To Hokkaido, the Great Northern Land
"Summer in Hokkaido" is a phrase with a magnetic ring to it. I think many cycling enthusiasts have dreamed at least once of surrendering themselves to that magnificent land and riding like the wind on their bikes.
However, when you calmly take a look at the map, you realize anew just how incredibly vast Hokkaido actually is. After all, it is said to account for over 20 percent of Japan’s total land area.
The beginning of this journey was sparked by a single photograph I happened to find while researching where to go, along with being captivated by a female culinary expert.
The town of Biei is located roughly in the center of Hokkaido, a region where you can overlook a rich natural environment characterized by gently rolling hills. Situated at the foot of Mount Tokachi in Daisetsuzan National Park, the area offers a unique landscape of overlapping hills and valleys, shaped by repeated volcanic eruptions and erosion. Historically, the flat areas of the valleys were reclaimed for rice paddies, while the sloping hills were cultivated as fields.
The Journey from Shizuoka Airport to Sapporo Okadama Airport
For this flight with our bikes, we once again used the reliable FDA (Fuji Dream Airlines), flying between Shizuoka and Sapporo Okadama, just as we have in the past.
"Wait, isn't Sapporo supposed to be New Chitose Airport?" many of you might be thinking. However, Okadama Airport is located in Sapporo's Higashi Ward, making it a local airport quite close to the city center. It primarily serves flights within Hokkaido, such as to Kushiro, Memanbetsu, and Hakodate. Being super compact, it's actually even easier to use than Komaki Airport.
Shizuoka Airport, where FDA is headquartered, is also a local airport situated about 10 minutes from the Tomei Expressway exit. Having a free parking lot a short distance away was also a plus. Since it was the first time for Happy, who came along with me, to use this route, he was so excited that he ended up losing two masks. Thankfully, I had brought six spares, so it was all good.
I really do think it's great that FDA is creating opportunities for departures and arrivals using these local airports. I hope that connecting one local area to another will become increasingly important in the future.
You can also reserve dedicated boxes for bicycles in advance, making it the perfect airline for cycling trips. Once again, thank you for the great service.
Please check here for more information on FDA bike transport.
https://circles-jp.com/products-review/110981/
Now, let's start riding through the town of hills
Once we started riding our bikes through the land of Biei, the hilly scenery immediately appeared before us. Hills, hills, and more hills, showing us a wealth of varied vistas simply by changing our angle or perspective. The roads that stretch out straight, so characteristic of Hokkaido. In the fields, corn—corn, corn, and more corn—waiting to be harvested.
We were so excited, asking each other if this was paradise, that we kept stopping our bikes to snap photos. It was an overwhelming landscape that our photography skills couldn't fully capture. Moved to the core by this grand, magnificent scenery unlike anything I’d ever experienced, I just wanted to keep moving forward to the next road. Since you encounter hilly landscapes no matter where you ride, there isn't really a single "recommended" route, but I think the trick is to turn off the main road onto a smaller one. Just be careful not to venture too deep into unpaved paths, as some are private property. We saw warning signs many times, so good manners are the rule for this trip.
To SSAW BIEI
There is a landscape photographer named Shinzo Maeda. He spent his life photographing the hilly scenery of this town, Biei, and founded a photo gallery called Takushinkan. I let out a sigh at the sheer beauty of his landscape photos. Wanting to see such scenery with my own eyes was the start of this journey.
And the restaurant "SSAW BIEI," which just opened this summer on the grounds where Takushinkan is located, was another major goal of ours.
Culinary expert Yoshiko Takahashi moved from Tokyo last year with her husband, photographer Kei Maeda (the grandson of Shinzo Maeda). SSAW BIEI is the shop they were finally able to create by renovating a small hut beyond Takushinkan. I had been checking their SNS ever since I found out they were opening, and I was looking forward to it so much before I even left.
Takushinkan was built using the site of a primary school that closed 30 years ago. The fact that the defunct school was called Chiyoda Primary School made me excited before we even arrived, as it shares the same name as Chiyoda, where our own Circles is located. On the vast grounds, 1,300 white birch trees were planted, and now, 30 years later, they form a breathtaking "Birch Corridor." The small hut at the end of that corridor is the restaurant that opened as "SSAW BIEI." It seems it was originally used by photographer Shinzo Maeda as a sort of reception room where he would gather with friends for Jingisukan (grilled mutton) and drinks.
The many dishes, which made full use of the rich ingredients from the great northern land, were beautiful to the eye and allowed us to fully enjoy the flavors of the season.
In addition, the dishes, spiced by Yoshiko Takahashi—who also creates a seasoning called "Egypt Salt"—allowed us to enjoy a hint of a foreign atmosphere. From the interior design and the tableware to the vibe of the staff, everything was wonderful.
I was so happy to be able to visit this beautiful hilly town of Biei, witness the activities of people taking on new challenges in a new land, and eat food made from the bountiful ingredients unique to Hokkaido. We were reminded once again that the atmosphere you feel while riding through it on a bike is something truly special.
Once things have settled down, I hope to have another chance to ride my bike in Biei, gaze at the hilly scenery, and fully enjoy the food and drinks once more.
Let's all go to the town of hills.
This final photo was taken by Kei Maeda when we visited SSAW BIEI. I was so moved to have both us and our bikes photographed here in this birch corridor, and we were filled with such joy on our way back to the airport. Thank you very much.
Keita Ohira (EarlyBirds Breakfast)
https://www.instagram.com/keita_earlybirds/
★Click here for everyone’s flight bike travelogues
Visiting the Scenery I Wanted to See and the People I Wanted to Meet: Biei – Heading to Biei via FDA Flight Bike Transport
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★★★Recommendations for FDA Flight Bike Transport
https://circles-jp.com/products-review/110981/