That's me as the header picQuote:
Originally Posted by boltonoutlaw
Unbeknownst to me
This clip I think
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfXxMk-nWm2/
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That's me as the header picQuote:
Originally Posted by boltonoutlaw
Unbeknownst to me
This clip I think
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfXxMk-nWm2/
Choke Pow. Sick!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Pow
Morning faceshots, 2022.01.05
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/85_imeM8l7A
Edit: The dumbing down of the internet for short attention spanners prevents me from uploading this clip as anything but a "short" and that prevents me from embedding the video in this post. Apologies.
I had my eye on various RV configurations available in Japan and the Toyota Hiace seems to be the most common chassis for RV upfitters. I did not see many truck-based RV's in Tohoku, but in Hokkaido there were many more. Kei-truck chassis have been on the rise as upfitters respond to consumer demand for compact, energy-efficient adventure vehicles.
Below is the parking lot scene at Hakkoda, as seen from the Hakkoda Sanso. This was (IMO) the best apres hang in northern Honshu.
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The following four images feature RV build outs on the popular Toyota Hiace 4x4 chassis; the first and last photos show typical solid-body fiberglass pass-throughs:
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The Kei truck category defines the smallest highway-legal passenger cars, trucks, and cargo vehicles in Japan. Hugely efficient, they have been adopted in recent years by RV upfitters and there are some clever and attractive designs. Initially I had been leaning into this category but decided I want something that allows me to stand up inside.
This homemade camper drew me in like a moth to a flame. I had to go see for myself what was up with this. The owner did not speak English but I made sure to convey how much I admired the spirit of this build. DIY is very popular in Japan and this garnered a lot of attention for such a simple vehicle.
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Come on, y'all, let's take a ride, Don't you say sh*t, just get inside!
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The Bug Truck was my initial swoon. I saw a lot of this vehicle and eventually befriended the owners as I visited the shop often, ran in to them on weekends, and saw them at the local surf break. When I purchased my my kei truck I did so after asking which chassis they were using for their build-outs. They preferred the Daihatsu Hijet over the Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, or Suzuki models. So, that's what I got.
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Quick link to their website HERE
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This was the first truck-based chassis RV that I saw in Japan, appropriately at Hakkoda. I unashamedly gawked and coveted.
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In Hokkaido there were many more RV's than Honshu, and therefore I saw more on the truck chassis. This one was at Furano.
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Not an RV but I love a well-cared for Toyota Landcruiser, favorite of revolutionaries and combatants around the globe. I crashed one of these in '86 when the passenger urged me to try a handbrake u-turn after the bars on a rainy night in Nantucket. Straight into the trees. I'm glad it was his and not mine.
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Lastly, here is the 2005 Nissan Caravan 4x4 Turbo Diesel that I plan to buy from a friend when I return next month. That sticker is coming off pronto:
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Buy or rent RV's from this source in Hokkaido, which I found to be most extensive (for sales):
Fuji Cars Sales:
https://www.fujicars.jp/english/sales/index.html#focs
Fuji Cars Rentals:
https://www.fujicars.jp/english/rent....html#rentalRV
More resources:
El Monte RV - Ski/Snowboard Campers
Japan Campers - Home
Japan RV Association - Home
Outdoor Japan - Camping Car Guide
Ride Now - Hokkaido RV Trips
Vandura Japan - Hokkaido RV Trips
I saw this and wrote to a guide friend with this inquiry but still have no response. I don't have any accurate info myself. Will agree that snow quality is excellent.Quote:
Originally Posted by jtran10
As you all know the Japanese are known for being detail-oriented and this is seen in nearly every aspect of daily life, including the Department of Public Works. Almost every town has its own distinctive cast, and finding these became a pastime for me on sunny days of summer and fall. Some friends who have lived in Japan for 20 years did not ever notice these under their feet, including one who had a cover 10' from his front door. It is easy to miss, after all, who is noticing all the details in their day-to-day life?
What follows are a selection of #manholecoversofjapan from various municipalities in Tohoku and Hokkaido. Very often they illustrate what the highlight feature of that town or region is known for, e.g., agriculture, fishing, industry, etc. Scroll to the bottom to see how they are made:
Ajigasawa:
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Furano:
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Hakodate:
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Hirosaki:
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Kamifurano:
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Kamikawa:
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Mashike:
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Otaru:
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Tsugaru:
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The following are from various towns, but I have lost my notes. Sharp-eyed readers may be able to identify them properly:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRm0J3fwOew
2022.01.19
https://youtu.be/mPTVi2xmW2g
Drainspotting
Most excellent
When I left my job I forfeited my company phone so I had a problem to solve - finding a SIM card that offered BOTH a Japan telephone number (voice calling) and a data plan at an affordable price. This proved difficult due to Japan's tough anti-terrorism laws. As a foreign resident I struggled with regulations; for a short-term visitor the task is nearly impossible.
The best solution that I discovered is a provider called MOBAL. Website is HERE. You must upload a valid photo ID (driver license will suffice).
