BEE Japan

The sun had risen to its highest point in the sky on Friday, July 31st when I left Shimokawa. As I had done many times before, I was riding the twenty kilometre route from Shimokawa to Nayoro. This time however, I had more to think about than usual: sunglasses, check; sunscreen, check. As I ran through the proverbial checklist aloud as if to hear my voice over the passing traffic, I realized I’d forgotten my sleeping bag! After rushing back, securing the sleeping bag to the rack, and applying more sunscreen I was off to start BEE Japan Ride 2009!

Despite the heat, it was a beautiful summery afternoon. I also enjoyed the comfort resulting from my recently adopted custom – the Japanese summer custom of wearing a medium-sized towel around the neck tucked into the t-shirt neck hole preventing those nasty hard-to-remove collar stains. Ticket purchased, bike packed, luggage bundled, and of course tummy satisfied, I boarded the train headed for Wakkanai. Once aboard, I noticed a few heads of lightly coloured hair, amongst which one man wearing a BEE Japan 2009 Ride T-shirt rose and approached me.

“John?”

“Yes. Salem?”

“Yeah, man!”

“Nice to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you, too!”

Afterwards, I met Lindsay, Ashley, Rocio, Winston, and Heraldo. I repeated the names in my head a couple times and committed them to memory. Having spent the past year trying tirelessly to memorize hundreds of Japanese names, remembering these names was a piece of cake. These were the other cycling and sustainability enthusiasts I’d be spending the next ten days with on a memorable journey across Hokkaido.

In Wakkanai, we were greeted by Mr.Kura and a supporting staff of no less than the number of BEEs! We stayed the first night at a “Rider House” called Midori Yu where we met Japanese people from all over Japan touring Hokkaido by motorcycle, and a group of Italians touring Japan by foot and train. The following day began with a visit to the local bicycle shop where components were tweaked, racks were attached, tape was bounded, and air was pumped… without a pressure gauge… enough said. Afterwards, we had a wonderful radio interview followed by a very unique ramen dish. Tired and full of food, we went next door to the public bath house where a female employee sat between the womens’ and mens’ bathing areas collecting user fees seemingly completely unmindful of the male buttocks on her left. Once clean, we headed off to City Hall to meet with the mayor of Wakkanai and take part in the town’s summer dance festival. After explaining BEE Japan’s goals and talking a little bit about ourselves, we were lined up with the townspeople ready to dance and drink away the night! Good times!!

The following day we rode together with the local cycling group to the most northern point of Japan, Cape Soya. There was a very strong headwind which fortunately proved to be as strong a tailwind on the way back to Wakkanai! At Cape Soya we met BEE Japan supporters from as far away as Aichi Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture, as well as touring motorcyclists we had befriended the night before. The forecast had called for rain but it luckily held off until late at night after we enjoyed the festival’s fireworks display. Well sheltered by the “dome” we prepared for departing the next day.

On Monday morning hot water was brought to us by Mr. Furukawa who from our arrival in to our departure from Wakkanai, ensured we were safe, comfortable, and genki!! After eating, packing up, and saying farewell to Mr. Kura, Mr. Furukawa and the others, we were southbound. Our destination, Ottoineppu’s Teshiogawa Onsen Riverside Campgrounds, lay approximately 135 kilometers south. Rain, headwinds, and cold temperatures did not make things very hospitable in the beginning; neither did hills and windy roads later on. However, we overcame the obstacles and pushed through dusk in order to arrive at the spa before it closed. With what little energy remained we set up camp, and prepared and ate dinner before passing out.

Having dealt with primarily unfavourable conditions first riding up to Misaki Point and then down to Ottoineppu, Tuesday was a glorious day! The sun was out, the wind was calm, the temperature was mild; hills were few and roads were straight. We arrived at around 11:30 at Bifuka’s Academy of Agricultural Philosophy where Mr. Yasu and Ms. Akiko showed us around their newly cultivated land. Learning about organic farming techniques, for example, which crops share symbiotic relationships (companion planting) and which plants ward off parasites was very enlightening. The afternoon spent weeding the rice paddy was also a valuable experience, demonstrative of the labour (only a portion of it) involved in providing rice for a single four-person family. Full of knowledge and delicious organic food we left for one of Japan’s original Eco-Model Cities, Shimokawa!

