Owlicious: 2017 - 18 days Japan - D3.2 Discovering Noboribetsu

6th Oct 2017, Friday

Train to Noboribetsu

The first thing I did when I arrived Noboribetsu station was to get a locker. Just a few minutes later, a huge group rushed in suddenly for the lockers too. There are plenty of them, but I would not managed the upper locker.

not forgetting to snap a picture of my locker

I packed my towel and camera with me. Once outside the station, I saw a long queue already and a bus just arrived. Everyone was excited. I supposed we are all going to the same place, joined in the queue quickly. Hahaha, even if I board a wrong bus, it must bring me to somewhere interesting I am not aware of. It's holiday, no worry, day is young. The bus was packed with almost all tourists, some has got huge lugguages with them too.

We board the bus from the back and was supposed to collect a ticket. I forgotten my ticket and took one quickly after all has boarded. Along the way, there was announcement in Japanese and English when it stopped at almost all the stop.

as we alight from the front door, we insert the ticket into a box and pay our fares, hence no rubbish. very thoughful.

I alighted at the bus terminal. Somehow, there was a group of tourist with a guide waiting for the bus too.( wonder what happen to their coach?)
did some surveying around and the group dispersed quickly , almost instantly. :]

As I walked out of the station, made a turn left and walked all the way straight (just follow the street), about 10 minutes later, will arrived at a huge carpark ( end of street ).

Along the way, I passed by a huge hotel, Noboribetsu grand on my left. After another 5 minutes, I arrived another T-junction. A very obvious one as there are a lot to explore here.
I did a right turn where lots of souvenirs shops and restaurant here.

hints of Autumn

at the T-junction. This happen like every 3 hours. I was lucky to caught it in time and when I returned.
That mean I had walked 3 hours!!
The steam is really strong and loud.

I did a detour and turned right into the street where lots of souvenirs shops and restaurant are situated. There is an Infornation counter too, though not very noticeable. Photos to share, there are more than these though only the owls caught my attention. But you just cannot missed them, they are everywhere.

I turned back and continued my walk . . .lots of tour bus already arrived . .

the big parking

toilet available here ( there is a souvenir shop too)

first sight

Time to explore, there were 2 options, I took the one on the left, stairs up. (left side)

The left route I had chosen earlier were reached here after some stairs......

I crossed over, walk a little, then the route look uncertain. I walked back to this spot and tried my google . It worked!! hence I took a different route from the map to the foot soak.

The google map showed that I turned left walked along the road, then did a right turn. There is a sign, a flights of stairs down. Foot soak is just at the end. In fact, there were people that arrived from a different direction. I supposed that is the way the road map.

The temperature of the water is comfortable, even for kids. I rested about 20 minutes.

I did the same way back. Did a little detour but walked back the same direction I came from.

Once I walked out from the big parking lot, I noticed a bus stop. It seem I had just missed the bus and the next is about an hour. It is also the last bus to the station. I decided to walked back to the bus terminal, I suspect there should be more bus services there. I did passed by another bus stop. Anyway, I caught whichever bus that arrived and go to the Noboribetsu station. All of us at the station heading to the station. I arrived at about 1630 , enough time for my train to Sapporo which I had booked earlier.

If I had waited at the bus stop, I could still be waiting. A little walking saved a lot of waiting time.

wonder what is this place? (in the train)
from Noboribetsu to Sapporo

Arriving Sapporo , I spent some time struggling to navigate my direction. Sapporo is really huge and busy at that hour. My google cannot open at that time. OMG!!! :(( After a few try, I finally approached a group of youngster for direction. They speak very little English but they were really kind to bring me to my stay!! Along the way, one of them were point some building to me. I believed he is trying to tell me to take note. At my stay's entrance, they stopped and pointed to me. I was very touched . I bow " Arigato gozaimasu" many times. Their face were filled with smiles. "Have a nice trip." one of them replied. Japanese are really impressively helpful. The other country I experienced such kind and helpful people was in Taiwan.

I was really hungry and head to the nearest Izakaya restaurant that I had noted on my way earlier. Apparently, I had the best grilled yakitori here in my whole trip. The menu was in total Japanese, I ordered the Sashimi which has a picture, then as the smell of the grilling filled the air, I thought I should order some to try too. Just then, the waitress told me I may need to wait a little longer so I asked to changed to yakitori. Super delicious. especially the starter. I think it's the magic of the sauce, even the starter is so good that I had the impulse to ask for more. I came back on Sunday night and they were closed!!:(((

I must share this place ( I copied from goggle map)

晩酌処かんろ札幌駅北口西店 (click here)

6 Chome-2-21 Kita 6 Jōnishi, Kita-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 060-0806, Japan

www.banshaku.com

ordered this initially

super delicious starter

the waitress recommended this
should be : beef, chicken, black pork, chicken heart, quail egg
¥960

Needed a good rest and prepare for tomorrow's challenge. :))

Cost of train

Hakodate to Onumakoen ¥540

Onumakoen to Noboribetsu ¥3240

Noboribetsu to Sapporo ¥2160

Hakodate 函館駅	Onumakeoen大沼公園駅	Noboribetsu 登別駅	Sapporo さっぽろ駅
0551 0717 JR Hakodate Line for ONUMAKOEN 0818	0732(101 0810(53) 0907(49)
	0924 1034 1118 1244	1125 (121)0 1235(121). 1327(129) 1449	34LTD. EXP SUPER HOKUTO 7 18LTD. EXP SUPER HOKUTO 9 44LTD. EXP SUPER HOKUTO 11
LTD. EXP HOKUTO 13 LTD. EXP SUZURAN 9 LTD. EXP SUPER HOKUTO 15 LTD. EXP SUZURAN 11 LTD. EXP HOKUTO 17		1450 1628 1653 1718 1730 1839 1918 *2228	1604 (74)0 1741. (73) 1811(78) 1932 (124)3 1841(71)0 1955 (76)0 2034 (76)0 2340(72)0