Ep.111 The Mikuni Pass in Daisetsuzan National Park Pt.2

Ep.111 The Mikuni Pass in Daisetsuzan National Park Pt.2

Thanks for tuning in to part two of my ride up to the Mikuri Pass in Daets Suzan National Park. I hope you enjoyed part one and I hope you like this episode as well. Okay, so day two of my time on the Mikuni Pass started at the Kami Shiiori Roadside Station. I’m sure a lot of you are the same, but I always find that when I’m sleeping in the van or or camping or anything like that, I find that I am much much earlier to bed and much much earlier to rise than if I’m at home. I guess you just kind of fall into a natural rhythm where you you fall asleep and and wake up with the sun, right? You’re not you’re not glued to the TV or your phone or or anything like that. It’s a It’s a much more natural experience, which is, I guess, the entire point of camping and being out in nature. But anyway, so waking up with no alarm, I was up and on the road at precisely 6:08 p.m. And almost as soon as I started, you know, I took my time, I I went and brushed my teeth and the the mitaki, that kind of stuff. So I was up I was up pretty early but I was actually on the road at 6:08 and from that Kamishi road station heading up to uh the Mikuni Pass heading up the mountain on route 273 almost right away it is a climb again kind of like from the Kamikawa side. So, it it was a a steady constant gradual climb, right? Well, we’ll get to some of that. We’ll get we’ll talk about the climbs a little bit later on as well, but there were some really nasty climbs around the NAR area, but they were short, so that wasn’t too bad. But you know on a on a ride like that you’re just climbing the whole way up. Uh climbing up to the pass from the Kami Shahoro side again was a very similar distance as well. Uh from the uh Kamikawa side it was about 55 km to the top. And again there was nothing fancy with the route. I was just going to keep pushing down pedals all the way along route 273. Now, there were some very important differences in this ride. The one, the scenery was very different than that from the Kamikawa side. This side of the mountain was mostly forest, old and ancient primeval forest wi-i which is beautiful of course but the scenery was very very different from kind of from the dramatic rock formations, waterfalls and and rushing waters of the kamikawa side. And because so much of this side was mostly just unending forest, I I actually I kind of found that I took less breaks. Like what I was saying last week, I was kind of unintentionally taking breaks to take in the sights that are just all the way up the Kamikawa side of of the mountain. Um, and I just wasn’t doing that simply because there was less to see from the Kamiji side. But well, but with all that forested territory comes with, you know what, folks, bears. Holy smokes. The bear warning signs on the the Kami Shiioro side of that mountain were just unreal. The the bear warning signs were an absolute constant. It was almost like they felt they they had to put one every couple of kilometers or something, you know. It was just incredible. It was wild. Of course it was wild. Um, but at you kind of felt like, “All right, now settle down, folks. Let’s You’re getting a bit carried away.” But that’s the whole point, right? They want you to be on high alert in that area because there is a very real danger of running into a bear. Maybe not so much actually on Route 273. Um, you know, I’m sure if you’re hiking through the woods and and things like that, but you’re obviously in a lot more danger, but but because cars going up Route 273, cars and trucks and the super loud motorbikes are going to be noisy enough to kind of keep bears off the road, but not 100%, right? And I’m telling you folks, when you’re there, you could really feel you could really feel in some places that there are beasts lurking in the woods. But but never fear, folks. I had my bearbell attached to my bike and bear spray attached to my hip. So, I was all set for a bear encounter. Please, uh, whatever gods are in control of that, please. I’m only joking. I’m not I’m not tempting the fates there at all. Just just horse it around a little bit. Okay. Um, so while the natural scenery from this side of the mountain was very different, one thing you do notice is the ruins of the old JR Shihoto line. Along the way, you pass what was it? I think it was head heading up. That is I I I think it’s about four concrete arch bridges that that are in various stages of decay. You know, if it’s kind of like, do you remember that show on A&E years ago like life after humans and at various stages they showed what decayed without humans to maintain them? Well, concrete is one of those things that that’s going to fall apart pretty quickly if nobody’s looking after it, right? And a lot of the bridges were, you know, falling down. Some were completely falling down. Some were well on their way. But what they those railway bridges did is they actually make for some really great photography opportunities. Um that that that was kind of cool to see. And of course maybe sorry maybe not of course you might not know this but the