2021年、厚岸霧多布昆布森国定公園に指定されたこの地域は釧路と根室の中間にあたり、海水と淡水が入り混じった湖沼群や原始の面影を残す湿原、草原の台地が広がる岬、そして湾に浮かぶ小さな島々など、詩情豊かな風景が展開する。
春夏は濃霧に覆われる日々が続く一方、秋冬は冷たく透き通った青い空と海が旅人の心を打つ。カキやサンマをはじめとする新鮮な海の幸も大きな魅力だ。
Halfway between Kushiro and Nemuro, the serenely coastal town of Akkeshi (厚岸) is designated as a prefectural natural park. This town is actually the oldest port in Eastern Hokkaido, the Matsumae clan established a trading post in the 1600s. The town is set on a pleasant gulf coast leading to the brackish lake Akkeshi-ko (厚岸湖), best-known for both its tasty kaki (牡蠣: oyster) and asari (アサリ: clam).
PRACTICAL TIPS
Location 50km northwest of Kushiro
Population 9000
Highlights Akkeshi-ko, Akkeshi Conchiglie, A Uroko
Tourist Information Akkeshi Tourist Information Center (厚岸町総合観光案内所): Akkeshi Conchiglie (see below), 2-2 Suminoe / 9am-7pm (from 10am Nov & Dec), 10am-5pm Jan-Mar
01 ROADSIDE STATION & EATING
Akkeshi Conchiglie
厚岸コンキリエ / 2-2 Suminoe, Akkeshi-cho / 11am-9pm (restaurant to 7.30pm) Apr-Oct, to 7pm Nov & Dec, to 6pm Jan-Mar / Wi-Fi / www.conchiglie.net
On the 2nd floor of the michi-no-eki (roadside station) in Akkeshi overlooking the bay, the collections of eateries in Conchiglie is the best place to taste local seafood such as kaki (oysters) and sanma (saury).
The Aburi-ya (炙屋) is a charcoal-grilled barbecue place. First buy oysters or seafood from the on-site market, then broiled them by yourself. The baketsu-gaki (10 oysters in the bucket) set is ¥1500.
The restaurant Escale (エスカル) offering a variety of set meals using local oysters. You can try a plate of kaki-furai (fried oysters), kaki-meshi (rice bowl of stewed oysters), oyster pasta or oyster curry.
02 SEAFOOD MARKET
A Uroko
エーウロコ / 5-3 Minato-machi / 9am-5pm, to 4pm Jan-Apr / Closed early Jan / www.a-uroko.or.jp
Akkeshi fishery cooperative operates this good seafood market beside the bridge over the lake, you can buy and taste inexpensive fresh oysters, crabs and dried fishes here.
03 BRIDGE
Akkeshi-ohashi
厚岸大橋
The 456m, red-colored Akkeshi-ohashi is the town’s iconic bridge over the bay. You can see Kaki-jima (oyster islet) and its shrine on the lake from the sidewalks.
04 LOCAL HISTORY
Akkeshi Maritime Memorial Hall
厚岸町海事記念館 / 3-4 Shin’ei / 9am-5pm / Closed Mon, day after a holiday, 31 Dec-5 Jan / ¥210
Opposite the town hall is this small maritime museum with displays on the local fishing community and history. It also exhibits relics of Tasmanian whaling ship that went down off Akkeshi in 1850.
05 TEMPLE
Kokutai-ji
国泰寺 / Wangetsu-cho / Dawn-dusk / FREE
At the foot of Barasan-misaki, Kokutai-ji is Eastern Hokkaido’s oldest temple established in 1804 by the Edo shogunate. The temple precinct and its cape makes for a pleasant stroll.
Situated in front of Kokutai-ji, the seasonal Akkeshi Folk Museum (厚岸町郷土館: 1-2 Wangetsu / 9am-4pm 16 Apr-15 Nov / Closed Mon & next day after a holiday / ¥100) contains historical materials, artifacts of Kokutai-ji and Akkeshi Jinja
AKKESHI MAP
Directions
All trains from Kushiro on the JR Nemuro Line (also called the JR Hanasaki Line) stop at Akkeshi (8 daily / 50min).
