Muroran

Complimentary shuttles to Muroran city are frequently provided, with a choice of routes allowing passengers to take 3 or more different short trips.

Close to Central Wharf, a 10-min. walk away in the former Muroran Station building, the Muroran Tourist Association has a space where cruise passengers and crew can try aspects of Japanese culture.

Muroran takes its name from the Ainu phrase “Mo Ruerani,” meaning “the bottom of a little slope.” The small incline before the former Senkai Temple in Sakimori-cho is associated with the city’s name.

Administration of the Muroran district passed to the Matsumae clan in the late 16th century. It then grew as a trading point between Ainu people and members of the Matsumae clan.

The Port of Muroran opened in 1892 to support construction of the wooden bridge at Kaigan, formerly Tokikaramoi. At the same time, work began on the main Hakodate-Sapporo road as the first stage of the Hokkaido Colonization Plan.

After a shipping link opened between Muroran and Mori and the railway reached Iwamizawa, the municipality of Muroran began on August 1, 1922, becoming central to major land and sea routes in Hokkaido’s pioneer period. It has since developed into an important transport centre and steel-industry hub.

Crossing the Port of Muroran, Hakucho Bridge is eastern Japan’s largest suspension bridge. The word Hakucho means swan.

During summer, wide Itanki Beach and its fine brown sand attract people for surfing and swimming.

Eight designated views make up the Muroran-Hakkei scenic sights. The best known is:

Earth Cape combines a white lighthouse with sweeping views over the blue ocean, and several pairs of falcons live nearby.

Muroran is well organised, with free buses serving 4 or 5 stops and activities at each. Complimentary souvenirs can include kites, calligraphy examples and candy floss, and maps are also free. It makes for an inexpensive day in a city away from mass tourism: visit a temple, browse a department store or walk through a supermarket.

On clear days, Muroran’s typical sights include Cape Chikyu’s sheer cliffs, whose broad horizon views emphasise the earth’s curve; the lighthouse stands 120 m above sea level.

The surroundings of Mt. Sokuryo, called Sokuryozan Ryokuchi or Mt. Sokuryo Green Space, are cherished locally and rich in wild birds. Covering 119.5 ha, the area supports roughly 500 plant species plus innumerable birds and insects. From the summit is a 360-degree panorama and a monument bearing a Japanese tanka by a noted poet who visited in June 1931. Six steel towers glow blue, green and orange after dark. The route requires time and stamina, being a 40-min. walk from the cruise berth, so why not…

When entering a taxi, allow the driver to operate the left rear door remotely rather than opening or closing it yourself. Do not tip the driver, because service is already included in the fare.

Travellers who do not speak Japanese, or whose intended destination is not well known, should hand the driver its exact written address or, preferably, indicate the place on a map. Japan’s address system can confuse even local taxi drivers.

Sapporo, one of Japan’s newest and most appealing cities, grew from a population of seven in 1857 to almost 2 million today. Its youth by Japanese standards means less traditional architecture than places such as Kyoto, but it compensates with broad, leafy boulevards in summer and excellent winter snow, supported by facilities designed to manage it.

The journey from Muroran takes around 90 minutes.

Japan’s currency is the yen. Notes come in ¥10,000, ¥5,000 and ¥1,000 denominations, while coins are issued as ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, ¥10, ¥5 and ¥1.

Japanese ATMs are increasingly useful, with most now allowing withdrawals from foreign accounts, and post offices provide them too. Most shops and restaurants in large cities accept major credit cards. Carry enough cash when visiting rural districts, however: Japan remains strongly cash based, and some shops, hotels and restaurants refuse cards wherever they are located.

Avoid tipping, as it is regarded as impolite.

Cafés offering customer WiFi are appearing nationwide. Prices differ: some coffee shops provide Wi-Fi free, while others bill by the hour for cable-connected PCs.

Japanese shops and department stores normally open every day, including national holidays apart from New Year’s, from 10:00 or 10:30am until 7:30 or 8:00pm. Certain specialist shops shut on Sundays and national holidays. Department stores may close one irregular day each week, but because each chooses a different day, shoppers can always find somewhere open.

Japan’s public holidays