Easily the highlight of Japan so far – still close to the coast but we found some hills.
The expected rain certainly arrived the morning we got on the ferry in Wakkanai bound for Rishiri. An uneventful voyage over on a pretty empty, larger than expected, boat. We rode an hour or so to the north of the island and the main town, imaginatively Rishiri Town, on a mixture of the main ring road (quiet) and a cycle path (even quieter).
The first campground we checked was deserted and had no views, being inland a bit and surrounded by trees. We decided to check another down on the point near the harbour, lighthouse and onsen. Much better with views, close to town facilities and a few others were camping. Had good tea and coffee in a delightfully retro coffee house before coming back to the campground. Nice sunset, but Mt Rishiri that dominates the island remained capped in cloud.
Up early on Saturday, not to decamp as normal, but to ride 16 km to the trailhead of the Mt Rishiri track. We’d climbed a couple of hundred metres on the bikes, so that meant we were already drenched in sweat early in the morning and there was only 1500 m left to climb on foot. It started off through nice forest, mostly spruce I think. As that thinned, the track steepened and started to get busier. Close as the atmosphere was, there was the odd rain shower too – enough to put jackets on, to really make sure we stayed drenched in sweat.
Occasionally there were glimpses through the foliage and clouds of the summit and ridges above us, and back down to the coast. But mostly we walked in cloud admiring the immediate scenery of foliage, rocky track that must take quite some maintenance and some impressive butterflies. The trail got really busy with people both ascending and descending as we neared the top. The rain resumed just before the summit, so we waited around a bit before heading up to admire the clouds and take a few photos.
As expected, descending 1500 m in six kilometres was hard on the legs – three days later and I still can’t go down stairs without restriction! Even a hot pool that night, after a fun dinner at a local bar watching our tempura being made in front of us, doesn’t seem to have helped much. Having enjoyed island life so much, which is an odd thing to say as Hokkaido is itself an island, we started to contemplate taking an extra day away from the mainland and seeing what is on Rebun Island to the north.
Sunday brought a leisurely forty kilometre ride around Rishiri. Initially it looked like this would have been the day to climb the mountain, as we could finally see the summit – but it soon clouded over for the day. The highlight of riding around the island was stopping to watch and question a local group (probably a family) in a small garage processing hundreds of sea urchins, from that morning’s catch. We got to sample some too, raw they were salty with a hint of sweetness – yum, provided the texture didn’t put one off!
The best part of the riding was saved for the last five kilometres into Rishirifuji (the main ferry terminal on the island is here). We climbed into the forest above the coast on what felt like an old narrow gauge railway – but I can’t imagine why there was ever such a thing on the island with an easy coastal road. The views of the mountain and out over the coast to the sea were excellent, and the bridges across deep gorges equally so. We made it in plenty of time to get an earlier ferry than we’d planned.
A much shorter voyage this time, and not so popular – there were almost as many bikes and motorcycles on board as cars. Off the ferry, we bought groceries for overnight before setting off north for a campground. A small island, this didn’t take long. Having made camp, there was plenty of time before sunset for a wee bimble.
A little bit of a climb after a short ride to Cape Sukoton, a small island just off there and generally interesting rocks. On the return we took some back roads to view different bays and coves. Unfortunately I missed the best cove when I sailed down a hill while the others were investigating something off to the side. Oh well, I could get dinner started.
Just as we were leaving Monday morning, we heard some kiwi accents. Turns out it was Rob and Haidee – the people behind the Hokkaido Wilds website that we have been using for route ideas. Great to chat and learn a bit more of the island and their adventures living in Japan – they’d just come off the water, having been kayaking since two in the morning as part of their circumnavigation of Rebun.
We’d seen some walking routes advertised around the island, so thought we’d give the forest one down the centre of the island a go on our leisurely way back to the ferry. It turned out to be the riding highlight of the first two weeks, and counting, in Hokkaido. A steeply climbing barely used double track, it was thankfully shaded by forest for the main part of the ascent. Still, it was hot and humid. As we approached the ridge, the forest gave way to tall bamboo and views to the coast, and Rishiri, were there. The bamboo covering of the hills still reminds me of tea growing in East Africa – beautiful.
Stopping often for views, sadly the biggest section of off pavement of the trip so far (less than ten kilometres :/ ) was over (more, please!). We dropped to a new 1500 m tunnel through to a small settlement (seems excessive use of such a tunnel) on the west coast. Pleasingly it was very cool underground. We pottered around the small section of coast looking at some impressive and photogenic rocks, and dipped in the warm sea.
Back through the tunnel, we still had plenty of time to ride the extent of the roads south. I was pleased to finally see some colourful houses! Not on the scale of Mongolian brilliance, but after ten days in Hokkaido it was exciting. A long lunch back near the ferry terminal and we were on our way back to Wakkanai. Goodbye to two great little islands – easily the highlight of the first two weeks in Hokkaido.