A slightly later departure after trying in the light of day to repair/bodge Rachel’s tent pole joiner that had broken overnight. (It limped on for the next couple of weeks until she was able to pick up the replacement that her sister had sent from the UK to her brother near Tokyo.) An unusually cool morning was welcome as we had a nice forested climb to warm us up for half an hour. Over the high point, we soon joined a larger road down to Oirase – where we hoped there were some resupply options. Pleasingly, we soon came across crews upgrading the road – which continued to interest me with differences from home.

The road became so smooth, for a glorious long descent through fairly open beech forest. Absolutely blissful riding, this was some of what I’d been hoping for/expecting in touring Japan.

At Tsutunuma we found a small hotel and onsen complex – situated near a series of volcanic ponds in more beautiful beech and chestnut forest. Unfortunately we didn’t find any food, but there was of course a drink vending machine. A calpis, no doubt, helped a nice forest walk around the ponds – which were bemusingly translated as swamps. Whatever they were, clear and still in the forest they were for a backdrop to a tranquil stroll.

We didn’t find much at Oirase town itself, so turned up the Oirase gorge towards Lake Tokado. The road was put in for tourism purposes, as there are plenty of picturesque water falls, cliffs and rocks in the beautiful forest. It wasn’t long before we found a good cafe, with views of a small water bottling plant, next to the information centre with a remarkably good moss display.

An idea of how many waterfalls there were to see.

While quite a busy road, in traffic volume – with plenty of buses, being in Japan it was all rather sedate and pleasant riding. Being on bikes made it easy to pause or stop to look at various things and wander a bit. Cue, a lot of waterfalls…

(Rachel’s photo.)

(also Rachel’s photo)

Eventually we popped out at Lake Towada, fifteen kilometres took us a languid three hours, to find another fading tourist town (abandoned large hotels again etc.) – but still with some signs of life and new development. On the edge of the main town, a short walk to the ornate Towada shrine before returning lakeside.

Continuing around the lake a short distance, we found a large campground with absolutely no one there – but the water was still turned on, so that was enough to keep us there for the night. We even managed a rare camp fire, it helping to distract from the meagre meal we’d scraped together from the nearby new roadside station – possibly the only disappointing meal we had in Japan. Not bad for three months touring, and didn’t dampen the beautiful day’s riding we’d had.

Up and away early from our stealth camp, tracking parallel to Matsu Bay mostly managing quiet secondary roads. After an hour, slight hills as we turned inland to the centre of the peninsula.

Climbing through tranquil forest.

Under the large transmission corridor through farmland.

Dropping to Lake Okagawa, we followed the shore for an hour and a half with a light tailwind, little traffic and plenty of birds and boats to look at – and the occasional self-defence (fighter) jet screaming overhead from a nearby base.

Didn’t work out what all these boats are used to fish for.

Lake looked a little low.

Looking across the southwest end of the lake and the hills towards which we were heading.

With the earlier start, a long lunch layover was enjoyed – also a chance for Rachel to shed some of her load by posting excess to her brother.

The early part of a pleasantly warm afternoon was spent riding through peaceful, productive cropping land very gradually climbing; onions and diakon being crops of note in these parts.

As the gradient increased, the fields began to be replaced with forest; that and the clear creek running down the valley helped also to keep the temperature down.

Maybe one day I’ll have a wood stack like that…

About the time we would normally be looking for ice cream, we found a store stuck about forty years ago – it did at least have ice cream.

There were still a few rice fields amongst the trees.

The first we’d seen of this method of drying rice.

Only in the last ten kilometres of the day, above 500 m, did the road steepen, put a hairpin or two in and bid farewell to the farming. Enjoyable riding, rather deserted up there too.

Having crossed the main road, we found a short walk to the source of the creek – wonderfully cool and clear spring water.

The few facilities up here were entirely deserted, summer holiday season having ended two weeks earlier. Having cooked on the side of a large parking lot, battling mosquitoes, we slept in the large clean toilet block – but still had to put our tent inners up to avoid the bugs.

Parking lot view – a rather spread out wind farm.

Our first hotel stay in Japan gave us our first hotel buffet breakfast in Japan. Always fun to see what food would be offered, and there was plenty. An unusual, to us, mix – but good cycling food, should at least get us the few wet kilometres to the ferry.

As if we were going home anytime soon.

Having negotiated the ferry ticketing rather wet, we got wetter waiting to board out in the open. But once on board, before the cars, we and our bikes were well looked after again and managed to dry out some on the short voyage to Honshu.

A little to look out as we left Hokkaido, but mostly a grey voyage to Honshu. We’d chosen to take the shorter route to Oma and ease into the fairly quiet looking northern peninsula – avoiding the city of Aomori.

Off the ferry, we found there had been other foreign cycle tourists on board – chatting pleasantly the short distance before going separate ways. But of course, we soon met some of them at the supermarket buying lunch. Charles and PJ from Brisbane had some interesting tales, and bikes, from their recent travels in Europe. Riding together, it was not far to the northern most point of Honshu and chance to lunch together and continue chatting.

Rachel and I moseyed on around the coast, already noticing Honshu looking more prosperous – far fewer abandoned buildings and general decay, at least in these parts.

At some stage Charles and PJ rejoined us; well, at different stages as they ride at different paces. Turned out Charles used to work in high hazard industries too, a rather out-of-place discussion about process safety (which I thought I’d left behind) ensued.

Popping over a few small hills to the town of Mutsu, the forecast poor weather hadn’t eventuated so extending our riding day we endured thirty kilometres of rather tedious main road as far as Yokohama town – by which time twilight and drizzle caught up with us.

The small supermarket was a bit different to what we were used to, but amply supplied we set off to find somewhere to camp – as the supposed campground a few kilometres before town didn’t eventuate. We found a great big park that was deserted and discreet enough to stealth camp in, success!

Concrete logs must have been unusual enough to snap a photo of.

Every so often one of us had reported public toilets with these unusual facilities in. Was quite a while before I saw one, there was one in this municipal park. It had been decided between us that the special sinks were for emptying ostomy bags. A bit of research shows that they’re more common than we came across – regularly in accessible facilities for those that need them.

Maybe not for washing camp dishes.