We touched down in Kushiro Airport - our gateway to Hokkaido - and immediately noticed a drop in population density and pace. This place had trees and fields, and a horizon!
We picked up our Mazda 3 from the local Car Hire place (clearly a stretch for us with our Mazda 3 back home), and set off, safe in the knowledge the good folk at Mazda Hire had plugged our trips details into the GPS provided. It appears their plugging lasted as far as the first intersection out of the airport. On the plus side, we did see the fragrant, dairy farm side of Kushiro that we would have otherwise missed.
I was growing a little concerned (and growing a little annoying to my co-pilot) about not having confirmed a speed for the road we were travelling on. When a speed zone sign finally decided to show up - it indicated a limit of 50 km/h. For a highway. Cars started queueing up behind me - and I think I may have been responsible for the first case of road rage in Japan for the last several years. I eventually gave in - and travelled at the break-neck speed of 80 km/h - clearly I was bound for prison before the end of the day.
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| My decision to wear a short-sleeved shirt unravelled at this point. (Akan National Park) |
As luck would have it, I managed to skirt major jail time (although the local constabulary would have had a hard time pursuing me at their measly 50 km/h) - and entered Akan National Park. Snow gates, boxes with snow chains, and avalanche-barricades led me to believe that things get a little chilly in these neck of the woods. We'd been rolling our eyes at the string of Bambi-inspired 'Deer Crossing' road signs, but came face to face with a couple of them loitering on the side of the road as we crested the high point of the mountain pass.
It started getting dark before getting to Kawayu Onsen (our destination for the next 2 nights) which made navigation just that little bit more delightful. Sulfurous clouds of steam belched from storm grates, providing a distinct olfactory backdrop to a rather chilly (was 7 degrees and falling by the time we arrived) township.
We are staying in a Ryokan Hotel - so were provided with a traditional banquet, yukata (gown) and essentially a yoga mat (a waif-like version of one at any rate) to sleep on this evening.
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| Sporting the latest Ryokan fashion in our dining room/hallway/bedroom/rumpus. |
Joshie subtly displaying his disinterest.
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| Stepping outside his culinary comfort zone: Hamish! |
