Trip Report

HOKKAIDO (Mini-tour Day 5): Yumoto Onsen to Mt. Yotei Campground

Posted on Aug 9, 2011
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Posted on Aug 9, 2011

The idea for today was to meet up with Saoka, Haidee’s friend from Sapporo. This would increaase our merry troupe to five happy cyclists. Saoka is joining us for three days of cycling, and we met her at the Milk Factory just out of Niseko. Hokkaido in general has a strong agricultural brand, whereby any produce from Hokkaido is considered natural and delicious (which it is). This includes dairy products. In any case, the Milk Factory is all about milk products. Icecream, custards, eclairs…

Last updated Oct 12, 2018

Just next to the Yomoto Onsen camping ground is the Yukichichibu hotspring. You’d not want to soak in this one…

Onuma hot pools near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Onuma hot pools near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

After wandering around the boiling pond, trying not to breathe too much of the sulfur gasses in, we were back into downhill mode for a half hour or so on the typically silky smooth roads.

Cycle touring near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

The idea for today was to meet up with Saoka, Haidee’s friend from Sapporo. This would increaase our merry troupe to five happy cyclists. Saoka is joining us for three days of cycling, and we met her at the Milk Factory just out of Niseko. Hokkaido in general has a strong agricultural brand, whereby any produce from Hokkaido is considered natural and delicious (which it is). This includes dairy products. In any case, the Milk Factory is all about milk products. Icecream, custards, eclairs…

We met up with Saoka at 10:30am, and continued on our merry way, Rowland still cycling in bare feet due to annoying blisters.

Cycle touring near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Cycle touring near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan Cycle touring near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

The weather was probably the hottest today it has been so far. We made a leisurely stop at the Niseko View Plaza, and everyone was feeling effects of exhaustion. Especially so was Rowland. He had a sore stomach and cramps, presumably due to the same bug that Alicia was suffering from a few days earlier. He seemed more put out that he was not able to stomach the delicious foods on offer at the plaza.

An ill cycle tourist in the heat near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Lunch over, and Saoka suggested that we head for a small swimming hole she knew about on a friend’s farm. She had once done WOOFing on the farm. A couple of friendly dogs followed us down the gravel road to a stream so frigid not even Rowland was keen to get entirely into the water.

Swimming hole near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Swimming hole near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan Answering the call of nature on a cycle tour near Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan

Friendly dogs near Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

From the swimming hole it was only a short ride to our camping spot in the foothills of Mt. Yotei. The camping ground is the Mt. Yotei Nature Park Camping Ground. It has more or less exactly the same facilities as last night’s free camping ground, but costs about 6ooyen (about US$5) each a night. Alicia was happy, however, to find a few water sources to cool off with on the way up to the camp ground.

Cooling off with fresh spring water in Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan Cooling off with a hose at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

The camping ground itself was quite new. We set up our tents with next to the outdoor kitchen area, and quickly transformed the area into our own personal kitchen/laundry.

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Whether it was just due to the passing of time, the passing of something else, or the Chinese medicine we bought earlier in the day, Alicia and Rowland were starting to feel better today. It should be a great remainder of a trip.

Makkari Camping Ground, Makkari, Hokkaido

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan Camping at the Makkari camping ground, Makkari, Hokkaido, Japan

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HOKKAIDO (Mini-tour Day 5): Yumoto Onsen to Mt. Yotei Campground Difficulty Rating

Category

Grade

Points

Strenuousness

Vertical Gain

D

25

Time ascending

D

0

Technicality

Altitude

D

0

Hazards

D

Navigation

D

Totals

25/100

GRADES range from A (very difficult) to D (easy). Hazards include exposure to avalanche and fall risk. More details here. Rating rubric adapted from Hokkaido Yukiyama Guidebook 北海道雪山ガイド.