Hokkaido Deep South Cycle Tour including Okushiri Island

The start of this route is accessible by JR express train from Sapporo (or Hakodate), and begins at the express-train-stop station of Oshamambe. The old station is horrifically non-accessible, so be prepared to haul bikes and gear along platforms and up stairs. The route heads up and over the narrow piece of land that separates the Pacific Ocean and the Japan Sea, but the climb is not particularly steep. There isn’t much in the way of facilities on the way over until Imakane Town, so be prepared. The sell-appointed Setana Campground (with showers), up on a high headland is a beautiful (if not exposed) spot to catch the evening and morning sunset/sunrises.

Ferries to Okushiri Island leave once daily from Setana Port at around 2pm. Check the timetable for up to date information (https://www.heartlandferry.jp/english/e-esashi-time/). Considering the late arrival on Okushiri Island, the campground at the northern cape of the island, only 10km from the ferry terminal, is a nice (albeit exposed) spot to bunk down for the night. The northern cape is also the location of one of the memorials to the almost 200 people killed in the 1993 tsunami on the island. The rocky tip of the cape is scattered with rock piles, and the shrine building is open 24 hours – an amazing place to sit, remember, and ponder us humans’ fragility against nature.

Rather than follow the rugged and inaccessible northwest coast, the route along the northwest side of Okushiri Island grinds up and over a 350m high ridge. Expect picturesque forest, 800m or so of gravel road, content-looking cattle grazing out on the upper areas, and some stunning views on the downhill – rugged coast and beautiful, wild beech forests. Yu-no-hama bay is home to some post-tsunami relics (such as the still-bubbling hotspring ruins below), some options for onsen, and the surprisingly productive Okushiri Winery (fee wine tasting!).

This really short day was one of the more interesting of the trip. The Japan Sea coast was an impossibly beautiful azure blue. The International Tsunami Information Center at the southern cape was moving. And sharing our campsite with a platoon of Japan Self Defense Force soldiers was quite the novelty. As for the tsunami information center, in 1993 there was one of the most powerful tsunami in modern history, and it hit this very southern cape of Okushiri Island, destroying the entire village. The 30m high, 500km/h breaking wave killed 197 people. The memories of that event are still strong among residents there. As for the Japan Self Defense Force, there is a large air self defense force base on the island, so the southern cape park area (which is great for camping) is sometimes used as a training ground.

Catching the (super) early ferry (timetable here) from Okushiri Port allows a full day of cycling around the mainland from Esashi to Matsumae. It also allows for a nice sunrise view over one of Okushiri’s main official tourist attractions – the pothandle rock. Once back on the mainland, take a bit of time to have a look around the historical parts of Esashi. Then it is around the coast to Matsumae, via a high-land coastal route with stunning views over rugged, forgotten stony beaches. Note that there is no official campground in Matsumae, but cyclists can get away with camping in one of the parks around the Matsumae castle.

If you didn’t take a look at Matsumae Castle on the previous day, today is a great day to get in early and beat the crowds. The castle staff are nice and will usually let visitors in before opening time if you’re early and hang about at the entrance. Being the only castle in Hokkaido, it is a real curiosity. On the way towards Shiriuchi, the route passes the southern-most point in Hokkaido, and also passes through Fukushima Town. This town is home to the Seikan Tunnel museum, which recounts the construction of the world’s longest undersea rail tunnel, which connects Honshu with Hokkaido. The entrance to the tunnel is some 15km further along the route, near the Shiriuchi michi-no-eki. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the recently opened Hokkaido bullet train.

Hakodate is Hokkaido’s third-largest city with a population of 279,000. It is relatively compact, however, so the approach from the south is relatively straight forward (if not a little ugly, with one of Japan’s largest cement factories welcoming you to the city). Head straight for the Goryokaku star-shaped fortress, and enjoy cycling around the perimeter before heading in to the recently re-constructed magistrate’s building. You’ll pay for most tourist attractions in Hakodate, but they are very much worth it. Surprisingly good value is the restaurant at the top of Mt. Hakodate, accessed either by bus or ropeway. The night views are fantastic, and you’ll still only pay not much more than 800yen for the basic Japanese meal.

A full day in Hakodate is well worth it. Attractions include the Mt. Hakodate ropeway, the western quarter, Goryokaku fortress, and if you’re there on the right day, the Hakodate keirin velodrome. Keirin is the Japanese cycling version of horse racing: punters bet on track cyclists. The Hakodate velodrome is usually free to enter and watch, and has live races twice a week. At other times, races from other parts of Japan are live-broadcasted onto large screens in the velodrome meeting areas. We opted to stay at one of the large tourist hotels (Yunokawa Tourist Hotel) in Yu-no-kawa, Hakodate’s main onsen area, about 10km from the city center.

Back on the road after a day off in Hakodate, today’s route takes you around the sleepy coast via Mt. Esa, Todohokke’s surf bay, and the onsen village of Kakkumi. The route cuts through fishing village after fishing village, so there is plenty of local industry to be seen. Make sure to drop in at the pink cafe just across the road from Todohokke surf beach – the cheese cake there is amazing. Once in Kakkumi, the climb up to the Kakkumi Park campground is worth it. The campground is nothing to write home about, but the quaint little onsen just down the road, run by a talkative 85 year old, is character defined.

Soon after heading out from Kakkumi Park Campground, you’ll pass the excellent Jomon Culture Center. This recently-constructed museum is a trove of information and artifacts from the Jomon period – from around 3,000BC till 500AD in Japan. A great number of artifacts from this hunter-gatherer culture/period have been unearthed near Kakkumi. In Shikabe town, the michi-no-eki has a geyser and steam-cooking facilities. Both cost money to see/use, and they are mostly worth it. At least there is a foot-bath to soak your feet in as you’re waiting the 15 minutes to see the geyser. Don’t miss the Higashi-Onuma Onsen just before getting to the lake. It is old and dingy, but the hot water is good for a soak. The Onuma Park Campground is free to use – just try to avoid the summer high season…it will be packed.

It is just a short 7km bike ride from the eastern end of Lake Onuma, where the campground is, and Onuma Park train station. From the station, express trains can be caught that will take you back to Sapporo (or Hakodate).