[Road Less Traveled] Hokkaido: Everything All White in Kushiro

"Window View"

In just moment we will be landed in a small town in southeast of Hokkaido island, Kushiro. I couldn't wait to land soon after I saw a sublime panorama of the snow mountain range through the plane window. There was nothing in sight around Kushiro Airport that afternoon, except for those bald trees and white snowfields. But by just looking at the scenery alone we suddenly got fired up. Yes, because this would be our first encounter to see and to touch the snow.

The reporters greeted by local guide and the other staffs after we arrived. This time, we rode on a travel bus to get to some interesting places in Hokkaido. And today's main destination is Akan Lake which is famous for the local tribes village, the Ainu people. However, of course we didn't get into the car immediately, because we were too busy to take some pictures with those pile of snows in front of airport main entrance. Cold weather didn't seem take so much effect on our energy.

Sesaat lagi kami akan mendarat di sebuah kota kecil di tenggara pulau Hokkaido, yaitu Kushiro. Tak sabar rasanya untuk segera mendarat setelah saya melihat pemandangan sangat indah rangkaian pegunungan salju lewat jendela pesawat. Pemandangan di sekitar bandara Kushiro siang itu memang tidak ada apa-apa selain pepohonan yang rontok dan hamparan salju putih. Namun dengan melihat pemandangan itu saja kami tiba-tiba langsung bersemangat. Ya, karena ini bakal jadi pengalaman pertama kami untuk melihat dan memegang salju.

Para reporter langsung disambut oleh local guide dan staff lainnya begitu tiba. Perjalanan kami kali ini menggunakan travel bus untuk mencapai beberapa wisata menarik di Hokkaido. Dan tujuan utama hari ini adalah daerah wisata Danau Akan yang terkenal dengan pedesaan suku lokalnya, yaitu suku Ainu. Namun, tentu saja kami nggak langsung segera masuk ke mobil. Kami malah berfoto-foto ria sama tumpukan salju di depan pintu masuk bandara. Udara dingin nampaknya tidak terlalu mempengaruhi semangat kami.

Kushiro Airport Main Entrance

"First Encounter With the Snow"

Actually this is the first time I heard this town, because Kushiro city itself is not a major tourist destination in Hokkaido. Don't imagine this area as like Tokyo or Osaka with many high rise buildings and gleaming city lights. As an island in northern Japan, Hokkaido does has a lot of stunning natural panoramas. This island also blessed with abundant agricultural resources. No wonder if it became the nation's largest agricultural producing region. 

In this Kushiro suburb itself was still packed with farmland and forest. But for this time, all we could see only white, white, and white. There are only 2 to 5 houses in one block/area. And distance between one to another residentials are separated by more than 2 kilometers of vast field. For me personally, it was very interesting experience to see the rural region from a modern known country.

Besides local tourists, it seems not so much foreigners had visited Kushiro outskirt. In Indonesia seems also no tour package to here. Most likely we are one of the few Indonesians who ever visited here. Maybe...

Sebenarnya ini adalah pertama kalinya saya mendengar nama kota ini, karena memang kota Kushiro bukanlah tujuan wisata utama di Hokkaido. Jangan membayangkan daerah ini seperti Tokyo atau Osaka dengan gedung-gedung menjulang tinggi dan gemerlap lampu-lampu kota. Sebagai pulau di bagian utara Jepang, Hokkaido memiliki banyak sekali keindahan alam yang sangat memukau. Pulau ini juga diberkahi dengan kekayaan alam pertanian yang melimpah. Tidak heran jika Hokkaido dikenal sebagai produsen hasil pertanian terbesar seantero negeri.

Di daerah pinggiran Kushiro ini pun masih dipadati oleh lahan pertanian dan pepohonan. Tapi untuk saat ini yang kami lihat hanyalah putih, putih, dan putih. Dalam satu kawasan cuma terdapat 2 hingga 5 rumah saja. Dan jarak antara satu kawasan perumahan dengan yang lainnya terpisahkan oleh lahan dengan luas 2 kilometer lebih. Bagi saya pribadi, pengalaman ini sangat menarik sekali karena dapat melihat daerah pinggiran dari sebuah negara yang terkenal modern.

