Southwestern Welcome Party 2009

Higashi Onuma Camp Ground at Lake Onuma

southwestWhen: Saturday 19th September – Sunday 20th of September.

Where: The banks of Lake Onuma at the free campsite Higashi Onuma Camp Ground 東大沼キャンプ場

Price: 500 yen for non-HAJET members, free for all others (for the Saturday night meal).

-Directions-

Driving (From North/Yakumo-Mori-Oshamanbe): Head south on Route 5 towards Hakodate. After you pass through Mori and a few kms past Lucky Pierot (on your left) you will see a turn off for Onuma and Route 43 on your left. Take it. Follow it for about 3kms. You will cross a trainline just before a T-intersection. Take the left option, and follow the lake around in a clockwise direction for about 5 kms. The campground will be on your right. There is a giant car park. Park your car there, and walk to the camp site (which will hopefully be as far from the car park as possible)

Driving (From South/Hakodate): Head north on Route 5 towards Mori (from Hakodate/Nanae). Travel through the large tunnel and continue heading north. Don’t turn at the intersection directly after the tunnel (You can, but the directions are less straight forward). Instead, travel north for about 4kms until you see a turnoff for Route 43 on your right. Take it. Follow it for about 3kms. You will cross a trainline just before a T-intersection. Take the left option, and follow the lake around in a clockwise direction for about 5 kms. The campground will be on your right. There is a giant car park. Park your car there, and walk to the camp site (which will hopefully be as far from the car park as possible)

Car Pooling! If anyone is driving to the event, and has a spare seat (and a desire to help your fellow car-less JET) post on here, and we’ll see if a car pool can be organised. Eco-get!

-Train-
There is a station that is almost within walking distance of the campground (Choushiguchi 銚子口which can be reached from Onuma or Mori station) but, the trains aren’t very frequent. The simplest (and therefore the most expensive) option is to catch a train bound for Onuma 大沼 station and use a car/taxi from there.

The limited express between Hakodate-Sapporo via Muroran/Tomakomai/Chitose stops at the Onuma station. The limited express takes about 3 hours from Sapporo (and ¥8070) or 20 minutes (and ¥1640) from Hakodate. Trains leave roughly every 90mins-2 hrs.
It is about 6kms from the Onuma station to the campground, so not really walking distance, but I will pick SOUTH-BOUND people up from the station that arrive on the Super Hokuto 14 スーパー北斗14号 at 16:23. I will also pick up NORTH-BOUND people that arrive on the Hokuto 15 北斗1５号 at 15:42 from the Onuma station.

For those that wish to arrive at other times, there it is a 6km taxi ride (which was quoted at less than ¥2000 by the drivers at the rank) that can be shared. Remember that it is a free campsite, so what you save in camp-fees goes towards the cost of transport.

-Bus-
Still researching bus time tables. Please be patient.

-Activities-

Apart from lounging/drinking/eating..

Hiking: Sadly, due to an eruption less than 10 years ago, climbing of Mt Komaga (Komagatake 駒ヶ岳) is not possible. I can’t tell you how much I want to climb this.. but, I guess it wouldn’t be a good thing to get caught (even though the tracks are quite visible, and I SWEAR I could see people on the mountain)

Boating: Being on a lake, means that canoeing/kayaking is on offer. Both are available for hire (for a price ¥3500-¥4500 for two hours with a guide).

Biking: Bicycles are available for hire for those who wish to do a scenic ride around the lake. (there are even tandems!) Not sure of the price

There is horse riding available too for those who are keen (¥5000 45mins, ¥9000 90mins)

Hang-gliding/ Para-gliding! is offered at the nearby Nanae Niyama Ski Resort. Further investigation is underway, but it seems that you must firstly possess your own equipment/skills.