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[Yamano Aquarium in Kitami] Display Methods of Fishes Conaining World First and Japan First Can Be Enjoyed at Small Aquarium, Onneyu Onsen

August 18th, 2014

CONTENTS

Onneyu Onsen Yamano Aquarium
Look of Onneyu Onsen Yamano Aquarium
List of Accommodations

Onneyu Onsen Yamano Aquarium

Yamano Aquarium (山の水族館) is a small aquarium beside Roadside Station "Onneyu Onsen" (道の駅おんねゆ温泉) near Onneyu Onsen (温根湯温泉) in Rubeshibe located in the west part of Kitami city, and was named because only freshwater fishes are displayed (* the Yamano Aquarium means "An aquarium in a mountain" in English). Another name is Aquarium in Northland (北の大地の水族館). The aquarium is famous for a success story. It was renewed and designed by Mr. Hajime Nakamura (中村元), only aquarium producer in Japan, and has became a popular tourist attraction since 2012. The aquarium once had about 20,000 visitors, but about 300,000 visitors come at present. Admission is JPY 670. A parking lot is free of charge.

There are Road Station "Onneyu Onsen" (道の駅おんねゆ温泉), Yamano Aquarium (山の水族館), Norh Fox Ranch (北きつね牧場), Onneyu Kokusai Country Club (温根湯国際カントリークラブ), Tsutsuji Park (つつじ公園) and Tsutsuji Park Campsite (つつじ公園キャンプ場) around here. Tower-Shaped Mechanism Clock "Kamurin (果夢林)", Mountain Aquarium (山の水族館) and North Fox Ranch (きたきつね牧場) are main tourist attractions at the roadside station nearby the hot spring resort. A footbath is established along the Muka River, and flowers of azalea growing in colonies on Tsutsujiyama (つつじ山 * Mt. Azalea) are worth seeing. In addition, this district is a white runner bean‐producing center, and White Runner Bean Mousse (白花豆ムース) is famous, too. As for tasty restaurants, Teuchisoba Suzuki (手打そばすゞき) is popular in particular. By the way, nonstop buses do not run from Sapporo or New Chitose Airport, but Limited Express Sekihoku-go (特急石北号), an express bus, runs between the Kitami and Asahikawa, and Senpoku-go (釧北号), an express bus, runs between the Kitami and Kushiro.

List of Highway Bus

Refer to following companies for the highway bus service between the Onneyu Onsen and the Asahikawa and the Kushiro.

Hokkaido Kitami Bus(北海道北見バス)	From Asahikawa to Kitami	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Hokkaido Kitami Bus(北海道北見バス)	From Kitami to Asahikawa	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Akan Bus(阿寒バス)	From Kushiro to Kitami	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Akan Bus(阿寒バス)	From Kitami to Kushiro	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

Onneyu Onsen

Onneyu Onsen (温根湯温泉) is a hot spring resort formed between Muka River (無加川) and Kitami National Route (National Route 39) in Rubeshibe-cho located in the northwestern part of Kitami city. Hotel Oehonke (ホテル大江本家) and Onneyu Hotel Shiki Heian-no-Yakata (温根湯ホテル四季平安の館) are built along the Muka River, and Natural Onsen Hotel Tsutsuji-so (天然温泉ホテルつつじ荘) is built around the center of the Onneyu Onsen. In addition, there are restaurants, Izakaya, souvenir shops, Japanese sweets shop, a convenience store and gas stations. The hot spring resort used to be crowded with a lot of tourists once, but it looks a deserted street at present. Article is here

White Runner Bean Mousse

Fujiya Confectionery (ふじや菓子舗) is a long-established confectionary in Onneyu Onsen (温根湯温泉), Rubeshibe-cho located in the western part of Kitami city and was founded in 1932. As for white runner bean, Rubeshibe-cho has been the top produce in Japan. Therefore they has been producing cakes using the white runner bean since the old days. Because I heard that one of the cakes, white runner bean mousse (白花豆ムース) were famous, I visited here to purchase it. The price was JPY 290. Article is here

