The Only Onsen Ryokan in Japan with Drift Ice and Ocean Views | KITAKOBUSHI SHIRETOKO Hotel & Resort

The Only Onsen Ryokan in Japan with Drift Ice and Ocean Views | KITAKOBUSHI SHIRETOKO Hotel & Resort

We’re heading to Memanbetsu Airport, two hours from Tokyo, in the northeastern part of Hokkaido. Tonight, we’ll be staying near Abashiri Station, about 30 minutes by bus from the airport. Goodnight. Good morning! We’re in Abashiri. Abashiri is known for the Abashiri Prison. It’s a town surrounded by nature, facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Wow, the surface of the river is frozen. While it’s not one of the snowiest regions in Hokkaido… We found a Hokkaido winter tradition, “sandboxes.” It’s a material spread on icy roads to prevent slipping. Abashiri Station is small. It only has a waiting room and a bento shop. There’s no convenience store, so be careful. Also, there’s no IC card reader, and the ticket gate only opens just before departure. We’re boarding the Senmō Main Line to Kushiro. This is the only train in Japan where you can see drift ice from the window. It’s a 43-minute ride to Shiretoko-Shari Station, along the Sea of Okhotsk. Whoa!!! We’re already seeing some drift ice. I couldn’t capture it, but we saw wild deer and a red fox earlier. The drift ice is a bit late this year, so we are lucky to see it! We’ve arrived at Shiretoko-Shari Station. The doors open only when you press the button to exit. It’s a stylish and beautiful station. It’s the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Shiretoko. Now, we’re taking a bus to our accommodation. There’s about 40 minutes until the bus departs. It felt like a long wait, but luckily the bus arrived early, so it wasn’t that bad. This is the Shiretoko natural heritage area. Our accommodation is just before this area. It’s about a one-hour ride, heading further east. The natural beauty here is just immense! Can’t believe it’s all ocean under there. It’s completely covered in drift ice. For views of the Sea of Okhotsk, sit on the left side. For mountain views, sit on the right. 👋. And here we are, arriving at the hotel. It’s an all-inclusive hotel with a hot spring that offers a panoramic view of the Sea of Okhotsk. It’s huge. The hotel originally started as a small inn with only five rooms, founded in 1960. First, check out the lounge. Eh, something’s coming closer. There’s even a working robot—this is a high-tech hotel. So cute. Check-in is from 3:00 PM. But we were able to check in a little earlier. >> Staff: Your room is on the 5th floor of the West Wing. >> Staff: Please go straight and use the elevator on the left. The staff here can speak multiple languages. I think it’s a great hotel for anyone who doesn’t speak Japanese. It looks like there are a lot of places to explore here. Before heading to our room, let’s explore the hotel. The lounge has so many chairs. The atmosphere inside is filled with luxury. At the end, there’s a drift ice terrace and a foot bath. Oh! What a breathtaking view! It’s set up as a foot bath, so let’s enjoy the view while warming up. The drift ice is stunning. It’s packed all the way to the back. I wonder if the foot bath is an onsen? I’m not sure, but it’s the perfect temperature and feels great. Let’s go back to the lounge and have a drink. We’ve come to the area where they have drinks and snacks. They have alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks. Since it’s all-inclusive, you can drink whatever you want without worrying about extra charges. The glasses are chilled. Sapporo Classic, a draft beer sold only in Hokkaido. I have to try it since I’m in Hokkaido. In this fridge, there are cold tea and Western sweets like pudding. There’s also a mini can of non-alcoholic beer. Cream puffs. Yay! Alright, perfect. Let’s eat. But then, I found biscuits and chocolates too. There are also stylish snacks like mozzarella cheese from Hokkaido and salami. One of the best parts of all-inclusive is eating and drinking as much as you want in the lounge. But having so many drinks and snacks is impressive, even compared to other hotels. It’s also great that the lounge is open 24 hours. Now, we’ll pass through the lounge. We’ve walked all the way to the end, passing the restrooms. There’s a playroom with ping-pong and billiards. A chocolate shop. Guests get one free ice cream. The building is divided into the main building, annex, and west wing. Our room is in the west wing. Let’s head to our room now. This way. Oh, is this like a library? There’s a bear living in the tree in the middle. There are various books related to Shiretoko. At first glance, there are only Japanese books. Brown bears live throughout almost all of Hokkaido. “Kuma-Katsu” are efforts to help humans and bears coexist peacefully. Oh, here’s the gym. It’s not just eating and drinking; we should exercise too. You can also rent shoes and clothes. Our room is on the 5th floor. There are over 10 types of rooms available. This time, we chose the “Okhotsk Club DX Twin Room with Open-Air Bath.” Here it is. Room 587🔑. The price was 102,410 yen (696.82 USD / € 633.81) per night for two people. The original slippers are super soft and feel great. The restroom is straight ahead, and the main room is to the left. First, there are two beds. And at the back, there’s a living room. Let’s step out onto the terrace. A drift ice view. drift ice in Shiretoko can usually be seen from mid-January… This year, it was confirmed in mid-February, the latest on record. Today is March 10, and it’s lucky to see it this beautifully. There’s a fridge under the TV. It’s full of drinks. Sapporo Classic Beer. Carrot juice from Shiretoko Shari Town. I found cups and tea bags in the drawer. There’s bottled water and coffee too. It’s a nice touch to have drinks that are unique to Hokkaido. There’s a washroom behind the sofa. It’s clean and has a mirror. Skincare and amenities are well-stocked. Oh, there’s a ReFa hairdryer. The terrace and open-air bath are accessible through the glass door. The showerhead is from ReFa. And here’s the open-air bath. It’s a natural hot spring with added water and heating. The view is amazing too. There’s a closet for your clothes and towels. Let’s change into lounge wear and tabi socks. The door is auto-locking. The room’s onsen bath is nice, but let’s check out the public bath too. It’s on the 8th floor, the very top. There are two baths, and they switch between genders late at night. From 10:00, there’s an official photo session time in the sauna, and guests can take photos, btw. (Videos are taken with permission.) A washroom with complete amenities. The lockers are secure with keys. There’s a small resting area. Let’s start with the indoor bath. The left bath is the low-temperature bath, and the right is the medium-temperature bath. After washing your body and taking a shower, let’s soak. The hot spring is a sodium-chloride spring. It’s colorless, odorless, and has a smooth, gentle feel. There are two chairs, so you can even do a half-body soak while lying down. I’d