onion harvest at Kunneppu
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, […]
road sign
06/02/2018 / Last updated : 03/02/2023 d.d Scenic Drive / Spots

Shosanbetsu- Obsevatory- Salmon fishing　初山別

Day 8, September 2016, As we moved on up Hokkaido’s Japan Sea coast, we checked a couple of michi no eki with a view to staying. The first was rubbish, second one had a big onsen (hot spring) and a rose garden but the parking spot was not good. We were a bit spoilt by 21 Century Forest. So, we pushed on to the next possibility. this was Shosanbetsu, which has an onsen and a free campsite, near an observatory. This turned out to be a lucky choice. Shosanbetsu At the Michi no eki ‘Shosanbetsu’ (R.232) we are directed to the top of the headland and there, sure enough, is […]
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 […]