BETSUKAI, Hokkaido -- When it comes to the ocean, the source of our combined admiration and fear may lie largely in our inability to easily conquer it in order to reach an opposing shore. But what would it be like to be able to simply walk across such a body? In the winter at Hokkaido's Notsuke Bay, it's possible to find out.
The water at Notsuke is, on average, about 4 meters deep, and in the harsh winter, this shallow bay is covered in a sheet of ice. What spreads out toward the horizon aren't the typical waves of the sea, but an exquisite frozen field. From January through mid-March at the Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center, located in Betsukai, Hokkaido, guided tours that allow you to walk upon the frozen surface of the ocean are gaining popularity.
About 40 people hailing from places like Betsukai's sister city Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, attended a mini walking tour. Just looking out at the landscape of pure white was enough to make them cheer with excitement. They amused themselves by taking photos using fun perspective tricks, like one where it looks like their husband fits in the palm of their hand.
Using a low-cost carrier that connects Kansai and Kushiro airports, part of a promotional tour took them around the eastern part of Hokkaido. Yoshinari Nishimura, secretary general of the Hirataka Culture Tourist Association, said: "There's a certain charm to a cold scenery like this. I've never experienced anything like it."
The idea of walking tours within the bay, with the picturesque scenery of the withered Sahkalin firs of an area called Todowara as the end goal, was introduced as photography tour aimed at women by the city five years ago. A general incorporated association of Kushiro, in eastern Hokkaido, working hard to promote tourism is the mastermind behind the idea.
Tetsuzo Notake, a leader of the association, said: "I'm originally from Osaka, so in my youth I used to think that there's nothing here and that it sure would be nice if someone came up with something to do."
Then, Notake came across a short story written by an author born in Kushiro, Shino Sakuragi. In it, her perfect description of the scenery made the images spring to life in his mind. With her consent, he borrowed the title, published it both domestically and abroad, and the popularity of this activity enjoyed a sudden boom. Efforts were also made to implement a bus route, so the number of independent travelers increased. Last year saw a total of about 4,300 visitors -- 20 times more that the initial year.
I participated in the two-hour round trip to Todowara, which was a total of 3 kilometers on foot. The feeling of actually walking on the ocean's surface made my heart pound with excitement. It was minus 3 C that day.
"The ice is over 20 centimeters thick, but be on the lookout for cracks," the guide warned.
In this infinite landscape, I was keenly aware of how small humans really are in comparison. Beyond the sea is far away. But, if you march on, aiming for the unshakable frozen horizon, it feels like you could walk forever. It reminded me of the town's tourist pamphlet that says, "When you come out this far, it's like a different world altogether."
A treasure of wildlife
In the grasslands where there is little snow, the wildlife is vigorous and lively, with Hokkaido deer, Ezo red foxes, Steller's sea eagles and whooper swans that come in to spend the winter months. With everything from forests to grasslands, wetlands to tidal flats, and of course the ocean, the Notsuke Peninsula is certainly a cradle of life. At the shoals of the bay, the eelgrass is lush and rich with scallops and visiting water birds.
With more than 260 types, or 40%, of wild birds in Japan identified, the peninsula has become a registered wetland under the Ramsar Convention along with the brackish Lake Furen in the southern part of the peninsula.
It is thought to be a paradise for wild animals, but "it's impossible to eliminate all contact with humans," said Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center director Kaoru Fujii, 60. Looking through a telescope as he showed us around Lake Furen, we were overwhelmed by the large number of Steller's sea eagles as they swarmed over the surface.
"There are at last 500 birds," Fujii said. Of the estimated 5,000 to 7,000 Steller's around the world, a surprising 10% are said to be here.
At places like Lake Furen and Notsuke Bay, parts of the ice are broken open and nets are laid out for the traditional fishing of Japanese pond smelt and saffron cod lurking below, with the eagles aiming for the small fish the fisherman leave behind. "I think it's wonderful when human activities and the wild can coexist."
From the Odaito fishing harbor, hotate scallop fishing boats set out for work early in the morning. Because the ocean is rich with nutrients, the thick meat of the scallops is well known. During the Edo period when herring fishing was popular, many guardhouses were set up at the tip of the peninsula and there were also established points of traffic to and from Kunashiri Island. The bountiful sea not only supports everyday lives but also ties together histories.
Back on land, the increase in human interaction with local wildlife has wrought its own issues. Hokkaido deer, with their population continues to rise, have been seen on the peninsula since before around 20 years ago. Pest damage suffered by precious flowers and plant bulbs is extensive. There's also a worry that Ezo red foxes fed by tourists will transmit diseases to humans. And animals killed by vehicles are still rampant. Is it possible to cohabit without getting too close? That is the question nature has thrust before us.
Memo:
Fishing-hook-shape Notsuke Peninsula draws sediment carried by the tides of the Sea of Okhotsk. It is about 26 kilometers long from end to end, and its name means "chin" in the Ainu language. The distance between the peninsula and Kunashiri Island is a mere 16 kilometers.
Akan pork, surprising portion sizes
If we're discussing the taste of winter, you can't avoid talking about the meaty hotate scallops. At traditional inns, you can order them as sashimi or baked in the shell for you. At a restaurant in the downtown area called Roman, the fried hotate scallops are delicious but their recommended spring dish is definitely pork chops. Many tourists come with this dish in mind. The 700-gram chunks of Akan pork are thoroughly baked in an oven for 50 minutes and coated with a ketchup-based sauce. One serving costs 2,530 yen. Around over 40 years ago, the restaurant owner's father came up with the idea as a way to surprise his customers. "I'm sure he wanted his customers to eat their fill."
There are also female customers who come on their own and aren't confident they can finish the dish in one sitting, so a smaller 400-gram dish, cooked for 25 minutes is also available. One serving costs 1,960 yen. Even at that size, this dish is pretty big, but with the savory juices from the meat combined with the thick sauce, the meat is unexpectedly light and healthy.
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