What do you imagine when you hear the word Hokkaido?
Ramen? Seafood bowls? Bears? Touring?
That's right, all of the above!!
But I'll leave you with this photo of me eating ramen.
Now, my riding buddy for this trip was Kamo-san, who usually works in CWD, the wholesale division of Circles.
After exhibiting at Enter Zone Outdoor ( E.Z.O ), which was held in Sapporo, Hokkaido at the end of July, we were given two days for touring. After some discussion, we decided to bike-pack around Mt. Yotei.
Mt. Yotei is a conical stratovolcano, beloved for its beautiful shape that resembles Mt. Fuji, earning it the nickname "Ezo Fuji." It has an elevation of 1,898m. There are four climbing routes, each requiring about four to six hours to complete. During the summer, you can also see about 80 different species of alpine plants near the summit.
From HOKKAIDO LOVE
And here is our route for this trip.
We started from Sam's Bike in Sapporo.
Actually, they let me stay with them the night before the start.
Thank you so much, Nami-san!!
First, we set off aiming for Niseko.
Yes, it was pouring rain.
But it actually made for a cool and comfortable ride, haha.
On the way, we had lunch at everyone's favorite super-local Hokkaido convenience store, Seicomart, to take shelter from the rain.
The pork bowl really hit the spot...
The delicious food was tempting, but the rain was absolutely insane.
Now for the first difficult part of our trip.
We climbed Nakayama Pass while repeatedly taking shelter from the rain.
Actually, I had climbed it once before when I was a student touring Hokkaido, but man, I don't remember it being this long of a climb! (lol)
And finally, we reached the top of Nakayama Pass.
We were greeted by a face-in-the-hole photo board.
I insisted on taking a picture with it.
Kamo-san also snapped a shot with the monument commemorating the birthplace of asparagus there.
With the hardest part behind us, it was all downhill to Niseko, our destination!!
On the way, we found a roadside stand selling boiled corn, something I'd wanted to try for a long time.
The moment we saw it, we were drawn in like a magnet.
It was absoooooo-lutely delicious.
After descending Nakayama Pass, the long-awaited Mt. Yotei appeared!!!
As expected, it was super cloudy, haha.
But the sense of accomplishment from having made it this far was special.
Since the sun was setting, we stayed at a hotel nearby and had yakiniku to gear up for the next day.
The lamb was exquisite, and I ended up eating three large helpings of rice.
For some reason, you just never lose weight while touring.
(Well, it's natural since I'm eating more than I'm burning.)
The second day turned out to be clear and sunny!!!
We headed straight for Lake Shikotsu.
My legs were pretty spent from Nakayama Pass, so we just kept riding steadily, taking some well-deserved breaks throughout the day.
And finally, we arrived at the long-awaited Lake Shikotsu.
This kind of view is something you can only experience in Hokkaido!!
That's exactly what it was like.
After that, we headed down to Tomakomai, stayed the night, and then returned to Nagoya.
Hokkaido was truly the best.
With its wild, abundant nature and delicious food, it's a place that makes me want to visit again and again!!
OUTER SHELL bags.
By the way, OUTER SHELL bags were a huge help during this ride!
Handlebar Bag: OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE Drawcord Handlebar Bag
I kept my extra layers for temperature adjustment, gummies, and my key here for easy access.
It's the perfect bag for everything from everyday use to 1-day touring trips.
Like Kamo-san, attaching a tent between the handlebars is also a great option!
Frame Bag: OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE Half Framebag
I packed a spare tube, multi-tool, hand pump, zip ties, and three snacks in here.
I stored all the essentials for basic mechanical repairs inside.
Seat Bag: OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE Expedition Seatpack
Being a greedy person, I chose the large-capacity Expedition model.
Basically, I stored my change of clothes here. It's best for things you don't need instant access to—like stuff you only reach for at the beginning and end of the day.
I also strapped my pillow and mat to the bag itself.
It's also great for strapping things like sandals on the outside!
The season for easy, comfortable riding is just around the corner, so why not gear up and go touring yourself!!
And if you do, be sure to invite me!!
I'll be there if I can! Haha.
