[Kitami Kamuimisaki Park in Esashi] Beautiful Blue Sea Is Not Inferior to Blue Sea of Shakotan Peninsula

Cape Kitami Kamui

Cape Kitami Kamui (北見神威岬) in North Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park (北オホーツク道立自然公園) is a cape between Esashi town and Hamatonbetsu town located in the southeastern direction of Wakkanai city. The Kamui means “A nose of a god” in Ainu language. The cape is the northernmost place of Hidaka Mountain Range called a spine of Hokkaido, and the mountain range gets in the ocean from Cape Erimo, the southernmost place of the Hidaka Mountain Range, through Daisetsuzan Mountain Range to here. Range of mountains runs north and south in the Hokkaido, so it is just the spine. Speaking of Cape Kamui, the Cape Kamui (神威岬) in Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島) is famous, and that means “A god” in Ainu language. The words are same, but meanings are a little difference. Although beautiful blue sea called “Shakotan Blue” around the Shakotan Peninsula is famous, the Cape Kitami Kamui also has beautiful blue sea, and I think that visitors are moved by the sea. Kitami Kamuimisaki Lighthuse (北見神威岬灯台) is built at the cape, and Kitami Kamuimisaki Park is near the cape. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge.

Movie of Cape Kitami Kamui

Cape Erimo

Cape Erimo (えりも岬) is a cape in Erimo town located in the southeastern direction of Tomakomai city, and is near Hyakuninhama Coast (百人浜). The Erimo means “A jutting head” or “A mouse” in Ainu language. A rocky shore jutting out from the center of Hokkaido to the south direction into the sea is named as so. The Cape Erimo is famous for strong wind, too, and has about 290 days with wind speeds of over 10 meters per second. There are a few days with maximum wind speed exceeded 40 meters per second. Erimomisaki Sightseeing Center (えりも岬観光センタ－), a parking lot, a public restroom, Cape Erimo Lighthouse (えりも灯台), a pavilion called Wind Hall (風の館) are built at the site, and visitors can enter the Wind Hall for a charge. The parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Cape Kamui

Cape Kamui (神威岬) is a cape with steep cliff jutting out into the Sea of Japan from Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島) in Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru Kaigan Quasi-national Park, and is one of 3 major tourist attractions together with Cape Ogorn (黄金岬) and Shimamui Coast (島武意海岸) in the Shakotan Peninsula. The kamui means a god in Ainu language. The distance is around 1.5 km away from a traffic gate along National Route to the end of a road, and there are a public parking lot, a public restroom and a rest house named Kamui-Banya (カムイ番屋). A restraunt and a souvenir shop are at the building, and seafood rice bowls or a soft serve ice cream can be eaten. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Speaking of the Esashi, Hair Crab is famous. It is the most hair crabs landed town in Japan. As for tasty restaurants in the Hamatonbetsu, Ramen Yawaraya (柔家) is popular in particular. As for onsen, Hot springs gush out in the Esashi, and a day trip bathing can be enjoyed at Hamatonbetsu Onsen Wing (はまとんべつ温泉 ウィング), Utanobori Onsen (歌登温泉) and Esashi Onsen Hotel New Korin (枝幸温泉 ホテルニュー幸林). I took a bath at the Utanobori Onsen.

Utanobori Onsen

Utanobori Onsen (歌登温泉) is a hot-spring resort in Esashi town located in the southern direction of Wakkanai city. Utanobori Green Park Hotel (うたのぼりグリーンパークホテル) and Asakura Onsen (朝倉温泉) are built at about 110 m above sea level in the Utanobori Health Restoration Village (うたのぼり健康回復村). The Utanobori Health Restoration Village is a relaxation place that visitors get their health back. It takes about 10 minutes from the center of Utashinai. There is a complex with the Fureai-no-Mori (ふれあいの森) that visitors enjoy a forest bathing, a camping ground, a cottage, Tenpoku Ski Resort (天北スキー場), South Soya Country Club (南宗谷カントリークラブ) and a lavender field, and the visitors can enjoy in various ways. Unfortunately, restraunts, cafes, cafes, souvenir shops and convenience stores are not built. Read More

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North Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park

North Okhotsk Prefectural Natural Park (北オホーツク自然公園) is a natural park among Sarufustu village, Hamatonbetsu town and Esashi town in the northern part of Hokkaido, and has been designated as the prefectural natural park since 1968. The area is 3,927 ha. Groups of lakes and swamps such as Lake Kutcharo (クッチャロ湖), wild flowers in Beniya Primitive Flower Garden (ベニヤ原生花園), and wild birds such as Motacilla Flava and Swan can be observed in this area. A lot of tourists do not come. The natural park has been chosen as one of 100 Unexplored Regions in Japan (日本の秘境100選), and is contained in 500 Important Wetlands in Japan (日本の重要湿地500). A straight road without signals is one of worth seeing places, too. Tourists can enjoy the nature of the typical Hokkaido without being crowded. I think that here is a little-known tourist attractions in the northern Hokkaido. Read More

Kitami Kamuimisaki Park

The Kitami Kamuimisaki Park in the southern part of the Cape Kitami Kamui is built along National Route 238. A monument, a parking lot, a public bathroom, benches and a gazebo are built at the site, and it looks like a parking park. The Cape Kitami Kamui running in the sea can be viewed from the park, and a conbination of a rugged rocky seashore and the blue sea is really beautiful. Here is popular as a good fishing place, so a lot of anglers come. By the way, a paper was put on a door of the public restroom, and it was written as “Cleaning fish is prohibited at the restroom”. I surely hate the bloody restroom. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

List of Accommodations

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

Esashi

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Esshi Onsen Hotel New Korin(枝幸温泉 ホテル ニュー幸林)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Osaki Ryokan(大崎旅館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Okawa(ホテル大川)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Tomo(民宿とも)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hamanasu Koryu Hiroba Campsite(ハマナス交流広場キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Usutaibe Senjo-iwa Campsite(ウスタイベ千畳岩キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kamitoku Tourist Campsite(かみとくツーリストキャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten

Utanobori Onsen

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Utanobori Utanobori Green Park Hotel(うたのぼりうたのぼりグリーンパークホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Fureai Forest Campsite(ふれあいの森キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Utanobori Cottage-no-Sato(歌登コテージの里)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten