Moekko Free Ticket 13th Season

A Guide to Moekko Free Ticket

As a prefectural ALT, I'm employed by Hokkaido Prefecture. This means that I go around the region assigned to me which is - Rumoi Subprefecture. These are the schools that I visit:


Mother School

Rumoi High School - Rumoi City
It's just 5 minutes away from my house = No bus ride needed

Visit Schools

1. Obira Special Needs School - Obira Town
Bus ride needed = Travel time: 50 minutes / fare: 680 yen

2. Tomamae Commercial High School - Tomamae Town
Bus ride needed = Travel Time: 1 hr and 15 minutes / fare: 1180 yen

3. Haboro High School - Haboro Town
Bus ride needed = Travel Time: 1 hr and 20 minutes / fare: 1260 yen

4. Embetsu Agricultural High School - Embetsu Town
Bus ride needed = Travel Time: 2 hrs and 30 minutes / fare: 2100 yen

5. Teshio High School - Teshio Town
Bus ride needed = Travel Time: 3 hrs and 2 minutes / fare: 2510 yen

I usually go to my visit schools every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. With this setup, if I visit my three farthest schools a week, I would spend around 11740 yen. Although this is reimbursed by the Board of Education, it is still a big amount especially if you are on a tight budget. that's why I'm sharing with you a hack that can save you (a lot of) money. 

Moekko Free Ticket - 萌えっ子フリーきっぷ (13th Season)

Moekko refers to the cute character mascots of Engan Bus Co. Ltd. If you are interested to get to know who they are, then you should check out this LINK.

Moekko Free Ticket

You see, this company has sole control of the transportation business in Rumoi Subprefecture. Regardless, Engan Bus Co. Ltd. is very generous to their customers. They offer fare discount schemes like if you buy 1000 yen worth of pre-paid tickets you get 200 yen worth of tickets. However, the catch is, you can only buy this in the Engan Bus Sales Office near JR Rumoi Station. 

I pinned it on the map below:


However, this article is not about that but the Moekko Free Ticket (萌えっ子フリーきっぷ). If you have been to different parts of Japan, you're probably aware of the unlimited train, subway, and bus tickets. The Moekko Free Ticket is basically like that. There are three types of Moekko Free Tickets to choose from and they are:

1-day Pass A - 2700 yen

1-day Pass B - 2700 yen

2-day Ticket A/B - 3900 yen

Skip 2-day Ticket - 3900 yen

The Moekko Free Ticket is perfect if you would visit faraway towns like Embetsu until Toyotomi. Here's the route map of Engan Bus for your school visits:

Engan Bus Route to Toyotomi

During my first year as an ALT here in Rumoi Subprefecture, Engan Bus Co. Ltd. released a special promo for the Moeko Free Ticket called Moekko Free Ticket Nogurutto Hokkaido Discount. It ran from December 4, 2021 - to (March 31, 2022) April 30, 2022. The discounted prices of the tickets are:

1-day Pass A/B - 2700 yen 1900 yen
2-day Ticket A/B - 3900 yen 2800 yen
Skip 2-day Ticket - 3900 yen 2800 yen

However, before heading to the Engan Bus sales office, you should check their website for updates regarding the Moekko Free Ticket. Here's their WEBSITE. 

To the next Rumoi High School ALT:

To use the ticket: show the driver the ticket before boarding down. He will write the date it is used and return it to you. 

During my first year as an ALT, I was lucky to have amazing JTEs who drove me to the Engan Bus Sales Office at Sakaemachi to buy tickets on a weekday as the sales office is closed on the weekends and is only open from 9:30AM - 4:30AM Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays. 

Hoarded some Moekko Free Tickets for the whole month of December 2021

Just in case you won't have the privilege of having JTE friends who'd be willing to drive you to the sales office, you can do this instead... Wait for your visit school schedule and look for your Embetsu and Teshio visit. If they are next to each other in a week, then buy the 2-day Ticket A/B. If they are placed apart in the week then the Skip 2-day Ticket. However, if you'd only go to one of them in the week, buy the 1-day Pass A/B. Heads up! Ask permission from either your main JTE or the Kyoto Sensei before heading out to buy the tickets during work hours. 

These are all the Moekko Free Tickets that I used from December 2021 to April 30, 2022

You should reserve a fund for this during your salary. I usually hoard 1-day and 2-day tickets as it saves me from the hassle of asking permission weekly. So with that, good luck my dear successor. I hope you find this article useful in your life in Rumoi City as an ALT. 


