Okoppe Sights: Dairy Hills, Rail Ruins, Rose Cape

What Kind of Town Is Okoppe?

Okoppe is a town in the northern part of Monbetsu District, facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Its basic industries are dairy farming, forestry and fishing, and it is known as the home of “Okoppe Milk.” The town’s name is said to come from an Ainu word describing how the rivers flowing to the west of town once joined before pouring into the sea.

In this article we introduce the town’s sights in order of descending latitude, that is, from north to south. From places that look over the town from a hill, to the remains of a railway, to a cape by the sea, please read it as one continuous journey through Okoppe’s daytime face.

1. Okoppe Shrine (興部神社)

Okoppe Shrine stands north of Okoppe’s urban area and is said to have been founded in 1899 (Meiji 32). Since the era when the town was opened from a Matsumae domain fishing ground and people built their lives here, it has received the prayers of local people.

At the shrine festival held every year in mid-September, a procession with a portable shrine and the horse dance moves through the town, praying for the safety of residents. Stalls line up as well, and the town’s tourist association says it is a yearly pleasure for the people of the Okoppe district.

The shrine is still a place of prayer where local people put their hands together. When you visit, bow before entering the grounds and pray quietly. Please do not touch the shrine buildings or things in the grounds, or raise your voice. On festival days, watch with consideration for local people, without blocking the route of the portable shrine.

2. Okoppe Park (興部公園)

Okoppe Park is a park on a small hill overlooking the town. It covers about 3.8 hectares and has long been loved as a place of rest for townspeople. The town’s guide introduces it as having walking paths and gardens.

In spring various flowers bloom, and it is said to suit a stroll combined with flower viewing. It is a park that blends into the daily scenery of townspeople, and it feels less like a tourist attraction than a place used by locals that travelers are allowed to join.

Because it stands on a small rise, the wind grows strong on days when the weather changes. Please take your trash home and stroll quietly. It can be buried in snow in winter, so we recommend checking the seasonal conditions in the town’s guide before you go.

3. Roadside Station Okoppe (Anyu Joy Park) (道の駅おこっぺ)

Roadside Station Okoppe stands on the site of the former Okoppe Station along National Route 239. After the Nayoro Main Line was abolished, the station building was rebuilt, and in 1996 it opened as the 29th roadside station in Hokkaido. Its nickname is “Anyu Joy Park,” a transport memorial complex on a railway theme.

Okoppe Station was where the Nayoro Main Line and the Kohoku-Minami Line, which once ran toward Omu, diverged. The Nayoro Main Line was abolished in 1989 and the Kohoku-Minami Line in 1985. Inside the building, rails that were once used and panels telling the history are on display. On the grounds is “Rugosa Express,” a converted diesel railcar used as a simple rest area and as simple lodging for travelers.

The wide lawn park also serves as a venue for events such as the summer festival. From around April to October a sales stand for the town’s specialties opens, and at certain times you can enjoy soft-serve ice cream from different shops in town each month. Business days and products change with the season, so please check the official guide before you go.

4. Moo-Moo Castle and the Windmill (モーモー城と風車)

“Moo-Moo Castle” is the nickname of the Okhotsk Agricultural Science Research Center and a building that symbolizes the town of Okoppe. Its castle-like exterior on a hill and the windmill beside it have become a kind of symbol of the town. We could not confirm any source showing the origin of the nickname, but it has a ring that suits a dairy town.

Inside, mainly agriculture-related analysis and testing is carried out, and tourists cannot enter. Only photographing and strolling around the area can be enjoyed. From the hill you can look out over Okoppe’s streets, the blue sky, the indigo sea and green pastures stretching on and on, which the town introduces as the scenery of “Okoppe.”

Around May, daffodils bloom near Moo-Moo Castle. The town’s official website also carries photos of its night appearance. Because it is a research facility, please be very careful not to enter the grounds or go inside the fences.

5. Saruru Cape and Saruru Beach (沙留岬と沙留海水浴場)

Saruru Cape is a cape jutting into the Sea of Okhotsk along National Route 238 on the way from Okoppe toward Monbetsu. This national route is called the “Hamanasu Road,” and in summer the town of Saruru comes into view beyond the beach roses (hamanasu) growing in clusters along the roadside.

