[Okhotsk Palace in Monbetsu] Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice Looks Stew or Curry

Hotel Okhotsk Palace

Hotel Okhotsk Palace (ホテルオホーツクパレス) is a famous hotle founded in 1960 in Monbetsu city located in the northeastern part of Asahikawa city, and is near Roadside Station "Okhotsk Hyomon Station (オホーツク氷紋の駅)". The hotel has 2 restraunts, Cafe and Restraunt Marina (カフェ＆レストラン マリーナ) and Sushi and Japanese Dish Kitaji (寿司・和食 北路), and also has a bowling alley. At the Cafe and Restraunt Marina, Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice (オホーツク紋別ホワイトカレー) and Monbetsu Hamburger Brothers (紋別バーガー兄弟), local specialities in the Monbetsu, are served. My visited restraunt is the Cafe and Restraunt Marina. The restraunt is large, and all seats are table seats, so I guess that even family customers also enjoy meals.

The Monbetsu is well-known as an drift ice town, and drift ice cruise can be enjoyed in a winter. As for tourist attractions in the Monbetsu, Lake Komuke, Komuke Primeval Flower Garden, Omusaro Primeval Flower Garden, Okhotsk Tokkari Center, Hokkaido Okhotsk Ryuhyo Park, Roadside Station Okhotsk Monbetsu, Monbetsu City Museum, Hokkaido Okhotsk Drift Ice Science Center "GIZA", Sea Ice Observation Tower Okhotsk Tower, Monbetsu Park, Okhotsk Sky Tower, Okhotsk Garden, Monbetsu Crab Claw Statue are relatively famous. Hot springs gush out in the Monbetsu, and a day trip onsen can be enjoyed in Monbetsu Onsen.

Drift Ice Sightseeing in Monbetsu

There are 2 sightseeing spots that tourists can enjoy the scheduled drift ice cruising in Japan. Monbetsu in the northeast of the Hokkaido faces the Sea of Okhotsk, and is one of the sightseeing spots for drift ice cruising. Drift ice drifts to the offing of Monbetsu around mid January. If common ships collide with the drift ice, those are broken, but Drift Ice Icebreaker Garinkogo2 (流氷砕氷船ガリンコ号Ⅱ) that can break the drift ice zone goes into service. A lot of tourists visit here to see the drift ice from early January to late March. The drift ice icebreaker Garinkogo2 goes into service from 5 to 7 each day, and cruising time is around 60 minutes. The tourists can get aboard a ship at Kaiyokoryukan boarding point (海洋交流館). Read More

Monbetsu Ryuhyo Festival

Monbetsu Ryuhyo Festival (もんべつ流氷まつり * The Ryuhyo means "Drift Ice" in Japanese) is a winter event held in Monbetsu city located in the eastern part of Asahikawa city, and has started since 1963. The festival is held at the side of Kaiyo-Koryukan (海洋交流館) during 3-4 days in mid February, and about 60,000 tourists come. There are ice sculptures, ice slides, food stalls, a public restroom at the site, and some events such as concerts are held, too. It is very cold, so you had better wear a warm outfit. Admission free. A parking lot is free of charge. Read More

Lake Komuke

Lake Komuke (コムケ湖) is a brackish water lake in Monbetsu city located in the northwest part of Abashiri city, and means "Bent Marsh" in Ainu language. The perimeter of the lake is about 22.7 km. The maximum water depth is 3.8 m. 3 large and small lakes are connected each other, and are collectively called the Lake Komuke. It is hardly become a sightseeing spot, and a beautiful scenery has been left in its natural state. A sandy road is between the Lake Komuke and the Sea of Okhotsk, and visitors can observe the nature along the road. But pay attention to stuck your car. A lot of flowers grow naturally in sandy beach, and I think that here is a primeval flower garden. The moderate salty lakeshore is suitable for coral grass, and some coral grass colonies are around the lake. It begins turning red in early September. It can be said a valuable place that the natural Coral Grass can be seen. Admission free. Read More

By the way, an express bus "Ryuhyo Monbetsu-go (流氷もんべつ号)" runs between the Sapporo and the Monbetsu.

