The one downside of the otherwise excellent little park we camped in was that the fishing boats started up and went out from about two o’clock in the morning! So not a lot of sleep, again; the boats were coming back with their catch as we were going about our morning eating and packing routines.

Rather incongruous windmill.

Don’t know what that was either, except I don’t think it tracks the moon.

Returning fishing boat – the early morning ones all looked like this.

A fairly long and flat day in the heat was in store for us. The northeast coast looked more prosperous than the northwest – many scallop processing plants, shown by the mountains of discarded shells. Also a lot of dairy farms – not that we saw any cows of course, but very tidy fields and large barn complexes. Rachel and Orlaith found a few curiosities to stop and look at…

A fairly large pedestrian route under the quiet highway.

Turned out to be anything but pedestrian.

Certainly brightened up the concrete a bit.

We detoured from the highway to a renowned very straight and long road running parallel to the dunes. A particular favourite of motorcyclists, we soon had our own cheer squad – all seemed ridiculously excited to be on this famous road! Orlaith found it an excellent place to practice riding no-hands.

Eight kilometres is quite a straight in this generally hilly and built-up country.

Leaving the straight, it was back to the farms – with a bonus cycle trail on the map, if only we could get there.

Tracks through farms soon degenerated to a bit of bush bashing.

Soon we were on a lovely tree-lined rail trail, although when we started spying old bear scat the trees started to feel a little close. Unfortunately, as we approached town we came across a bridge that was falling to pieces and very much fenced off. A bit of backtracking (most of the way) past the, hopefully imagined, bears until we could find another farm track to get back to the highway. A pleasant, if unfruitful, diversion.

Still too early for lunch, we took another detour off the other side of the highway to a nature reserve back behind the dunes. Alas, we were a bit late for all the flowers that bloom there. Walking still a struggle it seemed, descending from the observation tower particularly slow!

Must get quite marshy in here.

A good spot for birdwatching too, one imagines. An impressively large tower for a pretty small reserve.

We found that track beyond the roadend did take us all the way to town, past some heavy machinery operating but we didn’t get munched.

Into town for a normal lunch time, and what was now a normal lunch – konbini offerings, can’t go too wrong.

Back on the highway – so often there’s a large path next to them. Sometimes worth riding on, if one can find a way over the curb or be bothered stopping and lifting; joining such a path to be weighed up with the risk it suddenly stops or is quite old and either overgrown or very corrugated from roots pushing up the surface.

The last thirty kilometres of coastal riding for the day got more interesting as it became sandwiched between the coast and big rocky hills and outcrops. If they got too close to the sea, there would often be a tunnel. Sometimes the old coastal road would still be present – nice to take that, but at the risk that it might no longer go through.

We crossed the 45th parallel again – the 45th Parallel International Park was a non-event.

With conflicting information online, we weren’t sure what we’d find where we wanted to camp that night. Turned out the campground was closed, but there was camping nearby in and around a parking lot a short distance from an information centre on the highway – so long as one stayed out of the bear habitat! Tents up, we had enough time to go down to the beach for a drink and a swim.

Highlight of the day was grand hospitality from, and fun conversation with, Yumi and Ken from greater-Tokyo who were travelling in their little camper and cooked an excellent dinner. Thankfully we had been shopping in the last town so were able to contribute a little.

Up early again as far too hot to stay in tents. As we were packing up, we were interested to see a couple of sea kayakers setting up camp at this time of the morning. To our surprise it was Rob and Haidee out adventuring, as they do often – their site documenting their travels seems the biggest English language resource online for such things in Hokkaido. We had already been using the bike section of the website extensively. Great to hear a couple of Kiwi accents and hear firsthand a little about their time living and exploring in Hokkaido.

Back south along the east coast for a bit (Rachel’s photo).

The first of a lot of kelp we saw drying today.

A good example of a tsunami escape staircase, don’t remember there being a lot of houses or people around here though.

One of the longer gallerias we saw and rode through.

Halfway down the island we turned inland and found a delightful forest road that gave us views from the centre of the island to the west coast and over the Sea of Japan. Steep to start with, that section was partly shaded – particularly welcome in the heat. Along the ridge the views really opened up and there were frequent stops. This short section of trail off sealed roads was my favourite section of riding so far in Japan, and remains a highlight.

To get down to the very near west coast, we had to drop steeply to the edge of Rebun town, on the east coast, and go back west through a new tunnel – this at least wonderfully cool and quiet. With time up our sleeves before the ferry back to Wakkanai, we pottered around the coast – a short dip, a short walk to a cleft in the rocks and then a little ride south to look at rocks that don’t look like the things they’re named after.

