had the lady of the house on duty. There were 2 private rooms that hosted some local groups for hotpot dinner. The man of our house is not a fan of sushi, so he got fried mackerel while the rest of us had sushi / sashimi. We made some small interactions, showed them a photo from 2023, and took some selfies together. Paid 7000 JPY for dinner, a great local price for the amount and quality of food we got.

We were all tired from the long day of flying. Cranked up the radiator and called it a night.

Day 2 - Eniwa - Biei (177km). 

Braved the cold windy morning to run around the corner to get breakfast - a combination of Sukiya and Lawson. Other than the persistent piercing cold air, I also noticed that Sukiya no longer has ticket stubs when you order from the self-service machines. I like gyudon and used to be a big patron of both the Matsuya and Sukiya chains when I did my exchange in Takatsuki-shi. Staying right above a 24hr Matsuya, I made it a point to go down the menu and order every item, which I successfully completed. It was a fond memory collecting the hardback ticket stubs and I felt like it added to the experience. 

Leaving Eniwa, our first stop was at Iwamizawa. We were scouting for winter wear given the very cold and windy conditions so far. This town had both a Uniqlo and a shop called Workman Plus that apparently had good winter wear at affordable prices. Ended up not buying much other than a set of merino wool socks for myself. 

Also had lunch there, at the same stall C and I stopped at during our previous trip - 食堂倶楽部よしび. It is a regular family restaurant popular for its Zanki. I really like eating at the Shokudo and Teishoku type of shops.

Exiting Mikasa, we left most of the built up areas behind and entered forest territory. We stopped by 三段滝 - the three tiered waterfall. There was a small parking area with a clean toilet. Almost immediately as we parked, we saw a fox walk up to a bike and nibble at the leather storage. The leather jacket biker wasn't too please and chased it away by donating a bag of chips to the fox who happily carried it away to a nearby tree. I was happy to witness this and snapped some photos. Didnt see a fox the previous trip so was very happy to have seen one today. 

As we walked down, we saw a second fox! This one had a nicer coat of fur and looked more peaceful. The initial one actually looked slightly rabid. Apparently the Ezo red foxes shed their thick coats of fur after winter which was why these guys had varying fur coats. The floor was wet and not so easy for both parents to continue on so we just admired the fox and the raging river from a distance. C took some nice photos of a peacock butterfly.

We next stopped at Tomita farm where we were dealt with the full force of the cold wind. Probably 20 knots. It was still too cold this period, so the only lavender we saw were in the greenhouse.

Father took shelter on a bench while we walked 1 round. CMS took an extra large round admiring the other flowers in bloom.

Went next to the Shirogane Blue Pond. We had skipped out on this spot during our previous trips. Carpark was 500 JPY, paid via credit card. There is a bigger trail around but most just walk the small main area at the pond. Was drizzling and cold so didn't spend too much time. Not superbly blue in view of the overcast weather but was a nice stretch of the legs. Some girl got her hat blown down the side of a slope but she somehow managed to retrieve it.

Dinner was at a yakiniku place, 匠味屋, opposite Hotel Lavenir Biei where we stayed. It was highly rated on google but tasted just alright. We were more impressed by the hotel, which was very spacious and clean. It was surprisingly big for the small town of Biei. Parents were room 222. We were room 223.

Day 3 - Biei - Abashiri (249km).

Hotel had breakfast included. Parents who woke earlier said the dining area was full with Japanese guests at 0730 when it opened. Super punctual and early risers. They ate very quickly and mostly left when we reached. It was buffet style. We each had a plate with 9 partitioned sections on top of a tray, very neat. Coffee was provided with fresh Biei milk. Can't really appreciate any difference in taste from the usual milk. Food was good, very filling.

Stopped by 7-Eleven; Kamikawacho before heading onto the freeway to Engaru. Got my fill of my favourite convenience stall meal of salmon and rice. The queues for the toilet here was insane. There were other options for public toilets but we stuck with it. 

It was my first time on this type of freeway in Hokkaido. I have only driven in Hokkaido and Okinawa so far, and have always made it a point to avoid the freeways as I am unfamiliar with the ETC card and did not want to hold up the ilne. During a recent trip to Okinawa, I managed to kind of figure things out and went to the cash/credit lanes, paying with my Youtrip card / cash. Speed limit was 80kmph on this freeway, with 2 lanes. Many people were exceeding the limit.

Lunch was at Sushi Nomiura at Engaru as we exited the freeway. It was a very nice japanese style restaurant where you sat on the floor. Across the restaurant was wide open grass fields which was nice to look at as we waited for the food.

Looped around Lake Saroma. We were in season to see some flowering Skunk cabbage - apparently the local attraction here. Funny name but nice plant with white flowers. It is said to be a source of food for the Ussuri brown bear in early spring. 

