The Cube

Bears were worshipped among the Ainus in the past as the highest God.

Porotokotan (or referred as Kotan) is located in Shiraoi, instead of Noboribetsu. If we are to take the train, we would have to take a bus from Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) to JR Noboribetsu station, take the train and walk to the museum from there. The easier way of travel would be to take a bus from Noboribetsu Onsen to the bus station near Porotokotan. The train ticket from Noboribetsu to Shiraoi costs 350 yen, and bus from Noboribetsu Onsen to JR Noboribetsu train station costs 330 yen, giving total of 680 yen.

Noboribetsu Marine Park along the way

The lady at the hotel told me to get off at Shiraoi Eki Mae (白老駅前) station but I later found out that Poroto Mae (ポロと前) station is actually nearer to the museum. Don't get me wrong, 白老駅前 is actually not that far away, probably 10-15 minutes walk, just that ポロと前 is likely the nearest to the entrance of the musuem.


View from bus onwards to Porotokotan

Bus fare from Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) to both Shiraoi Eki and Poroto Eki were the same, at 690 yen one way, per person. Hmm..so now I know, the convenience cost 10 yen :P


Apparently this is very near the train station but I didn't see it. Must be mata sepet

If you get off the bus from Shiraoi Eki, then walk along the road in the direction of traffic till you reached a crossroad. On your left, you will see a supermarket (picture below), turn left and walk straight on till after crossing the railway track. At another crossroad, turn right. Actually even before you reach the second crossroad, you would have already see Porotokotan :)


Poseo Shiraoi

"Ainu" is originally an Ainu word meaning "human". The Ainu, are indigenous people of Hokkaido with their own culture and language. Porotokotan is an Ainu culture village said to moved and restored at the shores of Lake Poroto in 1965 to form this outdoor museum. Entrance fee to Porotokotan was 750 yen per person.

The statue of the chief is right near the entrance to greet you.  The 16 metres tall statue of Kotan-Korokuru holding an inau (wooden offering to the Gods) in his right hand, the chief prays for safety and happiness of visitors during their travels. (Source: Shiraoi Town website)


Kotankorkur statue (the statue of the chief)

The facilities include five Chise (a thatched house), a museum, a botanical garden and an animal barn. Porotokotan means large lakeside village, with poro (large), to (lake, pond), kotan (town, village).

Map of Porotokotan

It is call Porotokotan, so there have to be a lake nearby right? ;)

Just to show that I didn't simply put up a pic of lake and lie that it is in Shiraoi :P

I don't know, but it looks peaceful doesn't it?

It appears that bear is refer to as 'Kamui' in Ainu, which also translates to God

According to my read, to Ainu, bears are sacred creatures and forms the focus of many Ainu rituals. See the pole? It was actually empty in the middle, one could put in some food (which was on sale) through the pole to feed the bears.

The fore house, the next house, the big house, the back house and the small house (from front to back)

There were eight schedule performances every hour starting from 9.15 am. Last performance at 4.15 pm. The performance was the traditional Ainu folk dances with commentaries on kotan said to take about 20-30 minutes. The dances were performed inside a cise- a thatched house. From memory, it was inside The fore house.

Somehow, it feels like the performance were longer than 20-30 minutes. Maybe the dance takes 20-30 minutes but inclusion of commentaries make it much longer. I remember the dance only started sometime at 3.40 pm and I ended up skipping the performance :(

Reason being, I wanted to take the 3.57 pm bus back from Poroto station as the one after was at 6.12 pm. Closing hour for Porotokotan was at 5 pm, which means we would need to wander around another hour or so if we do take the 6.12 pm bus.

There are only 5 buses that travel between Noboribetsu Onsen station to Poroto station. I only have the schedule from Noboribetsu Onsen to Shiraoi station. It is about 1-2 minutes bus ride from Shiraoi station to Poroto station.

From Noboribetsu Onsen to Shiraoi station:
0700 - 0741; 0850 - 0935; 1150 - 1235; 1351 - 1436; 1520 - 1605

From Poroto station to Noboribetsu Onsen station:
0735 - 0831; 1017 - 1113; 1240 - 1336; 1557 - 1653; 1812 - 1908

It was rather disappointing having to miss the performance, after all I have travelled so far to visit the place :( However kudos to the staff there who printed out the bus schedule and drew a map on how to get to Poroto station to get back to Noboribetsu Onsen bus station. After all, we got off the bus at Shiraoi Station instead of Poroto Station. The staff gave me some stickers ( シール) as consolation.

One each for my nieces :)

Anyway, to get back to Noboribetsu Onsen, walk back out to the main road. The Poroto station is just at the crossroad, opposite the supermarket (the earlier supermarket picture above).

Donan bus - Shiraoi Kotan Mae

Side note: Summer is definitely coming soon, there were 2 flies buzzing around :/

The building at the side gave it all away...

Less than 2 years ago, I went to a Jigokudani, in Honshu. That, was Jigokudani Yaenkoen, a wild monkey park in Hell Valley, located in Nagano. It was quite a sight seeing the wild monkeys enjoying their onsen bath, disregarding the cameras which were clicking away. A month ago, I was back to Jigokudani, this one in Noboribetsu.

Paying respect to Demon Shrine (The Praying Demon Statue) before getting to Jigokudani

Noboribetsu Jigokudani is the remains of volcanic crater created by Mount Hiyori's eruption. It covers an area of 11 hectar. There are many hot spring vents and sulfurous streams spreading across the gorge, giving the impression of "hell valley". This Jigokudani is the main source of Noboribetsu's hot spring waters.

I found an interesting read here on how the name Noboribetsu come about. It is said that the word came from an Ainu word "Nupurupetsu" meaning "The white, muddy river" or " The thick colored river". Moreover, the name of the river that flows next to the onsen street comes from the Ainu word "Kusurisampetsu", meaning: "Medicated hot water that flows to the ocean". "Kusuri" is "hot spring2 in Ainu. The Ainu people also seem to have found the hot spring useful as a health treatment since ancient times.

From the Noboribetsu Tourism Association Official Site, it is said that there are 9 different kinds of hot spring waters in Noboribetsu Onsen. Different onsen water can cure different disease and injury. Unfortunately the hotel I stayed didn't have that many types of onsen :(
The female onsen is call 星の湯 Hoshi no Yu (Star's Hot Spring) - indoor and outdoor. However, the initial hotel which we checked out, seems to have at least 7 different hot springs. There is even beauty hot spring to make your skin smooth. I need to go back to Japan for somemore onsen!

Anyway, I digress. Back to the impressive Jigokudani. I was there just as the sun was setting. I love the striking orange colour on the mountains with some fumes around the area.

Maybe I should photoshop it to even more dramatic colours :P

The sun set too fast. Many of my remaining photos was taken after the sun set.

If you walk on, you will see a well-up water hole at the end

From May 1st to November 30th (I'm not sure if it is the same for every year), Jigokudani (Hell Valley) Observatory and footpaths are lit up at night.

The lights started to lit up but it was not dark yet.

Of course I went back after dark, to see Jigokudani at night :)

There were way too many people hogging this sign during daytime

So.. what say you? Does this this Hell Valley eerie?

I forgot my tripod :(

What's more to do after this? Onsen time! :)


Side note: 2 more days to payday...

Fukurou 梟 to welcome you to enter a souvenir shop

If you are doing self-drive, you could dropby Lake Kuttara. It is nicely on the way to Noboribetsu. Oh well, as per my previous post, we took the Donan public bus, so we had to dropped Lake Kuttara and proceed straight to the onsen town.

There isn't much activities around town. There's isn't a need anyway, as all you should do is rest, relax and optimise your time in the onsen. But fear not souvenir hunters, there is a shopping street with plenty of souvenirs shops dotting the street.


In between shopping, try to have a look out for some of the demon landmarks. However I think it is fairly unlikely to miss them. :P



Yukake Demon

This is a small shrine featuring a demon statue to pray for good health and the curing of all illness through power of hot spring water. (source: Noboribetsu Tourism Association Official Site)



For Success in Exams



For Success in Love



For Business Prosperity

There were also scheduled karakuri (mechanism/automation) shows at Enmado (Judge of Afterlife). In summer - 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm and 9 pm. Same time in winter but last show at 8 pm. It is not a long show, so I think a good it's worth to coincide your walk with one of the show time. :)



If you have time, you can check out the Oyunuma Foot Bath which is not too far off. I was told it probably takes 30 minutes to walk there from the bus station.


