Hotel Meguma in Wakkanai, Hokkaido

Northernmost hotel in Japan "Hotel Meguma"

Crab dinner: Soya Kanizukushi Gozen; 宗谷カニづくし御膳

Horsehair crab [毛ガニ], Red king crab [タラバガニ], snow crab [ズワイガニ]

fireplace at Hotel Meguma lounge

Room of Hotel Meguma

Front door of Hotel Meguma

We took a walk around the hotel in the early morning.

Back street of the Hotel Meguma.

We climbed up small snow hill.

We could see the white Mt.Rishiri [Japanese: 利尻山; Rishiri-zan] far.

breakfast of Hotel Meguma

Episode of Hotel Meguma

Tomo&Chouchou joined Hokkaido group tour. On the first day, we traveled Wakkanai [Japanese: 稚内] where was northernmost landmark in Japan. We stayed at Hotel Meguma [Japanese: ホテルめぐま] in Wakkanai. To be honest, Tomo&Chouchou didn't expect to have great dinner. Because, normally, it's difficult to have great meals with group tour. However, it was a great surprise! When we arrived at the restaurant, we were so surprised to see such a wonderful meal. There were three types of crabs; horsehair crab, snow crab and red king crab. So many varieties. Full of local foods. We really enjoyed crab dinner menu [Japanese: 宗谷カニづくし御膳].The service and atmosphere at the restaurant of Hotel Meguma was nice. We could really enjoy dinner.

After the dinner, we enjoyed hotspring [温泉]. Unfortunatelly we cannot take a photo in the hotspring. Especially open-air bath, we enjoyed hotspring in the snow. bath. There was snow so it was cold. But the hotspring was hot. It was simply great. It is the great moment to enjoy hotspring in winter. There was the fireplace [暖炉] at the lounge in Hotel Meguma. So after taking a bath, we could be relaxed there. Hotel room were western style and nice. Beds were comfortable.

Next morning, Tomo&Chouchou decided to have a walk because we love snow. We walked around the hotel. We didn't go far. We went to the backstreet of Hotel Meguma. We found a small snow hill. We decided to approach and climb it up. It was enjoyable to walk on the snow and to make our footprints. It was very beautiful view with white snow. It was very quiet and refreshing. We could see the white snow mountain "Mt.Rishiri [Japanese: 利尻山]" far. We didn't expect to see such a big mountain. It was a lucky surprise. We felt it was the right decision to walk in the early morning as we could see the wonderful landscape. We could also take a photo at the front door of the hotel. Then we had breakfast. It was Japanese meal. It was good.

Hotel Meguma is the northernmost hotel in Japan. Foods are great. They use local foods. We could enjoy seafood. We were so satisfied with Hotel Meguma. Hotel Meguma gave us a great memory of our Hokkaido trip.

Information

Hotel Meguma   / ホテルめぐま

Address: 2-13-14 Koetoi, Wakkanai, Hokkaido[北海道稚内市声問2丁目13番14号]

Access: 5 minutes by car from Wakkanai airport

(cf. It takes 1 hour 50 minutes from Haneda airport to Wakkanai airport by plane.) 

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Travel Itinerary of Hokkaido Snow Festival tour Tomo & Chouchou joined

Travel agent：Club Tourism International Inc.
Date: Feb in 2016 (2 nights 3 days)

1st day: Arrive at Wakkanai airport　⇒　Scallop lunch at Wakkanai station which has northernmost railroad track　⇒　Snow activities such as snow rafting, snow mobile, snow tube at Soya Fureai Park (Japanese: Soya Fureai Koen, 宗谷ふれあい公園）　⇒　Visit Cape Sōya (Japanese: Sōya-Misaki, 宗谷岬), where is the northernmost point of Japan. Visit Drift Ice Hall too.　⇒　Watch Russian musical ensemble at Wakkanai Sakhalin Hall (Japanese: Wakkanai Sakhalin Kan, 稚内サハリン館)　⇒　 Stay at Hotel Meguma in Wakkanai. Enjoy Wakkanai hot spring and Soya crab dinner course.

