Hokkaido

Hokkaido, but first a few words on the wonder that is the Japanese version of the western toilet. Above is the Control Panel for the toilet, with a bidet, seat warmer, dryer and too many other things to mention. You can just sit there and experiment!!

The toilet, with attached controls on the left.

Traditional Japanese toilet.

We arrived in Hokkaido at the port of Tomakoma in the south central part of the island.

Hokkaido comprises one fifth of the land area of Japan, yet only has 5 per cent of the population. It is Japan`s frontier. There are only two major cities, and there are wild areas somewhat like the interior Canadian Rockies. Bear, deer and foxes abound. Above, restaurant near Tomakoma.

Pass, south central Hokkaido on the way to Furano

Road through farming country, central Hokkaido, near Furano. Hokkaido has rich farming areas. Milk and cheese production are major industries.

Furano, major ski area and farm center. Beautiful spot, but overcast and rainy when we were there.

On a dead end road at a mountain onsen (hot spring spa) on a rainy day. The maps of Japan available in English have many mistakes. The Japanese versions are much better.

At the end of a rainy day the reward, time in a onsen hotel.

The countryside.

The Onsen
Above are bathing pools in a Japanese onsen. In Japan, the bath is taken to a different level.

In a Japanese bath, you first sit on a small stool and clean yourself with soap and water. After that and only after that do you go into the bath, which is usually quite hot. At public baths, there are several pools, with different temperatures, mineral content or even slight electrical charges.

Onsens are hot spring mineral spa areas, usually with a hotel attached. They are all over Japan and are especially great in Hokkaido.

Dear Crossing, Hokkaido wildlife in front of a motorcycle shop, Akan National Park.

Lake Mashu, Akan National Park, eastern Hokkaido. It is meant to be the most beautiful lake in Japan.

Io-zan, Akan National Park--steaming sulphur vents.

Sulphur vents, bright yellow!

Outdoor steaming onsen at night by Lake Kussharo, Akan National Park.

Same onsen by daylight.

Crater near Lake Akun.

Most northerly point in Japan, Soya Misaki, east of the town of Wakkanai, our port of departure for Russia, and Sakhalin Island. Lots of sea fog.

View over Wakkanai and Sakhalin Island in the distance. Tomorrow, June 8Th, we catch the ferry to Russia.

North to Hokkaido

We had originally planned to travel up to northern Honshu by road along the Sea of Japan coast by secondary roads, and take a ferry to Hokkaido, but the time factor came in to play. Expressways were an option, but would be costly. The sensible alternative was a ferry. We decided on one from the port of Tsuruga on the Sea of Japan, north of Kyoto, 35 hours and U.S. $ 220.00. Leaving Hiroshima, above.

At the Toll Booth for the Sanyo Expressway heading towards Kobe and Osaka.

Simon, at a rest stop.

A proud member of the Kobe BMW Motorcycle Club.

Monica at the wheel.

On the Expressway, heading cross island from Kobe to Tsuruga.

Obama is on the way!

Next morning at the Hokkaido ferry.

Securing the bikes.

Land crew waving goodbye. Don`t they do that at BC Ferries??

Monica with a nice lady on the ferry.

Sleeping quarters.

Lumber mill at one of our stops. BC logs??

Japanese bath on the ferry with great window view.

Simon contemplating.

Hokkaido in sight.

Arrival in Tomakonai, Hokkaido.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima, famous as the first city to be destroyed by a nuclear bomb. It is actually a very pleasant city of over one million people, built over several islands on a river delta. None of the buildings are over 66 years old because of what happened August 6, 1945, when the bomb was dropped. Picture above is in the Peace Memorial Park of a friend in front of the A-bomb Dome, the only building preserved near the epicenter of the explosion.

The building was a Prefecture (State Government) building. The photo shows before and after the attack.

Destroyed in seconds!

Picture of clock from museum exhibit frozen at the instant of the explosion.

The museum at the park gives a well balanced view of the events, well done. Above is a photo of some of the survivors. Over 200,000 people died by the end of 1945.

The mall area of the Peace Park.

Met Simon and Monica again in Hiroshima. Cain went ahead to catch a ferry to Hokkaido. Above, Monica and some Jehovah's`s Witnesses in the park. They`re everywhere!

Ramen restaurant, Hiroshima.

Trolley system, Hiroshima

Mother and daughter on the trolley.

Hiroshima, an attractive city, with lots of bridges and as elsewhere in Japan, friendly, helpful people.

Miyajima

Miyajima,(Shrine Island) 25 kms. out of Hiroshima in the inland sea, is a U.N. world heritage site and home to one of Japan`s most famous symbols, the torii gate. It serves as the water entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, a Shinto structure. The shrine is built on pilings.

The Gate.

Shrine and gate.

Climbed to the top of the hill on the island. View out over the Inland Sea, and islands in it.

Inland Sea.

Inland Sea.

Torii Gate.

Hiroshima.

Drove into Hiroshima the next day.

Kyushu

Left Hide`s and Erica`s for central Kyushu and the Mount Aso area. It is a caldera formed 90,000 years ago by a gigantic explosion, 127 kms. in circumference, now filled by farms, villages and towns. It`s the largest active volcanic caldera in the world.

Gassing up in the morning, about U.S. $1.60 per liter for high octane.

Cain, up near the top. The drive up was great, nice twisty roads, not crowded. It was quite windy and cool. The peak we went to was Naka -Dake, one of the smaller mountains within the outer rim

Volcanic activity within the rim.

Cain and Simon on the peak, looking back at at the road up.

The way up.

After leaving the Aso area, we all went north. Simon and Monica went to Arita and Imari in northern Kyushu to look at pottery , Cain to Fukuoka to the KTM dealership to resolve some mechanical problems and me to Miyajima, 25 kms. this side of Hiroshima on Honshu Island, the main island of Japan. Took the expressway most of the way and arrived at about 8 P.M.

Above, the bridge connecting the island of Kyushu with Japan`s main island of Honshu, taken from the Kyushu side.

Below is video of top of Naka-Dake, with Cain, Monica and Simon. Listen to the wind.