TUESDAY 17 OCTOBER 2023
Eastern Hokkaido Road Trip Guide
“What’s there?” was a common question asked by Sapporo locals when we mentioned our road trip plans in Eastern Hokkaido back in May.
Hokkaido is a vast prefecture and there are many places to go. We wanted something low key, to bask in the beginnings of the Japanese summer and to gaze at nature. After doing a bit of research, we settled on heading to the Eastern part of the northern island, namely Memanbetsu, Abashiri, Lake Akan, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo.
If you ever find yourself in the area, the below is a collection of notes of our four-day and three-night road trip to give you an idea of what to do and what to see.
![45-minute flight]()
![]()
![Shibazakura Park]()
27 May
Memanbetsu Airport - Higashimokoto Nonky Land - Shibazakura Park - Lake Akan
Shin-Chitose Airport to Memanbetsu Airport is roughly about 45-minutes via Japan Airlines. The plane takes off up in to the air and then decends before you have a chance to settle into your seat.
Rent-a-car!
Starting our roadtrip, we stopped by Higashimokoto Nonky Land, a car-stop area with a souvenir shop. We bought locally handmade gouda cheese and soy bean rolled cakes to snack on for our journey.
The roads were easy to drive with the ocassional car outside of the main town. Leaving Nonky Land, we drove down to Shibazakura Park to see a country-side pink wonderland covered in moss phlox.
![5:01pm]()
![5:02pm]()
![5:06pm]()
I absolutely love driving around the Hokkaido countryside, especially in summer as the scenery is so green and lush, with pastures, fields, hills, mountains and lakes in the distance.
We drove towards Lake Akan where we stayed at our first accomdation, La Vista Akan-gawa.
The hotel was down the road from the main town of Lake Akan, along the Akan River. Within the quiet forest, it was secluded and peaceful. Our room had a beautiful view of the river and in the evening, a herd of deer came to graze along the water. One thing I loved about the accomodation was that they provided a coffee drip-set to make your own coffee in the morning whilst admiring the view.
![The view from our room]()
![In-room coffee set]()
![9:10pm]()
28 May
Lake Akan - Ainu-kotan - Lake Kussharo
After checking out, we drove to Lake Akan to see it up close.
Near the lake, in the main part of town, is Ainu-kotan, or Ainu Village. Ainu people are the traditional peoples of Japan. They have very distinct motifs found in their artwork. There were many shops, wood carvers and artisans, and a few restaurants in the village. There were also small museums where you could see how the Ainu traditionally lived.
Being low-season, the restaurants around the area happened to close pretty early. At 3pm, we managed to get the last bowls of age-udon at a souvenir shop that also doubled as a canteen by Lake Akan.
We then drove towards Lake Kussharo, which legends says houses the mythical creature akin to the lochness monster, Kusshi.
Our second night accomodation was by the lake, Kussharo Prince Hotel. The rooms were retro and subdued, outdated and old but still had a bit of charm. The view of the lake from our room was calming and enveloping. Out of the three places we stayed at, Kussharo Prince Hotel’s onsen water quality was the best. I could really feel the benefits of the hot spring water.
![A shop owner and her shiba-inu selling handmade goods in Ainu-kotan.]()
![Perfectly still, Lake Akan]()
![Manhole covers in Japan are usually decorative and reflect the area.]()
29 May
Lake Kussharo - Gurutto Panorama Bihorotoge - Memanbetsu Meruhen no Oka - Abashiri
The morning buffet breakfast at Kussharo Prince Hotel was fun as they offered a tasting platter of milk from different regions in Hokkaido. They all tasted so different! Some were more creamy and some lighter, some sweeter than others.
![Six milks from all over Hokkaido!]()
After checking out of the hotel, we walked around its grounds and down towards Lake Kussharo where there was a small pier. There were also abundant fuki or butterbur, which we had stewed at the hotel.
On the road again, we climbed valleys up to Gurutto Panorama Bihorotoge which had views of the expansive landscape. The road-trip stop also had a cute shop for souvenirs, a bakery and a ramen shop which we had lunch at. And of course, we bought some baked goods for the road trip, including their recommended kare-pan and chocolate brioche bun that swirled around like the roads we were just driving on.
We drove and drove and stopped by Memanbetsu Meruhen no oka, a vast field with lonely looking trees that undertake different views throughout each season.
We then arrived at our third stay in the evening, Hokuten no Oka, Abashiriko Tsuruga Resort.
![Kussharo Prince Hotel]()
![Fuki or butterbur]()
![Lake Kussharo]()
30 May
Abashiri - Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum - Memambetsu Airport
On our last day before heading off to the airport, we checked out and stopped by the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum. I loved this museum, it was small and compact but really interesting. The museum focused on telling the story of drift ice and the natural wonders of the Sea of Okhotsk.
I’ve always wanted to see a clione or a sea angel, ever since I found out about them via Animal Crossing. They are so beautiful and weird. Apparently they very rarely eat, only a few times a year. The museum had a video on display showcasing how they eat and it was terrifying to say the least, very unlike their docile and delicate way of floating about.
![Fuusen-uo]()
![Clione or sea angel]()
![I'm not sure what this is]()
At the museum you’re able to see and experience real drift ice in their well below freezing display room, they’ll also give you a wet towel to swing about in the room and watch it freeze. There’s also a roof top with sweeping views of the Sea of Okhotsk. I also highly recomend getting their soft cream, caramel flavoured with blue sea salt.
