On the way to Wakkanai, we stopped by Shosanbetsu Onsen Hotel Misaki no Yu for a bath. The parking lot is located in front of the facility. The hot spring had an outdoor bath that was under construction, but it was still good. And for souvenirs, I bought the "Starry Sky Beyond" chocolate crunch. It was delicious. It seems that Otoshibetsu village is famous for stars and stargazing.

On the first day of my solo trip to Hokkaido, I found myself in front of my father's grave, offering a prayer and reminiscing. It has been 20 years since then. I was born as the eldest son of a family of five, with a father who would drink all day without working and a hardworking mother. We also had a younger brother and sister. My father was a big fan of horse racing and would always go to the racetrack on weekends, neglecting us and spending all the money he took from my mother on his hobby. I despised him for it. One summer day, my father announced that we would go on a hot spring vacation during the Obon holiday. It was the first family trip we ever took, and I was excited. I wondered where the money was coming from since my father didn't work, but later I found out he had won big at the racetrack. I was happy that I could write about the trip in my summer vacation homework essays, as I had always written about playing in the park with my siblings before. We didn't have a car, so we borrowed a company car from my mother's workplace for the trip to Shosanbetsu Onsen, a small village on the coast of the Sea of Japan in northern Hokkaido. We were all thrilled to stay in a hotel for the first time. After a tiring drive, my father started drinking beer in the room while we ran around excitedly. About an hour later, he told us to go to the bath. I had never taken a bath with my father before, as he would always be passed out drunk by the time we were ready to bathe. Normally, my siblings and I would bathe together, while my mother and sister would bathe together. This time, my sister went with my mother to the women's bath. My brother and I were left. I realized that my brother always bathed with me, whether at home or in a hot spring. So, I decided to go with him to the women's bath. As my father entered the men's bath, my mother carried my sister into the women's bath, and my brother followed them. I was about to follow them into the women's bath when a hotel staff member stopped me and informed me that only children up to the second grade could enter the women's bath. So, I had to go to the men's bath instead. It was quite a funny mix-up at Shosanbetsu Onsen. I also bought some soba soup base from the hotel's shop. It was a bit too strong when diluted as instructed, but it was an interesting experience overall.