Driving to Abashiri in Winter

[ausi ski bum 1]

What is driving from Rusutsu or Tomamu to Abashiri like in Feb March, how good are the roads and how long would this take, looks an interesting place to visit, maybe there is more to see on the way as well.

[Ezorisu 0]

Roads should be cleared, but if your trip coincides with a blizzard, you might experieince delays while the road crews are plowing. Sapporo to that region is about 6 hours using the expressways as much as possible, so probably add an hour or two to that if you're starting from Rusutsu. Subtract a couple of hours from Tomamu.

[ausi ski bum 1]

So if I want to do a circuit from Furano to Abashiri with a stop over on the way and Abashiri to Tomamu also with a stop over but different route where would you recommend we go, looking for somewhere that may have a ski slope or some other attraction that is well worth stopping for, something most people overlook perhaps.

[Ezorisu 0]

Yeah, it would definitely be a good idea to hit Abashiri when you are up in the Tomamu/Furano area. Offhand, I can't think of any little out-of-the-way slopes out in that area... there's Sahoro a little past Tomamu, and a couple of places back toward Asahikawa from Furano, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with that vast area directly between Furano and Abashiri. Maybe there's something around Kitami? I've been past a couple of slopes off of National Route 240 heading down to Kushiro, but that is probably way off your track.

[ausi ski bum 1]

So if I drive to Abashiri from Furano via Asahikawa and back along the coast via Kushiro to Tomamu is there anything I shound check out and is there a good overnight stop in case the driving is slow from Weather.

[Ezorisu 0]

There's a big wetland nature reserve as you head Southeast from Abashiri along the coast, but there's probably not a whole bunch of wildlife to see during winter. You can continue Eastward and see floe ice on the Northern coast of the Shiretoko peninsula, but that would take a good amount of time drive-wise (you'd probably have to overnight somewhere out that way, probably in Utoro). If you instead turn inland in the Koshimizu area after the wetland, you can get on Highway 391 that will take you to South to Kushiro, maybe stop overnight at Kawayu onsen or head West on Highway 241 to overnight at Akan-ko onsen. There's a reasonably large local ski hill at Akan-ko that I've seen from the onsen village, but I didn't have my board, so I didn't try it out. You'll see a lot of deer in that area - the last time I was going between Kawayu and Kushiro, I counted about 4-dozen before I stopped counting. Kushiro is a mid-sized port town, so a brief stop for some photos and food and you're done - maybe plan on overnighting here if you don't stop at the onsen, or grab an early lunch if you just pass through. There's a "fisherman's wharf"/farmer's market deal toward the ocean from the JR train station (on the first floor, there's a place with good home-made sausages, ham and bacon).

 

Another thing you can do if you overnight at Akan-ko onsen is continue West along Highway 241 to Tokachi/Obihiro then jump on Highway 38 into Furano (Highway 38 is the corridor the buses take, so it'll be kept clear). There is a toll road that you can get on in the Obihiro area that will take you into Tomamu and take some time off the distance, but I don't know what the toll fees are like. Tokachi/Obihiro is a inland farming town, so like Kushiro on the coast, it's a lunch stop but not much more. Barbecued pork donburi (rice bowls) are the town specialty. There's a good brewpub, Tokachi Beer, a couple blocks North of the JR train station. If you take a side trip from the Tokachi/Obihiro city center to the East, you can see migratory birds at the Tokachi-gawa (river) at Tokachi-gawa onsen. That onsen is somewhat unique, as it is one of two "moor" (peat bog) onsen that I know of on Hokkaido (the other being Shiraoi in the Southwest), so that might be worth a visit if you are an onsen fan. The water percolates up thru ancient bogs, so is rich in tannins and organic matter (Tokachi Beer even makes a limited-edition beer with this water!).

[ausi ski bum 1]

Thanks thats excellent information, we are not into Onsens, the whole idea of bathing with a bunch of naked men is a bit to wierd for me ha ha but it does look relaxing so I may overcome my fears one day. I love the wild deer so that sounds grea. Its a bit of a trip but we have 19 days in Hokkaido so it will be well worth it.

 

I have done enough driving in Hokkaido to know I wont cover the distances as fast as we do here, I think nothing of a 350km drive and return in a day.

 

I have booked a Toyota Rav4 with English Speaking GPS and the Map Code system used in Japan makes it much easier to enter destinations.

[thursday 1]

That's what I've booked for next week.

[ausi ski bum 1]

I must do a driving tour of Hokkaido one summer as well

[thursday 1]

it will be many vivid colours.

[ausi ski bum 1]

Ezorisu The limited maps I have don't show Sounkyo very well but I see there is a frozen waterfall and ice area there thats all lit up, is this between Furano and Abashiri

 

 

The ones I have found it on makes me think its do-able and cound be interesting.

 

I have found a few excellent maps, in Japanese

[Ezorisu 0]

Sounkyo gorge is primarily an onsen destination in winter. In Autumn, there are really beautiful views driving through the forest with trees changing colors. It might not be worth your while to linger there all day to see the pretty lights unless you happen to be passing or arriving at nighttime, though I guess there's the Daisetsuzan Kurodake ski area to explore in town. An alternative for pretty lights is the Lake Shikotsu ice festival near Chitose which you can visit when you are still in the Niseko area.

[Go Native 70]

I love Sounkyo and the ice festival there is pretty cool. Some pics last time I was there.

 

 

 

 

 

There are two big frozen waterfalls easily accessible nearby and you can do guided ice climbs up one of them.

 

 

[ausi ski bum 1]

That does look Kewl, must put it on the list.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

pretty colours