05/04/2018 / Last updated : 05/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Shiretoko Cruise-Kamuiwakka Hot Falls　知床クルーズ

Day 19, September 20016, Shiretoko Cruise Warm weather and we breakfast under the trees. I am happy to see a black, red headed woodpecker. We drive down to Utoro port and book a long cruise to the end of the peninsular. The boat is more crowded than expected as lots of bus tour people arrive just before we sail. I find the cruise itself disappointing as this was supposed to be one of the highlights of this part of the trip. We cruise some way from the shore so the chance of spotting a bear is remote. I scourer the coastline with binoculars but see little in the way of […]

28/03/2018 / Last updated : 05/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Sunayu-Oshinkoshin Falls　砂湯、オシンコシンの滝

Day 18, September 2016, Sleep well, as usual, and eat outside. Still not too cold for outdoor life, in fact, it is T shirt weather… Sakuragaoka Koen auto-campsite is very good but due to close for the winter the next day. ＊Sakuragaoka Koen auto-campsite changed to ‘RECAMP Mashu’ Sunayu campsite by Lake Kussharo Once more we find ourselves driving along another side of Lake Kussharo. We stop to walk along the lake but the lakeside is a campsite; that too is closing and people are busy cleaning and packing up. The lake shore boasts an onsen(Sunayu hot spring) availability which means you can dig the lake shore shingle to create […]

22/03/2018 / Last updated : 04/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Bihorotoge and Lake Mashu-Mt.Io　美幌峠、摩周湖

Day 17, September 2016, Bihoro toge (pass) The weather is much improved, if fact it is a beautiful day. After a short walk along the river near the michi no eki Mashuonsen, we drive back to Bihoro toge (pass) and its famous panorama. Approaching the car park of Gurutto Panorama Bihoro toge, from the other direction this time, we see our first Kita Kitsune (Hokkaido fox). It is trotting along the side of the road towards us, but on the opposite side. It appears quite unconcerned by the, admittedly, light traffic or even by the work crew doing some road maintenance. Lake Kussharo　屈斜路湖 The panorama view of Lake Kussharo and […]

20/03/2018 / Last updated : 04/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Lake Kussharo 屈斜路湖

Day 16, September 2016, Kitami Wake to a wet day, so wet we are at a bit of a loss. We abandon plans to climb, well walk up, Kurodake and instead head for Kitami. This proves to be a much larger town than we anticipated. We go to a huge Aeon supermarket and wander around, keeping out of the rain until lunch. We move on to Nitori (furniture shop) and buy a duvet as, from now on, it is only going to get colder. I was surprised to note that the Nitori car park had a charging point for electric cars. Bihoro Pass (Toge)　美幌峠 Equipped with our new warm bedding, […]

18/03/2018 / Last updated : 04/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Coral Grass at Kimuaneppu-Sounkyo Gorge　キムアネップから層雲峡

Day 15, September 2016, Coral grass Up at 6.30 and, after breakfast, we explore the nearby, marshy area that features, at this time of year, the famous red grasses (Coral grass). We see the same elderly watercolourist, who was busy painting the lake where we ate our lunch yesterday. D. envies his talent. Sounkyo Gorge Time to leave the coast for a bit, so we bid farewell to the Sea of Okhotsk and head inland towards the mountains and the famous Sounkyo gorge. We find a campsite in the trees that is fine but, it must be said, has gone somewhat to seed. Having decided our campsite, we drive to […]

11/03/2018 / Last updated : 03/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Lake Saroma sunsets – Kimuaneppu　サロマ湖、キムアネップ

Day 13, September 2016, A day we spend driving down the coast, heading for Lake Saroma. We pass various seafood processing factories and marvel at the huge piles of scallop shells. There are long, long beaches strewn with driftwood and fishing paraphernalia. In some places, small, temporary communities of salmon anglers have developed. There are also many derelict buildings concerned with the fishing industry in one way or another. This coast is desolate but somehow less interestingly desolate or less majestic than the Sea of Japan coast. Perhaps it is just too much of the same, kilometre after kilometre. Kimuaneppu We stop, for the night, at Lake Saroma, a free […]

27/02/2018 / Last updated : 03/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Wakkanai, Cape Souya the Northern Most Point of Japan　稚内、宗谷岬

Day 11, September 2016 On our way to Wakkanai we visit Cape Noshappu, to say we have been there and there appeared to be no other reason to go. Wakkanai In the fish market of Wakkanai, whole salmon, very large fish were on sale for 3000 or 4000 yen. I was surprised to see street signs in Japanese, English and Russian but apparently there are a lot of Russian fishing boats trading on this coast. We take the opportunity to have a bath in a large onsen (hot spring) by the port. The bath is on the second floor and is busy with families as it is the weekend. ＊ […]

25/02/2018 / Last updated : 03/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Sarobetsu Wetland to Kabutonuma　サロベツ湿原、兜沼

Day 10, September 2016, The morning breaks bright and windy. Breakfast in our picnic spot, overlooking the bay of Shosanbetsu. We have a sort of sandwich toasting device which allows us to toast bread over the gas burner. This is very useful as it renders edible the shokupan (Japanese white sliced bread) that is all that is available in many places. On this toast, we spread a little mayonnaise, in lieu of butter (butter does not travel well), add a plastic, cheese slice, some ham, cucumber and/or lettuce, black pepper and mustard and even shokupan can be eaten with equanimity. Given coffee, yogurt and plenty of fresh air, a very […]