[Cape Benkei in Suttsu] Legend of Benkei and Beautiful View Make Idea for Benkei Cake

Cape Benkei

Cape Benkei (弁慶岬) is a scenic spot at about 50 m above sea level in Suttsu town, and is known for a good view. Visitors can see complex rocky shore and Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島). Walks and Benkei-misaki Lighthouse (弁慶岬灯台) are built at the site, and a combination of of the red and white two tone lighthouse and the sea is so beautiful. There is the rocky shore like Senjojiki Rocks (千畳敷) in Esashi around Masadomari Fishing Port (政泊漁港), and a lot of anglers come. Benkei-misaki Parking Lot (弁慶岬駐車場) is built at the Cape Benkei, too, and a public restroom and a rest station are provided. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of Rocky Shore

The Suttsu is the most Atka mackerels landed town in Japan. Some restraunts in the Suttsu serve rice topped with broiled atka mackerel combo (ホッケ飯), and I ate it at the Tatsumi, and it was tasty. Speaking of tasty restraunts in the Suttsu, Daimatu Otani Kaikan (ダイマル大谷会館), Suttsu Shirasu Kaikan (すっつしらす会館) and Yoshino Kakigoya (吉野かき小屋) are popular in particular. I ate tasty Whitebait Simply Scalded Rice Bowl (釜揚げしらす丼) at the Suttsu Shirasu Kaikan. As for Onsen, a day trip bathing can be enjoyed at Suttsu Onsen (寿都温泉).

Tatsumi

Tatsumi (たつ巳) is an izakaya (居酒屋 * Japanese style bara tavern) in Suttu town and was founded in 1984. They runs the izakaya at night and runs a restaurant at lunchtime. I heard that rice topped with broiled atka mackerel combo (ホッケ飯) could be eaten, and I visited here. Suttu is the most caching of Atka mackerel in Japan. A local dish using the atka mackerel is the rice topped with the broiled atka mackerel combo. The broiled atka mackerel is put on the rice baked on an iron plate. Customers pour salty-sweet sauce into there and eat it. 3 side dishes and miso soup are a set. The customers can eat it at 3 restaurants in Suttu town. Read More

Shirasu Kaikan

Shirasu Kaikan (しらす会館) was a restraunt opend in 2015 in Suttsu facing the Sea of Japan. Yoshino Shoten (吉野商店) that is famous for Yoshino Kakigoya (吉野かき小屋 * Oyster Hut) along Japan National Route 229 runs it, and it is opend a business during spring season (almost from April to June) for fishing whitebait. Suttsu (寿都) is known for atka mackerel and the whitebait in Hokkaido. The whitebait caught on the morning of that day is a special feature, and it can be eaten on that day. The mark is a yellow flag. By the way, whitebait (しらす) is a collective term for baby fishes such as Anchovy (カタクチイワシ), Japanese Pilchard (マイワシ), Japanese Sand Lance (イカナゴ), Eel (ウナギ), Sweetfish (アユ) and Herring (ニシン) in Japanese. Baby Japanese sand lances (小女子) are caught around the Suttsu. Read More

Look of Cape Benkei

The name of the Cape Benkei came from the legends of Yoshitune Minamoto (源義経) party that ran away to Hokkaido about in 1190. Musashibo Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶), one of Yoshitune Minamoto's family and followers, saw the sea to wait for the arival of Hitachibo Kaison (常陸坊海尊), one of Yoshitune Minamoto's family and followers, with reinforcements on this cape every day, so Ainu people seemed to name the cape as the Cape Benkei. But the Hitachibo Kaison did not appear, and the Yoshitune Minamoto with his family and followers seem to go away. Western Hokkaido has some legends related to the Yoshitune Minamoto. On the other hand, there is the legend that the Ainu people living around here called rocky opening on the tip of the cape "Berukei (ベルケイ)", too, so it was named Benkei. The legend of the Yoshitune Minamoto is just legend, and I guess that the latter is true.

When I bought Wakasayaimo (わやさやいも) and Benkei (弁慶) at Wakasayashinise (若狭屋老舗), a wife of an owner told me that the Benkei was designed in the motif of here. A food stall used to be at the rest station in the old days, and sweets of the Wakasayashinise were sold. Since I was here in the Suttsu, I planated to eat the Benkei on the Cape Benkei. The Benkei was tasty, too!

List of Accommodations

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