Side note: I should learn how to make a mean yummy nasi lemak to curb all the cravings



Welcome to Noboribetsu Onsen

Getting to Noboribetsu city from New Chitose Airport is fairly simple. As we did not have any bus timetable before hand (as this was initially a self-drive travel), we headed over to the travel information counter to check the bus time. Bus to Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) is operated by Donan Bus. The link here showed that there's a direct bus at 12pm. However, there are buses to Noboribetsu Onsen at other times, but needs a transfer. The one we took was at 11.05am from bus stop no 2, with a transfer stop at Noboribetsu Higashi Inta Mae (登別東インター前停留所), loosely translate as "In front of Noboribetsu East Interchange". In fact, the transfer stop area was exactly where the above statue was located.

1,330 yen per person

One could get the tickets prior at Donan Bus counter in New Chitose Airport Terminal, or you could pay when you get off the bus. I bought the tickets at the counter, and we were given 2 separate tickets, one for getting to Noboribetsu Higashi Interchange, while another was from there to Noboribetsu Onsen itself. Ticket per person is 1,330 yen, regardless if it is direct bus or transfer.

We stayed in Noboribetsu Maiseikaku, located directly opposite the Noboribetsu Onsen bus station. We reached at about 12ish (I think was 12.38pm?). Even though it was not check in time yet, but we proceeded to drop our bags before strolling around. The lady at reception was superbly helpful and patient, talking to me in Japanese at all times. I'm appreciative for practising my primary school (I hope it is at least that level) level Japanese Language. Not only she explained on the facilities of the hotels, also recommended places to visit around Noboribetsu Onsen and answered my heaps of questions.

Here's a scanned used (sorry!) map of Noboribetsu Onsen area.

It's pretty much one street...

15 minutes walk from hotel (or I say can say bus station) to Jigokudani :)

I was wondering on how to get to the Oyunuma Ashiyu (foot bath), so I thought the map would be helpful... though I didn't manage to squeeze that in the itinerary.

Left side of the Guide Map...

Right side of the map

 Back to the hotel. Noboribetsu Manseikaku is of course an onsen hotel, given its location in this hot spring area. It's facilities included both indoor and outdoor onsen. The outdoor onsen area is complete with rocks and all. If you watch Detective Conan often enough, it is just like that! It was a bliss soaking in a rotenburo (露天風呂), looking up at the stars.

Edit: Found a picture at Noboribetsu Manseikaku's website, just to show how awesome the outdoor hot spring is!




Breakfast and dinner was served at their restaurant, both buffet style. We were given a range of time to choose to have our dinner, I take it that it was to avoid having too big a crowd and.. oh yummylicious food :)


Side note: Where has the time gone to?

We didn't do much on the night we arrived in Japan. We flew with Air Asia, with schedule arrival time at 2300. One of our concerns was missing the last train if we are to stay in Tokyo. In addition of needing to travel back to Haneda Airport for our domestic flights.

After looking up some options, factoring in distance and cost (of course, otherwise could have stay in Haneda Excel Hotel Tokyu which is located in Terminal 2), we booked our accommodation for the night at Toyoko Inn Tokyo Haneda Kuko No.1. There's also a Toyoko Inn Tokyo Haneda Kuko No.2 but we picked the former as sis favoured the complimentary Japanese breakfast :P

Both Toyoko Inn Haneda offer complimentary airport shuttle, which is a great thing. Upon checked in, you will be given the airport shuttle timetable which started at quite an early time. From memory, about 4ish? I can't seem to find the timetime in my pile of papers. Sorry :(

We were also given a choice to pick a small gift - hair care set, face care set and I think skin care set. I picked the hair care set, simply because I thought I might need the hair clip. Anyway I ended up didn't use it.

Just in case you imagine it in a big box set

Anyway, here's one obligatory picture of the room. I won't bore you with pictures of every corner. It's not big but fully equiped and comfy.

There is enough space below the bed to store luggage

I like this little panel thingy at the lift, very thoughtful.

