Tamba Sasayama
03/06/2020 / Last updated : 13/09/2020 d.d Drive Kansai Area

Sasayama Castle and Okutsu Onsen　 篠山城 、奥津温泉

June 16th. Kyotamba Ajimu no Sato Kyotamba Ajimu no Sato is an excellent place for shachuhaku. It is one of those two faced affairs. One side is the  michi no eki and the other a SA on the highway. Being perched on a hill, there are good views of the sunset. After 8 pm there is only one, multi-purpose toilet. As we were the only people staying overnight, it was a personal bathroom. Once the michi no eki becomes popular, and it is very new, this could be a problem. The access to the  main restrooms on the SA side is open from 7 am so not a big deal. […]
Norikuradake
21/05/2020 / Last updated : 07/09/2020 d.d Drive Chubu Area

Norikuradake Hiking and Hirayu Onsen　　 乗鞍岳と平湯温泉

June 13th. Wake earlier than usual as we plan to climb, well hike a bit, on Norikuradake   Mt. Norikura. We drive to the Honoki-daira free parking area to take the bus to Tatamidaira by way of the Norikura Skyline. Tatami-daira is the highest bus stop in Japan, which was certainly news to me. The bus fare is 2,300 yen return and the shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes. Norikura Skyline is open from May 15th. to Oct. 31st. Tatami-daira From Tatami-daira there are various hiking routes, from the gentle stroll round the flower meadow, Ohanabatake, to the hike to the top of Mt. Kengamine, the highest peak of the […]
Tsugaike Shizen-en
08/05/2020 / Last updated : 07/09/2020 d.d Drive Chubu Area

Tsugaike Shizen-en, wetland flowers 　栂池自然園

July 7th. Hakuba michi no eki Hakuba michi no eki is a very reasonable place to spend the night. The traffic does not bother us, but it does become very busy on Sunday morning. A group of enthusiasts of an older model VW Golf show up and hang around for a while. We wait too, hoping the weather will clear. There is a thin drizzle, but the forecast is brighter or at least drier later in the morning and we are planning to walk Tsugaike Shinzen-en. This is a high plateau wetland noted for spring flowers. Tsugaike Shizen-en(Nature park) To reach the wetland hiking course it is necessary to take […]
Kiyotsu-kyo tunnel
22/04/2020 / Last updated : 07/09/2020 d.d Drive Chubu Area

Tagokura Dam, Rokujuri-goe Pass and Kiyotsu Gorge　田子浦ダム、 清津峡

June 23rd. Oku Aizu Kaneyama is a good place to stay. There was some major construction in progress, but the view is better than most, the facilities are good and rubbish bins are provided. Shachuhaku friendly. It is also set in a  picturesque area. Very Nihon mukashi-banashi as in old folk tale. Tagokura Dam Today rain is forecast, but there is some hazy sunshine as we set off. First, we drive to the Tagokura Dam on the Tadami River. The road leading up the dam is very steep and delivers spectacular views. The dam was planned in 1939 but, after many difficulties, was finally finished in 1960,  J Power is […]
15/02/2020 / Last updated : 17/08/2020 d.d Drive Hokkaido Area

Lake Utonai and around Mt.Yotei ウトナイ湖、羊蹄山

June 18th. Lake Utonai The morning in Mukawa Shiki no Sato breaks bright and warm. We are near the ferry port but our ferry leaves tomorrow night. So, with two days to fill we head inland towards Sapporo, or at least Chitose, to Lake Utonai. This lakeside boasts six walking courses and a bird sanctuary. Lake Utonai is apparently a stopover for migratory birds and over 250 different species can be seen, during presumably in spring and autumn. As we approach Chitose along R.36 in rush hour we meet more traffic than we have seen in weeks. Eventually, we arrive at the michi no eki Lake Utonai. Here we find […]
Cape Kiritappu
09/02/2020 / Last updated : 17/08/2020 d.d Drive Hokkaido Area

Cape Kiritappu, Tsuruimura　霧多布岬、鶴居村

June 13th. Kiritappu A cold, grey, cloudy morning but no real rain. Our plan is to visit Kiritappu. Due to the weather, we avoided the campsite for last night but still want to revisit this headland. On our way to Kiritappu, we spot several deer on a hillside and a very pretty young fox on the road ahead. This small fox abandons the middle of the road at our approach and hides under the large Fuki leaves on the verge. We can see its nose and bright eyes as we crawl past. We stop at Akkeshi Gourmet michi no eki which is apparently famous for its food – number one […]
31/01/2020 / Last updated : 17/08/2020 d.d Drive Hokkaido Area

Asahidake-summer snow　旭岳

June 10th. Higashikawa michi no eki turns out to be an ok place to stay. Even though the parking is a little separate from the michi no eki building and, therefore, the toilet, it is closer than many. It is also busy with buses in the morning and has no rubbish bins. On the other hand, it is quiet and handy for Asahidake which is our first objective for the day. The weather is debatable, so we decide to drive to the ropeway station and check the weather at the summit from there. On the way, we see another Northern Fox (Kitakitsune). Asahidake At the ropeway station, we learn that, […]
Mashiki
01/01/2020 / Last updated : 17/08/2020 d.d Drive Hokkaido Area

Yoichi Nikka Whiskey and Hamanasu no Oka Koen　余市ニッカウィスキー

June 3rd. Yoichi Nikka Whisky Museum Being a Monday, the space museum is closed so we opt for the Nikka Whisky factory/museum instead. This is, surprisingly, busy quite early in the morning. The popularity of the place is probably due to an NHK drama based on Taketsuru Masataka. And his Scottish wife Rita. Taketsuru is the father of Japanese whisky. By chance, we stumbled upon his birthplace (also popular) Takehara in Hiroshima on a previous trip. I had expected to see a working factory as the Nikka Yoichi factory is operational, but the public viewing is confined to historical or replica buildings. Hamanasu no Oka Koen From Yoichi we move […]