Stopped by Kimuaneppu Cape. Looked like a good place to walk around and use the toilet. Unfortunately toilets were closed. It was again fairly cold so we didn't walk much and just hung around the carpark. Looped around Lake Notoro and Lake Abashiri. Saw many white tailed eagles around the lakes. 

Our first stop at Abashiri was the Komaba Kinohiroba Park. Saw cute Eurasian red squirrels with long ears that looked permanently mischievous. Spent a good 45min walking 1 small but very pleasant loop. Good to stretch the legs after a long drive.

Initially went to Tatsu Sushi but was chased away initially by an angry resident living next door. He was probably upset that we stopped outside his house. The staff at Tatsu Sushi also told waiting time was 1hr..

We Dinner at a fairly basic but nice local restaurant - ごはん亭. Saw 2 local school age boys coming in, picking up some manga while waiting for food, reading intensely. Then putting the manga back and eating silently before heading off on bikes. Felt like a scene out of an anime. 

Refuelled at the self service petrol station just opposite the restaurant. Guess-timated the fuel to be 30L for the half tank we spent, and was exactly right!

Our Airbnb tonight was a small house opposite the Tofutsu-ko Waterfowl and Wetland Center, just east of Abashiri. We drove in the darkness as we exited the small town. 

It was laundry day today today. There was a washing machine and a big laundry area. 

Day 4 - Abashiri - Utoro (84km).

Finally a shorter day of driving. Our destination was Utoro along the western coast of the Shiretoko peninsula, fairly near by. I got up early about 7am and went out to take some photos of the birds opposite our Airbnb. It is so convenient staying near a wetland center. All I had to do was walk across a street. 

There were many flocks of birds flying past during this early dawn. It was a very nice sight seeing them fly in formation. Went back to see C and CMS hanging clothes in the glass balcony of our BnB. Doing laundry never looked so fun.

Checked out of the accommodation and went back to the Tofutsu-ko Waterfowl and Wetland Center where we were greeted by an eager volunteer who show us some birds via the binoculars. We were also invited to watch a 13min vid on the lake, the birds it hosts and how it was formed. Very interesting. Similar to what Sungei Buloh used to show.

Drove around the lake via the south side, stalking 2 white tailed eagles that saw via the binoculars at the wetland center. We got to see some fishermen and some Skunk cabbage growing by the side. No bears yet.

As we drove along the northern side of Lake Tofusuko, we realised that we drove past the Koshimizu Genseikaen primeval flower garden. Saw this on the Tofusu Ko video and decided it was worth turning back for. There were no flowers this period, but it was a nice short walk nonetheless, with the small paths along the black sand coastline and snow capped mountain range in the background. There were souvenir shops near the carpark, but business was evidently very bad. 

We continued on down the road, looking out to the side as there was supposed to be some horses by the lake. Unfortunately we spotted none, perhaps wrong season.

Eagerly Headed to Kasuga Sushi for lunch at Shari Town. It was highly rated on google and supposed to be manned by an elderly guy. It was unfortunately closed today. Went to Rairaiken for ramen instead. Very crowded place with a great atmosphere. Everyone else there was local and the shop was filled with Japanese chatter. Had to wait a little for a table.

Bumped into a Taiwanese cyclist at the nearby Seicomart. He freedom camps at the back of public libraries / govt buildings after hours. Says route 244 is very scenic. Was invited to join the Ma Zhu yearly pilgrimage event in Taiwan.

Went to Ikushina genseikaen primeval flower garden. Nice place next to the beach. Saw a very cute black headed gull kicking up some sand trying to get its next meal. Looked like it was part of a dance move. It was fairly scenic with the snow capped mountains closer in the background. Just hanging around the carpark and taking a short stroll onto the beach was nice. 

Stopped by the Shiretoko Ezo Deer Farm. Father was fairly tired at this point. Deer behind fences, apparently they are being prepped as tributes for hunting.

Went to Onnebetsu Salmon and Trout hatching facility nearby. It was a spot you could see salmon swimming upstream. Road was closed off. 

Drove past the waterfall of Oshinkoshin. Huge waterfall right next to the road. The roadside parking was completely full. Waterfall is very visible from the road.

Hotel tonight was Minshuku Inn Ainu Shūchou no Ie. Dinner and breakfast is included. Stayed at 304 and 305 (C and I). We had futon beds and a shared bathroom. Shower was a shared onsen at basement. We chose to shower earlier in the day, hoping not to encounter any other guests. We took turns to shower in the onsen. Thankfully no one else came in. Have heard alot about the onsen culture but am not used to it. Never went to an onsen during my previous trips. The onsen water looked very dark. Maybe some natural mud bath? 

It was drizzling when we went out for a short walk to see Godzilla rock. Managed to get some nice portraits with the OM1 and 45mm f1.8 lens.

