Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter 01Make a prior reservation and get an unlimited ride pass of more than 20 bus lines including the intercity buses and Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus which provides you with an easy access to the major tourist attractions and hot spring resorts in eastern Hokkaido.
Recommended for fully enjoying your trip to eastern Hokkaido in winter!

<Contents>
1. Unlimited Ride Pass 2 points
2. 3-day, 4-day, and 5-day passes are available!
3. The Bus Lines Included in the Unlimited Ride Pass
 1)Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus
 2)The Intercity Express Bus
 3)Regularly Scheduled Sightseeing Bus
 4)Region Pass
4. Go to the Purchase Page and Notes

1. Unlimited Ride Pass 2 points

TIP➀ The more you ride, the more you save!
If you travel the three routes of Kushiro – Lake Akan – Utoro – Memanbetsu Airport, you pay only 12,800 JPY instead of the regular price of 15,000 JPY!

TIP➁ A great lineup is available!
Including the intercity buses, White Pirika Liner, and the popular bus line “Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus”, more than 20 lines are available!

Note
Advance booking is required to take each bus using the Unlimited Ride Pass! It’s recommended that you book 8 days prior to your boarding date. No guarantee, but you may book by 5 P.M. on three days before only if there are seats left.
How far in advance should I purchase the Unlimited Ride Pass?
Please make your purchase at least 10 days before the first day of your boarding date. You will be able to book each bus after that.

2. 3-day, 4-day, and 5-day passes are available!

 

……….3-Day Pass……….
.
9,800 JPY

.
Effective Period: January 29, 2022-March 4, 2022

 

 

……….4-Day Pass……….
.
13,800 JPY

.
Effective Period: January 29, 2022-March 3, 2022

 

 

……….5-Day Pass……….
.
17,800 JPY

.
Effective Period: January 29, 2022-March 2, 2022

 

Once activated, your pass is valid for the number of consecutive calendar days you’ve chosen.

3. The Bus Lines Included in the Unlimited Ride Pass

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter 02
click on image to enlarge

1)Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter Eastern Hokkaido Express Bus

2)The Intercity Express Bus

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter The Intercity Express Bus

3)Regularly Scheduled Sightseeing Bus

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter Regularly Scheduled Sightseeing Bus

4)Region Pass

Easti Hokkaido Express Bus Unlimited Ride Pass Winter Region Pass

4. Go to the Purchase Page and Notes

Go to the Booking Page of Each Bus for Those Who Have Purchased the Pass at Your Travel Agency

・Advance booking is required to take each bus using the Unlimited Ride Pass.
Advance booking on the booking page is required even for a bus including a city bus which doesn’t need booking.
・You will be charged the regular fare in case you haven’t booked. No exceptions can be made.
・When boarding, you need to show either your boarding pass which has been emailed after booking the bus or a hard copy of your boarding pass.

Express Bus Personal Booking Office
Online Travel Co. Ltd. Osaka Branch
Tel.+8150-3850-6976
Mon. – Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
(Closed on Sundays and Holidays)

If you’d like to ask any questions on your boarding day, please contact the bus company written on your boarding pass.

[East Hokkaido]Dishes hard to imagine from the names

Hello! Those of you who have visited Japan may have experienced to find dishes which were hard to imagine what they were just by looking at the names on a menu. This article will show you some “dishes hard to imagine from the names” of restaurants in Kushiro and Nemuro, Hokkaido.

Table of contents
・MIYAMADON: Lake Akan area
・ESUKAROPPU: Nemuro area
・MAEHAMA KAISENDON: Rausu area
・MASHU BLUE: Teshikaga area
・AKISAKE-CHANCHAN-YAKI: Kusiro area
At the end

Can you imagine what they are from the names? Let us explain them now.

MIYAMADON: Lake Akan area

MIYAMADON is a dish that no one probably could tell what it is by just looking at the name. Here is the image.

Edible wild plants of Akanko Onsen and roast Yezo sika deer are seasoned with original sauce and served on a bowl of steamed rice. The Yezo sika deer meat served in this restaurant has relatively less smell than ordinary deer meat; rather, it’s more like eating beef. Yezo sika deer meat is rich in iron and said to be good for your beauty.

Most of you would think it’d be better to have a dinner at the hotel you stay since there’re many hot spring resort hotels with a buffet restaurant in Akanko Onsen. However, if you want to have lunch or plan to spend more than 2 nights, you should definitely try the local cuisines.

