Guesthouse Shiome

The young local fishermen who run the guesthouse are friendly and easy to talk to. It has the warm feeling of being back home or visiting grandma’s house. There’s also a more luxurious option with freshly caught local scallops, whelks, and sashimi. I’ll definitely stay again!

I come back to this guesthouse whenever I’m in Shibetsu. It’s a handy base for eastern Hokkaido, with Notsuke Peninsula nearby and Rausu and Shiretoko about an hour away by car. The dorm rooms are comfortable, but what makes the place special is talking with the fishermen who run it. Their sincere connection to the ocean and passion for thinking about the future of the fishing industry moved me, and their warm welcome made the stay meaningful. I also bought products from Namishinkai and had the best seafood I’ve ever tasted. I liked it so much that I kept ordering more online after I got home. If you want to meet the fishermen or buy products, ask ahead, since availability can vary during busy seasons.

I’ve stayed at a lot of guesthouses on remote islands, and for the price this one feels a little out of step with its location, service, convenience, and limited accommodation options. The location is actually handy: there’s a natural hot spring a short walk away for 500 yen, plus a gas station and supermarket nearby, and a Seico Mart within driving distance. Notsuke Peninsula is 15 minutes away and Shiretoko is an hour away. You get a futon, but not towels, and the heater is sturdy. Showers and shampoo are provided, and I think laundry is free. I stayed slightly out of season for 4,950 yen. For 600 yen more, Hotel Livemax in Rausu might be a better deal, with its own hot spring, a gas station, drugstore, and Seico Mart nearby, plus a 10-minute drive to the entrance of Shiretoko Pass and a few minutes to the Shiretoko Sightseeing Cruise building. This place seems best suited to motorbike and bicycle travelers who don’t want to drive at night. Fishermen seem to stay here too, and the early mornings can be noisy. There aren’t many places to stay in the area, though it’s still better than the remote islands, so I think a price of at least 4,000 yen including towels would make sense. I think people would stay even in the off-season. The fishermen who run it are nice, so I recommend it if you can put up with the noise. I quite like it.

I stayed for four days, from March 7 to 10, and really appreciated how flexible they were about my check-in time. I asked the owner about the photos and posters in the living room, and he told me a lot about how the guesthouse came to be. I love Shiome for the warm people and all the conversations. You can buy souvenirs made from products sold by Nami-shinkai, which runs the guesthouse, and the Hokkaido-sourced fish was delicious. I’ll definitely go back to eat it again. For a warm-up, the hot spring just a minute’s walk away is amazing.