【Hokkaido Cities: Nemuro】Walking through Nemuro City, the easternmost city in Japan

The easternmost existing station is Higashi-Nemuro Station ahead, but the terminus of JR Hokkaido's Nemuro Main Line is Nemuro Station.
I like this station building full of local character.

A city of marine products

Shops selling Hanasaki crabs line up in front of the station.
It seems you can have them boiled fresh on the spot, not frozen.
However, I have a shellfish allergy, so I can't eat them.
When I come to Hokkaido, this is always disappointing.
Steam rises from large pots, and crab lovers would probably get excited.

Nemuro City also has noticeable population decline

On this day, it was shrouded in fog. I think you should be able to see the sea from here normally.
Nemuro City also has quite serious population decline.
As of 2023, about 22,500 people. In 2016, it was about 27,000, so a decrease of 4,500 people in 7 years.
That's quite a decrease.
A former student from when I was a vocational school instructor lives in Nemuro, and they said the lack of good high schools is a concern.
It's still more than 10 years away, but it's still worrying.
I wonder what the population will be by then.

The farthest place from Tokyo

The night before, I rented a car near Chitose Airport, went shopping, passed through Sapporo, and stayed in Obihiro.
That morning, I filmed around Obihiro Station and moved to Kushiro. After filming around Kushiro Station, I headed to Nemuro.
I planned to travel quite a distance this day, going through the Shiretoko Peninsula to Abashiri City.
I wish I could explore each city more leisurely, but I had to push on.

However, even using highways partway, it's 423 kilometers from Sapporo.
Going west from Tokyo, that's about the same distance as past Nagoya to Shigaraki Town in Shiga Prefecture, or going northeast, to Kurihara City in northern Miyagi Prefecture.
The sense of distance in Hokkaido always bugs out. Every time I go, I think I want to travel Hokkaido leisurely someday.

If you use Nemuro-Nakashibetsu Airport, it might not be that far from Tokyo, but via Chitose Airport, it's probably one of the farthest places from Tokyo.
I've also been to Makurazaki City in Kagoshima Prefecture, but even that felt much closer than Nemuro City or Wakkanai City in Hokkaido.

A city that makes you think a bit about the Northern Territories

Another characteristic or impressive thing about Nemuro City is probably the Northern Territories issue.
The number of former residents of the Northern Territories is decreasing, and I don't hear about it as much as before, but when I come to Nemuro, I'm reminded of the Northern Territories.
There's an advertisement tower saying "Return the Northern Territories!" in front of the station, and signs are installed throughout the city, so you can't help but think about it.

Heading to Nemuro from Kushiro through Akkeshi

After filming around Kushiro Station, I headed to Nemuro on National Route 44.

I had oysters at the roadside station "Akkeshi Gourmet Park" along the way.
Two for 600 yen seems cheap, what do you think?
They were quite delicious.

The road from Kushiro to Nemuro was more Hokkaido-like than I imagined.
Endless flat fields, ranches with cows and horses, forests on both sides of the road that make you uneasy—it was interesting to see landscapes you can't experience on the mainland.

I don't think you'll have many opportunities to go, but I recommend visiting Nemuro

My brother and close acquaintances traveled around Hokkaido when they were university students.
I don't think you'll have many opportunities to go unless you're at an age with plenty of time like your student days, but if you travel to Eastern Hokkaido, please stop by Nemuro.
There may not be any particular tourist spots, but it was a city with a mysterious charm and beautiful surrounding scenery.
I want to go again.