Shakotan

Thank you, Xiao Ma, and the driver deserve a thumbs up. Originally, I chose this trip because of the winery visit, but Xiao Ma's engaging explanations and the natural scenery made the trip truly worthwhile. The bus we took this time was also much more comfortable than the 13-seater buses on other trips.

The time allotted for each stop was sufficient, and all the scenery was beautiful. There were often queues for lunch, so it's recommended to have a hearty breakfast and bring some snacks to eat at different attractions, as eating is not allowed on the bus. Farm Tomita has a restaurant with good curry rice, and they also sell ice cream and cantaloupe. Allocating 15-20 minutes more at Shikisai-no-Oka would be better, as you can try local food. Due to the long queues and rain, the time spent at Aoike and Shirasu was significantly shortened. Since the group members automatically returned to the bus earlier, the time wasn't made up for at the next attraction, effectively shortening the total sightseeing time. However, the traffic was smooth, and the group members were punctual, so we ended the tour about 45 minutes earlier than scheduled. Our guide, Coco, was very nice and professional. The only downside was that there were noisy children in the group, making it difficult to sleep on the bus.

It was raining when we set off that morning, and we were very grateful to our driver, Xiao, for picking us up from the hotel. It rained the whole way to Cape Kamui, but thankfully it stopped when we arrived, allowing us to still enjoy the beautiful scenery. The driver also thoughtfully reminded us to bring umbrellas and told us what flavors of soft-serve ice cream the local shops sold. The cable car to Tenguyama was cancelled due to strong winds, but thanks to the driver's help, we were still able to catch the sunset – a truly unforgettable sight.

The tour was conducted by minibus, with the guide also acting as the driver. Therefore, the guided tour wasn't very detailed; the driver primarily took tourists to the entrance of the attractions, after which tourists were responsible for their own exploration and returned to the pick-up point at the designated meeting time. Because bus schedules to Cape Kamui are unpredictable, a full-day trip was chosen. If you only want to visit Otaru for shopping, you can take the JR train. 1. The island's main beach is a small spot for taking photos; a 30-minute stop is recommended. 2. The round trip to Cape Kamui takes about an hour. There are stairs going up and down, and some sections of the trail are narrow. Be careful when passing other people as you may need to unload large bags. Bring water and a hat for sun protection, as there is no shade along the way. You can enjoy the beautiful blue waters of the Shakugan Islands. A 1.5-hour stop is recommended for this attraction. With occasional people exercising and taking photos, a round trip takes about an hour. Shakugan ice cream is available next to the visitor center (ticket required). 3. Otaru City: Since I wanted to spend more time shopping here, I didn't buy a boat tour. So, I spent about 3 hours here. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the drop-off point to the shopping street. Walking along the Otaru Canal won't be too boring, and you can take some photos. However, 3 hours is not enough to properly explore Otaru. It also takes some time to walk to the Otaru Music Box Steam Clock at the end of the shopping street. There are many souvenir shops, glass museums, music box museums, restaurants, and unique shops such as Gikikawa. If you have a specific goal in mind, 3 hours is enough.