Cycle Tour Hokkaido

Japan Cycle Tour - 14th July - 23rd July Hokkaido and Daisetsuzan National Park

Day One- Asahikawa Airport to Camp- 20km

Well after arrinving to a smiling face in Tokyo Mandy and I headed to Hokkkaido to begin our cycle tour.

We arived off the plane to put our bikes together-

and then headed into the city to find a camp spot- we located a great huge park with camping and a toilet that gladly played Fur Elise as you pee- and boy I can tell you that that was an annoying song to have buzzing around your head!

Day Two- Asahikawa to Sounkyo- 70 km – Bit of rain

Big day of riding started out early - after changing a tube that had snapped off at the join (never heard of that before) stopping at a 7-11 for breakfast (which was a staple diet for us during the trip). I know Alicia eating from a 7-11 so not her! But hey Im a tight arse this trip!

Lunch!

We followed a bike path that ran along the river in the rain- the vivbe was good and the music on the I-Pod was blearing- Mandy and I both singing aloud to our own tunes!

Gardens in Janpanese countryside are immaculately kept with bonsai trees and flowers galore.

Wet as bro!

After the big day I was feelin the pain and was in granny gear just to keep the legs moving- how heavy my load had grown over the day- or was I just tired? Well I was desperate for my first Onsen so after setting up camp we rode on to the nearest hotel area to get one but halfway there I struggled to make it and stopped declaring thats it im done- no more riding today for me- so what else to do but hitch a ride for the last 4km (sorry mum) and relax in my first onsen.

Well for those who have not had the pleasure to experience an onsen you are truly missing out on what I consider to be one of the most wonderful things in the world- You enter to strip off in a mass change room leaving your clothes in a basket pigeonhole- after that you také your onsen towel into the main bath area. You cant wear swimmers so everyone is naked and it felt really natural (guess I'm a nudest at heart) you find a little spot to sit and begin the cleansing process. On your little stool you sit and infront of you is a tap with a moveable shower head, there is soap and shampoo for you to wash yourself with and Japanese women také great time to cleanse their bodies. After scrubbing yourself you rinse and then move to the hot baths. Different onsens have different things to offer and some have a variety of baths with different temperatures- but they are all bloody hot! There is normally a sauna and a spa for you if you choose- I really enjoyed having a spa then relaxing in the hot baths- my favourite ones were outside in the cool night air. I found that I had to get in and out of the baths to not get too hot and not move around!

Day Three- Sounkyo to Taisetsu Dam – 23kms – Rain and bit of sunshine

Well we woke up ready to go and then we had a problem- my second tube had snapped off as well- unheard of to me! So we jumped on a train to head back to the most major town to restock on tubes so as not to run into trouble later in the trip! After returning to our camp we packed up and set off for Taisetsu Dam.

The scenery along the way became more beautiful as we entered the national park- flowers along the roadside and mountians on the horizon.

Flowers lining the road

Green was the theme for the day! We finished with sunshine too which was great cause we camped by a river and had a wash in the icy water.

Mandy saved Bambi from being eaten from a fox and then we started to stress about bears! We knew that they were in the area and so we packed out foodstuffs togethter and walked them far away from out tent as a decoy! Survivor eat your heart out! We slept soundly and didnt hear any sniffing at our feet during the night- much to our relief. The funny thing was that the next day we found a sing not 2kn warning us of bears in the area! Not that we could read the warning being in Japanese!

Bear warning signs- we found these along the way the night after we camped out amoungst them!

Day 4 – Taisetsu Dam to Lake Shikaribetsuko – 66 km – Sunshine Baby!

Well I woke early to do some repairs on my bike and after Mandy rising we were off again for another big day.

This day was one of the best riding days that we had on the trip as it was sunny and we had some spectacular scenery and downhill runs. We were able to také in the mountains as we flew down and around the mountain sides on a long downhill run.

Downhill ride!

We then faced a 10 km uphill stretch in the afternoon that was one of the most mentally challenging things that ive done- but hey 100 metres at a time I made it.. eventually! It was a ski run in summer so I guess that gives you a little idea of the steepness of the slope.

OMG no more hills Mandy!

After an onsen it was an illeagal camp on the lakes edge- with a beer to wash it all down- ahhh the luxury of vending machines!

Day 5- Lake Shikaribetsuko to Kanno- 26 km- Cloudy then pouring rain!

We had an early start to circumnavigate the largest and only natural lake in the area, I was feeling the pain of the previous challenge and was in granny gear much earlier in the day than I would have liked. We were headed for a town 40 km away but as we took a wrong turn into a dead end road we were faced with a choice- camp at the end of the road which offered a campsite in the forest with a natural hot spring and hardly any food but crackers and pasta with no sauce and no feul for the stove or ride back the 16 km we had come to then ride another 40 km to the next destination. I was feeling the pain and voted for the first option.

After setting up camp I crawled into bed and slept for 4 and a half hours- I guess I was a little tired! I woke to rain and decided to head down to the springs for a dip! Well that proved an interesting experience.... in Japan it is common practice for men and women to bath in hot springs together naked- but I really didn't know this and arrived at the hot spring alone to see Mandy jumping in with other men- well I thought well how badly do I want this warm hot bath, it was raining and cold and I was bike sore so I decided to brave it and join her! It was fine and eyes were kept away – personal space is respected and eyes are kept averted. I was glad for the experience and my muscles were even more so!