"Please touch this point first to prevent static electricity"

Oh.. and the breakkie was yummy too. Mom had second helping to the rice!

That was half boiled egg!

Side note: Hungry and peckish :( Maybe I should just go to bed. :P

Air Asia flight from KL to Haneda

Back to Japan, but not to Honshu this round, instead up north to Hokkaido. The initial plan was to self drive (not me driving) in Hokkaido but due to unexpected circumstances, it was back to taking public transport in Hokkaido. The itinerary were largely still the same as planned but with different mode of transportation.

Due to the late arrival to Haneda via Air Asia, we decided to overnight at a nearby hotel to Haneda Airport, and took a domestic flight to Sapporo early next morning. As the earlier plan was to self drive, some 'homework' was done in regards to that. I'll share some of the mapcode found here, so that was not put to waste.

The plan was to fly in to Japan from Malaysia, return flight via Air Asia. Domestic flight from Haneda to Sapporo and fly out of Hokkaido from Asahikawa. We booked Skymark for the leg from Haneda to Sapporo and Air Do from Asahikawa to Haneda. This was to avoid backtracking to Sapporo, as well as avoiding travelling back and forth between Narita and Haneda. Air Do does not have a English reservation website, however one can make booking for flights over the phone.

I admit, this was a very short trip to Hokkaido, barely scratching the surface. We only covered some places in Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, Sapporo, Otaru, Biei, Nakafurano, Asahidake and Asahikawa.

Sapporo
Jyogai Market (9 548 149)
Odori Park (9 492 819)
Clock Tower (9 522 205)
TV Tower (9 523 036)
Ramen Republic (9 522 744)
Sapporo Beer Museum (9 554 290)
Mt Okura Night View (9 455 759)
Historic Village of Hokkaido (開拓の村), Kaitaku no Mura (9 479 536)
White Chocolate Factory (9 603 300)

Otaru
Otaru Canal 小樽運河 (493 690 796)
Kitaichi Glass (493 661 699)
Orgel Music Box (493 661 460)
Moiwa night view (9 340 882)

Noboribetsu
Shiraoi Ainu Village (545 194 762)
Lake Kuttara (603 260 892)
Noboribetsu Jigokudani (603 288 367)
Noboribetsu Date Village (603 169 318)

Lake Toya
Mount Showashinzan (321 433 611)
Lake Toya (321 518 499)

Biei/Furano/Asahikawa area
Hokusei no oka view park 北西之丘展望公園 (389 070 315)
Ken & Mary tree Ken & Mary 樹 (389 071 727)
Parents & child tree 親子樹 (389 128 063)
Philosophy tree 哲學樹 (349 676 661)
Seven star tree 七星樹 (389 157 155)
Christmas tree 聖誕樹 (349 788 146)
Puffy tree 双子樹 (349 815 005)
Mild seven hill mild seven 之丘 (389 036 599)
Furano Jam Garden (550 803 272)
Shikisai Hill (349 701 215)
Trick Art Museum (554357 066 *55)
Farm Tomita 富田農場 (349 276 829)
Rokugo no Mori (550 830 263)
Ninguru Terrace (349 197 480)
Asahidake Rope Way 旭岳口 (796 861 037)
The codes were obtained from a few sources, unfortunately I can't confirm which GPS it works with as we didn't end up utilizing them.

Source:
Puchitabi
Tertis_puppy in backpackers.com.tw
A tour agent company in Tokyo.


Side note: Ramen would be great in this cold evening.. yumm..

Fruits from Little P

When I first came to Australia and brought fruits to visit people, I was told that people only bring fruits to visit sick people in hospital. Umm.. that was one of the first few things I was told. So it was rather funny when Little P came visiting with a bag of fruits, every time.

Don't get me wrong. I love them, they were all home grown, as organic as can be. Hehe, so I was one the lucky beneficiary of Little P's uncle's fruit trees. Though the persimmon there didnt quite like the fact that I didn't keep it together with an apple and banana. It was still quite sappy when I bite into it, even after I left it on the kitchen bench for close to 5 weeks. I was rather worry one day when I came back, it would get thrown away. LOL.

Oh.. if the picture isn't clear enough, it was a mandarin, persimmon and lemon (from left)


Side note: I wish the weekend is longer :(