Location: Rumoi, Hokkaido, Japan

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 29, 2023 at 11:34 AM

    The Moekko Free Ticket seems like a very convinient and affordable way to travel around Rumoi Subprefecture. I have visited Haboro and Rumoi once. This is probably useful when I go to Teshio in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 29, 2023 at 9:38 AM

    Interesting name for a discount bus ticket.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Book your hotel thru KLOOK

Klook.com
Subscribe and get updated with the latest travel articles of The Backpack Adventures

Popular posts from this blog

Munting Buhangin Beach Camp - Batangas

Image
Located in the municipality of Nasugbu in the province of Batangas, Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is one of the few privately owned resorts in the area that doesn't really require memberships for visitors to enjoy. Munting Buhangin Beach Camp Munting Buhangin Beach Camp Details Although Munting Buhangin Beach Camp doesn't have white sand to boast, it's quite an isolated place which makes the resort stand out. Its light brown sand, sprinkled with different kinds of shells, is cleaned daily by the dedicated staff of the resort. Sadly, during my visit, a broken piece of glass buried in the sand gave one of my toes a deep cut but I know that it's just a rare case (no one needs to be fired) and nobody wanted that to happen. Munting Buhangin Beach - Nasugbu, Batangas  One of the best places to go camping...  ...or rent nipa huts and treehouse You might want to try kayaking here too Going up: parking / Going down: beach Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is ide
Keep reading

A Guide to Collecting Eki Stamps

Image
Japan is undeniably a collector's paradise. As a matter of fact, there are a plethora of different things to collect here that are catered to every collector's unique taste and preference.  Anime fans have their usual toys, mangas, and memorabilia. Pokemon fans have numerous Pokemon Centers that sell an assortment of Pokemon merchandise. Kitkat collectors have more than 300 flavors of Kitkat to try out. Pilgrims have the temple stamps called goshuin which I wrote about last time. These are but some of the numerous possible things to collect in Japan . A Guide to Collecting Eki Stamps However, since I'm promoting budget travel, my article today talks about something that you can collect for FREE . Yup, you read that right. All you need to have is a clean notebook or tickler and an ever-watchful eye. A Guide to Collecting Eki Stamps Eki stamps , also called train station stamps, are rubber ink stamps that are typically found in most train stations in Japan. These stamps f
Keep reading

National Shrine of St. Padre Pio - Batangas

Image
Located in Barangay San Pedro in Sto. Tomas in the province of Batangas, the National Shrine of St. Padre Pio is a pilgrimage site dedicated and inspired by Saint Padre Pio. National Shrine of St. Padre Pio National Shrine of St. Padre Pio History The shrine initially started out as a bamboo and nipa chapel back in 2003. Then on November 7, 2005, a 1.6-hectare agricultural land was donated to the Archdiocese of Lipa by a generous couple. A year later, another generous individual donated 200 square meters of land to provide the right of way to the site. This land would be the site of the new chapel and later on the Shrine of St. Padre Pio . The salakot like roof as seen from the bell tower Devotees hanging handkerchiefs dipped in the Well of Hope or Bukal ng Pag-asa  St. Padre Pio welcomes the pilgrims to the shrine Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry - National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio St. Padre Pio belltower St. Padre Pio painting A relic inside the Reli
Keep reading

Quituinan Hills - Albay

Image
Located at Barangay Tinago, Camalig in the province of Albay, Quituinan Hills is one of the most beautiful yet least known tourist destinations of the town.  Quituinan Hills Quituinan Hills Details For those who have visited Quituinan Hills on a clear day, I bet they'd agree with me when I say that this place is among the top places in the province to view Mayon Volcano. Aside from that, the best way to describe Quituinan Hills is that it has a ranch-like feel. Well, that's probably due to the fact that the developed part of the hill is really a ranch named Quituinan Ranch .  Road to Quituinan Hills Welcome to Quituinan Hills This place is a great location for picnics with friends and family. You can either rent a cottage (small P100; big P500) or bring and pitch a tent (P100 space rental) in one of the allowable areas of the hill. Other activities offered here are horseback riding (P60 per 15 minutes) and ATV rental (P200 per 15 minutes). You can also explore
Keep reading

Imus City Plaza - Cavite

Image
Located in the center of the Poblacion or town proper of Imus City in the province of Cavite, Imus City Plaza is one of the city's scenic and historical attractions. Imus City Plaza Imus City Plaza Details This plaza is located in front of the equally historical Imus Cathedral and Imus City Hall . Imus City Plaza is also the first place to greet you if you're heading to the cathedral via Sapinoso Street.  Imus City Plaza - Imus City, Cavite General Licerio Topacio The general guarding the flag Checking out each angle of the monument Imus City Plaza History Imus City Plaza is probably easily remembered because of the monument with two vintage artillery flanking it. The monument stands as an honor to the children of Imus who joined the fight for the independence of the country against Spain. As for the man standing on top of the monument, he is General Licerio Topacio . He is one of the most notable sons of Imus. He is famously known for honorably declining
Keep reading