most popular of those concrete arch bridges is the Taoetssu River Bridge. Now the Taoetsu River Bridge was built in 1937 and at the time was 130 m long. It was built between Nukabira and Huroka. But after the the Nucabira dam was finished in 1955, new tracks were laid around the Nucabir Lake and and this that Taueta bridge fell into disuse. And nowadays, people also kind of call it the phantom bridge because it uh it appears and reappears with the seasonal water levels. It’s a it’s a really really cool looking thing. And I was kind of lucky, I guess, because I was there around late September and I could actually see the the whole thing. You could see the water was definitely up higher on it than what I’ve seen in pictures of it before. So, I guess it’s I wonder how it is now. I’m sure it’s not completely submerged yet, but it will be. Apparently, it is completely underwater uh by late October. And it also makes for some really, really cool scenery. Again, maybe you’ve seen pictures of it. It actually looks like an ancient Roman aqueduct type thing. You know, that kind of thing you see arch bridges in Roman times. It really really looks like that. Um, it’s it is a very cool thing to see, but I wasn’t uh up close. I’ve seen pictures of it where where people are right right in front of it, right at it, taking these gorgeous pictures. Well, I was cycling up Route 273 and that’s the kind of other side of the lake from it. So, I was looking at it from a bit of a distance across the lake, but that’s totally cool. I got to see it. I suppose I could have gone to check it out, but to be honest, with all the climbing involved in that weekend, um I I didn’t really feel like adding a a bunch of kilometers just to get up close to it. I’d seen it, so I was fine. I was satisfied, but but let me tell you a little bit more about this place. The entrance to the viewpoint from the road again makes it very very clear that you are in bear territory. There was a sign at the entrance said bears have been spotted here recently. There are all kinds of warning signs. I think they were in like three different languages. But to get to the viewpoint the the viewpoint of the bridge from the road, it was a 180 meter walk through the forest. Exactly where I was hoping not to be. Like when I was telling you about the uh the cycling road from the Kamia side, you know, it’s kind of that that perfect distance away from the road. So anyway, I unattached my bell and started walking. And folks, I am ringing that bell for all it was worth. Clang clang clang clang. I was really giving it my all. And then there was a woman, a a lone hiker who was kind of walking out and I shout to her [Music] as loud as I could. And I’m also shouting. I’m being as loud as possible because when you’re in the forest, you want to be loud. You want bears to know that you’re coming. And the best way for them to know you’re coming is to be loud. I’ve said that before many times, right? Well, I was giving it my all and this woman kind of looked at me as she’s walking towards me and then she just right away realized what I was doing. You know, I was potentially scaring any bears away and we kind of we kind of had a a funny little laugh about that and, you know, a real quick chat about the lake and the bridge and things like that. And uh I think she was possibly even appreciative of my my very loud greetings and bell rings. Well, sorry folks, in case you don’t know, oh goas means good morning here in Japan and urusaki means it’s good to be noisy. So, that was a real nice little exchange between this uh lone woman hiker and I. But well, but seriously, the bear thing was obviously on my mind. Um, and actually walking in the woods put it even more in the forefront of my thoughts. Oh, right. And also, you know, I was thinking about this because all the way up that ride, all along that route, there were hiking trail entrances. Um, and I I really don’t know how you could relax and enjoy a hike with all the warnings there. I I you know what I mean? Like I just I I I don’t think I would enjoy myself. Kind of like what Cudday was talking about in in his episode. you know, after he saw the beer the uh the two bear cubs, he realized that riding gravel wasn’t really for him in that area anymore because he was uncomfortable. You’re not settled down. You’re not enjoying the scenery. You’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, right? So, I I I’m I’m obviously not a real experienced hiker, but I just can’t imagine being able to settle into a kind of mindset where you could put the bears aside and and just enjoy the hike at I I guess it takes a kind of special kind of person to hike in in that kind of environment. But anyway, after I saw the bridge uh and took in the view of the lake, I emerged from the forest unscathed. When I when I came out of of the the little pathway, there was a couple uh that were kind of getting ready to head in. They said they were going to head in looking to do some bird watching. Again, obviously with it being the the great wilds of Hokkaido, there are just it’s just teeming with wildlife. And yeah, I bet you get some beautiful bird watching