A bit of time looking around the reservoir and over to the village’s ski slope before dropping through the hills to ride stop banks along the Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu River.

More matchstick logs.

Intrigued by this spiral bridge as we rode into Imakane – a relatively small town. Perhaps there is some big industry up there?

I’m still intrigued by this outsized bridge. Further research shows it’s the southernmost loop bridge in Hokkaido, but only services a few small farms up the valley (probably some forestry too) – but there is an alternative route. Seems complete overkill for a problem that didn’t really exist – and some reviewers seem to agree.

A pitstop in Setana for lunch supplies.

This led us back to a road beside the Sea of Japan – no longer designated a national route, it was super quiet.

More moving of large concrete shapes – nephews would be right into that.

More long tunnels cutting out the climbing for us – up to four kilometres long. Distinct lack of traffic meant both that they weren’t deafening, and we could test out the echo qualities.

Okushiri Island – would have been nice to visit, but didn’t fit into our schedule.

We found signs to a shrine three hundred metres above the road. The first staircase was imposing enough, thankfully neither of us fell trying to negotiate it. We decided against the more precarious iron chain route beyond the stairs.

Shrine that we didn’t get to way up there somewhere.

Along the coastal road finally we found some rock formations that looked like the things that they were named after.

Although I’ve forgotten which this was.

But we could certainly see the bear and cub in Parent and Child.

Even made it to the manhole cover.

The cliffs started to get rather photogenic too; the basalt columns particularly interesting.

They also made it to the local manhole cover.

Towards the end of the day, some punchy little hills kept our tired legs working. In one small coastal village, we came across what passes for a commotion in Japan – a lot of people standing on the side of the road looking into the forest for a bear that had just been seen. With all bear attacks over the summer, it was hardly surprising that everyone was a little on edge.

Into Esahi for the night.

Looking over to Kamome Island, no longer an island but home to a campground.

Kaiyomaru – a replica of a Dutch-supplied ship that sank in 1868. The wreck was discovered over a hundred years later and many artefacts now fill the replica.

After struggling up a steep road to Esahi town proper and getting supplies, a quick roll back down and across to the island – before a steep push up to see what this campground’s quirks were.

It was large, with another lighthouse, outdoor stage and plenty of sites to choose from. We chose one with a view over the Sea of Japan, set-up and enjoyed a spectacular sunset to cap one of our longer distance days in Japan – little climbing though. Possibly the best free campground we stayed at.

The heavy rain cleared to leave a beautiful morning on Lake Toya. Plenty of kayakers and SUPers to watch as we cleaned much mud splatter off our tents and dried them in the sun before heading back around the lake.

Back through town and an honest climb out of the crater that the lake and surrounds sit in.

Over the crater edge onto a bit of plateau for ten kilometres, more extensive farming – even a crop of rawang buki, hadn’t seen any for over a week.

Best view of Mt Yotei yet.

Rawang buki not taller than me, this time. (Rachel’s photo.)

Sharp drop back to the ocean, back to the Pacific, at Uchiura Bay. Through a couple of town, unfortunately we’d joined the highway to get around the bay – but still much more pleasant than highway riding in other countries, particularly home.

Finding the old highway stuck closer to the coast for bit, we took that welcome option.

Buoy art.

Refreshments from a rare non-chain convenience store.

Typical small rural station.

Roadworks up ahead showed why this stretch of road may have been quieter than normal – only open every half hour, we had to stop for a bit and wait.

Wasn’t difficult to pass the time here, warm water was very inviting.

Pity it was too early to camp, would have been a great spot.

Given the green light, we rode through the work area – a new tunnel was going in, I assume due to problems with rockfall in the current cutting. Seemed excessive for a relatively redundant route – must only be a small amount of local traffic, as the new highway we had been on is near. But perhaps this is a country that can build things and I’m unused to it.

Soon to be tunnel portal.

Signs that rockfall may be a problem.

Ex-tunnel view definitely preferable.

Extensive stabilisation.

Quite the temporary fence and scaffold.

Out of the roadworks and heading for the highway.

Engineering sure saved us a lot of climbing and descending in this hilly country.

Back down to farms at sea level, we found a few back roads – and had lunch in a field. The coastal highway around Oshamanbe was busy, and we did our best to avoid it – but it was difficult as we found ourselves skirting a huge engineering build. I’d apologise, but I’m not sorry, for more construction photos below – it certainly defined that stretch of riding.

The shinkansen (bullet train) is being extended from the southern Hokkaido city of Hakodate to Sapporo (by far the biggest city in Hokkaido). Count-lost mobile cranes, form work and concrete pouring; all a bit mind-boggling in scale.

Having decided the direct route down the east to Hakodate (to get a ferry to Honshu) offered no quiet alternative, we left the Pacific and cut west across the peninsula towards the Sea of Japan. A little climbing to Pirika – with a big, open campground attached to a large hotel-onsen.

Wonder what they grow here.

Checking in – seem well catered for budding cyclists.

Unusually the cooking shelter was screened for bugs, a nice change to avoid mosquitoes. A good wash and soak at the onsen to top off a different, but interesting day. Quite the contrast between Lake Toya and all the construction; still very hot, of course.

Camp dinners still delivering; mostly Rachel’s influence.

A late start with several cups of tea deliberating over having a full rest day due to heavy forecast rain or chancing it because outside it was improving. Eventually we left the rider house riding rural roads around the base of Mt Yotei.

A big parking lot at Kyogoku lead to popular paths around steamy hot springs fed by water under Yotei. Rather atmospheric.

Surprised to see some Mongolian wool products at one of the stalls.

Continuing south, more rich farming land – immaculate dairy farms, cropping (carrots ready to harvest were tempting).

Into Rusutsu for lunch, and a slight detour so Rachel could see the resort town she visited thirteen years before for a ski holiday. The large amusement park, part of it inside a hotel, the most notable feature to my eyes in summer.

A town for my brother-in-law, it seems.

Outside cows!

Somewhere along the way, a michi no eki (large roadside services complex without fuel, often selling a lot of local produce and wares – we frequently visited these) helped us stock up on dinner bits.

Every so often in Japan the road marked on our maps would turn out to be a track – this was usually a welcome change.

This was one of the good ones, a steep easy descent to Lake Toya.

A flat quiet road around the lake towards our campground.

The campground was a beauty – right on the lake, big deciduous trees and a little bit going on.

We’d managed to stay reasonably dry all day, so didn’t tempt fate and got the tents up pronto. The various ingredients we’d collected throughout our riding made another great dinner.

Not much hanging around drinking tea into the night as the rain soon arrived. It bucketed down for much of the night, small streams running down to the lake everywhere and I found that the seam sealing of my tent wasn’t quite up to scratch in a couple of places – but my sleeping gear and me stayed dry.