After a four-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, and passing through the Seikan Tunnel, the first town you encounter upon arriving in Hokkaido is Shiriuchi-cho.

Chinai, located about 15 minutes by car from JR Kikonai Station, the southernmost Shinkansen station in Hokkaido, is a town rich in nature, overlooking the Tsugaru Strait to the east and surrounded by mountains on three sides. Chinai's specialties are oysters and chives.

To spread the word about its deliciousness, "Kakigoya Chinai Banya" opened in January 2016. You can enjoy a variety of dishes made with plump oysters grown in the Tsugaru Strait and chives that are the best in Hokkaido in terms of both taste and quality.

We will also introduce the "Shinkansen Observation Tower," which was newly built in November 2016 in conjunction with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. One year has passed since the Shinkansen opened, and we will bring you the latest information on popular spots in Shiriuchi Town, which is becoming more and more vibrant.

<Table of Contents>
1. What kind of place is Shiriuchi Town?
2. Let's go to "Kakigoya Shiriuchi Ban'ya"
3. Let's try Shiriuchi's local specialties: oysters and chives!
4. Let's take a look at the Shinkansen from the Shinkansen observation tower.
5. If you're lucky, you might even see a freight train passing by.
Summary

Located about an hour's drive from Hakodate City, Shiriuchi Town serves as the gateway from Honshu to Hokkaido. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, it is a town in southern Hokkaido blessed with abundant nature, overlooking the Tsugaru Strait to the east.

The local specialties are oysters and chives. The Chinai oysters, cultivated in the rough waters of the Tsugaru Strait, are large, firm, and have a rich flavor. The chives, known under the brand name "Kita no Hana," are also highly regarded for their thick yet tender texture and strong sweetness, and the region boasts the highest production volume in all of Hokkaido.

"Kakigoya Chinai Banya" is a restaurant where you can easily enjoy local specialties from Chinai. It opened on January 10, 2016, to coincide with the opening of the Hokkaido Shinkansen, with the aim of revitalizing the region and attracting tourists.

It's located about a 15-minute drive from the nearest station, JR Kikonai Station, and is easily recognizable by its lodge-style exterior that makes extensive use of wood.

Upon entering, you'll first see a spacious local products corner. Here, local specialties from Shiriuchi Town, including chives, are neatly displayed and available for purchase while you wait.

Among the products is a "leek cookie" made with locally grown leeks. These cookies, which are baked with leeks kneaded into the dough, are said to be a popular specialty cookie with a subtle leek aroma and flavor that is said to be addictive.

Now, after passing the local products section, we finally enter the "Kakigoya Chinai Ban'ya" (oyster hut). The interior, lined with tables made from southern Hokkaido cedar, is decorated with large fishing flags and has a bright atmosphere. The grills built into the tables get us excited.

They carefully store jackets and bags in a closet with a door to prevent them from absorbing the smell of smoke, which shows thoughtful attention to detail.

Their signature dish is "Gangan-yaki of live shellfish." Gangan-yaki is a bold cooking method where shellfish are steamed in a can. They grill fresh shellfish, including the local specialty oysters, that arrives that day, in the kitchen and bring it straight to your table.

Freshly grilled oysters are plump and incredibly sweet. They're delicious even without using soy sauce or other condiments.

In addition, there's a wide variety of side dishes, including limited-quantity oyster rice, oyster and chive shabu-shabu, and oyster and chive pasta. You can enjoy the deliciousness of oysters and chives in a variety of dishes.

Now, after enjoying the local cuisine of Chinai, let's head to the town's newest tourist spot: the Shinkansen Observation Tower, which opened on November 21, 2016.

The Shinkansen arrived in Hokkaido in 2016, but the section from the Seikan Tunnel to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station is mostly through mountainous terrain with many tunnels, so even if you live in southern Hokkaido, there aren't many places where you can actually see the Shinkansen running.

Amidst all this, the Shinkansen Observation Tower was built adjacent to the "Shiriuchi Roadside Station." From the observation floor, which is about 14 meters high, you can look down on the overhead wires on which the Shinkansen runs, making it an excellent viewpoint.

We immediately took the elevator to the observation deck. To the left is the direction of Shin-Aomori, and you can see the entrance to the Seikan Tunnel in the distance. To the right is the direction of Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, and after watching for a while, we saw a Shinkansen bound for Tokyo approaching.

As the Shinkansen sped past, a red train came into view from the direction of Shin-Aomori. It was a freight train heading towards Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, passing the Shinkansen.

In fact, this railway line uses a rare system where both Shinkansen bullet trains and freight trains use the same rails. It is called a "three-rail track," and it operates with one rail for the left wheel, and two rails for the right wheel: a freight line rail on the inside and a Shinkansen rail on the outside, for a total of three rails.

The Shinkansen makes 10 round trips a day, but you can only see the Shinkansen and a freight train passing each other on 4 of those occasions. Shiriuchi Town has created a list of estimated passing times, so if you'd like to see this rare sight, be sure to check it before you go.

We've introduced some recommended tourist spots in Shiriuchi Town, the gateway to the Hokkaido Shinkansen. There's "Kakigoya Shiriuchi Ban'ya," where you can enjoy delicious Shiriuchi oysters and brand-name chives, and the "Shinkansen Observation Tower," where you can witness the rare sight of a Shinkansen and freight train passing each other. Both are must-visit, cutting-edge spots.

If you're coming to Hokkaido by Shinkansen, or even if you're coming to southern Hokkaido by plane, please be sure to stop by Shiriuchi Town!

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