【More Details about the restaurant】味心(Ajishin)

■ESUKAROPPU

Some people might imagine the French dish “escargot” from the spelling.
There are so many possible origins of this dish that we can’t explain in this article. Here is the image.

Typical Esukaroppu comes is a combination of Tonkatsu (fried pork) and butter flavored rice with demi-glace sauce. It’s one of the most popular local food in the Nemuro area.

The image above is a rare style of Escalope with Wagyu Beef Shorthorn, instead of pork.The Wagyu Beef Shorthorn cattle is bred in-house, so other Wagyu Beef Shorthorn dishes such as beef stew and hamburgers are also available. We recommend you make a stop here for lunch before heading to your next destination.

【More Details about the restaurant】Restaurant ATTOKO

MAEHAMA-KAISENDON

KAISENDON is a typical Japanese dish which is a bowl of rice topped with raw seafood, but the word “Maehama” is hard to tell what it is even for the Japanese.
Here is the image.

The word “Maehama” is the name of the fishing port in Rausu. This Kaisendon comes with more than 10 kinds of fresh raw seafood caught in Rausu that day. Just this one bowl lets you taste the most of the seafood in Rausu.

【More Details about the restaurant】知床食堂 (Shiretoko Shokudo)

・MASHU-BLUE

Do you know Lake Mashu? The word “Mashu Blue” represents the color of Lake Mashu. Then what kind of food do you think it is? Here is the image.

It’s soft serve ice cream. You need to go actually see Lake Mashu to compare the colors.

Mashu Blue is flavored with 2 kinds of liqueur and tastes fresh. This shop serves a variety of other ice cream including rich soft serve ice cream made of locally produced fresh milk. “Mashu-Soba & Buckwheat Ice Cream”, using “Mashu Buckwheat” known as the local luxury foodstuff, is also recommended.

【More Details about the restaurant】摩周湖のあいす(Masyuko no ice)

・AKISAKE-CHANCHAN-YAKI

Akisake means autumn salmon. Then what do you think “CHANCHAN” means? Here is the image.

There are several explanations for the origin of the word “ChanChan.”

  1. Expressing the sound of drumming chopsticks on plates by those who couldn’t wait for it to be ready.
  2. Expressing the sound of salmon being grilled on an iron plate.
  3. Expressing the sound of flints striking a fire.

Well, there’re more. To sum up, it means a delicious dish grilled over fire.

It is basically grilled salmon and vegetables with special sauce made of miso, sake, soy sauce, and sugar. Not only “Akisake-ChanChan-Yaki” does it serve, but also the restaurant lets you grill and eat a variety of seafood and meat. Many of the accommodations in Kushiro are budget hotels which don’t have facilities for dinner. In other words, if you stay at one of those budget hotels, it can be a good opportunity to try the local foods of Kushiro at this kind of place.

【More Details about the restaurant】炉ばた煉瓦(Robata Renga)

At the end

There are many more delicious foods in the Kushiro & Nemuro area that cannot be imagined from the names. Sushi and ramen noodles are of course the standards in Japan, but eating local foods like the ones introduced above can be a real pleasure of traveling.

We do understand it is still difficult to travel abroad due to COVID-19 pandemic. However, when the day comes, we’d like you to visit here and enjoy our local foods.

【More Details about East Hokkaido】
ひがし北海道トラベルラボ

Only Available This Summer! Enjoy Limited Edition Hokkaido Beer When You Travel to Hokkaido!

北海道限定ビール

What comes to mind when we talk about Hokkaido beer?
I am sure many would answer “Sapporo Beer,” and would know that its classic Black Label can be consumed all over Japan.

As such, we would like to introduce you to Limited Edition Hokkaido Beer that can only be consumed in Hokkaido this season.

Summer limited edition beer will be released this season on top of the standard Sapporo Classic that is only available in Hokkaido, so make sure you try out the Hokkaido limited edition canned beer when you visit this summer.

 Read more

Downtown Retro – Gourmet Stroll Best 8: Sapporo Tanukikoji District

狸小路グルメイメージ

Located in central Sapporo near Odori Park, the “Tanukikoji” district is famously known for its many new fashion buildings. In actuality, it is a location with many retro-style buildings remaining from the Showa period, which makes it the perfect area for this “stroll around town”.
 
On this occasion, we shine a spotlight on the Tanukikoji district ―particularly the West 2nd block to the West 8th block― as we take breaks, eat loads of food, and close it with tasty Yakitori (grilled chicken). We selected the best 8 discoveries that only a local writer could recommend.
Look forward to it!

Read more

Now only! Exclusive to Mukawa! I ventured out to try the must-eat shishamo sushi!

