Japan: 100% Unpredictable Hokkaido

Third Time’s a Charm

We’d been dreaming of exploring Hokkaido for years, even though we had already done two previous bike trips to Japan. This summer, it finally felt like the stars were aligned. We discovered that ZIPAIR offered surprisingly affordable flights, and kids under six could fly practically for free. With Kai’s sixth birthday approaching, we knew it was time to embark on our third bike adventure in Japan, and Hokkaido was calling our names.

Hokkaido exceeded even our wildest expectations. Our trip kicked off with a two-day stay with dear friends of my dad’s who had recently relocated to Sapporo. They welcomed us into their downtown apartment with open arms, and when we inquired about the weather, they simply said, “100% unpredictable.” This became the unofficial motto of our trip, and it turned out to be true not just for the weather, but for the endless stream of unexpected delights that awaited us. We quickly realized that Hokkaido was an almost perfect cycling destination, especially for families, here are some reasons why!

Campground Bliss

Finding a campsite was never an issue. Options were plentiful, often free or incredibly cheap, with spacious lawns for pitching tents. Most offered playgrounds and impeccably clean bathrooms. To get a site, we simply arrived to the campground and chose one – no need to book!

Onsen Oasis

After a day of cycling, there’s nothing quite like soaking in a hot spring. Hokkaido boasts an abundance of onsens. Most of the campgrounds we stayed at conveniently had an onsen located nearby. In one instance, we were initially disappointed to discover that there wasn’t an onsen close by. However, there was a free shuttle service to a nearby onsen!

Quiet Roads, Endless Views

Our 1,100km loop offered a diverse cycling experience and views, along the coast and inland. While the coastal scenery was breathtaking, I particularly enjoyed the inland sections, especially the winding roads that snaked through lush rice paddies. We often encountered tiny roads with minimal traffic, creating a sense of peaceful tranquility. We were also excited when we discovered the abundance of river dykes, with great views and light to no traffic.

City Cycling Made Easy

Leaving or arriving to larger cities like Sapporo can challenging when travelling by bike. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the well-maintained bike paths that lined the rivers, making navigating urban areas a breeze. Even when unexpected difficulties arose, like a closed bike tunnel – a kind worker opened the gates for us at both ends of the tunnel, ensuring our safe passage.

Rest Area Wonders

The network of rest areas (michi no eki) was truly impressive. Each one offered unique features, from stalls selling locally grown produce and delicious ice cream to clean bathrooms, indoor playgrounds, and even a sturgeon museum and a star observatory! Collecting stamps at each stop became a fun game for the kids, and we even encountered some hardcore collectors with official stamp books.

A Culinary Adventure

We love Japanese food, and Hokkaido certainly didn’t disappoint. The variety is amazing and it’s so much more than just sushi (though the sushi was very good too) – udon, ramen, tempura, rice bowls, soba, tonkatsu, yakiniku (BBQ), and so on.

Beyond the incredible restaurants, even convenience stores and supermarkets offered a variety of delicious prepared food. We often stocked up in convenience stores, especially Seicomart, a local Hokkaido chain. The supermarkets usually offered fresh sushi and other seafood and often had a dining area as well.

Soft Serve Ice Cream Paradise

Ice cream is a serious business in Japan, and Hokkaido, famous for its dairy products, takes it to another level. We enjoyed countless soft serve ice cream flavours almost every day (it’s a good thing we were on a bike trip!). From the classic to the adventurous like broccoli, seaweed, rose, and carrot flavours!

Indoor Playgrounds

Hokkaido’s abundance of indoor playgrounds, likely a result of the colder winters, was a major attraction for the kids. Throughout the trip we discovered more and more of them, either free or very cheap.

The first one, in the small town of Chippubetsu, was particularly memorable. It boasted an impressive indoor playground, an amazing outdoor play area, and a fantastic onsen nearby. Chippubetsu was in fact so wonderful, that we made a point of stopping there again on our way back to Sapporo, about four weeks later. When we entered Chippubetsu for the second time, it felt so familiar, almost like returning home.

Family-Friendly Adventures

Travel with young children is often easier in Japan. Our six-year-old traveled almost for free on the flight, and many attractions, including most onsens, offered free entry for children under six.

Island Hopping Adventures

We enjoyed island hopping on our trip, experiencing the unique charm of smaller islands. Biking on these islands, with their hilly terrain, minimal traffic, and stunning ocean views, was unforgettable. We explored four islands in total, starting with two tiny, lesser-known gems – Yagishiri and Teuri. We camped for two nights on Yagishiri, at a free campground overlooking the ocean. Our second night there brought a fierce storm, threatening to carry our tent away. Gili even had to go down to the beach in the middle of the night to secure the tent with large rocks, somehow our children miraculously slept through this!