2nd day: Visit Lake Kutcharo (Japanese: Kutcharo-ko, クッチャロ湖) in Hamatombetsu (浜頓別).　⇒　Go to Cape Drift Ice / Cape Ryuhyo (Japanese: Ryuhyo-misaki, 流氷岬) in Monbetsu (紋別). Bord on the drift ice crusher "Garinko Ⅱ".　⇒　Stay at Sounkyo Kankou Hotel (層雲峡観光ホテル). Enjoy  41th Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival at night.

3rd day: Enjoy snow sculpture and ice sculpture of 67th Sapporo Snow Festival.　⇒　Eat Sapporo Ramen (Japanese:  ラーメン, which is a Japanese noodle soup) at New Chitose Airport Terminal (Japanese: Shin Chitose Kuko, 新千歳空港)  　⇒　Fly back to go home.

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Travel review of Hokkaido Snow Festival group tour

Tomo & Chouchou had dreamed of traveling to the snow festival in Hokkaido. Our dream came true with this tour!

There are so many snow festivals in Hokkaido. Sapporo Snow Festival is the most famous one. With this tour, we could go to two festivals "Sapporo Snow Festival" and "Sounkyo Hyobaku Festival". Normally it costs a lot to travel to Hokkaido during snow festival season. With this group tour, we could travel at a relatively reasonable price. So we were very lucky. We could also visit the northernmost point of Japan and board the drift ice crusher. Even though we couldn't see the drift ice, 2016 was not so enough cold to see the drift ice, it was enjoyable to look for the drift ice. All the foods that we ate were good. We were really satisfied with this tour.

 

Relating article

sightseeing spot in Wakkanai

* Lake Kutcharo

* Wakkanai Secondary Port Market [Wakkanai Fukuko Ichiba] 

 

Tsuetate onsen hot spring, Kumamoto, Japan

There is the border between Kumamoto and Oita prefecture 

inside Hizenya hotel.

 

If you want to know more information about Momiji bridge [Japanese: もみじ橋] where Carp-Ema is hanging, footbath [Japanese: 足湯], steamed egg [Japanese: 蒸したまご], or Koinobori festival, please read Tuetate-onsen Koinobori festival article too.

Episode of Hizenya hotel & Tsuetate-onsen hot spring

One of our family invited us there because Hizenya Hotel was famous and historical hot spring in Kumamoto. Hot spring was good. Foods were good. Location was good. Especially we liked the view from the window in the restaurant hall for the breakfast.

Decoration inside the hotel was very Japanese. We could enjoy Japanese atomosphere.

Surprisingly, we found the border inside the hotel ! We passed the border between Kumamoto and Oita many times. :-))

We walked around the Tsuetate-onsen hot spring area. There were narrow back streets called "Sedoya" [Japanese: 背戸屋]. We felt like we were back in old Japan. It was fun to discover the small shops. People were very kind. It was nice time-trip walk.

Tomo&Chouchou's advice for Tsuetate-onsen hot spring

Tsuetate-onsen hot spring is a good place if you want to enjoy old Japan atmosphere. Especially, if you walk narrow back street called Sedoya, you feel you are in the showa period of Japan.



Information

Tsuetate-onsen hot spring [Japanese: 杖立温泉]
Place-name "Tsuetate" literally means; Tsue [杖]: a stick, Tate [立]: to place or to leave. It's said that Tsuetate was named according to the legend.  People with their sticks came for hot spring in this town. This hot spring cured them, then they left their sticks when they go back. So Tsuetate-onsen hot spring is very effective.
Location: Oguni-machi, Aso, Kumamoto, Japan

Hizenya hotel [ひぜんや] is famous in Tsuetate-onsen area.
Hizenya hotel is located on the border of Kumamoto and Oita prefecture. This hotel was sung by Yosui Inoue [Japanese: 井上陽水] as "Riverside hotel".
Address: 4223 Shimojyo, Oguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto prefecture 869-2503 [〒869-2503 熊本県阿蘇郡小国町下城4223]

Tsuetate-onsen Koinobori festival, Kumamoto, Japan

Children's Day: May 5 is to celebrate the happiness of children with Koinobori.
So Koinobori Festival is held all over Japan in May.