Beside the cape is Saruru Beach, where you can enjoy the short Okhotsk summer. It is usually open from late July into August, and because fish and crabs can be seen, it is popular with families. Campsites are also provided. The map position for this article is an approximate coordinate midway between the beach and the cape.

Every year before the beach opens, local elementary and junior-high students and groups reportedly clean the shore. Large amounts of driftwood and seaweed wash up on the sand. Please take your own trash home and observe the swimming period and hours. Depending on the weather, swimming may be prohibited even during the opening period.

Local Specialties, Food and Drink

When it comes to Okoppe’s food, first comes milk and dairy products. The town has thriving dairy farming and is known by the name “Okoppe Milk.” The town’s tourist association and official website also introduce dairy products as local specialties.

From the sea, scallops, salmon, trout and horsehair crab are caught. Centered on the Saruru fishing cooperative, fishing also supports the town. Which shops serve them and when changes easily, so please check the latest information before you go.

Rare Creatures and Nature

Okoppe is a town along the Sea of Okhotsk and belongs to the humid continental climate. The temperature range is large, and winter falls in a special heavy-snowfall area. Among its mountains are Mount Poronupuri and Mount Utsu, and rivers such as the Okoppe and Moukoppe flow to the sea.

The town’s representative scenery is the view of pastures and sea from the hills and the beach rose clusters of summer. The winter Sea of Okhotsk is rough, and in some seasons drift ice approaches. Wind and waves are strong along the shore, so please judge the weather and enjoy it safely.

Other Notable Things About This Town

Okoppe was a Matsumae domain fishing ground in the Edo period. In 1915 Rukoshi, Saruru and Okoppe villages merged to become Okoppe Village, and it became a town in 1951. In 1925 Nishi-Okoppe Village split off.

The town holds seasonal events such as the Park Festival in late May, the Beach Festival in July, the Summer Festival in August and the Mini-Mini Winter Festival in mid-February. As befits a milk town, a marathon on a milk theme is also held.

The Night Side: Ghost Stories and Haunted Places of This Town

So far we have followed Okoppe’s daytime face from north to south: a shrine on a hill, a park, the remains of a railway, a pasture hill and a cape by the sea. Every place overlaps with the time of people who built their lives on dairy farming and fishing.

As for the night side, we have not been able to identify any story that stands as a ghost tale or haunted spot. In our view, a station site that has finished its role seems to retain the atmosphere of a time when the comings and goings of people stopped. But that is nothing more than the movement of the visitor’s own mind. Shrines, station sites and shores are dark and dangerous at night, so please visit during the day.

On KARASU CHANNEL, we set out true ghost stories and haunted places not to visit them but to record them. Having learned the daytime scenery, please read the stories of the night as well.

Before You Go

Opening hours, fees, closing days and access change easily, so they are not listed in this article. Before you go, please check the latest information on the official website of each facility or local government. Some places may be restricted from entry because of weather or disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I go inside Moo-Moo Castle?

A. It is the nickname of the Okhotsk Agricultural Science Research Center, a facility that carries out agricultural analysis and testing, so tourists cannot go inside. Please enjoy the exterior, the view from the hill, and photographing or strolling around the neighboring windmill.

Q. What is there at Roadside Station Okoppe?

A. It stands on the site of Okoppe Station on the abolished Nayoro Main Line, and besides exhibits on railway history it has a rest area made from a diesel railcar and a sales stand for the town’s specialties.

Q. How do I get to Okoppe?

A. The nearest airport is Okhotsk-Monbetsu Airport, said to be about 35 minutes away by car. Local and intercity buses can also be used, but service is limited, so please check timetables in advance.

Sources consulted
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/興部町
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/興部駅
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/沙留駅
https://www.town.okoppe.lg.jp/cms/section/kikaku/nbm3tm0000001kh9.html
https://www.town.okoppe.lg.jp/cms/section/kikaku/nbm3tm00000019h1.html
https://www.town.okoppe.lg.jp/cms/section/kikaku/saruru_beach.html
http://okoppekankou.com/cat2/485/
http://okoppekankou.com/cat2/903/
http://okoppekankou.com/cat2/954/
http://okoppekankou.com/cat3/918/
http://okoppekankou.com/cat2/493/