This is a self-drive trip from Hakodate to Lake Toya and Onuma Park. Just after some fun in Hakodate, I've decided to make a visit to a few other place that's just around it. You'll not need to rent a car to visit this places, however for the sake of convenience and to visit some secluded areas, renting a car might be a good solution.
Do take note: International Driving Permit is required to rent a car/drive in Japan.
I've rented a car from Toyota Rent A Car from Hakodate Airport. You'll be able to locate counters from various car rental companies that is just outside the arrival hall. From there, with your bookings/reservations they'll lead you to a shuttle bus whereby the friendly staffs will bring you over to their office (5 mins away) for some administrative works and car collection. It is easy to navigate through Toyota's website and the prices are pretty reasonable. They're also English friendly. So, to those who couldn't understand Japanese, fear not. The cars from Toyota is new, clean and comes with English GPS! On the GPS, you can search for destinations using the map code of places/telephone number!
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| Toyota Vitz that accompanied me through the journey! |
Onuma Quasi-national Park is at the foot of Mount Komagatake and lakes surrounding it includes Onuma, Konuma, Junsainuma. The park has very beautiful scenery and walking in Onuma Park is nice and quiet.
Onuma Quasi-National Park
Address: 1023-1 Onumacho, Nanae-cho, Kameda-gun 041-1354, Hokkaido
There's bicycle rental there too at just 500 yen/hour or 1000yen/day. Yes.. I know it's pretty stupid and a good marketing technique. The cycling course around Onuma is about 10km. However, as it is early, nice and quiet. With the cool breeze of wind, I've decided instead, to walk using my feet around the park.
Next up, I've dropped by a cow farm that's just 5 mins drive away, in Nanae.
Milk Land Hokkaido Onuma
Address: 628 Onumacho, Nanae-cho, Kameda-gun 041-1354, Hokkaido
At Milk Land, they have a bunch of cows and there's a shop in it selling soft serves, yogurt, milk made from the cows in the farm. The soft serve is wonderful! You'll need to buy the ticket of what you'd like from a vending machine, and from the ticket that is dispensed, proceed to the counter and they'll be preparing the soft serve for you! Be sure to check it out when you're around the corner! There's also another restaurant that's just in front called the Yamakawabokujo Restaurant. The restaurant is selling roast beef steak sandwiches.
Next up, will be a 1.5h drive to Lake Toya (Toyako), which is situated approximately 150km away. This is another beautiful and relaxing place. From there, you'd be able to walk around, or even rent a boat to cruise around the beautiful lake. Despite being a touristy place, this place is pretty secluded and it will be ideal and more convenient for to make a visit there with a car.
Lake Toya
Lake Toya is a beautiful place that is a part of Shinkotsu-Toya National Park. The Toyako region features hotspring and an active volcano just around the corner.
Along with some friends, we've decided to get a ducky and paddled across the lake! You can rent a ducky (with/without motor), a sampan right ahead for a price between 1000-3000 Yen. Really thankful for the weather too!
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| Chilling in the middle of Lake Toya |
Ahhh... It's already so late.. It's so relaxing there that I've forgotten about the time!!
Time for some food!
Sendoan
Address: Toyakonsen, Toyako-cho, Abuta-gun 049-5721, Hokkaido. Tel: +81 142-75-2782
Located at Lake Toya, there's a restaurant called Sendoan. Located at
the 2nd floor of a building facing Lake Toya (Wakasaimo store is right
below). Happen to got knowledge of this restaurant through Bumblebeemum's post on Self-Drive to Hokkaido!
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| Scallop Rice |
The price of food is pretty decent and you'd be able to enjoy Japanese food with a very beautiful view. Lake Toya, is known for scallops (hotate). Be sure to try out their scallops here! Time is getting late and sky is soon getting dark. And after a relaxing yet tiring day, it's time for some rest. There's a number of hotels around here with onsen like Toya Onsen Hotel.
Also, at Lake Toya, every evening between 845pm - 905pm, there will be fire works. Be sure to check it out! There will only be fireworks between April - October period!
There's a next part to the trip to Niseko! You may wish to read it here!
Wow beautiful adventure there.
ReplyDeleteWas it difficult to navigate through the roads even though most of the signs were also available in english?
Hi B,
ReplyDeleteNice to see you here again!! :)
Navigating through the roads is not a very difficult task here in Japan as they have English words on the signs. However, the driving here is slightly different from Singapore. Having 3 left turns (varying in angle) in the same junction is a little misleading though.
Also, their expressway in Hokkaido during the night time is very very dark (no road light). There is reflective stickers along the way and when your vehicle’s headlamp is shining onto it, it shows the way.
It’s a beautiful drive in the morning, having to see the beautiful moutains and falling maple leaf. I’ll soon be writing more about the adventures here :p