Monthly Archives: August 2014



Route for today: https://goo.gl/maps/M6lbg There are some great cycle shops in Sapporo City, where Haidee and I live. Some are better than others, and usually it’s not the stuff they stock that makes them great. It’s the people working there. Nakamura Cycles is one such shop. Mr. Nakamura himself – the […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 13): Hidaka to Hobetsu




Today’s route (the most stressful of the trip): https://goo.gl/maps/6rVAb The campground at Arashiyama was an interesting one. Most campgrounds we had stayed in so far on this trip had lush grass to pitch the tent on. Arashiyama’s tent sites were dirt. Which means that the idyllic photo below somewhat belies the […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 11): From Arashiyama to Hidaka



We had two route options today in order to get to Honbetsu Town. A 110km down-to-the-coast-then-up-again route that would take us into the bustling city of Kushiro (https://goo.gl/maps/ejZrm). A more direct 80km route that would take us across two low ridges via forestry roads (marked on Google but not available […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 9): From Akan to Honbetsu



0km logged today. All spent in this general vicinity: https://goo.gl/maps/LTTV6 Essentially, the Akan Nature Recreation Campground (阿寒自然休養村野営場) is in a perfect location for spending a leisurely day. There is the International Akan Crane Center over the road, as well as a few road-side stalls selling local produce. And the icing on the […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 8): Rest day and eating ...


Route for the day: https://goo.gl/maps/0PBAl Another morning coffee shot. And a shot of coffee. I can’t really recommend the two-cup Bialetti mokapot for use on the MSR Whisperlite stove…too perilous a perch. The campground for last night, however, was great. Quiet, dark (many campgrounds in Hokkaido have the grounds’ lights on […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 7): From Lake Shirarutoro to ...









It seems somewhat paradoxical that I would start a cycle-across-Hokkaido blog mini-series with the title “a train from Sapporo to Nemuro.” But that is the start of our two-week meander by bicycle across the island, from Nemuro to Sapporo; we had to get to Nemuro somehow. And that somehow was […]

Cycling Across Hokkaido, Japan (Day 1): A train from Sapporo ...