Selain turis lokal, nampakya belum begitu banyak turis-turis mancanegara berkunjung ke daerah Kushiro. Di Indonesia sendiri, sepertinya juga belum ada paket tur yang ke sini. Bisa saja kami adalah salah satu dari sedikit orang Indo yang pernah ke sini. Mungkin...

Our local guide, Yoshie-san

This scenery became familiar to us

http://www.polaris-hokkaido.com/enjoy/prospect/enjoy-prospect_e.html

This countryside doesn't mean for an undeveloped area. Various kinds of facilities available here, such as: mall; restaurant; cafe; Uniqlo; bowling arcade; game center; even luxury hotel can be approachable easily in this town. We got chance to visit a local mall to have lunch and buy winter equipments. Cozy atmosphere around the mall made me comfortable here.

Unlike Jakarta or any other big cities with their outrageous and glamorous malls. Its interior is wide enough, but neatly organized so it looks very roomy. Many visitors on that day, but not too crowded. The products they sell in the store are very complete. For example, there's only 1 shoes store in there, but it has very-very complete shoes collection. So there are no such kinds of Pl**et Sports, Cl*rks, Char**s & K**th, W*kai, or any others in one building. Just a simply one to represent all. Cool! 

There're no shouts, "Please, take a look, sis.. Look at our shirts, bro!" in here. What we saw was kawaii onee-san (cute sisters :p) who always smiled and greeted us with highly spirited tone, "Irrashaimase!..." when we passed in front of their stores. Only this time I really enjoyed taking a walk in a mall.

Daerah pinggiran bukan berarti daerah tertinggal. Berbagai macam fasilitas telah tersedia di sini, seperti: mall; restoran; cafe; Uniqlo; bowling arcade; game center; bahkan hotel mewah dapat dijangkau dengan mudah di kota ini. Kami sempat mengunjungi mall lokal untuk makan siang dan membeli perlengkapan musim dingin. Suasana yang nyaman membuat saya cukup betah di sini.

Tidak seperti mall di Jakarta atau kota-kota besar lainnya yang luasnya keterlaluan dan bergaya mewah. Mall ini memiliki interior yang cukup luas, namun sangat rapi sehingga terlihat sangat lapang. Banyak pengunjung pada siang itu, namun tidak terlalu ramai. Barang-barang di tokonya pun sangat lengkap. Contohnya, cuma ada 1 toko sepatu di sana, namun koleksi sepatunya sangat-sangat lengkap. Jadi nggak ada, tuh yang namanya toko sepatu macam Pl**et Sports, Cl*rks, Char**s & K**th, dan W*kai dalam satu gedung. Cukup satu toko sepatu saja untuk mewakili semuanya. Cool!

Nggak ada yang teriak, "Boleh, ci..Boleh, ngkoh..bajunya!" di mall ini. Yang kami lihat hanyalah kawaii onee-san (cici-cici lucu :p) yang selalu tersenyum sambil berkata dengan nada semangat, "Irrashaimase!..." ketika kami melewati depan tokonya. Baru kali ini saya benar-benar menikmati jalan-jalan di mall.

Combo Lunch! Buta Donburi Rice & Udon Noodles

These equipments help you to prevent ice slipping

Cozy & Roomy Mall

They just freaking amazed after touching snow for first time 

(©Victor Ngamino)

Reporters also visited natural attraction around Kushiro, one of them is Akan National Park. This park was established in 1934. Along with Daisetsu-zan National Park, these are the two oldest national parks in Hokkaido. There's a volcanic lake at there known as the clearest lake in the world, it's Lake Mashu. Unfortunately, when we arrived there the lake was covered in very thick fog. Our visibility was just about 3-5 meters so we didn't able to see the lake surface and everything around the lake. The rest was only white fog. As a result, we could only took pictures with the name board...

Actually, there's an interesting story behind the misty Lake Mashu. Myth said, "Mashu Lake is always covered in fog, and only sunny once in a 'blue moon'." Because of that, some of locals believed if anyone who comes and sees the lake when it's sunny and without fog will not be able to marry until later in life. Break up with a loved one if with that person at the time, or even be unable to advance the career. Gladly, it was foggy at that time.

