Trip Report

Long Weekend Cycle-Touring in Japan | Day 2: Yuni to Hobetsu Campground (Hokkaido)

Posted on May 4, 2014
2

Posted on May 4, 2014

Yesterday, we forgot to fill our camp stove fuel bottle with gasoline. This meant no warm porridge for breakfast this morning. Which meant a convenience store breakfast for us. For me this meant club sandwiches, a rice ball, yogurt, and coffee.

Last updated Oct 14, 2018

Convenience store breakfast in Kawabata, Hokkaido, Japan

But wait, I get ahead of myself. First we woke up. To glorious sunshine.

Yuni Campground in Yuni, Hokkaido, Japan

Then we went for a walk. And saw little green sprouts of things reaching for the sky after 4 months covered in snow.

New green spring growth in Yuni, Hokkaido, Japan

And we took photos of ourselves enjoying the natural surroundings.

Cycle touring in Yuni, Hokkaido, Japan Chilly morning at Yuni Campground in Yuni, Hokkaido, Japan

One of the first things we did once on the road, and after we had our healthy convenience store breakfast, was get fuel for the stove. 700ml of the top-shelf hard stuff set us back 93 yen.

Filling the MSR Whisperlite Internationalle stove bottle at a petrol station in Kawabata, Hokkaido, Japan

And then we were on the road again. For all of 15 minutes, before we chanced upon a farm-direct vege stall with a fresh coffee stall right next to it. This was turning out to be a cracker start to the day.

Farm-side cafe near Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

Couldn’t really ask for better weather. A stiff tailwind breeze and the classic Hokkaido big skies and wide open farmland.

Big skies near Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

As we approached the town of Yubari (recently declared bankrupt and has appointed a 31 year-old mayor), we chanced upon the Taki-no-ue (Above the Waterfalls) Park. Most impressive in this nice park were the bridges…

Bridge over waterfalls near Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

and public toilets with impossibly large single-occupancy urinals.

Public toilet near Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

Prerequisite double-selfie was partook before moving on.

Near Yubari, Hokkaido, Japan

Past Yubari (or, more precisely Shin-Yubari), we hit our first major climb of the trip. A stiff 315-meter pass, with the usual tunnel near the top. Tunnels have a curious effect on Haidee, inasmuch as she tends to speed up.

Tunnels near Hobetsu Campground, Hokkaido, Japan

Our destination for the night was Hobetsu Campground, about 15km north of Hobetsu Town center itself. For 1,000yen (or, as we found out later should have been 500yen), a tent can be put up on the grounds there. Spacious, cheap, and with a hotspring only 2.5km away, it was a super spot.

Hobetsu Campground, Hokkaido, Japan

And curiously enough, the onsen was part onsen, part post office! Hakua Onsen/Inasato Post Office.

Onsen (hot spring spa) and post office in the same building near Hobetsu Campground, Hokkaido, Japan

The evening got cold as soon as the sun left for the day. On the menu for dinner was pasta with a pesto/mushroom sauce. Hobetsu Campground has a great covered cooking area with lights.

Hobetsu Campground, Hokkaido, Japan

Distance for the day: 55km

Comments | Queries | Discussion

2 thoughts on “Long Weekend Cycle-Touring in Japan | Day 2: Yuni to Hobetsu Campground (Hokkaido)”

  1. Wonderful photographs. Funny to see the canned coffee labelled Mt Rainier. We’re coming up on a string of nice days too here in the Pacific Northwest USA. Wished we had a string of national holidays to spur a little mini bicycle tour.

    1. Thanks Jason. I’m not sure why the brand is ‘Mt Rainier’….an association with Seattle, and Seattle being famous for coffee perhaps?

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Long Weekend Cycle-Touring in Japan | Day 2: Yuni to Hobetsu Campground (Hokkaido) 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.