Tsuetate onsen is the origin of Koinobori festival.

Around 3500 carp steamers/carp-shaped wind socks [=Koinobori]

 were flying above the river 

during Tuetate-onsen Koinobori festival.
 

footbath [Japanese: 足湯]

steamed egg [Japanese: Mushi-tamago, 蒸したまご].

Lots of carp-shaped Emas are hanging on Momiji bridge.
※Ema (=small wooden plaques written people's wish)

Episode of Tsuetate-onsen hot spring Koinobori festival

Tomo&Chouchou went to Tsuetate hot spring (=Tsuetate onsen) located in Oguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto, Japan. We went to Tsuetate-onsen in spring, so we could see lots of Koinobori [=carp steamers/carp-shaped wind socks] were swimming above the Tsuetate river in the sky. Around 3500 carp steamers/carp-shaped wind socks [=Koinobori] were flying above the river during Tuetate-onsen Koinobori festival. It was so beautiful. 

Around Koinobori area, we could have a footbath [Japanese: 足湯] for free. There was also a one day visit spa around. So we quickly enjoyed footbath then we entered visit spa for one hour. It was very refreshing!
We can also buy a steamed egg [Japanese: Mushi-tamago, 蒸したまご] around there.

Momiji-bashi [=Maple bridge] arches over the lower Tsuetate river. Lots of Emas shaped as a carp are hanging on Momiji bridge [Japanese: もみじ橋] because carp-shaped ema is reputed to make your love or wish come true. For that, we need to write our wish on carp-Ema and hang it on Maple bridge. It may be because both "carp [鯉]" and "love [恋]" are called "koi" in Japanese. When we realized two meaning of koi, it was more interesting. We could fully enjoy Tsuetate-onsen hot spring! 

Tomo&Chouchou's advices for Tsuetate-onsen Koinobori Festival

1)Tsuetate onsen is the origin of Koinobori festival. We highly recommend to go to Tsuetate-onsen in Spring. Tsuetate-onsen Koinobori Festival can be enjoye by kids, family, couple and friends. 

2)We can hang carp-shaped ema on Momiji bridge. We can also use carp-shaped Ema as a postcard. We need to paste a stamp on ema and put it into the post. If we go to the post office in Tsuetate, they will stamp postmark of Koinobori [=carp steamer] on it! Why not sending it to your friends, family or yourself?


information
Tsuetate-onsen hot spring "Koinobori festival" 杖立温泉 鯉のぼり祭り
from April 1 to May 6

Hakone in Kanagawa, Japan

<<Owakudani>> 

aerial lift "Hakone Ropeway" [Japanese: 箱根ロープウェー]

to go to Owakudani [Japanese: 大涌谷]

 

Mt.Fuji* from the window of Hakone Ropeway

*Mt.Fuji is the highest mountains in Japan and world heritage.

volcanic valley "Owakudani"[Japanese: Ōwakudani; 大涌谷].

the specialty of Owakudani "Kuro Tamago"(=black egg) 

 

Eggs become black naturally after boiling in the hot springs for one hour.

"Eating black egg" is said "to increase longevity".
"Eating one black egg" is said "to add seven years to your life".
 

They sell warm Kuro-Tamago [Japanese: 黒たまご] 

in the special paper bag.

  

 

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<< Lake Ashinoko>>

Hakone sightseeing cruise [Japanese: 箱根海賊船] 

in Lake Ashi [Japanese: Ashinoko; 芦ノ湖]

 
The boat goes between Hakonemachi [Japanese: 箱根町] 

and Togendai [Japanese: 桃源台].
 We can choose single cruise or return cruise.
 