if if uh if that’s your thing. So, you know, again, people being as friendly as they are when they’re out in nature like that. Well, you know, we had a little chat and they asked which way I was headed on my bicycle and I said up. There were after that there were a couple of oo and a’s and good lucks and and that kind of jazz. And uh as we were about to part our separate ways, the the the gentleman went into his backpack and pulled out a small bottle of water and and uh gave it to me for for my ascent. And I thought that was just awesome. I mean, the kindness of strangers, eh, it it’s fantastic. Um, really, really appreciative. Of course, I had all kinds of water packed away in my piers, but I didn’t want to tell him that. He’s he’s he’s making this really kind gesture to a perfect stranger. So, um, I thought it was actually be more prudent to just accept it and say thank you. Uh, so that’s what I did. And then off I went with my bike ever so slightly heavier with the extra bottle of water. I continued my ascent through the woods. And again, the ruins of the rail line all the way through. It was was very very cool. Not just the falling down bridges, but you could see the tracks were all rusted in spots and you could see that it was all terribly overgrown, but you could see where it was mound up. That was obviously a part of the the the railway line at one point. Ve very very cool to see actually cycling through Hokkaido’s history. Um because I mean the line was originally opened in stages between 1925 and 1939 to transport forest resources uh from the Tokati area. So back back in the day it was a very very important railway line for for the whole island you know and over time as as transportation evolved the whole rail line as as a passenger line and as a as a transport for forest resources. the whole thing just kind of became irrelevant and and eventually was completely closed down in in 1987. So it it was very interesting again comparing the Kamikawa side of the the Mikuni Pass to the Kami Shiiorto side of the pass. They’re equally great rides, equally beautiful in their own way, but if I was to give a recommendation, I would definitely climb if you have a choice. that is I I would definitely climb up from the Kamikawa side because the natural scenery is is well worth the slowness of of climbing a mountain pass where where you can take breaks and where you will see more because you’re going slowly. Um that if you had a choice definitely the the Kamia side is is the better ride. Another thing they had that was kind of similar, the Kamikiawa side and the Kamiishihoto side is that on the Kamihoto side, the last what was it 10 or 12 kilometers, the last 10 or 12 km of the Kami Shishihoto side just really jump off in difficulty as well. Holy smokes. Now, yes, like I said, there were a couple of real nasty hills down in around the area of the town of uh Nuke, what did I say? Nucabira. But they were again, they were short. This is where this mountain pass actually becomes a mountain pass. It got really, really hard. It It was a lot harder than the Kamia side actually, folks. But again, with anything that becomes difficult when you’re out on your bike, you just have to keep pushing down those pedals until you get to where you want to be. And you do, you just keep going and one push by one push, you get there. And really near the top is one of the things that I wanted to really see on the Mikuni Pass and that was the Matsumi Bridge. The Matsumi Bridge is an absolutely iconic image of the area, if not only that area of Hokkaido. Actually, maybe you’ve seen it. It’s that huge red bridge that looks like it comes out of nowhere in a just an absolute endless looking sea of forest and then looks like it goes right back into nothingness. It is a very very cool site to see. The bridge was completed in 1988 and is 330 m long and 30 m high. She’s a big one, folks. And the red of the bridge was just in such contrast to to the green forest and and being backdropped by these absolutely majestic mountains really make it an amazing site. It’s no wonder it is such a a popular photo spot. And I would imagine it looks even better right now with the fall colors, right? Um, and talking about its height, folks, I’m not the best in the world with heights, but but I made it up and over the the Matsumi Bridge and the one right above it, the Rioi Bridge. The Dukushi Bridge is actually the spot where everyone gets their pictures of the Matsumi Bridge. It’s really kind of interesting. They’ve made kind of a walkway on the Dushi Bridge where they have like a a walkway and a barrier where they’re very they’re very very clear on the signs that if you’re on this bridge taking pictures, do not step outside of the green pylons. do not climb any higher up on the ledge like is as if you needed telling that but I guess some people do. They were very very clear on how to stay safe to get the picture. I thought that was that was kind of interesting as well. But yeah, the cushi bridge is where everybody gets their pictures. So, after I got my pictures, then it was up to the pass to take a break and soak it all in and have some of my homegrown