Arriving at Tomakomai by ferry! I’m going for a drive around Hokkaido
I arrived at the port of Tomakomai on Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’ *One Piece* collaboration ship and set foot on Hokkaido soil!
関連記事：商船三井フェリー×ONE PIECEの特別便の大洗～苫小牧便に乗船
From here, I’m setting off on a road trip around Hokkaido.
I’ll travel from Tomakomai to Kushiro, Kitami, Otaru, and Hakodate, before taking a ferry to Oma.
GoogleMapより出典
Let’s start by covering the travel on the first day.
I hope this serves as a helpful reference for your own Hokkaido road trip.
Locally produced Biratori Wagyu beef steak bowl at “Biratori Onsen Yukara”
I arrived in Tomakomai just after 10:00 a.m., and after driving east for about two hours, I came across “Biratori Onsen Yukara”「びらとり温泉ゆから」, which serves a delicious-looking Wagyu steak bowl.
There is a hot spring facility here, and the restaurant inside could be used even without taking a bath.
Before entering, you take off your shoes and put them in the shoe locker.
It seems to be a popular spot with the locals; since it was lunchtime, the place was nearly full.
The system requires you to purchase a meal ticket before entering.
Fortunately, I managed to secure a table and enjoy the steak bowl!
This gives me the energy to tackle the afternoon’s travel.
I’m staying in Kushiro tonight, so I still have a long way to go.
The weather is lovely, and it feels great.
It feels quite hot—even for Hokkaido.
From here, we head up the mountain road to cross the Nissho Pass.
It was sunny just a moment ago, but fog has started to roll in.
I thought it was fog, but it turned out to be a torrential downpour…
I can barely see what’s ahead.
I barely managed to make it over the mountain pass, driving through visibility so poor it felt like being inside a cloud, all while a truck behind me was tailgating aggressively.
Just after the mountain pass began to descend, I spotted a building and a parking lot that looked like a service area, so I pulled in immediately to take a break and compose myself.
This is the “Nissho Pass Tokachi-beya Observation Deck.” 「日勝峠十勝部屋展望台」
Cars in Hokkaido really drive fast, don’t they?
I stopped at the “Shimizu Drive-in” 「清水ドライブイン」here.
I’m around this area right now.
The shop was selling delicious-looking corn and rich yogurt.
I only bought the yogurt, but I wish I had bought the corn as well.
After descending the mountain pass, I continue on toward Kushiro while gazing at the scenery rich in nature.
At one point, I absolutely couldn’t find a restroom, so I rushed into Kushiro Airport.
Today’s driving distance was approximately 300 km.
I traveled from Tomakomai Port to Kushiro today.
I am staying at the ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kushiro tonight.
Related Article:北海道のドライブ旅：ANAクラウンプラザホテル釧路に宿泊＆おばんざいのお店でほっこり地元話
びらとり温泉ゆから ”Biratori Onsen Yukara”
Address: 92-6 Nibutani, Biratori-cho, Saru-gun, Hokkaido
Phone Number: 014-572-3280
Restaurant Hours:
Lunch: 11:00–14:30 (Last order: 14:00)
Dinner: 16:00–20:00 (Last order: 19:30)
Facility Website: http://www.biratori-onsen.com/
Day-Trip Bathing Hours and Fees:
Day-trip visitors: 10:00–21:00 (Last entry: 20:30) *Subject to change. Adults (junior high school age and up): 500 yen; Children: 140 yen
Overnight guests: 15:00–23:30 and 5:00–9:00
Private family bath: 10:00–21:00 (2,700 yen per hour)
Comments: This facility also offers overnight accommodations. The natural hot spring features a “hypertonic, mildly alkaline cold mineral spring” with water known for its gentle, soft quality. Amenities are fully stocked, and towels are available for purchase, so you can visit without bringing anything along.
Day-trip bathing and private family baths are also available.
Overnight guests can choose between Japanese-style and Western-style rooms and enjoy dinner options such as beef steak or sukiyaki. It appears there are even rooms with private open-air baths—anyone staying there is truly to be envied.
日勝峠十勝平野展望台 ”Nissho Pass Tokachi Plain Observation Deck”
Address: 437-5 Shimizu, Shimizu-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido
Comment: If you are coming from the direction of Hidaka, you will see it on your left almost immediately after the mountain pass begins to descend. There is a roadside rest stop there, and the corn looked delicious. There is also a “First Observation Deck.”