Beyond the myth, it was unlucky for us who already came from far and not be able to see that clear lake. *sigh*

Reporter juga mengunjungi wisata alam di sekitar Kushiro, salah satunya adalah Akan National Park. Taman nasional ini sudah berdiri sejak tahun 1934. Bersamaan dengan Daisetsu-zan National Park, keduanya merupakan taman nasional yang paling tua di Hokkaido. Di sana terdapat sebuah danau vulkanik yang dikenal sebagai danau paling jernih di dunia, yaitu Danau Mashu. Namun sayang sekali, ketika kami tiba di sana danau ini sedang diselimuti kabut yang sangat tebal. Jarak pandang hanya sekitar 3-5 meter sehingga kami sama sekali nggak bisa melihat permukaan danau dan sekitarnya. Selebihnya, ya cuma kabut putih aja. Alhasil, kami hanya bisa berfoto-foto dengan papan namanya, doang..

Sebenarnya ada cerita menarik dibalik Danau Mashu yang berkabut. Ada mitos mengatakan, "Danau Mashu memang selalu berkabut, dan akan kembali terlihat jelas hanya pada saat 'bulan biru'." Karena itu, beberapa warga lokal percaya jika siapapun yang datang dan melihat danau ini dalam keadaan cerah tanpa kabut, maka orang itu tidak dapat menikah hingga kemudian hari. Putus cinta dengan seseorang yang dikasihinya jika di sana berduaan pada saat itu juga, atau bahkan karirnya mandek. Untung saja pada saat itu sedang berkabut. 

Namun di luar dari mitos tersebut, sangat disayangkan sekali kami yang udah jauh-jauh datang tapi nggak bisa melihat danau jernih itu.

It was foggy. We couldn't see the lake

We hoped to see the scenery like these (©Debbzie)

http://www.debbzie.com/2013/02/hokkaido-akan-national-park.html

Another interesting place to visit is Lake Akan. It took quite a long time to get to this lake from Kushiro airport. It wasn't because very long distance, but our car wasn't in full speed. We had to be careful with slippery road due to snow, and the Japanese people are always used to obey the rules of speed limit. Until we finally arrived at our hotel in the evening. The cool thing is, this hotel located right next to the frozen Lake Akan.

Lake Akan is also famous for the Marimo, it's a ball-shaped green moss (algae) species that inhabit in lake floor, and it can grow into the size of foot ball. This growth form of the algae is known from only two lakes in the world today; Lake Myvatn in Iceland and Lake Akan in Japan. However, only in Lake Akan do Marimo reach a perfectly round and formidable size and shape. The unique and cute Marimo also becomes souvenirs for tourists which can be bought in stores around the hotels. 

Destinasi lainnya yang menarik untuk dikunjungi adalah Danau Akan. Butuh waktu cukup lama untuk mencapai danau ini dari bandara Kushiro. Bukan karena jaraknya yang sangat jauh, namun karena mobil kami nggak ngebut kencang. Kami harus berhati-hati dengan jalanan yang licin karena salju, dan orang Jepang memang terbiasa untuk selalu menaati peraturan tentang batas kecepatan. Hingga akhirnya kami pun tiba di hotel tempat kami menginap pada petang hari. Kerennya, hotel ini ternyata terletak persis di sebelah Danau Akan yang membeku.

Danau Akan ini juga terkenal dengan adanya Marimo, yaitu spesies lumut hijau (alga) berbentuk bola yang menghuni di dasar danaunya, dan Marimo dapat bertumbuh hingga seukuran bola sepak. Alga dengan pertumbuhan seperti ini dikenal hanya ada di dua danau di dunia; Danau Myvatn di Islandia dan Danau Akan di Jepang. Namun, hanya di Danau Akan Marimo dapat tumbuh dalam bentuk yang besar dan bulat sempurna. Bentuk Marimo yang unik dan lucu pun menjadi souvenir untuk para turis yang dapat dibeli di toko-toko sekitar hotel.

http://www.trilithon.com/pages.japan/hokkaido.marimo.html

http://depthdreamie.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-marimo-moss-ball.html

http://sturgie.deviantart.com/art/Marimo-in-a-bowl-401182867

mossball.com

Our little gift from Nanamori-san

Lake Akan tourist attraction covers a vast territory. There are so many recreation activities that can be offered here. Since it was winter season, the activities become even more diverse. However, one thing caught my attention most is the local village, Ainu Kotan (Ainu Village). Actually not really a village, but a touristy rural complex with full of souvenirs shops and Ainu traditional houses. At here you can also witness the traditional dance of the indigenous in Akanko Ainu Theatre "Ikor".

