日本夏2025年

日本夏2025年 - Day 20 June 18, 2025 Rumoi to Enbetsu - 102 Km Start 8:32 AM Finish 6:26 PM Total Duration 9:54 Moving Time 5:12 Stopped Time 4:42 Ascent 638 m Descent 641 m Tour Total 2,275 Km Details at:  Details forthcoming 

日本夏2025年 - Day 19 June 17, 2025 Furano to Rumoi - 155 Km Start 9:13 AM Finish 7:55 PM Total Duration 10:52 Moving Time 8:10 Stopped Time 2:32 Ascent 735 m Descent 900 m Tour Total 2,173 Km Details at: I slept well at Hostel Tomar in Room W. It had been hot when I went to bed, so I left the small round porthole window open. Sometime during the night the temperature dropped, and I woke up cold, fumbling to shut the window and pull the comforter over me. After shaving and packing up in the morning, I headed downstairs for breakfast: scrambled eggs, hash browns, salad, toast generously slathered with Hokkaido butter, a glass of orange juice, and two cups of coffee. While eating, I tried to sort out the next stage of the trip and ended up booking a ferry for Monday from Otaru to Niigata. That would take me back to Honshu via the Sea of Japan coast, from where I'd begin the mountain crossing back to Tokyo. Last night I’d noticed two touring bikes parked in the reception area. This mornin...

日本夏2025年 - Day 18 June 16, 2025 Sapporo to Furano - 151 Km Start 9:21 AM Finish 7:59 PM Total Duration 10:38 Moving Time 7:58 Stopped Time 2:39 Ascent 1,413 m Descent 1,256 m Tour Total 2,018 Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/296654124 I slept well in Room 703 of the Koko Hotel in Sapporo. I was clean-shaven, freshly showered, my kit was washed, and all my devices were fully charged—a satisfying reset. I packed up and retrieved my bike from the nearby bicycle parking lot for a modest ¥300 fee. Heading west through the city, I crossed the Toyohira River and was soon guided onto a well-maintained cycling road shared with pedestrians and other cyclists. I passed a preschool where a group of young children, under the watchful eye of their teachers, were outside making mud pies and digging tunnels in the dirt. I loved that this kind of unstructured, tactile play was part of their early education. The cycling path was excellent—18 kilometers of smooth riding, much of it winding th...

I slept well my first night in Sapporo. The day before, I’d made good use of the hotel’s coin laundry and spread out all my damp camping gear to dry. After shaving and showering, I felt reset—back to level zero. The next morning, while editing reports, I heard the sounds of drumming and flutes drifting up from the street below. I stepped out later and caught up with the source: a lively, roving parade sweeping through the city. My first mission of the day was to buy a jacket—those cold northern nights were creeping closer. From there, I visited two city icons: the Sapporo TV Tower and the Sapporo Clock Tower, arriving just as the latter struck 1 PM. In Odori Park, I paused at   Black Slide Mantra   by Isamu Noguchi, a sculptural curve that invites touch and contemplation. Later, I wandered to the fish market and stopped at Ohiso for a donburi topped with fresh king crab—sweet, briny, and decadent. I took a ride on the giant Ferris wheel perched atop a seven-story building. Ins...

日本夏2025年 - Day 17 June 13, 2025 Nishikioka to Sapporo - 93 Km Start 6:33 AM Finish 4:15 PM Total Duration 9:42 Moving Time 6:23 Stopped Time 3:19 Ascent 1,292 m Descent 1,272 m Tour Total 1,867 Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/295164355 Last night got bitterly cold as I sat in the park editing yesterday’s report. I had every layer on, but it wasn’t enough—I eventually retreated to my tent just to stay warm. At first light, I woke to a damp tent and a swarm of mosquitoes. Condensation clung to every surface, and when I squashed the mosquitoes, they left smears of my own blood. They must’ve snuck in while I was out watering a bush. I packed up a wet tent and Thermarest, resigned to a soggy start. Nishitappu neighborhood park had been a surprisingly impressive place to spend the night. A sprawling field for baseball, a basketball court, a gazebo by a small pond, and a rock-paved area with large boulders where kids had splashed around the night before. There was also an elabora...

日本夏2025年 - Day 16 June 12, 2025 Lake Toya to Nishikioka - 112 Km Start 5:52 AM Finish 5:02 PM Total Duration 11:10 Moving Time 7:11 Stopped Time 3:50 Ascent 1,443 m Descent 1,529 m Tour Total 1,774 Km Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/294766153 I slept well last night at Ukimido Park, right on the shore of Lake Toya. Before bed, I watched fireworks across the lake in Toyako Onsen—silent blooms of color lighting up the water. By 4 AM, the sky began to lighten and the birds started up. A few early risers passed through the park, and that was my cue to get moving. I put on a fresh shirt this morning—still holding the tour at Level 0 cleanliness. At 6 AM, while using the park bathroom, I was “caught” by a woman already in there cleaning. Early birds everywhere. The park had some striking sculptures: a large abstract steel structure and a smooth, carved stone piece. I rolled out along the quiet lakeside road, nearly empty of cars, a peaceful start. Eventually, I merged onto a larger...

日本夏2025年 - Day 15 June 11, 2025 Shimamaki to Lake Toya - 124 Km Start 6:37 AM Finish 5:44 PM Total Duration 11:07 Moving Time 7:06 Stopped Time 4:01 Ascent 1,223 m Descent 1,147 m Tour Total 1,662 Km Details at:  https://ridewithgps.com/trips/294356481 I slept well last night next to the seawall just outside Shimamaki. The evening had been cold, and I went to bed early. I woke around 4 AM with the first light, managed another hour of sleep, then packed up under a brisk wind that made the morning feel sharper than expected.  Dark clouds loomed over the southern mountains—rain was forecast for later. I spent some time studying my maps before setting off. A local cyclist in a Facebook group had recommended a scenic detour that would keep me hugging the coast a little longer. I decided to follow it. Back on the highway, I was immediately met with the imposing 1,100-meter Obira Tunnel. The second tunnel—Shin-Acchase, 330 meters long—had twin tubes As I rode along the Sea of Japan, ...