Dinner was 630pm. We went slightly earlier but weren't allowed in. We hung around the small attached gift shop together with many other guests. We realised why there was a s strict timing once we entered. All the dishes were neatly prepared, with tables assigned to our rooms. Some of them were wearing their yukatas, very cute. The dining hall was mostly elderly guests. There were only 2 other young couples. The food was very elaborate and delicious. It resembled the provided hotel breakfast at Biei where you had many small dishes neatly placed on a compartmentalised plate.

Took a short walk to the local 711 before coming back to rest. Previously quite worried about having enough cash, since 711 was the only place that had no atm fees and I had thought that Utoro didnt have a 711. 

C had a great idea to snap some photos in the yukata provided in our rooms. Very cute.

Day 5 - Shiretoko  - Kuma Iku Yo! (36km).

Breakfast was 0700. The locals were all there punctually and finished their meal very fast. We were not done by the next breakfast slot at 0730. C and I wore the Yukata down for breakfast wanting to be cute like the locals, but turns out its not a breakfast thing as we were the only fools doing it this morning. Perhaps others have changed to their day outfits so they can leave punctually?

C kindly soloed the transport of the luggage while I was checking out, allowing the 2 old folk to take a rest. Very strong. We had 2 nights in Utoro but due to the area's popularity and the Golden week holidays, we could not book 2 consecutive nights. 

Headed early to the GOJIRAIWA KANKO Utoro Office. We were booked for the Shiretoko Peninsula cruise. There are other cruises available during the winter season but it was a bit more limited in spring. There was a local kid eyeing my OM1 and giving a nod of approval. M43 is quite popular in Japan. The cruise was alright. Saw the Spectacled guillemots and some other cormorants. Eagerly scanned the cliffs for bears but only found a bunch of deer grazing in the grass patches. Didn't manage to get great photos on the boat. Overall pleasant experience.

Wanted to eat at Utoro Gyokyo Fujinbu Shokudo for lunch but the queue for it extended all the way across the street. We ate lunch just opposite at 圓子水産. It had very young and energetic staff, probably some part time school kids on holiday? Food was expensive but good. The scallops in particular were juicy and had a good mouth feel. 

Went to Shiretoko 5 lakes with the car filled with our luggage. Thankfully Japan doesn't really have any safety concerns when parking with a full load. There were many trails available, some needed guides. We were told that a bear was spotted not far from the boardwalk just the day before. Not wanting to muddy our shoes and in keeping with our overall low level of fitness, we stuck with the boardwalk. We would not be able to out-run anything should a bear pop up.

From the boardwalk we had nice open views of the landscape with deer grazing the grassland and a backdrop of the icy mountains. It was an easy and pleasant walk in good weather. No bears for us here though. 

Along the road out we encountered some deer grazing dangerously close to the road. We slowed down to observe them, when one of them suddenly bolted across the road. Thankfully the car ahead was also slowed down. It is easy to see why they are often the unfortunate victims of roadkill.

Took a turn towards Onsen-yado CHINOHATE along river Iwaubetsu. Saw this small road while coming in earlier and we had some time to explore off the beaten path. It immediately felt very nice as we turned down into the valley and were now next to a flowing river. There were deer grazing on the side. We could explore abit of nature in the comfort of our SUV. 

As we were admiring the scenery, an oncoming driver wound down his window and excitedly shouted at us - “Kuma iku yo!” Took me a while to process. With my decently limited Japanese abilities, I realised he wasn't swearing at me, but instead telling me the "Bear is here". We hurriedly drove along and saw a trio of cars parked precariously along the thin gravel patch. There were photographers out along the river bank. We scanned the area and caught sight of the bear climbing a tree! 44°06'07.5"N 145°03'36.7"E 

Quickly snapped some pics with the 40-150mm f4 pro lens already on. We were honked at by some aunty and needed to go around. This elderly aunty we later realised was partially disabled, but was equipped with a huge camera. Quickly changed lens to the 75-300mm ii for more reach and ran down to the other photographers by the river. Caught sight of the bear running along the river. There was a cub too!

Then they started crossing the river. Snapped some photos excitedly. Shit. The once bold local guys have started to back off. Following their lead, I did too, and more dramatically started running all the way back to the car. Not familiar with how bears behave, but I know they can run very fast, and I trust the locals when they start to retreat. These wildlife types are usually very bold and don't back off unnecessarily. We were all ecstatic in the car. It was a first for all of us to see a bear in the wild. During my exchange in 2016 I had often read about bear attacks in Hokkaido and knew that they were plentiful here and had always wanted to see them. Now I get to share this experience with 2 elderly folk and C. It was a special moment. 

Caught a third glimpse of the bears walking along the same side of the river, digging their paws into the ground probably searching for food. They were quite unbothered by the humans - some photographers went back out. 

As quickly as they came, they ran across the road and up the hill. We turned out of the road and called it a day. The other trio of cars followed us out, but to our surprise turned right to follow the bears. These are some intense people.