say the low-temperature bath is just under 40°C (104°F). Even the low-temperature bath makes you feel quite warm. And of course, the drift ice view is amazing. It’s beautiful. The sodium chloride spring helps keep sweat from evaporating. Once you warm up, it keeps you warm. I wanna get some fresh air. This is the outdoor bath. There are two chairs where you can enjoy the outside air. It’s a bit smaller than the indoor bath, but still big enough for a few people to fit together. It’s nice that you can feel the outside air, but there’s still a solid roof above. The sound of seagulls adds to the natural vibe, and it’s very relaxing. And here’s the sauna. The design of the sauna is different in the men’s and women’s baths. This one is called “UNEUNA,” inspired by a wooden cave. Through the square window, the drift ice spreads out like a painting. A super hot 90°C (194°F) dry sauna. The cold bath is 14.8°C (58.64°F). After enjoying the sauna and cold bath, the ultimate moment of sauna bliss awaits. Up the spiral staircase, there’s an outdoor resting area. Oh, the feeling of openness is incredible. But there’s a solid partition on the sea side. There are several chairs lined up, so you can detox while gazing at the Sea of Okhotsk. It’s time for dinner. This is what the restaurant looks like. The buffet is set up in courses, like drinks, appetizers, and soups, so you can enjoy it step by step. There are even seats with a view of the drift ice. Most dishes are ordered directly from the chefs at the counters, and they make them right in front of you. Hokkaido is famous for its delicious food, so I’m sure the dinner will be amazing. Let’s start by picking a drink. In addition to soft drinks… That’s a lot of booze. I’ve already had enough Sapporo Classic Beer. So I’ll go for the local grape sparkling wine. Now, let’s head to the food section. Here’s the salad. Baguette made with Hokkaido wheat. Sweet shrimp jelly with corn sauce. Cream cheese pickled with wasabi soy sauce. Shiretoko octopus and tomatoes with perilla sauce. Jamon Serrano. To order, refer to the sample dishes in front of each kitchen. Grilled Shiretoko cod and soft cod roe (milt). Hokkaido cod is in season during winter. It looks like something from a high-end restaurant. It looks so delicious. Hokkaido steamed anglerfish with Chinese seasonings. Anglerfish is something you can only eat at this time of year, so I definitely want to try it. Thank you. This is the sashimi. Beautiful. Today, it’s tuna, sweet shrimp, wild flounder, and garlic mustard miso. Next to it, there’s sushi! Salmon, herring, Soi fish, and sweet shrimp pickled in soy sauce. Soi is a white fish also known as “Hokkaido’s sea bream.” The ingredients change daily, using seasonal items. Oh, don’t forget the soy sauce. Shiretoko Ezo deer ragù pasta. They use wild Ezo deer meat from Shiretoko. The pasta is flat, fresh, made with local wheat. And finally, cheese! They give you a generous amount for one serving. It looks so delicious. I’ll pick out some sweets later. There’s also a salmon roe bowl, beef and pork grills, along with many other dishes… There are so many dishes I can’t even introduce them all. And everything we try is really delicious. Hokkaido has a lot of fresh ingredients, so everything is fresh. Even without the drift ice, this restaurant alone is worth coming for. The sauce is made with cod roe and matcha. Everything is good, but the local seafood is on another level. The tuna sashimi is thick yet melts in your mouth. You can really feel the umami and sweetness. Here’s another working robot staff. Thanks for your hard work. The dessert area. I can’t pass up Hokkaido melon. Cute donuts and Baumkuchen. Daily menu cakes. Hokkaido cheesecake! There are two types of sweets to order. The first is the “drift ice Cheesecake” made with Hokkaido cream cheese. >> Staff: We use cheese that has been aged for one year in Okoppe Town, Hokkaido. The second is the “Pumpkin Spice Latte Parfait” made with Hokkaido-grown pumpkin. It’s a daily menu item. This is the first time I’ve had such an elaborate parfait at a buffet. Wow, I’m so happy. It tastes melon. The texture is smooth, and it’s so tasty. On top of the soft cheesecake, there’s yogurt sorbet inspired by drift ice. Oh no, I regret only booking one night. Everything is so good, my stomach just can’t keep up. I want more—I wish I could go around and eat this five more times. But since our stomachs have reached their limit, we’ll stop here. Thank you for the meal. We’ve come to the drift ice terrace at night. It’s beautifully lit up with green lights. The lounge at night is so stylish. Hokkaido sake, Kokushimusou. My favorite is the mozzarella cheese with Genoa sauce. There are so many guests, but it’s not noisy anywhere. It’s really calm. I don’t know if it’s always like this or if it’s just less busy today. But it’s very relaxing, which is great. We’ve come to the playroom. There’s a kids’ space, ping-pong, and billiards. Back in the room, we’re heading to the open-air bath in the room. This hotel doesn’t offer a private bath option. If you want a private bath or have tattoos, book a room with an onsen. Hot springs with a view of the drift ice. Awesome. There are two beds, and they look comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep. Good night. Good morning. The breakfast is a free-order buffet, just like yesterday. There are many chefs in the kitchen even in the morning. Breakfast hours are from 7:00 to 9:30. For morning drinks, there’s non-alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic champagne, juices, and Jersey milk. There’s seafood even in the morning. Shiretoko beef and pork hamburgers, and Ebetsu pork bone-in sausages. Grilled salmon. Croquettes. The sweets section. There’s ice cream! Konjac mochi. There were so many dishes again for breakfast. It’s amazing to have such luxurious and delicious food so early in the morning. Shiretoko salmon cream cheese croquettes. As you can see, they’re not your regular croquettes. They’re creamy, full of flavor, and goooood. The Shiretoko beef and pork hamburgers are really meaty and tasty. Ah, I wish I were a bigger eater. We ate as much as we wanted, and we’re totally satisfied. Thank you for the meal. I wonder how many times we’ve been to the lounge in these two days? drift ice Blend Coffee.’ It’s not coffee with drift ice in it, but coffee inspired by drift ice. The cup is lovely. The drift ice blend coffee is delicious. This is one of the famous Japanese snacks, Tirol Chocolate. Check-out is by 11:00. It was a bit difficult to come here by public transport. But it was worth the stay in every way, and I had so much fun. Before leaving, let’s walk around the hotel area and get a closer look at the drift ice. It is said that if global warming continues, we might not see the drift ice by 2070. I’m glad we got to see this breathtaking view this year. Nature on Earth is truly beautiful. Thank you for watching. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe to the channel. See you next time.