The food issue proved not to be an issue when happy Japanese people came to join us and drink sake with us under the shelter- they had gone fishing for the day and cooked fish over the coal fire bucket for Mandy to enjoy- we also got fuel from the camp owner to cook our pasta and a kind Japanese lady gave us some soup after she realised that we had no food and I didn't eat meat. Japanese campers intermingle a lot and often visit others tents with sake and food to share and chat about the world- I loved this aspect of Japan. The Japanese thought I was a real novelty not understanding a thing that they were laughing about and as they became more happy on sake they more they tried to talk to me! Luckily Mandy and another guy who spoke quite good english helped me out!

Day 6 – Kanno to Nakafurano – 44km - Rain and more rain! Not cats and dogs but hippos and elephants!

Oh the rain! There was plenty of it too!

We woke to rain and I mean hard rain- packing up the tent we set off- the campers waved us off thinking that we were crazy as coconuts! We set off for Furano in the teaming rain- playing games along the way to keep our spirits high sich as thinking of as many songs as we could that mentioned the word rain! We also sung as many songs as we could think of along the way at the top of our lungs.

Mafia ousted!

We managed to get lost again and took the long way to the nearest train station to jump on a train to Furano because Mandy and I were so over the rain! After jumping the train to Furano we failed to find accomodation and boarded another train to Nakafurano to the nearest campsite- in search of hot showers! We arrived to find the camp site closed so two drowned rats had no home for the night and it was getting dark and it was still raining! So I went all survival on Mandy and found a shelter that was used for some sort of school camps- we took over the place and I scouted the surrounding buildings for anything to burn because we were so cold, our tent and clothes were wet and we were facing a cold wet night ahead. I found some coal and a bucket and built a fire whilst we dried out the tent and cooked some warm food. We set up the tent in the shelter and left our clothes to dry around the fire overnight praying for sunshine tomorrow!

Day 7- Nakufurano to Kamiferano – 20km – Sunshine- thank god!

We woke early to ship out of there before getting caught- but that was not the case and we were sprung.... they took it quite well and we quickly packed up and took off to Kamiferano to see the flower fields.

Flowers at Farm Tomita

These were highly popular and beautiful- lines of flowers that went on for meters.

Flowers at Farm Tomita

The amount of tourists was overwhelming and there were lines of cars for kms to enter the farms- glad to zip past them all on bikes!

We then rode to a art museum of Goto Sumio whose work is spectacular and world renown. This was a particluar highlight for me on the trip. We then stayed in a luxury campsite and enjoyed a quiet night of cards!

Day 8 – Kamiferano to Mt Tokachidake- Rain again- no riding for me!

Mandy tackled the big hill leading to the mountain spa region of Mt Tokachidake whilst I jumped aboard a bus for a more lazy approach. We arrived simutaneosly to enjoy the alpine area- hot springs were a feature and really big mountains in which we could enjoy the view. The afternoon was spent in the onsen and playing cards as the weather had closed in again.

Day 9 – Mt Tokachidake to Biei – 45km – Clouds and little it of sunshine!

We woke to another rainy cloudy day so we hot footed it off the mountain to enoy some sights in Biei. We cruised the hilly sourrounds that looked like parts of Europe with rolling hills and fields. We enjoyed a slice of cheesecake at the most gorgeous cafe that had the cutest homemade toys, bags and dresses.

We talked the day away realising that the cafe had shut a while ago and we were the final customers. We rode into the town to have a restaurant dinner and beer before heading to an onsen for a hot bath. We then cycled to the riverside to camp, sadly it was our second to last day!

Day 10 – Biei to Ashikawa – 74 km – Sunshine baby!

Well we were off on our final day of the tour, to enjoy the sights of Ashikawa. We visited a couple of cultural places and enjoyed our final day together on our bike journey. We headed to the airport to ensure that we had little riding to do before our flight the following day. Camping in another shelter (we had made a theme of this as camp sites were rarely where we needed them- normally about 10 km from the towns)

and had the pleasure of finding a hidden temple. We enjoyed exploring it as it was open and Mandy showed off her drumming skills!

Small temple

Day 11- Back to Tokyo- 1km – Sunshine

Well we headed back to Tokyo today back to Ryokan Mandy. It was nice to wash the stench off and relax on a couch. But what a trip to remember! I managed to get a cycling tan, even in all that rain and gained strength that I had lost in the past two months of illness. I was feeling ready to go!

written by

aweasel on August 25, 2008 from Asahikawa, Japan

from the travel blog: Cycle Tour Hokkaido

Send a Compliment

Sounds like you've done us proud Sib-LEEEEEEEE. Onsens are great, aren't they? I think you probably know now, but I think that you were there in the rainy season. Japan has like 1 month where it pretty much rains the whole time, and it sounds like you planned a bicycle tour smack bang in the middle of it. I didn't realise, otherwise I would have mentioned it. Chalk it all up to part of the experience mate.

written by Aaron Peeters on August 10, 2009

Pretty pictures and good blog, smiling to myself as I read! Keep away from rain, lakes, bears, 7/11, czechs, vodka and canoes! Na don't listen to me....
Barb

written by Barbara Hinsley on August 11, 2009

Hey what a great trip!
Congrats on doing the Miles and pushing on through the horrific scenes you were confronted with. There are some good photos there... it reminds me that I have to leave my usual haunts more often and see the rest of this awesome little planet.

written by Ben T on August 19, 2009

comment on this...