Japan Diaries 4: Day 628

Day 628: July 22, 2023

Saturday – Sibling Road Trip 1 – Eniwa & Tomakomai

Sibling Road Trip #1

Today, my siblings and I embarked on an exciting road trip to Eniwa City and then to Tomakomai City. Although it was a cloudy morning, we were relieved to learn from the weather forecast that there was very little chance of rain.

Breakfast at Kairaku Park

Kairaku Park windmill

Our journey began at around 7 AM, and due to the long drive ahead, we decided to make a quick stop at Kairaku Park in Tsukigata (月形町) to eat the food that we had purchased from a nearby convenience store for breakfast.

Eniwa Roadside Station

Eniwa Roadside Station stamp

One of Eniwa City's colored manhole covers

Inside Eniwa Roadside Station

We also got the Eniwa manhole cover card from the Eniwa Roadside Station 

Eniwa City Pokémon manhole cover

Our first major destination of the day was Eniwa City (恵庭市). In Eniwa, we explored several attractions, starting with the Eniwa Roadside Station, where we admired the Eniwa City Pokémon manhole cover and its colorful city-themed manhole cover. We also added the roadside station stamp and the Eniwa manhole cover card to our collection.

Megumono Station

Eniwa City manhole cover #1

Eniwa City manhole cover #2

Next, we drove to Megumono Station, hoping to find another Eniwa-themed manhole cover design, which we weren't able to do. Ironically, we later found out that we ended up on the wrong side of the roadside station. Regardless, we were able to see several manhole cover designs in the area.

Toyosaka Shrine's torii gate

Toyosaka Shrine

Finally, we visited Toyosaka Shrine to offer prayers and pay our respects. Exploring these sites was a wonderful way to immerse ourselves in the city's culture and history.

Driving to Mt. Tarumae

Driving through mostly unpaved roads, going to the Mt. Tarumae jump-off point

Next, we continued our road trip and headed south toward Tomakomai City (苫小牧市). In this part of our journey, we had a special plan to meet up with my friends from Tomamae Commercial High School for a hike to Mt. Tarumae, an active volcano.

Mt. Tarumae jumpoff point

However, I must admit that I underestimated the challenge that awaited us. As we approached the jump-off point, the strong sulfuric smell made it difficult for me to breathe and caused me to cough. I was also unprepared for the continuous uphill trek that awaited us. Nevertheless, with determination, we managed to reach the summit of Mt. Tarumae, despite the cloudy and windy conditions.

Hiking Mt. Tarumae

Mt. Tarumae summit reached!

Unfortunately, the cloud cover obstructed the breathtaking view of the main crater of Mt. Tarumae. Nevertheless, we made the most of our time at the peak, and our group eventually decided to split up. 

It was a foggy ang windy hike

Mt. Tarumae Shrine

My siblings and I chose to take the southwestern route to Mt. Tarumae Shrine before considering climbing Nishiyama, a connected mountain. However, due to various reasons, we decided to turn back at the shrine and return to the jump-off point.

Lake Shikotsu as seen from Mt. Tarumae

A perfectly placed log bench along the trail

On our way down, we were fortunate to witness moments when the clouds cleared up, revealing a stunning view of Lake Shikotsu. It took us a bit over an hour to reach the parking area, and coincidentally, the Tomamae Gang also arrived around the same time, albeit using a different route.

Eniwa Onsen La Foret

While they planned to drive to Sapporo to enjoy some ramen, my siblings and I decided to refresh ourselves at an onsen in Eniwa City. Initially, I had wanted to try the Eniwa Onsen Honoka, but ultimately, we ended up at Eniwa Onsen La Foret.

Ella is relaxing after a hot bath

Pat and Aya's first onsen experience

As we arrived at the onsen, we noticed a large number of bathers. While my daughter and I were accustomed to the onsen culture, it was a new and slightly awkward experience for my siblings. To make them feel more comfortable, my daughter and I took turns enjoying the onsen area separately from them. It turned out to be a memorable experience for them.

Sanpachi Eniwa

This ramen restaurant has a robot server

I ordered the spicy miso ramen

Itadakimasu!

It was already dark when we finished our dinner.

After our relaxing time at the onsen, we decided to satisfy our hunger with some delicious ramen at Sanpachi Eniwa. My siblings and I enjoyed their famed miso ramen, while my daughter opted for the spicy miso ramen. The food was beyond amazing and served as the perfect treat after our onsen experience.

711 Tsukigata Branch

Aside from stretching, we also got ice cream for dessert

Following dinner, we embarked on a long drive back to Rumoi. Along the way, we made a brief stop at the 711 of Tsukigata to stretch our legs and indulge in some ice cream.

Feeling exhausted upon arriving home, it was no surprise that we all fell asleep immediately. We managed to unload our belongings and change clothes, but were too drained to do anything else. Fortunately, we called it a day early, as we have another exciting road trip planned for tomorrow.

Overall, today's road trip was filled with adventurous hikes, cultural exploration, and delicious meals. Despite the challenges and unexpected experiences, it was a day to remember. I can't wait to see what tomorrow's journey has in store for us.

Read more:

Japan Diaries 4: Week 90
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 90
Japan Diaries 4: Day 629

Kairaku Park
Eniwa Roadside Station
Toyosaka Shrine
Mt. Tarumae
Mt. Tarumae Shrine

Lake Shikotsu
Eniwa Onsen La Foret

Hokkaido Manhole Covers

Japan's Awesome Manhole Covers

Hokkaido Pokemon Manhole Covers

A Guide to Collecting Eki Stamps
10 Things to Do in Tsukigata
10 Things to Do in Eniwa City
10 Things to Do in Tomakomai City

Japan Diaries 4: Summary