As we drove out, we saw another car stopped by the road, and a bear opposite!! Incredible luck to have our second sighting of the day, and of our lives. Other cars also stopped by and guys with big cameras popped out. This was a less desirable spot as it was along the main road leading to the 5 lakes and we were all just parked on the side. I was quite amazed by the number of people with big telephoto lenses here. Guess this area attracts a certain type.

As we headed off, we also saw a fox walking along the road. 

We stopped by 幌別川駐車場 to admire the amazing sunset. The weather was beautiful today with clear blue skies in contrast to the overcast drizzly weather yesterday. There was nothing in the atmosphere to obstruct the setting sun as it dipped below the horizon. What a good day.

We didn't want to hang around too long as it seemed the food options in town all closed around 7pm.

Ate at 旅の駅, next to the Seicomart. Patient proprietress who explained the food options. Smoking was clearly allowed inside this establishment. In sharp contrast to lunch, this felt very local and homely, a family run place. Food was great and I feel we had an overall better experience despite the lower Google reviews.

What I realised is that for Japan, a score of 3.5-4.2 on google is probably the optimal number. Any higher and it probably attracts more Gaijin than locals. Local guys are quite harsh in their reviews so anything on the higher end is probably reviewed by a non native. 

We were booked to stay at Iruka Hotel tonight. It was just south of the town. The road to Iruka was dark and surprisingly down a hairpin gravel road. Wouldn't want to come here in a smaller vehicle. Hotel staff kindly helped us transport the luggage to the entrance.

Stayed on the first floor. Room 102 (C and I) and 103. All rooms had an ocean view.

Tried to capture the milky way, but was unsuccessful due light pollution from the town and the half moon. Dragged my family out to see the stars but realised later that there may have been foxes and bears there. Oops.

Day 6 - Utoro - Rausu (72km).

Had a simple breakfast at the level 2 lounge overlooking the bay. Nice view of Utoro. Stopped by 711 for some snacks before heading off. First time seeing melon pan in the heated display section and had to buy it. Melon pan is like a sweetened polo bun. I have always heard it being mentioned but never bothered trying as melon bread did not sound appetising. Tried it for the first time this trip and have come to love it. This heated bun was warm and sweet, perhaps freshly baked. CNF loved it. We also loved the fried chicken cutlet. Convenience stores in Japan are different. 

Tried to search for the bears again at the same river to no avail. Drove all the way to Onsen-yado CHINOHATE and turned around. Got out of the car cautiously for some fresh air and photos. The Shiretoko pass opens 930-4pm so we couldn't take all day. It actually is closed most of the year as the roads are iced over. The drive up the empty roads through the pass was very nice. The landscape transformed from a lush green to snow white. I like the curvy mountain roads - even nicer with snow on the sides. We stopped at some scenic points for photos, and at the top of the psas as well.

There was supposed to be toilets at the top of the pass, but the main toilets were closed and the portable toilets had no water. No problem as we had bottled water to wash our hands. From the carpark we had an open view of Mt Rausu. We stared up and noticed some small black dots moving up towards the summit. Zooming in with my 75-300mm ii (600mm EFL / 12x the human eye), we realised that it was a bunch of mad backcountry skiers hiking up Mt Rausu. Didn't stay to see them come down as it felt they might need a while more. 

Headed down to the Shiretoko Rausu Visitor Center. Apparently this visitor center only opens in May and June? Not too sure why it isn't open in the rest of the summer months. We were looking around the displays when we realised there was a geyser nearby, and that we were in time for a geyser eruption. No clue how they are able to predict so precisely. We walked over to the Rausu kanketsusen Geyser which erupted right at the minute (1331) as predicted, somehow living up to Japanese punctuality. First time seeing a geyser. 

Headed to Shiretoko Shokudo for a late lunch. Was by the coast along the main road. Bunch of guys looking at the coast where hot steam was coming out. Probably some underground onsen. Scallops didnt taste as fresh as our meal in Utoro. Nonetheless was a good meal, and more affordable than in Utoro.

Headed to the Airbnb to check in. This was the only accommodation we would stay consecutive 2 nights at for the trip. Staying more than a night is really ideal as it gives you more time to explore a place and also less packing/unpacking. The Bnb was hosted by Kazuhiro (pharmacist) and his wife. Greeted with a welcome drink - home made warm tea from a bottle. 2nd floor was ours, while the first was shared with them. Shower was on the first floor. We had a toilet on the 2nd. 

Parents took the room with a half balcony overlooking the sea. Both our rooms upstairs had accompanying lounge areas. We also had a 3rd futon room for if we wanted a more traditional stay. It was very spacious and comfortable. They provided lots of snacks and drinks for us. Showered and attempted to sleep. Didn't feel too well today. Felt abit sleepy and irritable. Maybe some viral prodrome.