 

Episode of Hakone [箱根]

Onsen (=Hot springs) is the best in winter! So, Tomo&Chouchou went to Hakone for enjoying hot springs.
Hakone onsen [Japanese: 箱根温泉] is located in Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo district in Kanagawa prefecture [神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町]. Tomo&Chouchou stayed in Hakone Yumoto onsen [Japanese: 箱根湯本温泉] where was the entrance of Hakone hot spring resorts. Hakone Yumoto Onsen was located close to the Hakone Yumoto station [Japanese: 箱根湯本駅] of Hakone Tozan Tetsudō (=the Hakone Tozan Railway)[Japanese: 箱根登山鉄道]. So it was very convenient.
Hakone Yumoto hot spring is effective for neuralgia, arthralgia and poor blood circulation. The hot spring water was transparant. The skin became smooth.
 mous spot to see Mt.Fuji.

We also enjoyed sightseeing in Hakone. Owakudani [大涌谷] is a famous place in Hakone. So we decided to go there. We took Hakone Tozan Railway at Hakone Yumoto station to Gora station [Japanese: 強羅駅]. Then we took aerial lift "Hakone Ropeway [箱根ロープウェイ]” to Owakudani. While going up by the ropeway, we could enjoy the view from the window. When we looked down Owakudani from the lift, we could see the wideness of Owakudani. We could also see volcanic smoke. We could understood it was still active. We could luckily see Mt.Fuji from the ropeway.
As soon as we arrived at Owakudani, we smelled sulfur strongly. We could feel the power of the nature a lot. To get the energy from the nature, we bought the famous specialty of Ōwakudani "Kuro Tamago" (=black egg) there. The staff boils eggs in the hot springs. We could buy warm black eggs there. They gave the salt for Kuro Tamago. We tasted Kuro-Tamago at Owakdani. It was good! We felt our life was extended. :-)
We went down from Owakudani to Togendai station by Hakone Ropeway.
Hakone sightseeing cruise in Ashinoko (=Lake Ashi) is also popular sightseeing spot in Hakone. So we went to Togendai port [Togendai-ko; 桃源台港]to take a ship. We bought the single cruise tickets. We enjoyed Lake Ashinoko. It was the peaceful cruise. The ship was very beautiful. It was enjoyable and relaxing cruise. We got off the ship at Hakonemachi port [Hakonemachi-ko; 箱根町港].

Then we visited Hakone Sekisho [Japanese: 箱根関所]. We experienced Old Japan there. 

Hakone was full of things to see. We really enjoyed Hakone!

 

Travel information
Access to Hakone,
by Romancecar (Odakyu Electric Railway) [小田急電鉄 ロマンスカー]
by Hakone Tozan bus or Izu Hakone bus [箱根登山バス or 伊豆箱根バス]
by Hakone Tozan Railway [箱根登山鉄道]

Reference
Hakone Tozen Railway [箱根登山鉄道]
Odawara station - Hakone yumoto station [箱根湯本駅] : one-way fare 300yen
Odawara station [小田原駅] - Gōra station [強羅駅] : one- way fare 650yen
Hakone yumoto station - Gōra station: one-way fare 390yen  (2013.March)

Hakone Tozan Cable Car [箱根登山ケーブルカー]
Gōra station - Sounzan station [早雲山駅] : fare (one-way) 410yen  (2013.March)

Hakone Ropeway [箱根登山ロープウェイ]
Sounzan station - Owakudani station [大涌谷駅] (about 8min.) :
one-way fare 820yen,  round trip fare 1470yen

Sounzan station - Togendai station [桃源台駅] (about 25min.):
one-way fare 1330yen round trip fare 2340yen

Owakudani station - Togendai station (about 16min.)
one-way fare 1020yen round trip fare 1830yen  (2013.March)

cf1) To go to Owakudani by car is very crowded. Ropeway is recommended.
cf2) Togendai is close to Lake Ashi (Ashinoko).
Togendai is accessible to Hakone sightseeing cruise (=Hakone Kaizoku sen).

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (=Hakone Kaizoku Sen; 箱根海賊船)
Togendai port [桃源台港]- Moto-Hakone port [元箱根港] (30min.):
one way fare 970yen round trip 1780yen
Togendai port - Hakone-machi port [箱根町港] (30min.):
one way fare 970yen round trip 1780yen..... (2013.March)
time table: every 40 or 50 min.