![The soft translucent blue of the salt really looks so lovely on the caramel soft cream!]()
![Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum]()
After the museum we drove to Abashiri’s town centre and visited the Ryu-hyo Glass Museum which specialised in glass pieces and artwork made from recycled fluorecent lighting.
We then drove towards the airport, dropped off our car before having soup curry for lunch and then rushed to our gate to hop on our flight back to Sapporo!
Hokkaido is a vast prefecture and there are many places to go. We wanted something low key, to bask in the beginnings of the Japanese summer and to gaze at nature. After doing a bit of research, we settled on heading to the Eastern part of the northern island, namely Memanbetsu, Abashiri, Lake Akan, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo.
If you ever find yourself in the area, the below is a collection of notes of our four-day and three-night road trip to give you an idea of what to do and what to see.
27 May
Memanbetsu Airport - Higashimokoto Nonky Land - Shibazakura Park - Lake Akan
Shin-Chitose Airport to Memanbetsu Airport is roughly about 45-minutes via Japan Airlines. The plane takes off up in to the air and then decends before you have a chance to settle into your seat.
Rent-a-car!
Starting our roadtrip, we stopped by Higashimokoto Nonky Land, a car-stop area with a souvenir shop. We bought locally handmade gouda cheese and soy bean rolled cakes to snack on for our journey.
The roads were easy to drive with the ocassional car outside of the main town. Leaving Nonky Land, we drove down to Shibazakura Park to see a country-side pink wonderland covered in moss phlox.
I absolutely love driving around the Hokkaido countryside, especially in summer as the scenery is so green and lush, with pastures, fields, hills, mountains and lakes in the distance.
We drove towards Lake Akan where we stayed at our first accomdation, La Vista Akan-gawa.
The hotel was down the road from the main town of Lake Akan, along the Akan River. Within the quiet forest, it was secluded and peaceful. Our room had a beautiful view of the river and in the evening, a herd of deer came to graze along the water. One thing I loved about the accomodation was that they provided a coffee drip-set to make your own coffee in the morning whilst admiring the view.
Lake Akan - Ainu-kotan - Lake Kussharo
After checking out, we drove to Lake Akan to see it up close.
Near the lake, in the main part of town, is Ainu-kotan, or Ainu Village. Ainu people are the traditional peoples of Japan. They have very distinct motifs found in their artwork. There were many shops, wood carvers and artisans, and a few restaurants in the village. There were also small museums where you could see how the Ainu traditionally lived.
Being low-season, the restaurants around the area happened to close pretty early. At 3pm, we managed to get the last bowls of age-udon at a souvenir shop that also doubled as a canteen by Lake Akan.
We then drove towards Lake Kussharo, which legends says houses the mythical creature akin to the lochness monster, Kusshi.
Our second night accomodation was by the lake, Kussharo Prince Hotel. The rooms were retro and subdued, outdated and old but still had a bit of charm. The view of the lake from our room was calming and enveloping. Out of the three places we stayed at, Kussharo Prince Hotel’s onsen water quality was the best. I could really feel the benefits of the hot spring water.
29 May
Lake Kussharo - Gurutto Panorama Bihorotoge - Memanbetsu Meruhen no Oka - Abashiri
The morning buffet breakfast at Kussharo Prince Hotel was fun as they offered a tasting platter of milk from different regions in Hokkaido. They all tasted so different! Some were more creamy and some lighter, some sweeter than others.
After checking out of the hotel, we walked around its grounds and down towards Lake Kussharo where there was a small pier. There were also abundant fuki or butterbur, which we had stewed at the hotel.
On the road again, we climbed valleys up to Gurutto Panorama Bihorotoge which had views of the expansive landscape. The road-trip stop also had a cute shop for souvenirs, a bakery and a ramen shop which we had lunch at. And of course, we bought some baked goods for the road trip, including their recommended kare-pan and chocolate brioche bun that swirled around like the roads we were just driving on.
We drove and drove and stopped by Memanbetsu Meruhen no oka, a vast field with lonely looking trees that undertake different views throughout each season.
We then arrived at our third stay in the evening, Hokuten no Oka, Abashiriko Tsuruga Resort.
30 May
Abashiri - Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum - Memambetsu Airport
On our last day before heading off to the airport, we checked out and stopped by the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum. I loved this museum, it was small and compact but really interesting. The museum focused on telling the story of drift ice and the natural wonders of the Sea of Okhotsk.
I’ve always wanted to see a clione or a sea angel, ever since I found out about them via Animal Crossing. They are so beautiful and weird. Apparently they very rarely eat, only a few times a year. The museum had a video on display showcasing how they eat and it was terrifying to say the least, very unlike their docile and delicate way of floating about.
At the museum you’re able to see and experience real drift ice in their well below freezing display room, they’ll also give you a wet towel to swing about in the room and watch it freeze. There’s also a roof top with sweeping views of the Sea of Okhotsk. I also highly recomend getting their soft cream, caramel flavoured with blue sea salt.
After the museum we drove to Abashiri’s town centre and visited the Ryu-hyo Glass Museum which specialised in glass pieces and artwork made from recycled fluorecent lighting.
We then drove towards the airport, dropped off our car before having soup curry for lunch and then rushed to our gate to hop on our flight back to Sapporo!
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