[Nemuro] Nature, Tourism and Seafood Can Be Enjoyed in Japan Mainland's Easternmost Fishery City

Lake Furen

Lake Furen (風蓮湖) is a brackish water lake between Nemuro city and Bekkai town, and is the 3rd largest brackish water lake after Lake Saroma (サロマ湖) and Lake Notoro (能取湖) in Hokkaido, and has been designed as a wetland under Ramsar Convention since 2005, and was named after Furen River meant “A red river” in Ainu language. The perimeter of the lake is about 96 km, and the maximum depth is 11 m. The lake is famous for one of the largest sweetbrier colonies in Japan, and is well-known for watching White-tailed Sea Eagle and Steller’s Sea-eagle in a winter. In addition, it is well-known as a paradise of deers around Hashirikotan (走古丹) in the north side of the lake. There are Shunkunitai (春国岱), Roadside station “swan 44 Nemuro (スワン44ねむろ)”, Hashirikotan Primeval Flower Garden (走古丹原生花園) around the lake. A song of “Lake Furen” sung by Mr. Keishuke Yamauchi (山内恵介), a Japanese famous enka singer, uses here as a motif. By the way, a highway bus “Aurora-go (オーロラ号)” runs between the Nemuro and the Sapporo, and a highway bus “Limited Express Nemuro-go (特急ねむろ号)”. Read More

Cape Ochiishi

Cape Ochiishi (落石岬) is a cape in the southwestern part of Nemuro city, and is one of the 3 major secret capes in Hokkaido together with Cape Ofuyu (雄冬岬) and Cape Chikyu (地球岬), and is about 20 km far away from the downtown of the Nemuro. There are Ochiishi Marshland (落石湿原), Ninoushichashi Ruins (ニノウシチャシ跡), Afuramoichashi Ruins (アフラモイチャシ跡) and Megane-rocks (眼鏡岩) near the Cape Ochiishi. The top of about 40 m altitude cliffs is relatively flat, and it is like Kiritappu (霧多布). Ochiishimisaki Lighthouse (落石岬灯台) that has been chosen as one of “50 Best Lighthouses in Japan” is built there, and only the lighthouse on the cliffs can be seen from the sea side, but a good scenery such as the lighthouse on the marshland from the land side can be enjoyed. Sakai Azalea that has been designed as a national nature treasure can be seen only here in Japan. The best season to see is about mid June. Admission free. A bio-toilet is built near an entrance of a gate. Read More

Kurumaishi

Kurumaishi (車石) is strange shaped rocks under Hanasaki Lighthouse (花咲灯台) in the southernern part of Nemuro city, and is about 6 km away from the downtown of the Nemuro. The Hanasaki Lighthouse is built near an entrance of the Hanasaki Port (花咲港), and a foundatio of the lighthouse is made of scraggy basalt, and a part of those is the Kurumaishi. As for the Kurumaishi, Lava was cooled about 65 million years ago, and about 7.5 m width basalt developed radially, and it turned into the strange shaped rocks. It has been designated as a national monument since 1939. Because it looked like a shape of a wheel, It is also called wheel stone. * Kuruma means “a wheel or a tire” in Japanese, and ishi means “a stone or a rock” in Japanese. This case example is very rare in the world, and the Kurumaishi is one of the most famous radial joints in the world together with Ulleungdo Island (鬱陵島) in South Korea, and it seems to be valuable academically. The state covered with scraggy basalt is a strange view, and tourists can enjoy a mysterious scene. Around here is developed as a park, and a parking lot and a public restroom are built. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Hoppou Primeval Flower Garden

Hoppou Primeval Flower Garden (北方原生花園) is the Japan’s eastmost primeval flower garden in the northeastern part of Nemuro city, and is famous for grazing pony, and is about 15 km far away from the downtown of the Nemuro. There are ranches and sea around here. About 100 types of flowers bloom from late June to early September. Particularly, colonies of blackberry lily iris and cotton grass are popular, and the best time to see is from late June to early July. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. A public restroom (open only from May to November) is built near the parking lot. There are not a restaurant and a convenience store near here. Read More

Lake Onneto

The Lake Onneto is a brackish water lake in the southwestern part of the Nemuro. The perimeter of the lake is about 15 km, and the maximum depth is about 7 m. Unfortunately, the lake has no a sightseeing spot. The lake turns into a sandbar at low tideon the ebb tide, and it is famous as a spot for catching clamming short-necked clams or surf clams. This is a landing zone for migratory birds such as swans, and wild birds rest their wings in a winter. Onneto Bridge (温根沼大橋) is cross the lake, and a parking lot is built at the downtonw side. The parking lot is free of charge.