Hakone Freepass
2 days pass (from Shinjyuku station): adult 5000yen child 1500yen
3 days pass (from Shinjyuku station): adult 5500yen child 1750yen..(2013.March)

Hakone Freepass is very convenient and profitable to go around Hakone.

Round trip of Odakyu Line + free ride of 8 transportation + discount
With Hakone Freepass, you can freely get on and off as often as you want as follows;
* Hakone Tozan Railway  * Hakone Tozan Cable Car  
* Hakone Ropeway  * Hakone Sightseeing Cruise etc...
You will also get discounts with Hakone Freepass at over 50 facilities
such as hot springs, restaurants, shopping, museums and so on.

Purchase Hakone Freepass at each station of Odakyu Line,
some station of hakone tozan railway or big travel agencies such as
JTB, KNT, Nippon Travel Agency.

＊In 2019, Mt.Hakone was very active. In 2020, Hakone was damaged by typhoon. In 2020, Owakudani area was damaged by heavy rain. So please check the latest condition before going to Hakone. 

 

The Golden Circle, Iceland (2)

 

Þingvellir National Park/ Thingvellir National Park

 

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We walked to the Gullfoss Waterfall.

The way to go to the Gullfoss Waterfall was iced and slippery.

 

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On the way to go down the long stairs,

We could see the lovely landscape of Gullfoss waterfall.

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We went down the stairs to approach to the Gullfoss.

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We walked a bit more. We could be close to the waterfall.
We could feel the spray and splash of the Gullfoss waterfall.
 

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We went back up the stairs.

We had lunch at Gullfoss Café. 

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Geysir Geothermal Area

Geysir Hot Spring

Chouchou found several Little Geysirs.
Around Litli Geysir, we could see the landscape of snow mountains.

Geysir has a little bit western atomosphere.

the most biggest geyser "The Great Geysir" eruption
 Geyser erupted about every 10 minutes.

↓

 

We went back to Reykjavik.

← read back to The Golden Circle, Iceland (1)

Episode of Golden Circle tour

Tomo & Chouchou went to see the waterfall "Gullfoss" located in Southern Iceland with Gray Line English tour.
In Icelandic, gull means "Gold" and foss means "waterfull". So Gullfoss means translated "Golden Falls". Gullfoss is the most biggest, most beautiful and most popular waterfall.
To go to see the waterfall, we had to walk a bit. The way to go to the waterfall was iced, so it was slippery to walk. On the way to go down the stairs, we could see the lovely landscape of Gullfoss. It was the good photo spot.
Getting down the stairs and walking a bit more, we could be close to the waterfall.
We could get the spray and splash of the waterfall. The power of Gullfoss waterfall was amazing! We felt the greatness of nature.
The scenery was totally different when we looked at the waterfall from a close distance and when we looked at the waterfall from the hill. We enjoyed both views.
In addition, in this Gullfoss area, there are a restaurant and a souvenir shop.
We had time to have lunch in this restaurant. Our tour guide recommended lamp soup in this restaurent because it's famous as delicious lamp soup. We paid a lamp soup at the cash desk, we could get refills for free. We really enjoyed lamp soup and the beauty of nature at Gullfoss.
We also went to the geyser called "Geysir". Geysir is located in southwestern Iceland. In Geysir, we could see the eruptions or hot spring's boiling.
Around Little Geysirs (Litli Geysir), we could see snow mountains. Around there, orange or red brown earth made us feel we were in the old Western America. :)
The most biggest geysir "The Great Geysir" eruption was the best to see at Geysir. About every 10 minutes, hot spring erupted. The quantity of spout of hot spring changed each time. Sometimes a lot of quantity, sometimes a little. So we watched several times. Geyser eruption was very interesting and enjoyable to see.  The landscape around Geysir was also fantastic. It was very enjoyable tour. We could enjoy Iceland a lot through this tour.

Tomo & Chouchou's advice for Geysir

The quantity of geyser eruption changes. So it's better to see 2 or 3 times minimum. At least until you see the big hot spring eruption.


Relating articles

* Reykjavik in Iceland

* Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa) in Iceland

* Northern Lights tour in Iceland