If rich in its roads and onsens, then so too is Hokkaido abundant in scenic beauty. The land features a plethora of wildflower fields, caldera lakes, expansive tundra, and snow capped mountain ranges.
These photos of The Stinger and Big Ben
were taken in the vivid lavender meadows
of the town of Furano.
When in full bloom, the flowers fill the
air with a pleasant aroma.
Believe it or not, this is not Colorado.
This is in fact a lookout point within Daisetsu National Park.
Here's The Stinger and Big Ben at the
Shiretoko Peninsula, the eastern most tip of Hokkaido. Shiretoko
is an Ainu word meaning "the end of the earth", and
from the abundance of wild nature and the near total lack of any
sign of civilization, it's not hard to understand why it was named
so.
No, this ain't the Parthenon. It's the
Hatei Dome flood wall at Wakkanai harbor. It's getting
pretty hard to believe we're still in Japan, isn't it.
Here is yet another Nagisa Driveway, located
near Nemuro in eastern Hokkaido. While not
quite as suited to riding as its counterpart
on the Noto Peninsula, it is still quite picturesque.
Here's Big Ben and the Stinger on the
shore of Lake Akan, together with our friend and resident super-hero,
the Masked Rider.
The calm AFTER the storm. This frame-worthy
shot was taken at Lake Shikotsuko on the morning after a violent
typhoon.
Need we say more? Just look at this azure
sky and sapphire sea. Sweet home Hokkaido, where skies are so
blue.
