Gorgeous coast day around Suttsu - only an hour from Hirafu and fabulous underwater life. Seaside fishing villages and gorges where rivers spill out to the blue.... So beautiful we're going back tomorrow to explore more....

A clear morning at 5am so scrambled to getting the start of the Yotei track by 6:30. Up, up, up... 10 stages (Japan mountaineering style), 1500 vertical meters, 4 hours up virtually nonstop.... Thick bamboo at the bottom, through muddy slides and rocks, gnarled tree roots and stunted thickets to open scree above the tree line. Amazing views until it clouded over near the top - ferocious wind and swirling cloud with little visibility. A great experience....

Drove to another fabulous lake - Shikotsu, clearest in Japan. Quick 40k cycle on one of the dedicated bike tracks then back to the lake to swim - amazing underwater life but below 3m it's freezing!

An amazing trip north this week along the west coast of Hokkaido to Rishiri Island for 2 nights then back through the middle via Daisetsusan National Park. Rishiri is a volcanic crater 1700m high- we snorkelled in clear ocean - yes at 46 degrees latitude and freezing! ....cycled 60km around the island on the best cycle tracks we've ever seen - literally bike highways on elevated bridges over deep valleys. Coast dotted with fishing hamlets and a couple of large ...

The last few days have been a mixture of relaxing in Niseko and some good cycling and walking as well as a day Down on the Shakotan Peninsula. Walked up "the Peak" here - Annupuri- from the west at Goshki, a bit over an hour up and great views of Yotei. Shakotan peninsula, about an hour away was a big surprise with clear water and isolated fishing villages along the rugged coast. Had a great swim...lots of urchins (Uni) and bright starfish. Looking forward to ...