Atmosphere of Lake Onneto Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Lake Onneto

Lake Choboshi

The Lake Choboshi is a fresh-water lake beside the Lake Onneto in the southwestern part of the Nemuro. The perimeter of the lake is about 5 km, and the maximum depth is about 7 m. This is a temporary resting place for wild birds. There are statues of Goddess of Mercy and a walk path along the shore. But the walk path was closed. Visitors seem to enjoy a smelt fishing in a winter. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.

Atmosphere of Lake Choboshi Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Lake Choboshi

Escalope

Escalope (エスカロップ) is called popular name “ESCA (エスカ)”. The Escalope in Nemuro city is a local dish which is pork cutlet poured demiglace sauce on butter rice. Salad is added, and I am glad that it is considered health. A major industry of Nemuro is marine products industry. The escalope has much quantity of a meal for a fisherman and is the dish which was devised so that they are eaten quickly more. Article is here

Dorian

Dorian (どりあん) is a popular coffee shop in Nemuro city. There is a building near Aeon Nemuro branch. The coffee shop is famous for serving escalope (エスカロップ). The escalope is a dish that demi-glace sauce is poured over deep-fried sliced pork cutlets on butter rice. Originally it was called Escaloppini (エスカロッピーニ). This is known as Nemuro speciality dish. It seems to be develoved for fishermen to be able to eat a meal with nutritious quickly. Read More

Raw Saury Rice Bowl

Suzuki Shokudo (鈴木食堂) is a popular restraunt in Cape Nosappu, Nemuro city, and is famous as easternmost restraunt in Japan and is known for an originator of Raw Saury Rice bowl (生さんま丼). In addition, they sell live Hanasaki crab at the restraunt and visitors seem to be able to eat the Hanasaki crab sashimi, too. Read More

Daihachi Shokudo

Crab Shop and Restraunt Daihachi Shokudo (かに屋めし屋　大八食堂) is a popular restraunt in Hanasaki located in the southern part of Nemuro city. Buildings are adjacent to Hanasaki Port. They sell boiled Hanasaki crabs (花咲蟹) in front of the restraunt. It is famous for eating the Hanasaki crab, and I visited here around 09:00 on weekdays. Read More

Asakusaken

Asakusaken (浅草軒) is a long-established ramen restraunt in Umegae-cho, Nemuro city, and was founded in 1934. There is a building at an entertainment district. I visited here to eat ramen around 16:00 on weekdays. There was no visitor at the restraunt. The restraunt had a atomosphere such as a good old restraunt and there were many tables. Family customers seem to enjoy. Read More

Nemuro Hanamaru Head Office

Nemuro Hanamaru Head Office (根室花まる本店) is a popular conveyor belt sushi chain store (回転寿司チェーン店) in Nemuro city, and was founded in 1982. This conveyor belt sushi chain restraunt is one of the 3 major conveyor belt sushi chain restraunts in Hokkaido. They have STELLAR PLACE branch in Sapporo, Ginza branch in Tokyo and Marunouchi branch in Tokyo. After all I was in the Nemuro, I wanted to eat the sushi at the head office and visited here at 11:00 on weekdays. There were 3 groups of customers at the restraunt at this early hour. They were local people and tourists. I think the tourists wanted to eat the sushi at the head office, too. Read More