10 Things to Do in Asahikawa City

Image
10 Things to Do in Asahikawa City Asahikawa City ( 旭川市 ) is the second largest city in Hokkaido Prefecture. Its name came from the misinterpretation of the Ainu name for the Asahi River. The Ainu called it Chiu Pet , which means "River of Waves," but it was misinterpreted as Chup Pet , which means "Sun River," and therefore became known as Asahi River in Japanese. For those planning to visit Asahikawa City to check what it has to offer, here are the 10 Things to Do in Asahikawa City : Asahikawa Manhole Cover 1. Take a picture of Asahikawa’s unique manhole covers . So far, I have seen 1 unique manhole design not counting the special  Asahikawa Pokemon Manhole Cover . Asahikawa Roadside Station 2. Visit  Asahikawa Roadside Station . You can buy souvenirs, eat authentic Asahikawa ramen, and also get the Asahikawa Roadside Station stamp for your stamp collection. As a bonus, you will also find the Asahikawa Pokemon Manhole Cover featuring the Alolan Vulpix, Cubchoo, a
Keep reading

Kyoto Station - Kyoto

Image
Located in the heart of Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto Station  ( 京都駅 ) is one of Japan 's largest train station buildings. It serves as the main gateway for locals and foreigners coming in and out of the city. Kyoto Station  ( 京都駅 ) Kyoto Station History Kyoto Station opened for service on February 5, 1877, by decree of Emperor Meiji. In 1889, its railway connected to Tokyo giving way to the present day Tokaido Main Line. In 1895, the station became a terminal to the Nara Railway (present-day Nara Line) connecting Kyoto with the southern regions of Kyoto Prefecture and Nara City. Then in 1897, the station became a terminal to the Kyoto Railway (present-day Sagano Line) connecting Kyoto Station with the northern regions of Kyoto Prefecture.   First Kyoto Station building* Second Kyoto Station building* Third Kyoto Station building* The station got a facelift in 1914 and a Renaissance-inspired facility replaced the old station. This new station was spacious and designed
Keep reading

Kohfukuji - Nara

Image
Located in 48 Noboriojicho, Nara City in Nara Prefecture, Kohfukuji  ( 興福寺 ) is a Buddhist temple that serves as the national headquarters of the Hosso school of Buddhism.  Kohfukuji  ( 興福寺 ) Kohfukuji History Kohfukuji or simply Kofukuji was established in 669 by Kagami no Okimi in the hopes that it would please Buddha, which in turn, would help her husband Fujiwara no Kamatari recover from his illness.  The first temple was built in Yamashina, Yamashiro Province which is in present-day Kyoto. Then in 672, the temple was dismantled and moved to  Fujiwara-kyo as it was the first planned Japanese Capital. However, the temple was dismantled again and moved to its present location in 710. It was built on the east side of the then newly established capital Heijo-kyo which is present-day Nara.  Follow the signages going to Kohfukuji Go up the stairs to reach Kofukuji Kofukuji was always associated with the highly influential Fujiwara Clan. Hence, it enjoyed influence over the people a
Keep reading

Nara Park Revisited 2019 - Nara

Image
The last time we visited Nara Park  ( 奈良公園 ) was on the 16th day of our 2014-2015 Japan trip . That was also our first time to see this world-famous park with our own eyes. Nara Park  ( 奈良公園 ) For those who are not familiar with Nara Park , it is home to hundreds of free-roaming Sika deer . This 502-hectare  park also includes the grounds of temples and shrines which are popular tourist destinations themselves like Todaiji , Kohfukuji , and Kasuga Shrine (some of which we also visited).  Our photos in Nara Park: Although the deer of Nara Park are mostly friendly, you still have to be extremely careful Check out the road going to Nara Park Nara Par k is located at the foot of Mount Wakakusa . It was established in 1880, making it one of the oldest parks in Japan. Aside from that, Nara Park is also designated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Science and Technology (MEXT) as one one of Japan's "Places of Scenic Beauty". The hundreds of free-roaming wil
Keep reading

Kazemachi Restaurant Information Center - Hokkaido

Image
Kazemachi Restaurant Information Center / Kazemachi Shokudo Information Center  ( 風待食堂 観光案内所 ) is a tourist information center and souvenir shop, housed in a historical building. It is located at Bentencho in the town of Mashike in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan . Kazemachi Restaurant Information Center Kazemachi Restaurant Information Center details Originally, the building was a grocery store that was established in 1913, and it was later used as a filming location for the 1981 movie " STATION ", which starred the famous actor, Ken Takakura . Today, the building serves as a tourist information center that provides information on the town's filming locations, related newspaper articles, and even Showa retro things such as dial-type public telephones, old-fashioned radios, and various goods of " Mercy-kun ", a seagull character that's unique to Mashike. Kazemachi Restaurant Information Center - Mashike town, Hokkaido Prefecture One of the most popular attracti
Keep reading