KITAMI

Kitami (北見) that about 120,000 people live is the 9th largest commercial city in Hokkaido, and is one of regional hub cities of the Northeastern Hokkaido area. The Kitami became incorporated with Rubeshibe town (留辺蘂), Tanno town (端野) and Tokoro town (常呂) in 2006, and has became the largest city by area in the Hokkaido. In Japan, it is the 4th latgest city by the area. The Kitami is also an agriculture city, and Onion and White Runner Bean are famous as a local product. As for a climate, it is hot that temperature rises to nearly 30 degrees in a summer, and it is cold that temperature falls to nearly -25 degrees in a winter, and it snow hard, too. Article is here

Look of Onneyu Onsen Yamano Aquarium

Yamano Aquarium is a small but cozy facility, and more than 50 types of the freshwater fishes such as freshwater fishes in Hokkaido and tropical fishes in the world are bred. Glass tanks for the tropical fishes use hot springs, and warm environment has been kept. The building is roughly divided into 2 areas, Forest and River of Hokkaido Area (北海道の森と川エリア) and Tropical Fishes of World Area (世界の熱帯魚エリア). There are 4 Seasons Glass Tank (四季の水槽) (Glass Tank with Frozen River (凍る川の水槽)), Waterfall Basin Glass Tank (滝つぼ水槽), Large Glass Tank of Japanese Huchen (イトウの大水槽), Glass Tank with Jumping River Fishes (川魚のジャンプ水槽), Water Glass of World Tropical Fishes (世界の熱帯淡水魚水槽), Touch Fishes Place (ふれあいタッチコーナー) at the building, and the Glass Tank with Frozen River that is a world first, the Waterfall Basin Glass Tank that is a Japan first and the Large Glass Tank of Japanese Huchen are especially worth seeing, and are popular.

Yamano Aquarium in Onneyu Onsen Resort, Kitami — Large Glass Tank of Japanese Huchen

At the large glass tank, Japanese huchen, the largest freshwater fish in the Japan, swims. It is a member of the salmon family, and is called "A rare fish" by Japanese people. They inhabit only a part of the Hokkaido such as Sarufutsu and Kushiro-shitsugen Wetland, and most displayed Japanese huchen are caught in nature. It takes about 15 years to grow 1 m over body length, and about 40 Japanese huchen containing about 20 Japanese huchen with 1 m over body length can be watched. This exhibition of the Japanese huchen is one the largest exhibition in the Japan. By the way, the Japanese huchen is farmed in Aomori prefectur, so it can be savored, too.

The Waterfall Basin Glass Tank that can be watched from the bottom is the Japan first. A large amount of water flow into the glass tank, and a waterfall basin is reproduced. The blue water tank goes well with action of the fishes, and it is a popular photo spot.

The Glass Tank with Frozen River that can be watched from the side is the world first. The glass tank is at outside, and freshwater fishes such as Dolly Varden and Yamame are displayed. A river in the Hokkaido is reproduced, and it is linked with real climate in the Hokkaido. Therefore the surface of the water is frozen in a winter, and the fishes are slow in action by too cold.

Atmosphere of Yamano Aquarium Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Yamano Aquarium

Admission fee	Adult: JPY 670, Junior high school student: JPY 440, Elementary school student: JPY 300
Parking lot	A pay parking lot is provided (200 cars).
Business hour	04/01-10/31 08:30-17:00, 11/01-03/31 09:00-16:30
Regular closing day	04/08～04/14, 12/26～01/01
Telephone number	+81-157-45-2223
Home page	Home Page is here
Mapcode	402 600 256*05

List of Accommodations

Refer to following websites for the accommodations around the Yamano Aquarium. You can get information regarding online reviews and photos.

Hotel Oehonke(ホテル大江本家)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Tsutsujiso(ホテルつつじ荘)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Onneyu Hotel Shiki Heian-no-Yakata(四季平安の館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten