[Cape Azechi in Hamanaka] Floating Islands with Superb View Is Famous for Kelp Fishing Boats and Hanamizuki

Cape Azechi

Cape Azechi (アゼチの岬) is a cape jutting out into the Pacific Ocean in the western edge of Kiritappu Peninsula (霧多布半島), Hamanaka town is located between Kushiro city and Nemuro city, and was named after Mr. Azechi (畦地) that used to live. Kojima Island (小島), Gome Island (ゴメ島) and Kenbokki Island (嶮暮帰島) floating in Gulf of Biwase (琵琶瀬湾) can be seen from a steep cliff with about 40 m in height. There is nothing with disturbing views, and the superb view can be enjoyed. Here is a shooting place for Japanese Movie “Hanamizuki (ハナミズキ)” that Ms. Yui Aragaki (新垣結衣) and Mr. Toma Ikuta (生田斗真) played the leading characters. Seabird named Fratercula cirrhata (エトピリカ), a endangered specie, seems to build a nest on uninhabited island around here, too. Azechi-misaki Lookout (アゼチ岬展望台), a garden, a parking lot and a public restroom are built on the site. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

The distance is around 1 km away from the center of the Hamanaka, and restaurants, a cafe and a convenience store are built there. Cape Kiritappu (霧多布岬), Kiritappu Observation Deck (きりたっぷ展望台), Kiritappu-misaki Campsite (霧多布岬キャンプ場), Yufutsu-misaki Lighthouse (湯沸岬灯台) and Kiritappu Onsen Yuyu (霧多布温泉ゆうゆ) are near here. The Hamanaka is famous for Haagen-Dazs using Choice Hokkaido 4.0 Milk (特選・北海道4.0牛乳) of Takanashi Milk Products (タカナシ乳業), and a soft serve ice cream using that milk is sold at Corp Hamanaka (コープはまなか), and it is so popular. By the way, a day trip onsen is available at the Kiritappu Onsen Yuyu.

Cape Kiritappu

Cape Kiritappu (霧多布岬) is a cape jutting out into the Pacific Ocean in the eastern edge of Kiritappu Peninsula (霧多布半島), Hamanaka town is located between Kushiro city and Nemuro city, and its formal name is Cape Yufutsu (湯沸岬). Another name is Cape Tokkari (トッカリ岬) because Tokkari that means an earless seal in Ainu language are sometimes seen around the cape. The earless seals inhabit Hokakeiwa Rock (帆掛岩) indeed. Steep cliffs with 40-60 m in height extend, and the strong wind and angry waves from the Pacific ocean create this strange topography. Sceneries from here are good, too, and here is a shooting place for Japanese Movie “Hanamizuki (ハナミズキ)” that Ms. Yui Aragaki (新垣結衣) and Mr. Toma Ikuta (生田斗真) played the leading characters. In addition, a song “Cape Kiritappu” sung by Ms. Atsuko Asada (浅田あつこ), a Japanese enka singer, uses here as a motif. Yufutsu-misaki Lighthouse (湯沸岬灯台) is on the Cape Kiritappu, and Kiritappu-misaki Observation Deck (霧多布岬展望台), Kiritappu-misaki Campsite (霧多布岬キャンプ場) and Etopirikamura (えとぴりか村) are near here. Read More

Express Nemuro-go (特急ねむろ号), an express bus, runs between the Kushiro and the Nemuro, and stops in the Hamanaka.

Kiritappu

Kiritappu (霧多布) is in Hamanaka town located between Kushiro city and Nemuro city. “Kiri (霧)” of Kiritappu means “Fog” in Japanese. It is said that the name of the Kiritappu means “A place that a lot of fog occur”. But the true origin of the name is “A place that people cut miscanthus reed (茅を刈る場所)” in the Ainu language. The name is happen to get the fog. Temperature rarely exceeds 20 degrees, and it is chilly by the fog even in a summer. There are famous tourist attractions such as Cape Kiritappu (霧多布岬), Cape Azechi (アゼチの岬) and Kiritappu Wetland (霧多布湿原) to see superb views, and Namidamisaki Observatoion Deck (涙岬展望台) and Chanai Rakuno Observatoion Tower (茶内酪農展望台) are a little far from the Kiritappu, but those are tourist atractions with very good views. By the way, Japanese movie “Hanamizuki (ハナミズキ)” that Mr. Nobuhiro Doi (土井裕泰) produced, and Ms. Yui Aragaki (新垣結衣), a popular actress, and Mr. Toma Ikuta (生田斗真), a popular actor, played the leading characters was filmed in Kiritappu Peninsula. Read More

Azechi-misaki Lookout

Azechi-misaki Lookout is an open space on the hillside of the Cape Azechi. Visitors can look over the Kojima Island, the Gome Island , the Kenbokki Island, the Pacific Ocean and a direction for Kiritappu wetland (霧多布湿原). A conbination of the blue sea, the blue sky and green islands is very beautiful if the weather is good. A conbination of a group of kelp fishing boats and the scanery is very good, too. In addition, the sunset looks beautiful here. By the way, the left side is the Kojima Island and the right side is Gome Island like rocks, and the depth is the Kenbokki Island. As for the Kenbokki Island, Mr. Masanori Hata (畑正憲) ever established Mutsugoro Animal Kingdom (ムツゴロウ王国) there.

Atmosphere of Cape Azechi Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Cape Azechi

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations in the Hamanaka. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

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Ryokan Kurimoto(旅館 くりもと)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Misaki(民宿 岬)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kawamura Ryokan(川村旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Etopirikamura(えとぴりか村)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Bankamu(民宿 伴架夢)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Shoku-no-Yado Kiritappuri(食の宿 霧多布里)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Watanabe(民宿 わたなべ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Yorimichi(民宿 より道)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Tama-no-Kawa(民宿 玉の川)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension Porch(ペンション ポーチ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Shukubo Cabanon(宿房 樺のん)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Poroto-annaisha(ポロト案内舎)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kiritappu-misaki Campsite(霧多布岬キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Mo-TTO Kazete Campsite(MOーTTOかぜてキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten