Wakkanai is the northernmost city in Japan, it’s famous for being Japan’s City that is further north than any other. It gets well over the gutter level of snow.
It’s the bit at the top, you know, the furthest…. Was going to copy something of interest from wiki, except it went on about its geographical position. The Americans didn’t bomb it during the war, I bet you know the reason why, yep too far and the N word.
In reality, it isn’t even that far up the world. Turin and Grenoble are on the same latitude, half way between the equator and the pole.
Out for a drive
The Japanese have a class of car called Kei, lots of regulations govern them but basically they have to be small and below 660cc. There are lots about and I’ve always admired them. Already being aware that Wakkanai didn’t have the most going for it except a grand train ride to get here, I thought I’d hire a car for a trundle around for an afternoon, evening and morning. There are seals, deer, islands and rugged coastlines to explore. The car was perfect, Honda N-box. Aptly named for sure. It has sat navigation, heated seats, electric windows and opening rear doors.
It’s cute and has 4 wheel drive. Did I mention the weather? I spent less than an hour in the car. The car was sure footed, unbelievably so bearing in mind the roads are packed snow and ice. However, the visibilty changed constantly whilst driving, you can’t see were road, path and lanes start and finish. At junctions, you are just looking for shade changes in the whiteness. Japanese road designers thoughtfully put posts with arrows pointing down to show the side.
I made it to the harbour, all the boats tied up, the water frozen, the breakwaters masses of ice where the spray had given up to intense cold. The bitter wind picked up any loose ice crystals and was using them to gnaw at your face. A removed glove, an arm raised for a selfie, invited an immediate intense pain, ice cream headache in its ferocity, to your digits. Just reward some may say. Except for the exposed fingers, natural fibres have kept the body and limbs warm, wool, merino and lambs, tweed, leather and moleskin have all done their job. Although physically warm, the intensity of it all, just being in a place to be there with no purpose, begins to tell. A weariness creeps in, even sat in a warm car, a chill sets in to your bones. I turned to Scott, Bowers and Wilson, told them that I was going outside and may be sometime. (Stop, ed)
Enough enough says sensible side and off to the hotel we go, the car to be entombed in its interior. You drive in to what looks like a single garage, collect your belongings from it. Lock and keep the keys. A chappy then turns up, and your car lifting in to the air is the last you see of it, it’s a giant lift. Goodness knows were it went? But another car was ready to follow it in to the same garage. We’ll try again tomorrow for a longer drive.
Onsen part 2
The hotel thoughtfully provides respite from this torment. There is a top floor Onsen. Resplendent in my provided hotel wear I make my way up. Breaking one of the rules, I bring you the rules.
After a luxurious wash and rinse in the hot wash area, wearing exactly the same amount of clothing as the day I was born, I head to the outside bath. It’s still -15 outside, you realise what a great equaliser cold weather is. The water is a delightful 40°, you immerse yourself. The bathing area is uplit, so nofierce light for the users. Although the area is sheltered from the majority of the wind high up were we are, what there is causes the falling snow to shine against the dark skies it’s like a myriad of fireflys swirling, dancing and cavorting above you.
A man’s got to eat
Stepping through the red curtains in to the restaurant, I’m the only customer. Booths to the right, a U shaped counter in the middle. Too cold to remove shoes, I go for the counter. Each place has its little tray, chopsticks, a red pepper shaker, a silver thingy? tooth picks, or are they chopsticks for really tiny people. A jar of miso and one of wasabi.
After ordering by pointing a finger, I then use Translate, I see that I’ve ordered 5 time ramen. 5 times what I wonder, seafood, veg, meats? I find out, 5x the size, or so it seems. It’s actually a salty miso base with thin pork, squid, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, veg with egg stirred in. Noodles make up the biggest part. Whilst I’m wading through, trying to get all the best bits, the proprietors, two wisened old men are closing the place around me. Walking back towards the hotel, three things occur to me, I’m on my own in the silence, compacted snow makes a wonderful squeaking sound when further compressed underfoot and Wakkanai starts closing at seven.
Walking back to the hotel, I contemplate, If there had a been a bar open, if there had been anyone in , I would have told them that Hull and Wakkanai have a lot in common, fishing, ferries, docks, loads of things , except Hull is further North!
Trip to Japan 