(Rachel’s photo)

Not a cat.

(Rachel’s photo)

A popular spot, hadn’t seen so many people in one place on these islands.

Back through the tunnel, alarming to be passed by the high-pitched whine of this scooter.

Still some time until the ferry arrived, why not go to the end of the island’s roads to the south? This was mostly through more down-on-their-heels coastal villages.

Back to join the motorbikes.

Bit busier than last time (Rachel’s photo).

So it was goodbye to the little island of Rebun – a very enjoyable day we had there. We’d started to enjoy the carpeted floor areas that were set up for sitting and lying down – no shoes; good for a bit of stretching, napping and general lounging around. Back to Hokkaido we went to ride to the northernmost point of that island.

Around Wakkanai’s port again.

Heading out east, the coastal road (very flat) curved around to the north to put the wind directly behind us – very easy riding. Didn’t look like there were going to be many options at Cape Soya, so a stock-up at the last Seicomart was in order.

Funny, coming from the kiwifruit capital of the world, to see them right at the top of Japan. Would realise during the trip that Zespri is the NZ brand that one sees most in Japan.

The stock, and low cost, of RTDs (ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks in NZ vernacular) in konbinis was always alarming; of the few I tried, I didn’t find a gin-based one I really liked. Nice change at the end of a hot day though, as a contrast to all the soft drinks.

Almost at Cape Soya, someone had found a diversion up the Path of White Shells. A very steep old road made up of crushed sea shells. Bathed again in sweat to end the day.

Very much crushed shells; at least some use for the piles we’d see at various processing plants.

Good views from the top of the three Rs – Rishiri, Rebun and Russia (Sakhalin Island).

Sakhalin Island in the distance.

Rishiri to the left, Rebun on the right (Rachel’s photo).

(Rachel’s photo)

Back on the coastal road for the last twenty minutes to the cape, in time for sunset. As Rachel mused, more land of the setting sun than rising sun for us – rather missing summer clock adjustment.

We found a good park to make camp in near the port – toilet block, water and even a picnic table for cooking dinner on.

Hot and sunny by the time we left Rishiri Town to go the long way to the ferry, it looked like this may have been a better day to climb the mountain.

The little bridge to the shrine is still bigger than the shrine.

Earlier we’d noticed small boats returning, wondering what their catch was.

Stopping at this garage on the side of the main road, we found out as we watched this family processing the morning’s haul.

Quite the hive of industry on a Sunday morning. But not so busy that we didn’t try to communicate and find out what each other was doing.

Sea urchins, uni – spiky!

Very tasty too, can see why they’re a delicacy – both from the work involved and the taste.

Off we continued on the very quiet road, the peak now starting to cloud over.

Stopping at a pond that is known for its clear reflection of Mt Rishiri, the cloud had built further to deny us that.

But there were plenty of big butterflies and irises to catch the eye. Expensive scallops cooked in the shell satisfied the taste buds too.

Not a better day to climb the mountain.

Rachel’s photo as we headed up the east coast, pretty sure we’d make the ferry in time.

Nice cycle trail through forest as we approached port, over those bridges spied each of the previous two days.

Ferry docking, Rebun on the horizon.

With plenty of time to spare, Orlaith and Rachel went and climbed this – my legs were not interested after Mt Rishiri descent.

Never found out if the takeout was that good.

Ferry boarding and bike lashing completed, it was a shorter voyage to Rebun.

Those bridges again; still not completely sure how such bridges became part of a cycle trail. Some narrow gauge railway (but why would there be one here?) vibes in part, but I can’t find anything about the history of them.

Goodbye Rishiri – a fun island stay, pity we didn’t quite get the views for the price my legs paid on the hike descent!

Was not a busy sailing.

A short ride up the east coast to a bay at the north of the Rebun (see second map below) was only punctuated by a konbini stop for the next twenty hours’ food. Having worked out the various details of the campground and pitched our tents, we got back on the unloaded (!) bikes to see what was along the north west peninsula.

Yet another island it turned out!

And some impressive cliffs.

Old fields fading away, another sign these places used to support far more people than nowadays.

Rachel and Orlaith headed further down the west coast for more spectacular views, but having been got separated somewhere I was happy to return to camp, being quite tired now from ten days of heat, humidity and little sleep. A call home helped as the afternoon cooled a little into prevening in pleasant surroundings.