The Backpack Adventures

10 Things to Do in Obira Obira ( 小平町 ) is a town located in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan . The town's name if translated per kanji means  小 (small)   and 平 (flat).  It is popular for its stunning coastal views and also its agricultural products.  For those planning to visit the town of Obira to check what it has to offer, here are the 10 Things to Do in Obira : Obira manhole covers 1. Take a picture of Obira’s unique manhole covers . So far, I have seen 2 unique Obira manhole designs. One is in front of the  Obira Roadside Station  and the other is near Obira Shrine. Rare twin Obira melon 2. Try the super delicious  Obira melon . Other must-try foods are octopus, wagyu, and watermelon. Obira Shrine 3. Visit  Obira Shrine  in the town proper. You can offer prayers and also get a goshuin there for your goshuin collection. Inside Karakure 4. Dine in at  Karakure  and enjoy its world-class soba / Dine in at  Sumire  and enjoy its delicious soba dishes. Aside from that, you can also ad

The Former Hanada Family Banya ( 旧花田家番屋 )  is the largest existing banya in the prefecture and is also one of Obira's key tourist spots. It is  located at 35-2 Onishikahirotomi, Obira in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan . Former Hanada Family Banya Former Hanada Family Banya details A banya is a structure used as a fishery base and also as a residence and office for its owners. The exact date when the Former Hanada Family Banya was built is still up in a debate. According the story of the late owner Mr. Sakuzo Hanada, he recalled that he bought the forest where he cut the lumber used to build the banya in 1897.  Former Hanada Family Banya - Obira, Hokkaido However, when the banya was restored in 1971, an ink book containing information about the banya and a newspaper dating from 1883 was  discovered behind the wallpaper of the internal structure of the master's quarters. 旧花田家番屋 Kukiru Herring Statue Regardless of when it was built, during the heyday of the Hanada Family Banya , i

Obira Roadside Station ( 道の駅 おびら鰊番屋 )   is one of 128 roadside stations located across Hokkaido.  It is located along Route 239 in Kikahirotomi, in the town of Obira in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan . Obira Roadside Station Obira Roadside Station details Obira Roadside Station is locally and formally called Michi no Eki Obira Nishinbanya ( 道の駅 おびら鰊番屋 ) . It translates in English to Roadside Station Obira Herring Lodge . It is a three-building roadside station that consists of the Tourism Exchange Center, Food Center, and the historical Former Hanada Family Banya. Obira Roadside Station - Obira, Hokkaido Obira Roadside Station was registered on April 16, 1996, and was given registration number 27. In April 2015, the Obira Tourism Exchange Center was opened to the public. It houses an oyakata no ma , a special product sales corner, a historical and cultural preservation exhibit hall, a rest corner, and of course a 24-hour rest room. Inside Obira Roadside Station Oyakata no ma (break c