むかわ町ししゃも

Fall, the best season for satisfying your appetite.
Countless food festivals are held around Hokkaido during this time when a variety of food sources are harvested and caught.
Amid this festive season, those in the know flock to Mukawa, forming endless lines in pursuit of Mukawa shishamo.

I ventured out of Sapporo in order to get a taste of the most exquisite shishamo and the sushi made with it, both of which can only be found in Mukawa at the outset of the fishing season.

Summary
1.On Mukawa
2.The shishamo you’ve been eating isn’t actually shishamo!? Shishamo vs. Capelin
3.Open fishing season at last! I went to eat shishamo as the season began!
3-1.The quintessential shishamo sudare that can be found nowhere else
3-2.Shishamo sushi that can only be found here and now
Conclusion

 
 

1.On Mukawa

Bordering the Pacific Ocean on the southern edge of Central Hokkaido is the town of Mukawa with its 8,700 residents.
Formerly written as “鵡川” (Mukawa in kanji), the town was renamed as “むかわ町” (Mukawa in hiragana) after absorbing the town of Hobetsu in 2006.

It is the birthplace of Akira Suzuki, an honorary professor at Hokkaido University, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009.

In recent years the town has garnered much attention due to the widespread fascination for dinosaurs.
Mukawa gained fame as a dinosaur town after a fossilized bone found there was identified as a dinosaur tail.

A diverse array of dinosaur fossils are displayed at Mukawa Hobetsu Museum, where visitors can learn more about the forefront of dinosaur research.
Along with its shishamo, Mukawa is known for the Hobetsu Melon and Mukawa Wagyu.

 
 

2.The shishamo you’ve been eating isn’t actually shishamo!? Shishamo vs. Capelin

Commonly found at supermarkets, “shishamo” may be enjoyed by many as a cheap and delicious fish.
However, the truth is that the “shishamo” you usually eat may not actually be shishamo…

What is usually found at supermarkets is capelin, also known as karafuto shishamo, meaning Sakhalin smelt.

Although shishamo and capelin are similar in appearance and texture, you may be surprised by the substantial difference after tasting real shishamo.
Shishamo is an endemic species that exclusively inhabits the Pacific Coast of Southern Hokkaido.

Shishamo is an incredibly rare fish, which can only be caught in said area.
Over ninety percent of the komochi shishamo (shishamo carrying eggs) that circulate the markets are capelin. What a shock…

むかわ町ししゃも
Shishamo was chosen as Mukawa’s town fish in July of 1995.
The town of Mukawa is undoubtedly the town of shishamo.

 
 

3.Open fishing season at last! I went to eat shishamo as the season began!

 

After shishamo fishing season opened on October first (the fishing season changes each year), I made my way over to Mukawa to indulge in this exquisite fish.

Mukawa is an hour and 20 minutes by car from Sapporo and 40 minutes from New Chitose Airport.
For transportation, JR lines and express buses for Mukawa leave from Sapporo, New Chitose Airport, and Tomakomai.

むかわ町 カネダイ大野商店

This time, I headed to Kanedai Ohno Store.
Established in 1923, the store handles only shishamo and offers a medley of shishamo products.
 
 

3-1.The quintessential shishamo sudare that can be found nowhere else

むかわ町 ししゃもすだれ

An exquisite sight that can only be seen at the peak of shishamo season—that is the shishamo sudare, or half-dried shishamo.

むかわ町 カネダイ大野商店 店内

Half-dried shishamo can be bought and taken home, or cooked right in the shop using hotplates that are ready and available for use.

むかわ町 カネダイ大野商店店内説明

There is an instructional sheet as well as friendly employees to aid customers with the cooking process, so even those without any experience can cook and eat their fill.

むかわ町 カネダイ大野商店 ししゃも

After cooking for some time, a delicious aroma and sizzling disseminates throughout the air.

The fish may come apart if they are flipped too much, so be patient and flip sparingly.
Dig into the finished shishamo.

むかわ町 カネダイ大野商店ししゃも

Topped with fat, the skin is crisp and the meat succulent.

The flavors vary between male and female shishamo. There tend to be strong preferences toward one or the other for each person, so it is advised that you ask the store employees for more details before purchasing.

What it lacks in its inability to carry eggs, the male shishamo makes up for with more fat.
On the other hand, the texture of the female’s eggs is irresistible… The chewy meat is full and rich in flavor.

As made obvious in my writing, my favorite is the female shishamo.

There are varying sizes for both female and male shishamo.

