Japan Diaries 4: Day 312

 

Day 312: September 9, 2022

Friday - Tomamae x 9.9-11 Family Road Trip D1

Tomamae Commercial High School 9.9.2022

It's another Friday, and just like most Fridays, I found myself heading to Tomamae Commercial High School. This marked my 15th visit for the academic year 2022-2023. To make this trip, I used my 1-day Moekko Free Ticket, which allowed me to travel conveniently.

Tomamae Commercial High School 2022 Athletic Meet

However, today was different because there was no team teaching sessions scheduled. The school was hosting the 2022 Athletic Meet instead. But you know what? The day turned out to be even more exciting than I anticipated. I was invited to join a dodgeball game with the other ALT, and it was a blast! Our team managed to secure the second place in the event. We had a fantastic time together. After the game, I caught the 1 p.m. bus back to Rumoi, feeling both tired and fulfilled.

Numata (沼田町)

Ebishima Station

Later that afternoon, my family and I embarked on an overnight camping adventure to Numata (沼田町). Our destination was the Numata Town Fireflies Villa Forest Park Campsite. However, before reaching our campsite, we made a quick stopover at the famous Ebishima Station. This station gained popularity as the filming location for the beloved TV drama, Suzuran, which aired back in 1999. It was exciting to visit such a historic site.

We finally arrived at the parking area near Horoshin Spa

Numata manhole cover

Klauss 15 Steam Locomotive

Continuing on our journey, we ventured to the outskirts of Numata town until we reached the Numata Fossil Museum. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side as the museum had already closed by the time we arrived. Nevertheless, we made the most of the situation by taking some photos with the impressive Klauss 15 Steam Locomotive and exploring the surrounding area. It was a small but delightful detour.

Numata Town Fireflies Villa Forest Park Campsite

Seems like we were the only ones on the campsite...

Sato Auto Campground of Firefly

Pitching our tent at Sato Auto Campground of Firefly

Finally, we reached our intended destination, the Numata Town Fireflies Villa Forest Park Campsite. While the place was beautiful, my wife and I couldn't help but feel slightly concerned since we were the only ones there. Making a decision at the moment, we chose to set up our tent in the adjacent Sato Auto Campground of Firefly. Fortunately, there were four other campers in that area, which gave us some reassurance. It's always better to have a few neighbors when camping.

Horoshin Spa

Freshening up before calling it a day

After setting up camp, we decided to treat ourselves and visited the nearby Horoshin Spa to experience their renowned onsen. The relaxing dip in the hot springs was just what we needed. We returned to our campsite a little after 9 PM, aware that we had a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

Our camp at Sato Auto Campground of Firefly

As I wrap up this diary entry, I'm already looking forward to the next leg of our weekend road trip. I'll be sure to share the adventures with you soon.

Read more: 

Japan Diaries 4: Week 45

Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 45

Moekko Free Ticket

Ebishima Station

Klauss 15 Steam Locomotive

Sato Auto Campground of Firefly

Horoshin Spa / Horoshin Onsen

Hokkaido Manhole Covers

10 Things to Do in Tomamae

10 Things to Do in Numata

Japan Diaries 4: Summary