Ran the laundry then headed out. Went to 鳥吉 for dinner (our earlier choice was closed). Despite the 3.6 Google rating, was a very good meal. It was a small restaurant / izakaya run by an old couple. There was also an old couple dining there when we went. The stall uncle had a very husky voice, replied in English despite our attempts to order in Japanese. Felt like he had some radiotherapy to his neck causing vocal cord palsy. Kushiyaki was great - beef tongue and pork. Well seasoned with just salt and pepper. CMS and I had the nabeyaki udon - warm soup for the soul. C had the curry udon - never saw this dish before. CNF had the oyakudon - the staple parent child rice.

Stopped by the Seicomart in town before calling it a night. Our hosts went out in the dark of the night to the popular Kumanoyu hot spring. It is some distance up the hill and I can't imagine both driving up at night + walking around with minimal clothing in the cold darkness. Not to mention the healthy bear population..

C worked on her abstract while I attempted to work on mine (KCR).

Day 7 - Rausu (51km).

Had melon pan heated in a microwave and instant coffee at the Airbnb. I have really come to like melon-pan. 

Checked in at Shiretoko Nature Cruise in Rausu town. C went in and paid. She was quite entertained by the flamboyant counter staff. Paid 8000 jpy per person (original price was 8800jpy). Glad we had the discount coupon from the Bnb (think this is something most accommodations have for their guests).

It was a cloudy day with patches of drizzle. In contrast with our cruise at Utoro with the bearded man, the staff here are all young and female. Probably their summer holiday type of work / internship?  

Headed out into the cold sea toward Kunashiri Islands. These are contested lands by both Russia and Japan. We had spotters at the front and back of the boat. It was windy and could at the upper deck which was almost fully exposed apart from half a roof. The lower deck had a heated indoor section where the others hid from the cold soviet winds. Initially didnt see anything for a good 45min. Thereafter the front spotter signaled that she had spotted something. We headed right and started seeing some water spouting up. Did not know initially, but they were Dall’s porpoise! Chased it for a while then started seeing some other boats chasing some orcas. We changed course and headed for the pod.

Very nice chasing the pod of killer whales. It was a first for all of us. There were probably 10-15 whales all moving around together. 1 of them was particularly huge, probably the mother? Some were babies. The younger ones were very active, surfacing high. The huge mother was more chill and didn't surface as high.Spent a fair amount of time following these guys. Realised a shorter lens may be useful in capturing the scene better - too much zoom and you just see the face of the Orca, vs getting some of the environment / snow mountains in the background which adds to the scene. 

Eventually heading back to the port and were graced with a low flying White tailed eagle on our return.

Went to 生そば 福住 羅臼店 for early lunch at about 11 am. Very local soba place near the port. Big portions for a good price ~1000-1300 JPY sets. Seems like they do alot of takeaways, had a number of traditional tin boxes for takeaway. Perhaps for the seamen.

Drove up north toward the north eastern most point of japan. Pity it was a cloudy day and the Kunashiri islands were not as visible.

En-route, scouted out Washi no yado - the fish owl watching spot. Also stopped by a small turn in along Kennebetsu river - short gravel track along the river. 44.1118842, 145.2485748.

Stopped by Shiretoko World Heritage Rusa Field House 知床世界遺産ルサフィールドハウス. Very cold inside, probably wasn't heated at all. Used the toilet there and watched some ducks outside. Only other visitor was a young Caucasian lady who spoke perfect Japanese. C spotted a white tail sea eagle as we headed out. No suitable place to stop so had to proceed on.

Went past the Seseki Waterfall セセキの滝 with our windows opened to allow the spray of water to enter the car. Minimal physical effort for maximal experience.

Got out of a car for a short visit to the Seseki Hot Spring 瀬石温泉 which is a set of walled off onsen by the sea. CNF and CMS were too lazy to get out here.

Final stop at the north-easternmost guide place of Japan 日本最北東突端地. We saw a fishing boat return. Witnessed how they docked, and unloaded very quickly. There were 60-70yo men nimbly jumping off the boat and running to their cars. Wish we could be as fit as them and age as well.

On the way back we saw a fox walking along the road. Slowed down for it, and it came right up to the car, may be expecting food? Gave us the chance to take some close up photos of it from the window. Also saw the same eagles that we encountered on the way up. Managed to take some photos this time. Saw a pair of deer grazing by the side of the road. Really incredible nature at Shiretoko. There is just wildlife everywhere.

It was about 4pm and we were getting hungry. We had been out the whole day at this point. Opted to get bentos from Seicomart hot chef and eat at home. General consensus is that the Seicomart food is better than restaurant food. Perhaps more consistent and flavorful.

C managed to squeeze in a shower, while i took some time to make sure the SD cards were in order as I had swapped them out during the whale cruise. Camera gear preparation takes time..

