🇯🇵 Day 3: Lake Toya to Jōzenkei Onsen - Snow Sheds, Tunnels & Hot Springs 🌨️🚴♨️

The day started with a beautiful and quiet 15 km ride along the shoreline of Lake Toya. 🥰🌋

Most mountain passes will follow a river valley almost to the top, and today was no different. I had a gradual 20 km climb before reaching the summit at about 830 m, followed by the final descent into Jōzenkei Onsen. It was sure chilly at the top! 🥶 With all the snow sheds and road markers for snowplows, I definitely get the sense that Hokkaido gets a lot of snow in the winter. 🌨️

This tour has taken me through quite a few tunnels, with the two longest being over 1 km each. 😬 Riding through them can be pretty nerve-racking. They’re dark, the roads are narrow, and the noise is amplified—making every approaching vehicle feel a little too close. 🚴

Jōzenkei Onsen is situated along a river rather than a lake, but like my last two stops, the focus here is on the hot springs and the ryokan experience. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns that combine Japanese hospitality with traditional Japanese living. It’s a truly unique cultural experience and, in my opinion, a must-do when visiting Japan. 🇯🇵