The SIM you purchase can be shipped to your home address in advance of your trip (mine arrived today, prompting this post). It can also be collected at NRT or HND upon arrival (but I see no advantage to this unless time is pressing).
Short-term plans less than 30 days do NOT include voice calling. The least expensive, shortest term plan is 30 days and it is offered at a fair price (see below). Their customer service is excellent.
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FKNA! I had somehow missed this thread. I’m coming over for the second half of January. Thanks for all the info!
Doitashimashite, SinglesanQuote:
Originally Posted by singlecross
My friend got back to me and the information you seek is in this link: https://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats...mjt4gKHq9VP-2YQuote:
Originally Posted by jtran10
EDIT: You may find this helpful: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/menu.ht...30S85Fskpu99TU
Well, kiddos. I got derailed with this thread. I began chronologically, and then veered into some themes. I will resume where I left off in March of 2020:
COVID-19 eliminated inbound tourism and decimated the hotel business. The hotel remained open for domestic visitors but that too dried up as travel between prefectures was strongly discouraged. After that we relied on government subsidies to keep the hotel afloat. In return, all the employees were retained and no one was dismissed. Not much here to do for the waitstaff - I was dining alone.
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Chairlifts kept spinning for the remainder of the scheduled season (4 April) to accommodate local skiers but many of the school programs cancelled, so the slopes were pretty empty and I had the place to myself. I thought that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Little did I know that the next two seasons would be similar.
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More empty chairs
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When the season ended the hotel shut down until the cherry blossoms arrived bringing some domestic visitors (who were receiving vouchers to spend in hotels and restaurants to prop up the tourism sector). I was moved down to the local glampground. No complaints.
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During the winter season I almost never left campus. Rode nearly every day that chairlifts were running. Lost two days to injury, and two days to the wind. Now, with spring in the air and mank on the ground I turned my attention to four items: Sledding for glading; learning to pilot a drone; learning to ride a moto; and seeing as much of the region as I could. First stop, Iwakiyama Jinja:
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By the end of May all the snow was gone and the new rice was beginning to emerge from the padi.
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Final days of May, and the last vestiges of winter near the summit of Mount Iwaki. I spend these spring days learning how to fly a DJI Phantom drone. Time to survey the ropeways for deadfall.
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Shasta daisy, one of the early bloomers of spring:
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Looking north from 500m (1640') surveying lines and infrastructure. The view takes in the Tsugaru plain and its many rice padis, melon fields, and wind-energy farms. Gongenzaki peninsula, in the town of Nakadomari, is visible in the middle distance. The peninsula obscures wild Cape Tappi. The scenery up there is spectacular, reminiscent of Big Sur. In the background is Daisengen-dake, on the Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido.
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Blue Dutch Iris:
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Welp, back again with pictures of summer just as the snow is falling and the bikes and golf clubs are getting packed away.
I had not expected to be spending the summer in Japan and it was a lucky accident that I am glad befell me. Aomori Prefecture is a true 4-season biome but is far enough north that summer temperatures are super comfortable.
I got myself into a free-to-use motorbike, a Honda Ape, and I was determined to become a good rider and see as much of the prefecture as I could from two wheels. Embarrassed to admit that I had not much time previously on anything but mopeds. That was enough to spur me on, plus Japan might be the safest place on earth for a novice to learn.
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Mt Iwaki in early June peeking out of the clouds.
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The first trip I made was south along the Senjojiki Coast of the Sea of Japan to the Juniko Twelve Lakes.
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The coastline is spectacular and serene. One of the best railway lines in the country (in terms of scenery) is the Gono Line which runs next to the sea for a great deal of its length. It lies within the Shirakami-Sanchi, a World Heritage site.
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The next trip I made was north along the Tsugaru Strait to Nakadomari and Cape Tappi. Spectacular. A do-not-miss if you are in that area.
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You, Sir are doing it right! That Ape looks fun
I would like to subscribe to this thread.
Thanks yeah that bike is a lot of funQuote:
Originally Posted by singlecross
2022.01.08 - 2022.02.28: An Epic Run
These are screenshots of the Snow-Forecast for 52 days last season. I was doing the reporting from the base area.
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One of those special days from W22
https://youtu.be/dyNmGjUFHmw
Hard drive corrupted and so most of my photos from W21 were lost to the ether but good memories remain. Was able to salvage a few and sharing them here. Iwakidake is the highest altitude summit in Aomori Prefecture and is a snow magnet.
Working here was outstanding. Housing on the 5th floor, dining on the 3rd floor, office and onsen on the 2cd floor, locker room on the ground floor, and a short commute to the lift station(s).
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Top station of the gondola from which ascents begin to the broad cone of Iwaki-san. This from mid-February, everything well buried, nice touring conditions. Evidence of prevailing westerlies seen at summit.
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Beech tree glades and the "snow monsters" of the alpine zone. (Link from Zao Ropeway has a good explanation of this phenomenon).
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Another view of Iwaki and its station above the double chair.
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bump