Rushed out around 515 as we wanted to reach Washi No Yado 民宿 鷲の宿 before 6pm. We managed to reach at 530pm. Paid 4000 JPY x 2 for window countertop seats along their cafeteria. Aunty taking the money was a very cute lady. Meticulously used 3 different stamps to ink the receipt carefully. Only a pair of elderly couple were there with cameras when we arrived. Other people were a group of Hong Kong (cantonese speaking) folk and some Asians with thick American accents eating dinner - probably staying in the rooms. I wanted to stay here initially. Accommodation is affordably priced for the region, and you can see the owls straight out of your own window. But booking required a local phone call, not something easily done while in SG. I actually called a few hotels from SG but was promptly hung up on once they heard some English.

There were 14 counter seats - progressively filled up to 10 as more people came in during the evening.

We were kept entertained initially listening into the laughter between the guests and the male caretaker - seemed like this uncle was the one in charge of managing the lighting for the owls. Initially thought we would see someone leaving food for the owls - but seems like it was already left within the small circle of rocks. It was a very long wait and we had people leaving one by one. The wait was broken up with the appearance of a Tanuki, and some deer, which the local uncles promptly chased away by throwing rocks at it. I joined in the fun and had a go at throwing rocks. My untrained and deconditioned right shoulder felt the strain after throwing just one rock.

The hot timings were 730, 830, 930 and 1115 pm for the owls to appear, according to a detailed log book kept at the counter.

There was an elaborate setup with pulse lighting to illuminate the feeding area (1/800s pulse width, 1/80s pulse interval). We were recommended to use manual mode with 1/80s shutter, aperture and ISO settings as follows;

• f2.8 - ISO 1600

• f4.0 - ISO 3200

• f5.6 - ISO 6400

Chatted with the only remaining elderly couple past 10pm - they were 75yo from Kyushu, and drove all the way up to Hokkaido, camping in their Kei car. 

2318hrs was when we caught sight of the owl, for a good 20s before it disappeared. We celebrated excitedly. Our persistence has paid off! Not sure if I would put my body through this again, but the overall experience and company we had to share it was great. The uncle looked like he had a telephoto prime and took super close up shots of the owl's face. I used the 40-150mm f4 after some playing around as I thought it would fair better than the 75-300mm. I wasted some time in the middle by switching to video mode when the bird was chilling for a bit. May just use burst shots next time. 

Day 8 - Rausu - Notsuke Peninsula - Lake Kussharo, Tengikawa (196km).

Ate some light snacks, fresh cherry tomatoes and had some coffee before leaving around 10am. It was a slightly longer drive today on the 50kmph roads so we had to be on our way. Found some time to fly the drone a bit before leaving. The weather really cleared up today with blue skies. Would be great if we did the cruise today instead!

It was mostly a quiet drive down the coastal roads south. This region is not very populated and there weren't many towns / stalls. Took some stops at the view points along the way. We could see Mount Rausu in the distance getting smaller. 

Our first point of attraction was the Notsuke Peninsula, where we could grab late lunch and also do some bird watching. I had seen this place on the map before and was fascinated by the large sandspit - largest in Japan extending about 28km toward the disputed Kunashir Islands. Driving along the thin stretch of road, we had the sea on our left and mangrove / wetlands on the right. Lunch was supposed to be at a restaurant within the visitor center. I was looking forward to it as it looked like it had delicious food and you could see the Todowara wetlands. Unfortunately as we entered, we saw a sign written in Japanese that was translated to read that they were closed today the 8th of May for their only holiday of the month. We were quite bemused as this place was supposed to open 7 days a week. The luck we had! That feeling changed quickly to a small sense of urgency. We are now about 20km from the mainland with nothing to eat for those 20kms. We could drive to the nearest town about 30km away and return before continuing our planned itinerary, or we could press on. Doing the former would mean happy bellies but would mean a 60km detour of about 2 hours including the meal. I was quite eager not to do that as our Bnb tonight is in a forested area off the side of the road. Would want to reach there before dusk. We rummaged through our boot to check our supplies. Luckily we had thermos filled with hot water and some cup noodles and buns - which my parents and C happily ate. With our belies slightly filled, we went onward to the tip of the Peninsula where there was a short hike to a bird observation hut - Notsuke Peninsula Wild Bird Observation House. There was a make shift looking toilet at the end which my father used - apparently very clean.

All along the drive we saw white tailed eagles. They were plentiful along this sandspit. It was a pleasant flat dirt singletrack to the hut. We didn't stay too long before turning back out. We still needed to eat. Being the driver, I took the liberty to make several stops whenever there were eagles nearby. It was nice to just observe them from the comfort of the car. 

In the town of Shibetsu, we tried to find some restaurants but the 1-2 that we tried were closed as it was outside the regular meal times - about 3pm at this point. We took to our trusty faithful 711 and got ourselves some comfort food which we enjoyed from the car. This is part of travel to more remote areas where there just isn't as many food options available. Having just 1 restaurant on the peninsula was quite high risk that we didn't consider. Looking back I don't think we would do anything different as a chance at eating there would still be great. Perhaps stocking up on more food items in the car would be a good decision. 