Lokasi wisata Danau Akan mencakup wilayah yang sangat luas. Ada banyak sekali aktivitas rekreasi yang dapat ditawarkan di sini. Karena pada saat itu sedang musim dingin, maka aktivitasnya pun semakin beragam. Namun yang paling menarik perhatian saya adalah adanya pedesaan suku lokal, Ainu Kotan (Ainu Village). Sebenarnya bukan benar-benar sebuah desa, tapi suatu komplek pedesaan bergaya turis yang dipenuhi toko-toko souvenir dan rumah-rumah adat Ainu. Di sini kalian juga bisa melihat tarian tradisional dari suku asli di Akanko Ainu Theatre "Ikor".

Lake Akan Map

Ainu Kotan (©YOICHI TSUKIOKA/SEBUN PHOTO)

amanaimages.com

Akanko Ainu Theatre "Ikor"

commons.wikimedia.org 

However, since it was already night, so we were not able to visit Ainu Kotan. Instead we tried to stroll around hotel. About 1,5 km from our hotel there's a shopping area that sells unique local souvenirs along Kounnosato Shopping Street. All souvenirs here are handicraft by local artisans with leather and wood as basic material. There are various kinds of items, such as keychains; clothing accessories; wallets; decorative figurines; and other unique items designed creatively.

We really do love this area because this was our first experience to walk in the snow at night, and could witness in firsthand the local artisans who dedicated their lives to their works.

Namun berhubung waktu itu sudah malam hari, jadi kami nggak bisa ke Ainu Kotan. Sebagai gantinya kami mencoba untuk berjalan-jalan di sekitar hotel. Kira-kira 1,5 km dari hotel kami terdapat area perbelanjaan yang menjual suvenir-suvenir unik khas lokal di sepanjang Kounnosato Shopping Street. Semua suvenir di sini adalah karya seni buatan tangan pengrajin lokal dengan bahan dasar kulit dan kayu. Ada bermacam-macam barang, mulai dari gantungan kunci; aksesoris pakaian; dompet; pajangan; mainan; dan benda-benda unik lainnya yang didesain secara kreatif.

Kami sangat menyukai area ini karena inilah pengalaman pertama kami berjalan di tengah salju saat malam hari, dan dapat menyaksikan secara langsung para pengrajin lokal yang mendedikasikan hidupnya pada karya-karya mereka.

"Night Walk at Kounnosato Shopping Street"

"Handmade Souvenirs by Local Artisans"

"Demonstrating Figurines" (©Victor Ngamino)

Frozen Lake Akan view from hotel window

(Akan No Mori Tsuruga Resort Hanayuuka) 

Another stories in Japan:
- Mission From Japan: WakuWaku Reporter 2015 (Hokkaido)
- Hokkaido: Asahiyama Zoo, The Northernmost & The Most Innovative Zoo in Japan
- Hokkaido: See How Japan Introduces Its Freezing World
- Hokkaido: The Famous Small Station of the North
- Hokkaido: Cruising the Sea of Okhotsk on the Icebreaker Ship
- [Road Less Traveled] Hokkaido: Soup of Freedom and the Prison Break of Japan 
- [Road Less Traveled] Hokkaido: Cute Little Monster and Drift Ice from Abashiri
- [Road Less Traveled]: Hokkaido Everything All White in Kushiro
- [VIDEO] Hokkaido Trip: Let's Report Japan!!
 
Photos of Hokkaido:
Hokkaido album on my Flickr 

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Good! Hokkaido!

Hokkaido well-known for its vast farmland and stunning nature landscape. An island which is not only famous for skiing, but it has many special attractions that can be enjoyed in every seasons. I believe... everybody will be enchanted by Hokkaido's charm after recognize how amazing this island is.

This website introduces natures, hot springs, foods particularly to have a foreigner and people lived in outside of Hokkaido recognize that Hokkaido has surprise and splendor in the concept of "Nature, Onsen and Tasty" Why did I intend to do something like that? If you are interested, please do have a look.

Good! Hokkaido! Homepage

"It's not just about the destination, but the journey"

(January 2015)