potatoes that I brought along for the ride. So, folks, for the second day in a row, I was on top of the highest national road in Hokkaido. [Laughter] And I actually I don’t think I said this last week, but mikuni means three countries. Mi is the kanji for three. Kuni, the kanji for country. If you don’t know what kanji is, those are the Chinese characters that are quite intricate. Some of them are quite intricate that are used in in Japanese reading and writing as well, right? So, mikuni, three countries. And the pass has that name because it borders the Ishkari, Tokachi, and Kitami regions. So it because it borders those three regions, the top of it called mikuni, right? Okay, cool. And and again, I’ve used this word quite a few times over these past couple of podcasts talking about the Mikuni Pass, but the majesty, [Laughter] the majesty of the scenery up there was just the best. Again, I know I keep saying that, but it really is moving to be sitting in the face of of just such strikingly beautiful nature. It it was incredible. Now, I was there in in the very early fall when just a couple of pockets of colors were were starting to arrive, but I can just imagine what it looks like right now when the fall colors must be just a blaze. I mean, just being able to if I could get back. I don’t unfortunately I don’t I don’t have a lot of time right now. We’ve got some stuff booked up. But I if I were able if I were you and if I were able to get up to the Mucuni Pass to see those those fall colors from way up there, it would really really be worth the trip. It must be just gorgeous right now. I actually actually I guess that place must look great in just in all seasons. I can’t imagine it ever looking bad. Spring spring it might look a bit drab I guess but hey. All right. So after I’ve got a belly full of potatoes at the top, it is ready for me to descend back down into the Kami Shiiorto area back to the Kami Shihoto road station. And and yeah, it was it was mostly downhill. Even if mostly downhill, there were a couple of there were a couple of climbs to get through. again, especially that nucabuda area, but it’s not completely downhill once you’re kind of near the bottomish. There are a little bit of ups and things as well. But even if that downhill is ever so gentle, it’s not a dramatic downhill, but it’s still downhill. So, you can go faster. Go. Oh, right. Okay. Yeah, you got that. But um I was expecting to just kind of fly down that last kind of 15 16 kilometers when you’re actually kind of off the mountain when you’re out of Daicuzan National Park and getting back to the the road station. I really expected to just fly along, but guess what folks? Nope. That area of Hokkaido gave me a real nasty headwind for the last 15 kilometers. Apparently, that area of Hokkaido is super famous for being really really windy. I was even reading on a couple of sign boards that the the tree lines are kind of meant as windbreaks that are separating some of the farmlands. I guess it keeps some of the dust at bay and this that and the other, but actually the farmers actually do deliberately plant trees as as windbreaks. So, it’s it’s a windy area as well. But isn’t that the worst? a headwind at the end of a long long riding weekend like that, you know, like, “Oh, God, please stop. No, thank you.” But, um, what are you going to do? That was my uh that was my fate for the end of the weekend. So, that’s and that was it, folks. That was the end of my two days on the uh Mikuni Pass. it was all over. Um, yeah, and I was super stoked, just happy as I I got that ride done. I’m having that box checked is I’m still walking around with a smile on my face a couple of weeks after the fact. Couple of numbers for you folks. Over the whole time, over the whole course of the two days, I rode 230 km, climbed 2,365 m, and was in the saddle for about 14 hours. I kid you not, folks, that was the best cycling weekend I have ever done. You have just absolutely got to love it when you get a chance to do stuff like that. It’s good for the soul. You know what I mean? And thanks a lot to all of you for for coming along with me over these two episodes of of the show. I I hope you enjoyed listening to kind of my take on the Mikuni Pass in Daetsan National Park. But as always folks, if any of you out there would like to come on and have a conversation about all the cool stuff you’re doing, I would love to hear from you. Get in touch. Send me a DM and let’s see if we can’t set something up. Okay, that’s all for me this week. Next week I will be talking about uh some of the IU culture stuff. I I’m going to be going to have a look at. So, I hope you tune in next week as well, folks. All right, have fun out there and I’ll talk to you next week. Love you.

The Mikuni Pass is the highest national road in Hokkaido and on day 2 of my Daisetsuzan National Park adventure I cycled up to the pass from Kamishihoro. Cycling through the history of the JR Shihoro Line and climbing the Matsumi Bridge made for an excellent day on the bike. I hope you like this episode of the Cycling Hokkaido podcast. #cyclinghokkaidopodcast #hokkaido #大雪山国立公園 #北海道 #mikunipass #三国峠