List of Means of Transportation

A highway bus services between the Monbetsu and the Sapporo. Refer to following the means of the transportation. As for car rental comparison websites, you can compare vehicle rental prices on Tabi-Plaza Rental Car Reservation (旅ぷらざレンタカー予約), Jalan Rental Car (じゃらんレンタカー) and Rakutem Travel Rental Car (楽天トラベルレンタカー).

Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Sapporo to Monbetsu	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Chuo Bus(中央バス)	From Monbetsu to Sapporo	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Nippon Rent-a-car(ニッポンレンタカー)	Their office is at Monbetsu Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Toyota Rental Lease(トヨタレンタリース)	Their office is at the Monbetsu Airport.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Ones Rent-a-car(ワンズレンタカー)	Their office is in the Monbetsu.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten
Rent-a-car Hiraoka(レンタカー平岡)	Their office is in the Monbetsu.	HP	Jalan	Rakuten

Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice

In the Monbetsu facing the Sea of Okhotsk, the Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice is selected as a local specialty, and can be eaten at several restaurants, and the whole of the Monbetsu spreads recognition of the curry and rice. I visited to eat the curry and rice around 13:00 on a weekday. A waitress shown my seat beside a window, and I sat at a table seat, and ordered the Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice that I craved. The price was JPY 1000.

The Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice images the Monbetsu, and seafood and mountain vegetables are filled. Ingredients are Scallop, Prawn and so on. Meringue of curry sauce expresses drift ice, and Red Bell Pepper expresses Garinko-go2 (ガリンコ号2 * ice boat), and Asparagus expresses Okhotsk Tower (オホーツクタワー). I think that this is a very creative dish. It tasted like stew sauce and like curry sauce, and it was mysterious! The taste was good.

The Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice is served at some restaurants in the Monbetsu. They have some rules and regulations to name a dish as the Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice. Those are as follows. But thanks to that, restaurants compete with each other, and different Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rices are born. You might as well eat those at different restaurants.

1. White curry and rice imaging Okhotsk Monbetsu, the town of drift ice, a fishing industry, an agricultural industry and a dairy industry, should be served.
2. Scallop caught in the Okhotsk Monbetsu and milk produced in the Okhotsk Monbetsu should be used.
3. Seasonal ingredients are used as soon as possible.
4. Ingredients are put on rice produced in Hokkaido, and carry sauce is served on the side.
5. Ingredients imaging the Garinko-go2 should be used.
6. A round dish should be provided.
7. Mild sauce (Rosa rugosa chutney) shuold be served on the side as people like.
8. A spoon should be covered with a spoon bag that the Garinko-go2, the Scallop and Earless Seal are printed on.

Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice and Atmosphere of Restaurant Can Be Watched on Youtube

Movie of Okhotsk Monbetsu White Curry and Rice

Parking lot	Parking is provided (150 Cars)
Business hours	11:00-21:00
Regular closing day	Open all year round
Telephone number	+81-158-26-3600
Home page	Home page is here
Hotel Reservation	Booking.com is here, Jalan is here, Rakuten is here
Mapcode	401 357 801*75

List of Accommodations

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

Monbetsu Prince Hotel(紋別プリンスホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Monbetsu Central Hotel(紋別セントラルホテル)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Hotel Okhotsk Palace(ホテルオホーツクパレス)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Sakura House Annex(民宿さくらハウス別館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Sakura House Main Building(民宿さくらハウス本館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Kibarashikan(気晴館)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Tabi-no-Yado Karamatsu(旅の宿からまつ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Business Hotel Stage(ビジネスホテルステージ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Pension LOOP(ペンション LOOP)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Minshuku Marutake(民宿まるたけ)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Monbetsu Bay Area Automobile Campsite(紋別ベイエリアオートサイト)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Mt. Oyama Mountaintop Park(大山山頂園)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten
Komuke International Campsite(コムケ国際キャンプ場)	HP	Booking	Jalan	Rakuten