I arrived in Hakodate yesterday, a day earlier than expected! I couldn’t find anywhere to stealthily set up my tent however, so I ended up getting a last minute room in a pretty shoddy inn. Any bed is welcome though, after four days camping in the rain. I’ve since moved to the hostel I booked in advance, a lot nicer and with Internet access, so I can update!

I will update with posts outlining each day later, but overall my experience in Hokkaido was positive. Maybe not the most wonderful time I have had on bicycle tour or even on holiday, but I put most of that down to the disastrous weather. This put an adventurous spin on things, but after a few days being constantly damp gets old. Having a supposedly spectacular view (your reward for a hard climb, along with a fun size snickers) blocked out by clouds repeatedly is similarly frustrating.

It feels great to have the first good chunk of KM’s under my belt (or bib) and I’m looking forward to resting here in Hakodate and then beginning northern Honshu (I think generally referred to as the Tohoku region).

In a move very uncharacteristic of japanese rail my train to Wakkanai was cancelled. A bit of a setback, but things could be worse. Ran into one of the guests from my hostel and we went and grabbed some delicious sushi. I had to change hostels tonight, but the new one is literally right across the street so it’s not a problem.

Tomorrow I will for sure leave for Wakkanai. I hope, at least.

I probably won’t be able to post for a while after this, I leave for the first leg of the tour tomorrow. I’m going to take a train to Wakkanai tomorrow. I will spend the day after making sure everything is in order and stocking up food and anything else I realise I have forgotten once I pack my panniers. There is a free campground 3km from the city which is where I will base myself. While camping in a campground isn’t quite as adventurous or romantic as wild camping, the opportunity to meet other travellers is wonderful and getting first hand advice on the road ahead invaluable. I know at the very least I’ll be able to post again when I get back to Sappro in about a week. Gambate!

Despite Japan being an Island nation, and Tokyo being a seaside city this photo was the first time I saw the sea in Japan. Taken on the train to Sapporo while crossing from the southern island of Honshu to the north island of Hokkaido. It’s not a great photo, but to me it is pretty significant.

My stay in Tokyo is over, tomorrow I take the train north to Sapporo. I am both relieved to be out of the constant hustle and bustle of Japan’s biggest city and a little bit sad to leave it behind.

What stood out to me most here was not the scale of the city, or the modernity of it, but how friendly and helpful the inhabitants of the city I encountered were. Jay, my host for the first few days of my trip was unbelievably helpful to me. On the way to Jays place I got lost, and a Tokyoite who recognised a lost and tired tourist helped me find where I was going, even let me use his phone.

When I was trying to find the all important bicycle bag the store manager showed me each and every one, to make sure it satisfied the only parameters I could communicate to him:”big”. While I was standing on the corner of a busy crossroads at Shinjuku searching my guide for the page that had mentioned a foreign language bookstore in passing a Japanese girl speaking perfect English offered me directions to the store and then, as it was her lunch break, showed me the way herself and even asked the clerk where to find the foreign language maps.

This evening I visited Kagurazaka (pictured above) where the staff gave me an extra dish for free after hearing about the journey I was about to commence. And not five minutes ago the receptionist at my inn informed that it may not be able to full fill my request for a big taxi to the station tomorrow, but if that were the case they will drive me in the managers car.

For a city so large and populous I though my interaction with then native population would be brief and unremarkable. Tokyo and its people has left me pleasantly surprised. I can’t wait to see what the rest of Japan has to offer.

I went to visit the Imperial Palace today, rode my bike there from my accommodation. As it turns out on Sundays the main road around the palace is closed to traffic and turned into an impromptu bike circuit around the grounds. Had a pleasant time casually cycling my Surly along the course while other cyclists on bikes that probably cost more than this trip sped past.

Some photos from the Imperial Palace grounds

I was couchsurfing for the first three days of the trip. My host Jay was wonderful, his advice and knowledge of Tokyo helped me find my feet a lot quicker.

I’m now in a ryokan about five minutes from Ueno by bike. Its a terrific traditional style lodging that I am surprises can exist in this hyper-modern city.