Frying up one fish then going back to purchase an even fattier one is another way of enjoying shishamo.
 
 

3-2.Shishamo sushi that can only be found here and now

むかわ町 ししゃも寿司

The one dish that visitors in Mukawa during the shishamo fishing season must try is the shishamo sushi.

To start, have you ever seen shishamo sushi or sashimi at any sushi restaurant?
There probably are not many who have.

The reason being, raw shishamo spoils quickly, making it unsuitable for distribution, which in turn means it never leaves the vicinity of Mukawa.
Further, it cannot be eaten at just any time in Mukawa; it is only available during the fishing season, which takes place from October to November.

むかわ町 ししゃも寿司

Masses congregate in Mukawa to get their hands on this time and region exclusive shishamo sushi.
Male shishamo are used in shishamo sashimi and sushi. They are light and have a sophisticated sweetness.

The sushi can be enjoyed dipped in soy sauce or topped with sansho (Japanese pepper), both of which brings out the sweetness of the shishamo.

むかわ町 看板イメージ

Along with the shishamo sushi, there is an abundance of other shishamo dishes.

However, products and dishes may sell out depending on how far you are into the fishing season.

If there is a dish that you absolutely want to try, it is highly encouraged that you make your way to Mukawa as early in the season as possible.
 
 

Conclusion

Did you enjoy the Mukawa shishamo?

It may have come as a complete shock that the “shishamo” that you usually have is not true shishamo; however, once you take your first bite of real shishamo, you may never be able to eat the imitation “shishamo” again.
 

Shishamo Specialty Store - Kanedai Ohno Store
Address 2 Chome-42 Miyuki, Mukawa-chō, Yūfutsu-gun, Hokkaidō 054-0042
Opening hours 9:00 – 17:00
Dayoffs Every Sunday from January to April

 
 

How did I not know about this convenient bus? The Higashi-Hokkaido Tour Bus, explained!

Hokkaido is now receiving much attention as one of Asia’s prime tourist destinations. Eastern Hokkaido (or Higashi Hokkaido) in particular is known to be popular among tourists who appreciate nature.

It is, however, an expansive natural region, and most people have a strong impression that it cannot be traveled effectively without a rental car. That is why not all too many people have taken the plunge and made their way to Higashi Hokkaido.

Last year (2016) however, a limited-time tourist bus began making trips starting in Sapporo and looping around Eastern Hokkaido. The name of that bus? The Higashi-Hokkaido Tour Bus! Now receiving attention for its route which runs from Sapporo to Shiretoko (Hokkaido’s easternmost point) over four days, this bus offers plenty of opportunities for sightseeing along the way.
Read more

Tea time in Sapporo! A selection of 5 cafes run by famous sweets shops

Hokkaido sweets shops

When walking around a lot between sights here and there, aren’t there times when you’d like to a break at a nice cafe for a bit? Sapporo in particular is a city with an abundance of cafes. The number of cafes listed on the iTown Pages alone amount to about 700 establishments. Among them are many famous cafes, and the competition between them is fierce. When visiting Sapporo with a limited amount of time on your hands, you may easily be overwhelmed by the number of choices available.

Here we will narrow down this scope to famous sweets shops that sell their creations directly through their cafes. After all, you can hardly go wrong with Hokkaido’s most famous sweets freshly made at their place of origin!

It is with this in mind that I present to you a selection of 5 cafes run by famous Sapporo sweets shops.
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First time sightseeing in Hokkaido? Here are the 10 must-see destinations!

Beautiful Hokkaido

There are many places in this world that may strike one as beautiful simply from looking at pictures taken there. In Japan alone, there are more worthy destinations than visitable in a single lifetime.

Hokkaido is one such wonderful region, which is dotted with spots that leave lasting impressions on the hearts and minds of those that visit them.

It brims with with all the ingredients that can make a vacation in Japan everything you hoped for; such as nature, delicious food, and onsen. However, for someone who has never been to Hokkaido the island has so much to offer that choosing an itinerary can easily become overwhelming and confusing.

If that’s the case, this article is for you! Here I will introduce a selection of 10 popular must-see sightseeing destinations in Hokkaido!
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20 delicious Hokkaido dishes selected by our local correspondents — from famous restaurants to hidden gems!

gastronomic imagery

Hokkaido is renowned throughout Japan for its delicious food. Here we present to you one exquisite dish each from a selection of 20 different establishments across Hokkaido’s gastronomic spectrum, each wholeheartedly vouched for by our local correspondents. Included are both famous restaurants and little known personal favorites.Read more

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