Kitami

Introduction

Kitami is a city in Okhotsk Subprefecture on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. It is the most populous city in the subprefecture and serves as its commercial center, though the subprefectural capital is Abashiri.

Before you go

Kitami is the economic centre of Okhotsk Subprefecture and the largest city in that subprefecture, so it works well as a base for exploring eastern Hokkaido. The city's boundaries are unusually wide: they stretch from the Daisetsu mountains in the east to the Okhotsk Sea in the west, meaning a single trip can take in both mountain and coastal scenery. The present city took its shape when the towns of Rubeshibe, Tanno and Tokoro merged with Kitami, so expect distinct local characters across its different areas.

Before you set out, check the local tourist association's guide site. It is written in Japanese but includes integrated machine translation, which makes it usable for planning. Bear in mind that the city's spread-out geography means you should think about how you will move between the mountain side and the coast before you arrive.

Getting there

Most travellers reach Kitami through Memambetsu Airport, which JAL and Air Do serve from Tokyo and Sapporo, while ANA flies in from Nagoya. Hokkaido Kitami Bus runs an airport bus from the centre of Kitami timed to connect with each of those flights, a ride of about 42 minutes; taxis are also available but cost considerably more.

By rail, the JR Sekihoku Main Line passes through Kitami Station on its route between Sapporo and Abashiri, and the Limited Express Okhotsk serves the city with four round trips daily, taking roughly four and a half hours from Sapporo. Long-distance buses are another option: the Dreamint Okhotsk connects Sapporo and Abashiri via Kitami with frequent daily departures, the Express Sekihoku heads to Asahikawa via Onneyu Onsen and Sounkyo Onsen, and the Express Senboku runs to Kushiro via Lake Akan. Drivers can use the Doto Expressway from Obihiro to the south, or National Route 39, which links Sapporo and Asahikawa in the west with Abashiri to the east.

Getting around

The JR Sekihoku Main Line runs through Kitami, with Kitami Station in the centre of the main urban area and Rubeshibe Station serving as the centre of the Rubeshibe area; both are stops for the Limited Express. Other stations along the line within the city include Nishirubeshibe, Ainonai, Higashiainonai, Nishikitami, Hakuyō, Itoshino, Tanno and Hiushinai. Local trains run at intervals of roughly one to two hours, so check the timetable before relying on the train for a particular trip. Hokkaido Kitami Bus operates several routes around the city and is your most practical choice for reaching outlying districts; in the Tokoro area, Abashiri Bus services several areas instead. Taxis are readily available, and several rental car providers have offices in Kitami, including Eki, Nippon, Orix, Times and Toyota.

The central urban area around Kitami Station is compact and reasonably walkable for dining, shopping and reaching your accommodation, but the wider city spreads across a large area that includes former town districts, so plan to combine walking in the centre with buses, trains or a car for anything farther out. If you arrive at Memambetsu Airport, the airport bus run by Hokkaido Kitami Bus is timed to connect with arriving flights and takes you into central Kitami; taxis from the airport are a faster, more private alternative at a considerably higher cost per car.

Where to stay

Kitami has a small cluster of hotels around the station, plus a hot-spring option out in the countryside. Near Kitami Station you can choose between business-hotel chains: one is about a ten-minute walk from the station and includes breakfast with your stay, while another sits a minute from the station and also serves breakfast. Both charge for parking, so confirm the arrangement when you book.

• Super Hotel Kitami — about ten minutes on foot from Kitami Station; breakfast included; parking available for a fee.
• Tōyoko Inn Kitami Ekimae — a minute from Kitami Station; breakfast included; parking available for a fee.
• Ōe-Honke — in the Onneyu Onsen hot-spring town in Rubeshibe, a short walk from the "Onneyu Onsen" bus stop; stays with two meals are offered, and you can also stop in for a bath only.

If you want to soak in a hot spring rather than stay in the city centre, base yourself at Onneyu Onsen and reach it by bus; the walk from the stop is short.

Food & drink

Kitami has its own local dish, salt chow mein (shio-yakisoba), which you can find around the city at restaurants and hotels. Sushi is another strength of the local food scene, with plenty of good sushi restaurants; a conveyor-belt sushi place in the Higashimiwa area, about a ten-minute drive from Kitami Station, is a relatively cheap option.

For a drink, seek out Okhotsk Beer, the local brew that holds Japan's first local beer production license. The brewery, a fifteen-minute walk from Kitami Station in Yamashita-cho, runs a restaurant called the Okhotsk Beer Factory where you can settle in for a meal with your beer.

What to see and do

Kitami's museums tell the story of its unusual industries and international ties. The Kitami Mint Memorial Museum displays materials from the city's past mint production, while the Pierson Memorial House preserves the former home of Christian missionaries who lived here in the nineteenth century and includes displays on Kitami's sister city, Elizabeth City, New Jersey. Both are a short walk or ride from the station area and are free to enter.

• Pay your respects at Kitami-jinja Shrine, founded when a military battalion commander enshrined Amaterasu Omikami here; the grounds are decorated with azaleas in spring and autumn leaves in fall, and locals stroll here to reflect on the city's history.
• Head to Wakka, a long sandbar separating the Sea of Okhotsk from Lake Saroma, where hundreds of kinds of wildflowers bloom; a nature center at the entrance rents bicycles and provides information on the area.
• Visit the Aquarium of Mountain in Rubeshibe, which focuses on freshwater fish.
• Soak in the alkaline springs of Onneyu Onsen or Shiobetsu Onsen, both known for leaving your skin smooth after bathing; Shiobetsu has an inn offering day bathing.
• Try curling, the sport that earned Kitami its reputation as a curling city, at the city-operated Tokoro Curling Hall or the Kitami Curling Hall.
• Between May and October, take the Azarashi sightseeing boat around Lake Saroma; routes run from under an hour to an hour and a half.

When to go

Kitami has a humid continental climate, with severe snowy winters and warm, sometimes very hot summers, and it stays comparatively dry year-round by Japanese standards. Winter brings deep cold, with January lows well below freezing and snow falling in traces nearly every day. Snow cover builds heavily over the season, so expect snow-packed streets and a landscape under thick snow.

Summer is warm to hot. Southeast winds bring a Foehn effect off the nearby mountains, which often makes Kitami the hottest place in Hokkaido and noticeably hotter than Kushiro. If you prefer mild conditions, aim for the periods between the deep cold of winter and the peak heat of August.

Three days in Kitami

Day one: Arrive at Memambetsu Airport, served by JAL, Air Do, ANA and other carriers from Tokyo, Sapporo and Nagoya, and settle into Kitami, the city at the heart of Okhotsk Subprefecture. Use the day to get your bearings and plan the rest of your trip around the wider region of Hokkaido, from the Okhotsk Sea coast to the Daisetsu mountains.

Day two: Head out into the surrounding countryside, with the farming towns of Rubeshibe, Tanno and Tokoro within reach, and the Okhotsk Sea beyond. Onneyu Onsen and Sounkyo Onsen make rewarding stops if you are travelling by car, and drivers can make use of the Doto Expressway.

Day three: Continue by rail or bus. Kitami Station on the JR Sekihoku Main Line is served by the Limited Express Okhotsk, the Express Sekihoku and the Express Senboku, while the Dreamint Okhotsk and Hokkaido Kitami Bus connect the city with Asahikawa and other points. Depending on your direction, you can carry on toward Abashiri, Kushiro, Lake Akan or Obihiro.