at road station
18/05/2018 / Last updated : 19/03/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Michi-no-eki ‘Maoi no Oka’ to Lake Toya

Day 31, October 2016, Michi-no-eki ‘Maoi no Oka’ & ‘Salmon Park Chitose’ We wake to a rather cold morning but we used our new duvet for the first time and very warm it was. The michi-no-eki ‘Maoi no Oka’ is very busy. Cars are constantly pulling in from the main road to take advantage of the incredible vegetable market. Some of the produce on display is extremely large. Huge hakusai (Chinese cabbage), for example, but there are many other fruits and vegetables at what I believe are called “competitive prices”. We had noticed that the pressure looked a little low in the front nearside tyre and, as luck would have […]
road construction sign
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 […]
Torii in Hokkaido
03/02/2018 / Last updated : 16/02/2023 d.d Arts / Places of interest

Ororon Line scenic road – Obira Banya　オロロンライン

Day 8, September 2016, Leaving the 21st. Century Forest campsite, with some reluctance, we head through and around Asahikawa which gives the impression of being a dull place. It is very flat with wide streets and uninteresting buildings; utterly desolate in the winter, one imagines. We head out towards the coast and Wakkanai via Rumoi along R.232 (Ororon Line – Hokkaido west coast scenic road). The illuminated street signs, as we wind our way up the coast, warn of lightening and the weather is very unsettled with sunshine and frequent showers. Obira Nishin Banya We stop to visit Old Hanada House Banya next to the michi-no-eki (road station) ‘Obira Nishin […]
giraffe road sign
07/01/2018 / Last updated : 03/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Otaru-Kami Furano- Asahikawa　小樽、上富良野、旭川

September 2016,  Day 4 Otaru Warm, sunny day on the ferry. We sit on deck and watch the wake and the islands passing by. Not a lot to do so we take a nap in the afternoon. We arrive late in the evening at Otaru which seems to be very dead town and not at all like the picturesque, snow covered, delight of memory. An altogether different end of town. After disembarking, we drive for a few minutes to a shopping complex which happens to adjoin our hotel but are unable find the entrance to the car park so we park in the hotel underground parking and check in. On […]