THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2006OBIRA to SHOSANBETSU 68km 3h:43m
I took a nice slow morning today cooking up an egg sandwich and enjoying the coffee. This campground has a great lookout tower where the picture to the left was shot from. It's looking north up the west coastline of Hokkaido, at today's route. I rolled out by 10am, and tried to take the service road on the way out. At the bottom of the hill it was gated shut though, so I had to climb back up and go the long way around. I've got nothing but time though. The coastline along the Japan Sea was unreal today, absolutely a perfect day. I went through Tomamae, Haboro, and in the village of Shosanbetsu I asked a Nurse outside for help. She pointed me towards an awesome campground (free too) that also had a nice onsen. The onsen is a must after a day in the saddle. An onsen is a big bathing area, separated into male and female rooms of course. It's usually fueled by an underground hot spring, and sometimes touts it's distinctive 'healing' powers and special minerals. You always (unless you're an old Japanese man who thinks he's above that) shower/shampoo/soap/rinse BEFORE entering the onsen pools with the other naked guys. My first ever onsen back in December 2003, I was petrified. I had been taught the basics, wash and become clean first, then enter the onsen baths. I was with a Japanese friend who spoke no English, and at that point I spoke next to zero Japanese. I sat on the Lilliputian stool and washed down completely. But my friend hadn't yet finished washing, so I thought, damn maybe I haven't done it right (enough?). I proceeded to soap/shampoo/wash/rinse a second time, not wanting to offend anyone. After that we entered the ultra hot onsen waters, where we stayed for a long time, having nothing to talk about, each of us believing that the other must just really like the heat.. it became a war of attrition, each thinking the other would get out when we were "supposed" to get out. When we both finally did emerge from the waters, I nearly collapsed with a head rush. After some time though, most people do fall for the onsen culture, and I admit it's on my Japan Top 5 list without a doubt.
After setting up my tent above the ocean side cliffs, I bee lined it to the onsen. It was great to finally shave (what would be my last shave for the next 10 days), and the other good thing about onsens is they have a 'resting area', for after your bath. I lay back on the tatami and cushions, plugged in all my electronics that needed re charging (camera, phone), and even ordered up a Nama (draft beer in a mug).
After a spaghetti cook up during sunset, I went into the Star Observatory also right next to the campjo. On the top level is a shutter that rolls up, and a rotating top, which houses a 65cm telescope, HUGE. The guy explained it all to me in the simplest Japanese that he could, and was super helpful even though the sky was clouded a bit. He showed me a gas explosion, exploding star, and some of the constellations that he could see. It always impresses me in Japan, many times a worker will go to great lengths to show you a good time, to help you out, and it's not to get extra tips, because tipping is not customary at all. One time in a Lawson convenience store I was late for a train so I left a 5 yen coin and ran out (5 cents), the employee called after me and ran after me that I had forgotten it. It's people that help you out though that you want to tip, you want to show that you appreciate the extra lengths that they went to. I don't agree with businesses in toursity areas of N.America which pay their employees minimum wage, and then tack on tip charges automatically to the bill. A tip is for service above and beyond, not for someone with hat on backwards pants falling down, slurring speech and who doesn't make an effort. When I worked in tourism for a long time, I couldn't stand people who expected a large tip, when they hadn't done anything to deserve it but their job. That's just my little rant on gratuities, if someone does a good job, show them you appreciate it, whether its with money, words, a deep bow, a smile, or a handshake.
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