Please note all distance are taken from map measurements as my bike computer was broken at this time.
This was an unexpectedly good day of cycling. I didn't expect to go so far, hoping to stop early at a camping ground that was marked on my map but didn't seem to exist. Navigation is easy as route 230 is followed all day. I cycling this day on a Sunday and the weekend traffic was pretty heavy, weekdays would probably be better.
Route 230 is pretty easy to find in the CBD of Sapporo and heads south out of Sapporo through Japanese suburbia. The road starts to climb as it swings west and enters the forests of Shikotsu-Toya National Park. It's up, up, up with great views across forested mountains.
The high point of the road is reached at an elevation of 831m. It's easy to know you're there by the huge car park, shops, and tour buses. This is where you get your first views of Yoteizan, a beautiful conical volcano, that will be in view for the next few days of cycling.
The remainder of the day is a huge, tear inducing downhill. This is payback for the kilometres of uphill endured up to this point in the day. 21km later and you come out at a major intersection with route 276. Just along to the left and on the other side of the road is a Lawson convenience store. Behind this is a park that makes a great place for camp. I actually slept in the small fort to save putting the tent up.
Dinner can be had buy shopping at the Lawson or there is a restaurant that does very cheap mushroom soup among other food. The restaurant is on the other side of the road from the Lawson and slightly south down route 276. There is a public bath (sento) behind the park.
Another day with hills, but they are generally shorter than those of day 1. From the Lawson convience store cross the road and head south. Less than 1km down the road turn right to continue along route 230. After 7.4km it is finally time to leave route 230 for a while to turn right onto route 66 (yes it made me smile too). Upon reaching a small town after 7.4km, route 66 turns to the right and heads straight at Yoteizan for 1km and then turns left to run along the south-western flank of the volcano. 2.2km after turning there is a road off to the right that leads uphill for 2km to a camping ground and the start of one of the walking tracks up Yoteizan. There are no shops at this camping ground.
Continuing on route 66 and crossing over route 5, 8km after the turnoff to the camping ground, is the famous ski resort town of Niseko. There are shops here where you should stock up as there are no shops at Goshiki Onsen. From Niseko, route 66 generally climbs past the ski fields, resorts, and fun park that sit on the side of Niseko Annupuri, the summit of which is close to the this evenings camp site. 17km after passing through Niseko town turn right onto route 58. From here it's a tough climb for about 5km to Goshiki Onsen.
Goshiki Onsen consists of little more than a hotel, public bath (onsen), and camping ground. I believe the camping ground normally costs �500, however, it was closed when I was there and so I camped for free. From behind the toilet block at the campsite a track leads up to the peak of Niseko Annupuri at 1308m. Great views are had of Yoteizan to the east and mountains and the coastline to the west. It takes 2 to 3 hours to complete the climb and return to camp.
There is another walk that can be done from Goshiki Onsen, a circuit walk of 6 to 7 hours taking in several peaks and lakes. The walk departs across the road from the camping ground.
I had run out of food at Goshiki Onsen and also wanted to get down to a lower altitude for a bit of warmth so after completing the circuit walk mentioned above I packed up my tent and rolled down the mountain to Kutchen. As I was leaving for the walk a cheeky fox turned up at my camp. It was fairly tame so took a photo and headed off. I returned to find the guy ropes of my tent eaten through (resulting in a collapsed tent), as well as chew holes in my bike seat and toe straps on the pedals.
Route 58 runs twisting and turning downhill to Kutchen. Before crossing the railway line there is a road to the left and soon another left that leads to a small free camp ground which sits right next to the town ski jump. This was a very social camp ground full of Japanese motorbike tourers. At dinner time everyone congregated in the cooking shelter to chat and share food. Kutchen has a supermarkets, convenience stores, laundry, and public bath (sento).
I used Kutchen as my base for climbing Yoteizan, one of the best walks I did in Hokkaido. To get to the start of the walk, from Kutchen take route 5 south for about 6km and turn left for the road up to the start of the walk. There is a camp ground where the track starts. It's a hard walk with 1500m of climbing to the crater rim (3-5 hours), followed by a lap of the crater (2 hrs), and the descent back down the same track (3 hrs). A very beautiful experience after spending so many hours in the saddle looking at the mountain.
I used a few quiet backroads on this day so direction giving may be a little confusing. Heading south on route 5 from Kutchen, I got back to route 66 by taking a small short cut to the left about 2km before the intersection of these roads. Turning left onto route 66 turn right shortly after down route 230. Follow this road through forest and farmland until it comes out on route 97. Turn right here and then take the 2nd left. Stay right on this road and it will connect up with route 230. Turn left and follow this until it meets a major road, for some reason also route 230. A few winding kilometres later take route 578 to the left. There is a beautiful couple of kilometres of downhill here that takes you down to the edge of Lake Toya, a beautiful caldera lake with a lonely island sitting out in the middle. There is a convenience store just before reaching the lake.
Turn right when you reach the lake and enjoy a quiet ride around the western side of the lake. There is a camp ground on the banks of the lake just after setting out around the lake. After about 12km of quiet cycling, route 578 joins on to route 230 and leads into Toya-ko Onsen, a resort town on the banks of the lake. The active volcano Usa-zan erupted here recently and you can checkout some of the damage by turning off to the right on route 230 as you enter town. Just after turning you'll find route 230 closed due to the damage of the volcano. Half collapsed buildings remain and boulders litter the ground. I passed through here in October 2001 and I don't know when this will all be cleaned up.
By staying along the banks of the lake you will move onto route 2. About 4km after getting onto route 2, where a Youth Hostel sits on the corner, there is a right turn which climbs for 2km to the entrance of parking area for Showa Shin-zan. Showa Shina-zan is a smoking new volcano which only started growing in the 1940s. There is a collection of gift shops here selling everything you don't need and a cable car that goes up to the recently erupted Usa-zan. I didn't go up - too expensive for me and I don't know if part of it was closed due to the recent eruption.
Head back downhill to route 2 and turn right to continue east. About 3km later turn right away from the lake onto route 453. 700m later turn left and follow route 453 to the east. This section of road was beautiful when I cycled through, bursting in autumn colours, the hillsides were alive with reds, yellows, oranges, and greens. There is a bike track for a section along here. Look out for the signs because I can't remember the name of the place where it started.
It was getting dark as I was nearing the intersection of routes 453 and 86, 22k after turning away from the lakeside road. I found a park off to the left of route 453 before the intersection where I camped the night.
From Otaki continue on up route 453 for 5km until it intersects with route 276. Turn right here and climb uphill to a dimly lit tunnel. As I cycled through this tunnel I nearly ran over an owl that was sitting by the side of the road. Existing the tunnel brings you out to a lovely long downhill to the edge of Lake Shikotsu, Japan's second deepest lake. At the lake's edge turn right and start cycling around the lake's southern shore. After 15km there is a car park on the opposite side of the road. This is the start of the walk up to Koke-no-domon, an impressive moss-covered gorge. The carpark and walk were closed when I visited but I can't read Japanese so I decided to take a look anyway and had the place to myself.
After another 5km route 276 turns right and heads south-east towards the coast. Stay on this road until it finishes at route 36, 18.3km after turning to the right, in the port town of Tomakomai. To get to the ferry terminal turn left onto route 36 and shortly after continue straight as route 36 turns off to the left. This is route 256. From here look out for the sign that directs you off to the right to the ferry terminal.
Ferries go daily from Tomakomai go to Nagoya, Sandai, and close to Tokyo. As most of the journeys are quiet long, to save money, it's worth stocking up on food from the convenience stores back on route 256.