Bekkai Onsen

Bekkai Onsen is a hot-spring place in Betsukai town located in the northwestern direction of Nemuro city, and only Bekkai Korakuen (べっかい郊楽苑) is built on the top of Betsukai Fureai Land (べっかいふれあいランド). The Betsukai Fureai Land is well‐equipped with sports facilities such as Bekkai Citizen Heated Pool (別海町民温水プール), Bekkai Citizen Gymnasium (別海町町民体育館), Bekkai Baseball Ground (町営野球場), Bekkai Fureai Campsite (別海町ふれあいキャンプ場) and Furusato Forest Museum (ふるさとの森博物館). The Bekkai Korakuen is close to Furusato Forest, and trees are rich. There is Bekkai Milk inc. that is famous for Bekkai-no-Gyunyuya-san (べつかいの牛乳屋さん) near the Bekkai Korakuen. Read More

Notsuke Onsen

Notsuke Onsen (野付温泉) is a hot spring place in Betsukai town located in the other side of Notsuke Peninsula (野付半島). Hama-no-Yu (浜の湯) is built in the center of the Odaito, and there are a boarding point, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, bars with a surcharge, Izakaya and a convenience store there. Nakashibetsu is relatively near here, and here is easy access to Nemuro Nakashibetsu Airport, too. Read More

Odaito Onsen

Odaito Onsen (尾岱沼温泉) is a hot spring place in Betsukai town located in the other side of Notsuke Peninsula (野付半島). Visitors turn along Notsuke National Route (野付国道 * National Route 244), and go straight for around 200 m, and the end of the road is the Odaito Onsen. Odaito Onsen Seaside Hotel (尾岱沼温泉 シーサイドホテル) facing the Pacific Ocean is built a small hill at around 6 m above sea level. The distance is around 2 km away from the center of the Odaito, and there are a boarding point, restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, bars with a surcharge, Izakaya and a convenience store there. Nakashibetsu is relatively near here, and here is easy access to Nemuro Nakashibetsu Airport, too. Read More

Nishishunbetsu Onsen

Nishishunbetsu Onsen (西春別温泉) is a hot spring place in Bekkai town located in the northeastern direction of Kushiro city. Pension Clover House (ペンション クローバーハウス) is built beside Nishishunbetsu Warm Water Pool (西春別温水プール) along Pilot National Route (National Route 243). The distance is around 500 m away from the center of Nishishunbetsu, and restaurants, a bar with a surcharge, Izakaya, a convenience store are built there, too. There are Tawadaira Observaton Deck (多和平展望台) around here, and Lake Mashu (摩周湖), Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖) and Kaiyodai Observatory (開陽台) are relatively near here. Read More

Cape Nosappu

Cape Nosappu (納沙布岬) is a cape in the eastern part of Nemuro city, and was named after “A place that the cape is like jutting out a chin” in Ainu language. As its name suggests, the cape is at the tip of Nemuro Peninsula, and is well-known as the easternmost tip in Japan mainland, and a lot of tourists come to view a scenery such as 4 northern islands (北方四島) and Shiretoko Peninsula (知床半島). The Cape Nosappu is also famous as a place to see the earliest morning sun in the Japan, and is crowded with visitors to watch the first sunrise on New Year’s Day. First Sunrise of a New Year in Cape Nosappu (納沙布岬初日詣) is held in January 1. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Cherry Blossoms of Seiryuji Temple

Seiryuji Temple (清隆寺) is a temple built in 1893 in the downtown of Nemuro city, and is about 600 m away from Nemuro Station. A main building was built by Mr. Kikuzo Hanawa (花輪喜久蔵) called “Expert Kesennuma Carpenter (気仙沼大工の名工)” in 1912. The temple is well-known for about 30 Chishimazakura Cherry Trees (千島桜) with over 100 old years. It is said that the Nemuro is famous for coming the last Cherry Blossom Front, and is one of latest cherry blossoming places in Japan. The buildings are very fine, too, and detailed sculptures were made by Mr. Toramasa Ueyama (上山虎正). Those are very cool! Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. There is the parking lot on the back side of the temple. Read More

Other Cherry Blossoms in Nemuro

I visited a former observatory (旧観測所), the Meji Park and Nemuro City Office to see the cherry blossoms.