[Cape Namida in Hamanaka] Sorrowful Woman Of Face Side Can Be Enjoyed on Namidamisaki Observatoion Deck

Cape Namida

Cape Namida (涙岬) is in the Akkeshi side of Hamanaka town located between Kushiro city and Nemuro city, and is a little far from Kiritappu (霧多布). A parking lot is built along Hokkaido Road 123, and the Cape Namida and Tachi-iwa Rock (立岩) can be seen on each sheer cliffs. Namida (涙) means "Tear", and Tachi (立) means "Standing" in Japanese, and another name of the Cape Namida is "Tears of Young Lady" (乙女の涙), and was named after shape of the rocks that looks like a sorrowful woman from the side. Speaking of "Tears of Young Lady", Frepe Falls in Shiretoko Peninsula is famous, but this "Tears of Young Lady" does not fall water. There are walks, an observation deck and the parking lot on the site. By the way, a song of "Cape Namida" sung by Ms. Sayuri Ishikawa (石川さゆり), a Japanese famous enka singer, seems to use here as a motif. I do not know details, but its lyrics evokes the Cape Namida in the Hamanaka. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge.

The distance is around 20 km away from the center of the Hamanaka, and a restaurant, a cafe and a convenience store are not built near here. Hichirippu Swamp (火散布沼), Mochirippu Swamp (藻散布沼) and Ayamegahara Primeval Flower Garden (原生花園あやめヶ原) are relatively 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.

Ayamegahara Primeval Flower Garden

Ayamegahara Primeval Flower Garden (原生花園あやめヶ原) is on a cliff located in Akkeshi town facing the Ocean. The tip of the cliff is named Chinbe-no-Hana (チンベの鼻 * Nose of Chinbe) at about 100 m above sea level. The Chinbe (チンベ) means "Place That Bear Skin Is Dried" or "Place That There Is Cliff" in Ainu language. There is a wildflower garden with about 100 ha on the cliff, about 120 kinds of flowers seem to bloom from May to October. It is known as Arctic Iris (ヒオウギアヤメ) growing in colonies, the scale is the largest in Japan. The best time to see is from late June to early July. There is a restroom and a tourist information center beseide a parking lot. Admission free. The parking lot is free of charge. Article is here

Around 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. Article is here