From Shibetsu we went straight to Tengikawa, and on to our Airbnb at Lake Kussharo. I am glad we came during daylight as the turn off the road was really not that obvious. Our Bnb was a small house in a forested area. I was quite happy to find it as it came with a private outdoor onsen. 

We dove 20mins back into town for dinner at Teshikaga Ramen. I never really liked ramen as I find the broth often too salty and I am not a huge fan of this type of noodles. I am the minority in this. Somehow felt quite chinese style despite it being a local ramen stall. 

Dropped by Fukuhara (Mashu) フクハラ 摩周店 - a supermarket opposite to get some supplies. We had earlier already bought some ready meals when we first arrived to Tengikawa so didn't really need to get anything. 

On the road back we saw a small rabbit dash across the road. 

Took a nice soak in the outdoor onsen with a beer in hand and the DJI Osmo Action 3 in the other. 

Day 9 - Lake Kussharo to Taiki (219km).

Took yet another dip in the onsen this AM together with C. Very comfortable and convenient to have our own onsen. Was nice having the wooden house on one end and a small canal on the other side separating us from the forest. Would glance occasionally at the forest just to make sure there's no rabid fox or bears lurking around. We heated our food from 711 for breakfast. 

Our first stop today was the Wakoto Peninsula 和琴半島. It was a very short drive from our place and gave us a great view of Lake Kussharo. Met a Singaporean guy there, probably in his 60-70s. Says he comes here every year at different seasons for birding, bringing up to 20kg of gear. He is retired and came with his wife who was still working. They stayed at Kussharo Prince Hotel - apparently a full house with Singaporean and Malaysian guests. We didn't see any of our countrymen so far this trip. 

We were chatting when we saw some local guy walk by the shoreline and react fairly violently for a Japanese. He threw some sticks at seemingly nothing. Taking a closer look, we realised that it was a snake! We eagerly snapped photos before it hid amongst a pile of wood. We continued to chat for a while before seeing a serpentine shape cruising along the water heading for us. It was another snake! Or perhaps the same one that did a loop. This guy was bolder, and came all the way up to the grass. It was very active. Quite fun following it and snapping photos. Would have wanted to get lower shots with some of the mountains in the background. Along with us was Yang YC, the owner of Taipei Bike Works. Very trendy looking lady with a trendy trifold bike to match. Had a short chat about her bikepacking trip and also about the motherland. We continued on our walk along the Wakoto Peninsula heading back to the car. A very pleasant and easy morning activity.

We headed on to Tsurui. It is a town famous for the Red-Crowned Crane - some of the largest and rarest cranes. It is not the right season for it but it was along the way. First had lunch at さるるん. It was a Korean style restaurant with hot stone bibimbap etc.

Drove round the corner to Tsurui-Itō Tanchō crane Sanctuary. No cranes or any activity there. Supposed to be one of the most beautiful villages in Japan. Think most of the villages in Japan are all equally nice with wide open fields, fresh air, clean roads and drains. I scouted google maps satellite view for potential areas we could find the Red-Crowned crane. Plotting a route through more small backcountry roads, we found our first Red-Crowned Crane hanging out on top of a small sand pile 43°11'50.9"N 144°19'13.8"E. Getting out of the car with 600mm EFL still came up abit short and I had to inch my way closer. Unfortunately it was quite easily spooked and flew off. We chased it up a small hill from the car and managed to get one BIF shot. It was fairly poor conditions for bird photography, with the hot and dusty winds causing heat distortion. Coming in winter would be ideal as the background would be a nice snowy white, complementing the colors of the bird. We take what we can and we were all very happy with the short glimpse of this bird. 

We were fairly content and skipped several attractions along the way, stopping by Kushiro Marsh Observatory for a toilet break. There were some walks available, but it was too warm / we were too tired and lazy. If we had missed out on the earlier crane sighting, there were several red-crowned crane conservation centers along the way that we could see them.

We drove on down south to the industrial town of Kushiro before heading west following the coast. Leaving Kushiro, we stopped at an Eneos station - the most rural looking one with just a couple of pumps and seemingly abandoned. An elderly ojisan came up as we pulled in to assist us. We stopped opportunistically at Pashikuru Lakeside Campsite to stretch our legs and feel the seabreeze. There was a lone camper car there, parked up on the grass. It felt very peaceful.

We would stay in a very quiet town of Taiki. Chose it as it was a reasonable distance on our way back to Chitose. With the low speed limits in Japan, I think 200km is a reasonable distance to cover some ground and still have some time to do a little sightseeing. 

Our accommodation was an Airbnb on top of a restaurant - Cafe 風土（6.17 リニューアルオープン）, 197-15 Shimotaiki. Again it was good that we reached in daylight, as it was completely unmarked and looked like any one of the other houses along the side of the road as we pulled in. I think they only opened for lunch, so it was empty and dark as we entered. It was very spacious on the second floor complete with a kitchen, 2 bedrooms, a lounge / play area, and an extended area to do laundry.

We had dinner in town at Ryugetsu 龍月. It was a Chinese restaurant and the dishes tasted so. Food was alright. Pork rice looked fantastic.

 We slept on futon mattresses tonight. 

Completed the abstract for KCR this evening. 

Day 10 - Taiki to Biratori (188km).

It was wet and rainy this AM. We were warm and comfortable in the Bnb so we lazed around before getting a late start to the day. Had some melon-pan for breakfast. We would cross west over the Hidaka mountain range, taking a more direct route to our destination tonight - Biratori. It was a wet day and I took my time going through the curvy mountain roads. We stopped by Sellers Tenma Kaido. Had to brave a little rain to get into the store. It was a very boutique local convenience store that had a walk in cellar, fresh wine from the barrel, freshly cooked warm food. I was tempted by the hot food on display but decided to hold off for a proper lunch. There were only about 20-30 of these stores in the country so it was nice to see one. 

Headed on to Urakawa Nishihorobetsu for lunch at 喰処呑処 天馬. It was a small family restaurant in a very old building. The winds were gusting hard and the drizzle made it a bit of a deterrent to exit the car. Waited around abit for the wind and rain to die down abit before dropping my parents off at the entrance to this old building. We saw another car pull up but turn around due to the heavy winds. Really like the Syokudo and Teishoku restaurants in Japan. Had a very comforting and affordable meal. 

Continued driving west along the coastal roads where we had onshore winds blowing the sea spray onto the road. Overall very gloomy weather for which we were happy to be confined in the heated space within the car. We turned out of the country roads onto the smaller Biratori village roads. Saw a Ring-necked Pheasant running along the side of the road. Stopped to chase it a while but was unable to snap any usable photos. 

We went beyond the small town of Biratori, onto even more remote roads to the village of Toyonuka where our Airbnb くまさん荘 was at. This is a tiny ageing village with just about 20-25 residents in total. Our host was Tommy, an elderly Japanese man living with his wife and mother in law in this tiny village. They used to travel for work, living in Singapore and the US. Their spoken english was perfect, making it easy for communication. They used to have a daughter who passed in her 30s in the US. You could see the sadness in their eyes as they told us. We felt very privileged to be able to travel as a family. Dinner was home cooked food by head chef Tommy. The food was simple and really delicious. It was nice chatting with him and his wife. Our accommodation was an old wooden outhouse next to his. It had 2 floors, with beds on both. Insulation was not as good, but there were heaters around. Simple but comfortable place to stay. 

We were excited to stay here as it is far away from civilization and had unpolluted views of the night sky. Unfortunately the weather was quite poor - only on the day we visited as luck would have it. We looked into the distance at the misty Hidaka mountain range and a star-less cloudy sky as the sun set. 

Day 11 - Biratori - Chitose (100km).

Breakfast was also cooked and provided by Tommy. Again very delicious. Nice way to end the trip, sitting down with locals over a meal - locals that spoke perfect english! We were introduced to a Hazelnut Vanilla coffee bean by Zavida, a Canadian brand. The lady of the house is the local Amazon prime member and does a service to her village folk by collating and receiving Amazon deliveries - free for her. We bid them farewell, and were abit hesitant to leave. However we had a flight to catch today and had about 100km to cover. We did not want to be late. 

Driving out we again saw fields of cows - in typical black and white colors. We also saw many horses in with circular field tracks - Tommy told us that this area is famous for horse rearing and training. Apparently many rich foreigners and Tokyo-lites purchase horses and keep them in this region for race training. 

Stopped by a Sapporo drug store as we got closer to Chitose. Bought some sunblock and lipbalm, very affordable in Japan. CMS continued trying to find her special item. 

Car return was seamless, as we had purchased all inclusive insurance. The flight back was unremarkable. Ate at both Chitose and HK airports. 

It was a very fun trip filled with wildlife and nature. Would want to return, perhaps to an airport nearer Shiretoko. May be in the winter time for different bird life and drift ice.

Camera gear.

• OM1

• 12-40mm f2.8 

• 40-150mm f4

• 75-300mm ii

• 7.5mm f2.8 7Artisans

• 15mm f1.7 DJI

• 45mm f1.8 

• DJI Osmo Action 3

• DJI Mini 2 SE

• Lowepro Passport Sling II

• Forclaz 40L

There was some overlap between the 40-150mm and 75-300mm. Would probably do well with 2 zooms instead as choosing between 3 may be a little too much. 

The manual focus of the 7.5mm f2.8 was a little cumbersome - would later sell this lens off.