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💻KITAKOBUSHI SHIRETOKO Hotel & Resort
Website: https://www.shiretoko.co.jp/en/
*This video was filmed with the hotel’s permission.

🗒 How to book
Agoda: https://px.a8.net/svt/ejp?a8mat=3TLBA5+BIDQL6+4X1W+BW0YB&a8ejpredirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.agoda.com%2Fkitakobushi-shiretoko-hotel-resort%2Fhotel%2Fshari-jp.html
Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/t/FVQ6EpqmFP2
Expedia: https://expedia.com/affiliate/J9O5hsP
Hotels.com: https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/ORCH1RF

🚃🚶‍♀️How to Get There
If you’re using public transportation, the recommended route is the one shown in the video: Abashiri Station → Shiretoko Shari Station → Utoro Onsen Bus Terminal.
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/j45cRG6VX6yAbX2L8

💰 Price
Okhotsk Club DX Twin Room with Open-Air Bath: 102,410 yen (696.82 USD / € 633.81).
*Prices may vary depending on the season and room type.

🚃 JAPAN RAIL PASS is an economical and convenient way to travel throughout Japan by rail!!
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⌛️ Timestamps
0:00 Opening
0:44 Abashiri
2:16 Train with drifting ice views
4:01 About Shiretoko
5:01 Hotel Lobby & Lounge
7:04 Drift Ice Terrace & Foot Bath
8:02 Okhotsk Lounge
10:01 Exploring the Hotel
11:56 Room Tour
15:39 Public Bath & Sauna
20:35 Dinner
29:09 Night Lounge
30:31 Playroom
31:04 Room at Night
31:48 Morning Drift Ice View
32:15 Breakfast
34:37 Drift Ice Blend Coffee
35:45 Observing the Drift Ice Up Close

#Hokkaido #Shiretoko #driftice #japan #japantravel #asmr #cc_for_subtitle

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・Titles, descriptions, and subtitles are provided by automatic translation and may contain inaccuracies.
・The prices in the video are based on the exchange rate at the time of editing.
・Prices may vary with the season.
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