Asahidake

via Tenninkyo

To the south of Asahikawa, slap bang in the center of Daisetsuzan National Park, are a couple more hot spring resorts, Tenninkyo and Asahidake. These are more isolated, being at the end of a long cul de sac road that drifts across a farmland plateau before it heads up towards Hokkaido's highest peak - Mount Asahi.

We eventually head up the 966 and the ride to Tenninkyo takes us a couple of days. Riding mainly on minor roads, we also venture off the beaten track a few times - cruising along farm lanes that are covered with crisp snow. The final 30km is a slow incline through birch forest; snow a meter deep lines the winding route.

We pedal into the small resort of a handful of up-market hotels. But as they're all empty we get ourselves a decent discount and from our room we see plumes of steam billowing from slender gaps in the mountain's flanks, which apparently doesn't deter hikers from clambering up to its vertiginous 2,290-meter-high top in fine weather.

The road going up to a remote hot spring is still closed off, but we are content to simply soak in the piping hot, semi-outdoor onsen of this snazzy place while enjoying a stunning view of the volcanic summit covered with snow.

As we gaze, we ponder a Japanese proverb explained at the reception: Mon zen no kozou narawanu kyou wo yomu, which basically means 'the environment creates our character'. Too true - after just a few days in out-of-season Hokkaido, ours had become sublimely laid-back - wallowing in the suphur-smelling pool, thawing out and chilling out at the same time.

Today's ride: 50 km (31 miles)
Total: 189 km (117 miles)

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