Trip Report

Shiretoko Loop Tour Day 3: Shari to Utoro

Posted on Aug 3, 2012
1

Posted on Aug 3, 2012

Route Guide

We managed to avoid the narrow bit of Route 334, but at the cost of some steep hills. Good for the soul. Like chicken soup, only less comforting. And despite the cold start in the morning, it was getting very hot later in the day. Perfect excuse to drop into a cafe (read: smokey old-style Japanese coffee bar) for some iced coffee and cake. The cake is ‘rare cheese cake’.

Last updated Oct 8, 2018

Route Guide

The day began today also on nice quiet farming roads. Fields of potatoes, mainly. With some daikon (large white Japanese radish).

Quiet farm roads near Shari (Hokkaido, Japan) Sparse wind-breaks near Shuen (Hokkaido, Japan)

Taking backroads to avoid the narrow Shiretoko Highway (Hokkaido, Japan)

We did manage to avoid the narrow bit of Route 334, but at the cost of some steep hills. Good for the soul. Like chicken soup, only less comforting. And despite the cold start in the morning, it was getting very hot later in the day. Perfect excuse to drop into a cafe (read: smokey old-style Japanese coffee bar) for some iced coffee and cake. The cake is ‘rare cheese cake’.

Traditional Japanese 'kissaten' in Hinode (Hokkaido, Japan)

Quite unlike much of the Japanese coastline, the coast of Shiretoko Peninsula seems relatively untouched. Nice sweeping vistas and unrestrained waterfalls. It is worth noting that today was one of the few days on this trip we had blue skies.

Haidee on the Shiretoko Highway (Shiretoko, Hokkaido) One of many waterfalls to pose beside (Shiretoko, Hokkaido)

Haidee on the Shiretoko Highway (Shiretoko, Hokkaido)

Our campsite for tonight was at the Shiretoko Campground in Utoro. It comes complete with wild deer who wander freely through the campground. We apparently set up our tent right next to where a family of deer bunk down for the night; even so, with all the warnings about storing food away from one’s tent during the night (to avoid encounters with bears), it was quite disconcerting to hear the dear pacing about outside at night.

Wild Hokkaido deer in the Shiretoko Noeijo (Shiretoko Campground) in Utoro (Hokkaido, Japan)

Route Map


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Distance: 40.1km | Time on bikes: 2h 56m | Average speed: 13.6km/h | Bears: 0
Financials: Food: 3,723yen | Accommodation: 800yen | Onsen (hotspring): 1500yen

 

Comments | Queries | Discussion

1 thought on “Shiretoko Loop Tour Day 3: Shari to Utoro”

  1. The cheesecake cafe was a welcome break from dodging traffic. There’s a few km of highway with no shoulder, unlike most of the Shiretoko Loop.
    At Utoro we styed at the hilltop camping ground. It was crowded and didn’t have enough toilets, but the sunset was fabulous.
    We set up the tent and biked to the Shiretoko Five Lakes. The walk around the lakes was delightful.

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Shiretoko Loop Tour Day 3: Shari to Utoro Difficulty Rating

Category

Grade

Points

Strenuousness

Vertical Gain

D

25

Time ascending

D

0

Technicality

Altitude

D

0

Hazards

D

Navigation

D

Totals

25/100

GRADES range from A (very difficult) to D (easy). Hazards include exposure to avalanche and fall risk. More details here. Rating rubric adapted from Hokkaido Yukiyama Guidebook 北海道雪山ガイド.