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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Shiretoko Grand Hotel Kita Kobushi (知床グランドホテル北こぶし)① | Hot Spring Hotel | Utoro (Shiretoko)

"Shiretoko Grand Hotel Kita Kobushi (知床グランドホテル北こぶし)" is a hot spring hotel in Shiretoko Utoro Onsen near the ocean.

Let's enter it!

On the way to rooms, brown bears are decorated like this. Looks very Shiretoko! Hahaha!

Don't forget to drink Raiun Water (来運の水), underflow water from Mt. Sharidake (斜里岳).  It is believed that it takes decades for the spring water to travel from the summit to the ground. Sounds very yummy x 2!!!

This is my room. Not bad, isn't it?
But first of all, let's go to the hot spring area!!

I really recommend the quality of the water here!!

Look at the open-air hot spring area! I love the atmosphere!

The abundant water is rich in sodium and chloride, and gets rid of fatigue very quickly!

Let's take a look at the ocean from the rooftop!

Oronkoiwa Rock and Sankakuiwa Rock can be seen from this floor. I really recommend to go there to see the wonderful sunset.
(* If you want to see the beautiful sunset in this area, please refer to my other post→)

I felt comfortable breeze from the ocean while taking hot spring!

The rocks in front of the cape are named Oyakoiwa Rocks (親子岩), which mean a child and the parent rocks. The area over there is also a recommendable sunset spot!

Can you believe that we can enjoy Cape Puyuni (プユニ岬) from this bath area? How cool it is!!

After taking hot spring, I enjoyed Raiun Water (来運の水) again, and went to a dinner venue! You must be surprised at the yummy x 2 dinner!!

To be continued→!

■Where is "Shiretoko Grand Hotel Kita Kobushi (知床グランドホテル北こぶし)"?


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■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖)| Elevated Wooden Path (高架木道)

A number of attractions of Shiretoko Goko Lakes area can be enjoyed from both the ground pathway (地上歩道) and elevated wooden path (高架木道).

What is required to use the ground pathway? Application procedures are required when using the ground pathway during certain periods; Ecosystem Aware Season (植生保護期)(park opening to May 9th, and August 1st to October 20th) and Bear Aware Season (ヒグマ活動期)(May 10th to July 31st).
On the other hand, visitors can always walk on the elevated wooden path during the open season.
Let's go to Shiretoko Lake Ichi-ko, using the elevated wooden path!

The path is around 800m, and wheelchair-accessible! We can enjoy the wonderful nature for a short time without walking a lot.

This is Renzan Observatory (連山展望台), the first deck from the entrance.

Look at Shiretoko mountain range! The triangle mountain in front of the deck is Mt. Iou!
(See the details about Mt. Iou in my other post→)

Next, let's go to Okotsuku Observatory (オコツク展望台), the second deck!

It's very comfortable to wake in the open space!

From Okotsuku Observatory, we can enjoy not only mountains, but also

the Okhotsk Sea! This is the world natural heritage site!!

Last but not least, let's go to Lakeside Observatory (湖畔展望台).

We can feel comfortable breeze from the ocean here.

We walked and walked while enjoying Lake Ichi-ko on the right!

It's around corner! My guests and I were so excited to see the lake!

Yes! We've found it! That is Lakeside Observatory (湖畔展望台)!

Here we are! This is the last deck!

Look at Lake Ichi-ko and Shiretoko mountain range! How beautiful they are!

The wonderful Shiretoko mountain range reflect on the surface of Lake Ichi-ko!!

This is a junction of the elevated wooden path and ground pathway.
(* Descending from the elevated wooden path to the ground pathway is not permitted.)

This is a part of the ground pathway. If you have plenty of time and are interested in the nature, I really recommend ground pathway trekking and see all Shiretoko Goko Lakes.

Under the elevated path, shika deer was taking a rest!

If you are lucky, you can see wild brown beers from the elevated wooden path!

■Where is "Shiretoko Goko Lakes (知床五湖)"?


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■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!

SAGARMATHA CHULA (サガラマタ チュラ)| Indian/ Pakistan Restaurant | Sapporo

There several recommendable Indian/ Pakistan restaurants in Sapporo, and today I'll show you one of my favorites. We visited "SAGARMATHA CHULA (サガラマタ チュラ)" located near JR Soen Station (JR桑園駅).

It is ornamented with Indian/ Pakistan decorations, and very cozy.

When you come to the restaurant during the lunch hours, please be careful! It is always packed with curry lovers especially during the time.

Look at the lunch menu! "Chula set (チュラセット)" including curry and naan is only 650 yen! Wonderful!!

I ordered "Special Sagarmatha set (スペシャルサガラマタセット)", which comes with a small salad↓, and

a drink. I chose Lassi. Yummy x 2!!!

Here comes a main part! How huge the naan is!!!

I really recommend this naan, which is baked in a stone oven for a short time!!!

We can select our favorite curry among 10 kinds, and I chose Dall Curry.

Look at these!! It has a lot of beans! Yummy x 2!!!

Of course we can select its hotness when we order curry, but we can adjust it after eating it with this spice paste.

That's a great service, isn't it?

There are two alternatives for chicken; Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka, and I chose the first one. How juicy it is!!!

The restaurant staff is very friendly, and the dishes are very delicious. Why don't you come here to enjoy Indian/ Pakistan dishes?

■Where is "SAGARMATHA CHULA (サガラマタ チュラ)"?


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■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Shiretoko Kaninoya (知床かに乃家)| Seafood Restaurant | Utoro (Shiretoko)

If you are tired of eating dishes at hotels in Shiretoko, why don't you go to local restaurants such as "Shiretoko Kaninoya (知床かに乃家)"↓

Looks very cozy and homey, doesn't it?

They serve fresh local seafood dishes such as seafood bowls, sashimi, boiled crabs, sushi, grilled fish, and so on.

We ordered a lunch set. Until it came to the table, we ate fresh sea urchin with beer!! Yummy x 2!!

Voila!
This is a lunch set!!!

■Sashimi (whelk, queen crab, scallop, and salmon)
These sashimi are very fresh and tasty!! Yummy x 2!!

■Crab soup
After finishing it, we put rice in it in order to make crab rice porridge! Perfect!!

■Chawanmushi (steamed custard)

■Cooked flounder
This is one of the typical local dishes cooked at home.

Chanchanyaki (grilled salmon with miso sauce)
This is also one of the Hokkaido dishes. When it is cooked well,

salmon, vegetables, and sauce are mixed together like this! The tip to make delicious chanchanyaki is to choose delicious salmon! I recommend this local dish to you!

Last, but not least, we enjoyed this panna cotta.

■Where is "Shiretoko Kaninoya (知床かに乃家)"?


View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!