Up and away early from our stealth camping spot above the Seikan Tunnel. As the longest undersea rail tunnel in the world, unsurprisingly there was a museum with plenty of construction equipment around the outside – unfortunately we were well too early for it to be open.
Around the eastern side of the peninsula, the terrain is so rugged that even the Japanese have not built a road around it. So we had a small pass to go over, thankfully didn’t see any of the numerous bears around here – just some traps. We timed our descent well to see a shinkansen amble out of the tunnel – they don’t go full speed through.
More rugged terrain that we missed.
At the small station after the tunnel there was a pretty high viewing platform for the trainspotters.
Apparently one of the very few places you can see a freight train and shinkansen pass next to each other.
The vegetables in the store below were perhaps as impressive.
Definitely leaning into the shinkansen finally reaching Hokkaido around these towns.
Back to plains and good growing areas.
The air somewhat overpoweringly spring onion filled.
Unsure what is going on here.
Honshu getting closer…
Back to flat coastal biking, found a park of scale models near where a Dutch built, Japanese navy ship foundered on the just-offshore reef in the late nineteenth century.
More of the same, and something different – we detoured inland to the Trappist monastery pictured.
The long avenue approach one of the monastery’s attractions.
They also have a well regarded dairy onsite, so we joined the queue for very creamy ice creams on another hot day.
Back down to the coast.
Twenty kilometres of flat around the very semicircular Hakodate Bay wasn’t too bad for negotiating the city’s spread. Being distracted by a large, rambling old cement plant helped; well, helped me – I can’t imagine Rachel was particularly interested in where much of the concrete we’d seen all around Hokkaido’s otherwise natural environment had come from.
Into the city and we checked into a hotel for the night as there was rain forecast and we had a relatively early ferry to get to in the morning.
Unsure what these were about, but not chimney sweeps. Coloured covers were always a welcome find in our continued documentation of the interesting local designs on mundane service covers.
We easily found the bike shop that had been recommended back in Sapporo, time for a bit of light servicing. Great bike shop and friendly staff, sounded like there was a bit of a gravel riding scene around – not that we’d seen any gravel for a long time.
I was pleased to find some more orange accessories for my bike too.
This bell was particularly useful for the rest of the trip – Japanese, not too loud, robust and easy to use. I was disappointed to not find them later in the trip to take some home for my nephews.
While our bikes were at the shop, a little walking around the city and down to the waterfront.
Not the ferry we would be taking in the morning. Now a floating museum, it was a large ship from the days before the Seikan tunnel opened.
Back at the bike shop, we asked for recommendations for dinner – particularly Hokkaido soup curry that we’d heard much about but hadn’t tried yet. Happily there was a good place just around the block.
Little bit different to where we usually ate.
Also different for spice offerings – scale of one to fifteen unusual. Supposed spicy food had not been hot so far in Japan, so I opted for regular.
Black ink squid soup curry – easily one of the best meals I had in Japan. Although Regular spice was a misjudgement – it was very hot in both temperature and spice!
Just a street of concrete super heroes on the way back to the hotel.
That was our last full day in Hokkaido, a great place to tour for the scenery and all manner of food grown there; but I was keen to get to Honshu and some older Japanese history, architecture and general vibe.
Off we went, looking back out our overnight island.
Helpful local warned us to turn around here and climb back up to the main road, due to a closure ahead.
This stretch of coast seemed to be one long sporadic wind farm, with more turbines going in.
Unusual hazards for a small golf course.
This does a better job of summarising the area’s history than I could.
The little wind thingamijigs were rather calming too. Also had free charging from the bench under the tree, so I assume some generation capacity.
Spotted our barge shadow again too.
Honshu! The little bit of older Japanese history in Matsumae having whetted my appetite, I was very keen to get over there.
Trying out one of the many camera stands we’d seen.
Found out later in Tokyo that is quite a famous character; I was just there for the chance to dress-up on top of my bikepacking gear.
At least there was a lighthouse, I guess.
And a gap in the barrier.
Not that Fukushima.
More matchstick logs.
Intrigued by this spiral bridge as we rode into Imakane – a relatively small town. Perhaps there is some big industry up there?
A pitstop in Setana for lunch supplies.
More moving of large concrete shapes – nephews would be right into that.
More long tunnels cutting out the climbing for us – up to four kilometres long. Distinct lack of traffic meant both that they weren’t deafening, and we could test out the echo qualities.
Okushiri Island – would have been nice to visit, but didn’t fit into our schedule.
Shrine that we didn’t get to way up there somewhere.
Although I’ve forgotten which this was.
Even made it to the manhole cover.
They also made it to the local manhole cover.
Into Esahi for the night.
Looking over to Kamome Island, no longer an island but home to a campground.
Kaiyomaru – a replica of a Dutch-supplied ship that sank in 1868. The wreck was discovered over a hundred years later and many artefacts now fill the replica.
Best view of Mt Yotei yet.
Rawang buki not taller than me, this time. (Rachel’s photo.)
Buoy art.
Refreshments from a rare non-chain convenience store.
Typical small rural station.
Wasn’t difficult to pass the time here, warm water was very inviting. 
Pity it was too early to camp, would have been a great spot.
Soon to be tunnel portal.
Signs that rockfall may be a problem.
Ex-tunnel view definitely preferable.
Extensive stabilisation.
Quite the temporary fence and scaffold.
Out of the roadworks and heading for the highway.
Engineering sure saved us a lot of climbing and descending in this hilly country.
Wonder what they grow here.
Checking in – seem well catered for budding cyclists.
Camp dinners still delivering; mostly Rachel’s influence.