Hokkaido — Water& Smoke
Onsen hot springs, diverse national parks, and sushi that defines delicate.
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Riding the ropeway to Ashidake peak in early October speeds through seasons as well as altitude. Fall on the way up. Winter at the top. I carefully trek along the icy trails, jealous of the well-prepared locals (and German tourists) with sturdy hiking poles. Stopping, my gaze follows the mist of my expelled breath to take in the view. A clear azure sky and dark, deep volcanic lakes reflecting snowy peaks.
Self care is a transcendent act. The Japanese seem to know this better than anyone. Sitting on a wee stool in a women’s onsen in Asahikawa, I feel awkward and gangly — a maladroit in a land of the lithe and limber. To my left, a tiny, old woman with just a touch of gray in her ebony hair gracefully scrubs every inch of her body in slow, timed strokes. Her pace is almost melodic, like the strumming of a guitar. Fifteen minutes later, she fills a tub with fresh spring water and languidly pours it over her soapy limbs. She repeats this process two more times, then begins to slowly wash her hair. Almost 40 minutes later, she finally slips into the the hot spring — a cool cloth atop her head. She follows a 10-minute soak with a quick dip in an ice bath, 8 minutes in the sauna, and then back into the hot spring. After five cycles, she rinses off in the shower, lathers her body with the onsen’s rich body oil and dresses to leave.
Red hatchmarks on snow-white flesh. Peering down into my chirashi bowl, I puzzled over unfamiliar sashimi nestled next to my prized Hokkaido scallop. My query produced a cheeky grin and the response, “kinky.” Eyebrows raised, I popped it into my mouth. My scalp tingled and my toes curled at the exquisite, tender sweetness. “Wow. Aptly name,” I chuckled. Actually spelled “kinki,” this fatty rockfish is a delicacy native to the waters off northern Hokkaido. Limited supply and high local demand mean it rarely leaves Japan’s shores. I felt blessed to discover it in what turned out to be the best chirashi bowl of my life (so far). Served at tiny Isami Sushi in almost-as-tiny Rausu, a far-eastern town next to the sea and adjacent to Shiretoko National Park, this is the place to find the freshest kinki in the world in the autumn and winter months.
