Cape Kamui & RARE Uni Feast
Mäneka
A photo of Cape Kamui caught my eye when researching points of interest in Hokkaido. Even though I am not an outdoor person, the dramatic juts and contortions of the cliffs lured me in. We set out from Otaru via Shakotan (nicknamed Shacktown by Balaram due to the number of somewhat dilapidated seaside shanties) in hopes of hiking out to the tip of the cape where a lone lighthouse sits. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the gate, the trail had been fenced off due to high winds. While disappointing, the closure was indeed warranted; the wind nearly blew us over a couple of times. The scenery was impressive nonetheless.
Kamala
For weeks before we left for Japan, we compiled our points of interests in a Google doc. Early on, Mäneka decided that she wanted to go a place called Cape Kamui, a beautiful, mountainous slip of land that dramatically juts out into the ocean and ends in a lighthouse. “Don’t forget about Nemu Point,” Balaram kept reminding us, because he’d somehow decided to rename the place of his own accord.
It was incredibly foggy and windy on the day we went to Nemu Point — so windy that the trail down to the lighthouse was closed, which caused disappointment all around. But it was lovely to drive along the ocean and see the dramatic waves crash into the beaches and verdant hills around the cape. The trail we walked through the cape park was covered in flowers and some waist-high leafy plant that had dried out in the sun and rustled wildly. “It’s like Point Reyes,” Linda decided, high praise from a person who feels strongly that Northern California is superior to all other places.
On our way back from the Cape Kamui, we stopped at a small lunch place called Osyokujidokoro Misaki, famous for a special rare uni (ezo bafun) that comes from a short-spined sea urchin, rather than the typical purple one. Mäneka had been certain that we’d miss out on the special uni because people have been known to line up in the morning to get this delicacy.
We rolled in and went straight to the vending machine, and I pushed the button on the bright orange uni so hard that I nearly knocked it over. A man ran out immediately to let us know that they’d run out, which led to further confusion later, when it turned out our ticket had already been sent to the kitchen to prepare our order. Soon another man — “He looked a lot like John Lennon” Balaram remarked later — came out to ask if, as a party of 4 we indeed wanted 5 orders of food.
In the end, we got to eat this amazing uni, and wow, it was unlike anything I’ve ever eaten! It was so creamy and really sweet, it wasn’t briny or fishy in the way that the typical uni (which we also ate with relish), it was this unctuous smooth, almost floral taste that melts when you eat it. Before we left the restaurant, Linda gifted John Lennon a few boxes of nice cookies as a gesture to thank him for looking out for us, though truly, she was just hoping to get rid of the cookies to make more room for shopping in Tokyo.
Despite a 3pm check-in time at a sensually stunning ryokan on the forest, we stupidly decided to stop at the Nikka Whiskey Distillery in Yoichi instead of heading straight there. The distillery would have likely been far more interesting if we could read Japanese, but it was unremarkable, compared to Zaborin.
Linda
I didn’t hit anyone, didn’t get a ticket, and only 2 times turned into the wrong lane (She also only got tailed by the police once! -Mäneka). All things considered, Hokkaido was a good place to experience driving in Japan.
After a cursory study of the Japan traffic and parking signs and a trusty navigator on my left (Mäneka), our rented Corolla hatchback headed out of Sapporo.
With a car, we could plot a more ambitious itinerary than with public transportation or a sightseeing bus tour. And very importantly, allowed us to access—special foods, what else!? Amongst them—those notoriously priced (but oh so sweet) melons at a specialty farm and the prized bafun uni at Misaki eatery in Shakotan. The sweet, creamy, bright orange uni are available just during the summer months in this area. After a few confusing interactions with the jidohanbaiki (自動販売機, vending machine), the false disappointment that they had run out, and the help of a John Lennonesque-looking staffer, we enjoyed lunch!
With full stomachs, driving became much easier. We were heading up to the mountains to a remote ryokan. Along the way we stopped at the Nikka Yoichi Distillery where I appropriately wore the “designated driver” sticker and got to drink apple juice while the others were provided a three-sample flight. In hindsight, we would have done well to skip this stop and spend more time at Zaborin Ryokan.
Little did I know what rewards lie ahead from a full day of driving.