Our journey then took us to the more popular islands of Rebun and Rishiri, both famous for their views of Mount Rishiri (Rishi-Fuji). We spent several days camping and cycling on each. Rishiri, in particular, has incredible dedicated bike paths, with some of the most breathtaking scenery we encountered on the entire trip.

Wildlife Encounters

While we didn’t spot any bears (despite the warnings!), we encountered plenty of deer, birds, and fascinating insects, including some of the largest bugs we’ve ever seen.

Hokkaido Greenland Amusement Park

If you asked our kids about the absolute highlight of our Hokkaido adventure, they’d choose the amusement park without hesitation. We’d kept it a secret, a grand finale to our trip, but the massive Ferris wheel at Hokkaido Greenland in Iwamizawa gave the game away miles before we arrived. It loomed on the horizon like a giant monument to fun. Our campsite was right at the park’s doorstep, making access ridiculously easy.

It was early September, and the park was practically deserted. It felt like they’d rolled out the red carpet just for us – an almost private amusement park experience. I have to admit, the rollercoaster ride with Neil wasn’t my personal highlight (though I don’t regret doing it). By afternoon, Gili and I we were both a overwhelmed and exhausted, so we happily unleashed the kids to explore on their own. One of the beautiful things about traveling in Japan is the peace of mind knowing it’s incredibly safe, allowing them to roam freely.

Warm Hospitality

We consistently encountered friendly and helpful locals. There was the the guard who opened the closed bike tunnel, riding out of Asahikawa. Once during a tough day we arrived to an ice cream place that was already closed. The nice workers opened it again especially for us. We learned that there was a blueberry farm on our way. Alas the season was already over, but the nice couple let us explore and pick as many blueberries as we wanted. They also treated us to the most delicious melon and had a few interesting attractions for the kids, like a swing that was hanging from a bulldozer.

During a wind and rain storm, we ended up staying in a hotel, and got a nice discount. We were also allowed to use the boiler room to dry out our tent, and to store the bikes in the lobby of the hotel. Another time we were given a mansion tent in one of the campgrounds, that even included a fridge and a dining area.

Hokkaido is a fantastic place for cycling, but there are still a few things to keep in mind:

• Weather: Be prepared for unpredictable and sometimes extreme weather, including rain and wind. We learned to embrace the unexpected and use rainy days as rest days.
• Accommodation Costs: While campgrounds are budget-friendly, other accommodation options can be expensive. We opted to camp most nights. We ended up in an over-priced hostel one night and in a nice hotel another night. We also spent two nights at each end of the trip in Sapporo with my dad’s friends.
• Traffic: While generally peaceful, some sections, especially on the coastal road, we experienced heavier traffic. There was also more traffic during the Obon holiday, and the campground were noticeably busier.
• Language: English is not widely spoken, and translation apps can be helpful for communication and for translating menus. We found that even basic Japanese phrases were appreciated by locals.
• Carry some cash: Credit cards are not always accepted, especially in rural areas, so carry sufficient cash. Try to draw out money at 7-Eleven when you can, since those ATMs don’t charge a commission.

Our Hokkaido adventure wrapped up with a final day in Sapporo before the long journey home. Getting to the airport was surprisingly smooth; we hopped on a bus downtown that conveniently had space for our bikes in the luggage compartment (this was also how we arrived from the airport). The airport itself was buzzing, particularly the cheesecake shops, which seemed to be the place to grab a last-minute treat (or ten).

Our Route (By Gili)

We flew in and out of the New Chitose Airport, using the convenient airport transfer bus to get to and from Sapporo. From the centre of Sapporo we rode first inland and then hit the coast at Rumoi, to avoid a section of the coastal road that has many tunnels. We caught the ferry from Haboro to the tiny islands of Yagishiri and Teuri. From there we had originally planned to follow the coast to Wakkanai. We didn’t love the traffic on the coastal road, and with a big storm approaching, we preferred to be less exposed, so we headed inland again from Teshio to Horonobe and then Wakkanai. From there we took the ferry to Rebun – which we biked south to north, and then Rishiri, which we rode most of the way around. Then it was back to Wakkanai and along the coast, first east and then south. We cut inland again from Lake Kutcharo, towards Bifuka and Asahikawa. From there we made our way back to Sapporo via Fukagawa, Chippubetsu, and Iwamizawa, before following the wonderful separated bike path from Kitahiroshima all the way back to the centre of Sapporo.

Here’s an approximate map of our route. For the first three days we unfortunately didn’t record our route, so I made a rough guess as to what it was. For the other days I used the actual recorded route from the GPS. However, the combined route file was huge, so I had to reduce its size by removing many points. Please consider this route as a rough guide at most, and make your own route decisions! The map contains other layers with campgrounds, rest areas, onsens, other accommodation and so on, which you can make visible in Google My Maps (I’ve unchecked those boxes or else our route isn’t easy to see).