Journal | 2026.09.10
This journal is for travellers who use the Tomakomai ferry terminal at the east port. It sets out two ways to stay at Mori no Auberge Mitsu: the night you land, and the night before you sail.
Auberge Mitsu is in Atsuma, about 18 minutes by car from the Tomakomai east port. With the port so close, a night here fits easily around the ferry.
Mitsu is a small auberge with three rooms and three groups a night. Whether you have just landed or sail tomorrow, here is how the timing works.
Off the ferry, and at Mitsu the same day
This is about the day you arrive in Hokkaido by ferry. Mitsu is about 18 minutes by car from the Tomakomai east port.
If your ship lands in the afternoon, you can check in the same day. Check-in is from 15:00 to 19:00, and dinner begins at 18:00.
If you take the expressway, it is about 15 minutes from the Atsuma interchange on the Hidaka Expressway. For directions, see the Access page.
The morning you sail, to the port after breakfast
The second way is to stay the night before you board. You spend the evening at Mitsu, then head to the port the next day.
Breakfast is served from 8:30, and check-out is at 10:00. You can take your time in the morning before you set off.
From Mitsu to the Tomakomai east port is about 18 minutes by car. Even after check-out, the port is a short drive away.
Driving times to Mitsu from around the area
Beyond the port, here are the driving times from the station and from Sapporo. They are gathered in the table below.
| Route | By car |
|---|---|
| Tomakomai east port (ferry terminal) → Mitsu | About 18 min |
| Hayakita station → Mitsu | About 16 min |
| Central Sapporo → Mitsu | About 75 min |
Hayakita station is about 16 minutes away, and central Sapporo about 75 minutes. You can find more of the area on the Around page.
Three rooms in a farmhouse, each with a soaking tub
Mitsu has just three rooms, named Ki, Mi and Tsuki. It is a 120-year-old farmhouse, built in the traditional style of Toyama, taken down and raised again here.
Its thick central pillar and beams are joined without metal fittings. Every room has its own goemon-style soaking tub in Shigaraki ceramic ware; it is not a natural hot spring but heated water, and there is no shared bathhouse.
There is no television in the rooms, but Wi-Fi is available in every room. For the details, see the Info page.
Hokki from Tomakomai, and kaiseki at Mitsu
Tomakomai lands more hokki clams than any other municipality in Japan. In the town, the local dish made with them, hokki curry, is a familiar taste.
The season is said to be autumn into winter, and Tomakomai is about 40 minutes by car from Mitsu. In the evening at Mitsu, dinner is an omakase kaiseki course that follows the Hokkaido season.
For drivers: parking and payment
There is parking for 10 cars at Mitsu. It is free of charge and needs no reservation, and there is no valet service.
Payment is cashless only. Credit cards, electronic money and QR code payments are accepted, and cash is not. There is no shuttle service, and pets cannot stay.
The guide price is from about 28,000 yen per person with dinner and breakfast, based on two people sharing a room, and it changes with the room and the season. Rates are subject to change; please check the booking site before you travel. You can read more on the Staying in Atsuma page.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Auberge Mitsu from the Tomakomai ferry port?
It is about 18 minutes by car from the Tomakomai ferry terminal at the east port. Hayakita station is about 16 minutes away, and central Sapporo about 75 minutes. By expressway, it is about 15 minutes from the Atsuma interchange.
Can I stay the same day I arrive by ferry?
Yes; if your ship lands in the afternoon, you can stay that night. Check-in is from 15:00 to 19:00, and dinner starts at 18:00. The port is about 18 minutes by car from the auberge, so there is time to arrive.
What is the morning like if I stay the night before I sail?
Breakfast is served from 8:30, and check-out is at 10:00. You can take your time before heading to the port. From Mitsu to the Tomakomai east port is about 18 minutes by car.
Is the bath a hot spring, and is there a shuttle?
Every room has a goemon-style soaking tub in Shigaraki ceramic ware; it is not a natural hot spring but heated water, and there is no shared bathhouse. There is no shuttle service, and pets cannot stay. There is parking for 10 cars, free of charge and with no reservation needed.
Related: Access / Staying in Atsuma / Info / Around | Back to the journal