内浦湾の北西に位置する長万部(おしゃまんべ)はカニめし発祥の地として名高い海辺の町。函館本線と室蘭本線、国道5号線と国道37号線がそれぞれ分岐し、道南と道央をつなぐ交通の要衝として発展してきた。
駅の裏手にはひなびた温泉街が広がり、旅館で地元の海の幸に舌鼓を打ちつつ、旅の疲れを癒すことができる。
OSHAMANBE Halfway between Sapporo and Hakodate, Oshamanbe is a major rail junction on the JR Hakodate Line (Hakodate – Oshamanbe – Niseko – Otaru – Sapporo – Asahikawa) and JR Muroran Line (Oshamanbe – Noboribetsu – Iwamizawa). For most travelers, Oshamanbe is a launch or arrive point for trains to or from Kutchan direction. But the town is famous for both its kegani (crab) and kanimeshi (crab meat and rice). It also offers friendly shokudo and onsen to keep you amused between train connections.
PRACTICAL TIPS
Location 110km north of Hakodate, 75km southwest of Kutchan, 50km west of Toyako Onsen
Population 5000
Highlights Oshamanbe Onsen
Tourist Information Oshamanbe Tourist Association (長万部観光協会 · インフォまんべ): Tel 01377-6-7331 / Inside JR Oshamanbe Station, 228-7 Oshamanbe / 8.45am-5pm / www.osyamanbe-kankou.jp
01 ONSEN EXPERIENCE
Oshamanbe Onsen
長万部温泉 / Onsen-cho
Oshamanbe’s small onsen town is behind the train station, walk north along the railway track and across the footbridge. It has a cluster of ryokan and open their baths for nonguests (around ¥500). Note that some ryokan are irregularly closed or privately booked. It is a good place to soak while waiting for a train.
Oshamanbe Onsen Hotel (長万部温泉ホテル: Tel 01377-2-2079 / Day bathing 6am-9pm / Closed 2nd & 4th Tue / ¥450 / onsenhotel.co.jp) is a typical ageing ryokan, but it has a traditional public bath open regularly. There is a coin laundry and rental towels.
02 LOCAL HISTORY
Oshamanbe Town Museum
長万部町民センター / Oshamanbe Chomin Center / 413-12 Oshamanbe / 10am-4pm / Closed Mon, day after the holiday, 30 Dec-5 Jan / FREE
The town’s free museum (chomin center) has exhibits on the railway signals, uniforms, station signboards, tickets and models. It also contains some old lifetools and Ainu artefacts.
The opposite side is the Peace Memorial Hall (平和祈念館: Heiwa Kinenkan) where displays the Hiroshima Panels and old buddha statues. There are a few sculptures carved by Hongo Shin on the front garden. It is a short walk from the onsen street.
OSHAMANBE MAP
GETTING THERE
All limited express trains from Sapporo (2hrs 20min) and Hakodate (1.5hrs) stop here. There are no regular limited express trains between Otaru and Oshamanbe on the JR Hakodate Line.
If you are traveling by local train on the JR Hakodate Line, require a change at Oshamanbe and you will spend at least some time.
For Oshamanbe, local trains run from Otaru (4 daily / 3.5hrs) via Kutchan (1.5hrs), Hakodate (5 daily / 3hrs), and Higashi-Muroran (5 daily / 1.5hrs) via Toya (45min).
JR Oshamanbe Station has a ticket window (7am-6.45pm) and coin lockers.
