Filled with beautiful coastal scenery, Muroran is a prominent port city in Hokkaido. Though it has long been important to Japan’s trade, it is decidedly not part of the tourist trail, making it an excellent destination for those who enjoy getting off the beaten path.

The Muroran-Hakkei, comprised of eight scenic spots, make this slice of Hokkaido a photographer’s dream. The best photo op of the bunch is arguably found at Earth Cape or Chikyu Misaki in Japanese. Itanki Beach, Mount Wshibetsu and Hakucho Bridge, the largest suspension bridge in eastern Japan, are popular places to enjoy the scenery.

Like most Japanese cities, Muroran is well connected to its surrounding region via the JR train system. In this neck of the woods, JR Hokkaido operates five stations in the Muroran area. A ride to Sapporo would take less than three hours.

Though it has been a trading post since the 16th century, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that Muroran truly started to develop. In the 1890s, the Port of Muroran officially opened and began trading with the United States and the United Kingdom. Around the same time, a road to Sapporo was constructed.