I currently work and live there and was excited to take BEE Japan to an organic restaurant called Morena (Spanish for brunette girl). Over dinner we also had the privilege to hear from Mr. Saito about Shimokawa’s forestry management system which aims to achieve two objectives: healthy forests through effective thinning and cutting techniques, and a sustainable forestry industry through the selling of wood products obtained through these techniques. On Wednesday morning we cycled over to the local hot spring, admittedly having taken a slight detour. Mr. Saito led us into the forest where we could learn about growing healthy forests from the insects beneath the groundcover to the birds atop the canopy. Then, we learned about the biomass (wood chip) boiler which replaced one of two oil boilers previously used. The biomass boiler, together with the one remaining oil boiler, is used by the hot spring to heat the naturally cold spring water, the hot water supply, and the facility itself. After refuelling ourselves with some locally grown grub, we took part in a My Hashi (chopsticks) making workshop led by Mr. Kondo, who then led us again during a soba (buckwheat) noodle making workshop. Just when we felt like the day had been too long, we got really “genki” and hosted a marvellous vegetarian cooking class led by Rocio and her Spanish Gazpacho, and Winston and his Fusion Miso-flavoured Re-fried Soybeans. As cool as her refreshing Gazpacho, Rocio wooed the locals with her unwavering enthusiasm, and as interesting his Re-fried Soybeans, Winston delighted the locals with his undeniable charm. The night was spent at an inn built using wood from Shimokawa’s Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-designated forests.

We saddled up the next day and rode 135 kilometers to Higashikagura where we were greeted by Mr. Toby and Mrs. Maiko Weymiller. The couple had been planning the construction of their eco/hybrid-house for some time now and decided this year was the year. Straw bale walls, heated flooring, local wood, and many other features of this house had BEE Japan intrigued and wanting to learn more. Somewhere along the way, learning and arduous manual labour were conflated and BEE Japan ended up spending Friday tossing, stacking, lifting, chain sawing, tying, and piercing giant bales of straw. With the foundation, frame, and roof already complete, BEE Japan arrived on the first of a four-day straw bale wall building workshop. BEE Japan had a great day learning a lot from Stefan and interacting with the other helpers interested in eco/hybrid-houses and sustainability.

Having used our upper body considerably more than on previous days, our legs were feeling relatively well-rested and ready to pedal their way 135 kilometers to Iwamizawa. However, it wasn’t long before the fatigue set it and the reality of our tired legs was made obvious. In other words, our whole bodies were aching! Not to mention the debilitating effects of the scorching sun combined with exhaust fumes!! Persistence and determination, and A LOT of snacks got helped us through the day and we eventually arrived at the homestead of two newly arrived JETs and fellow second-year JET, Emma. Letting us use their showers and kitchens so we could immediately clean up and fuel up was much appreciated.

We were sure to get away early the next morning for Sapporo about forty kilometres away because we were participating in events beginning at two o’clock in the afternoon. Ms. Kaori from an environmental group called Kiraku met us at Maruyama Park after noon, led us back to her apartment where we had lunch and did laundry. Recharged, we rode back over to Maruyama Park and met roughly fifteen local residents who wanted to part in the Kiraku event. Together, we climbed Maruyama while picking up garbage and talking about environmental awareness. It turned out a number of them were part of a large environmental group called Green Bird, while a mother expressed interest in macrobiotics. After a delicious dinner at an organic restaurant called Chikappo, we met the Kiraku café manager and a friend of Ms. Kaori involved in a forest-planting movement. Similar to the previous days, we met a lot of interesting people and would have loved to spend more time talking with them but BEE Japan had a ferry to catch!

The last day in Hokkaido was also the last day for me. Although short when measured solely by distance at 75 kilometers, the day was long due to traffic and its annoying companions: traffic lights, exhaust fumes, and dangerous drivers. Along the way at Eniwa Michi no Eki however, we had a very pleasant lunch break consuming local dairy, produce, and granola provided by our sponsor Ali-Shan. By 5:15 we had arrived at Tomakomai Station and I had a Tomakomai-Nayoro train ticket in my pocket by 5:30. Before hopping on the 7:01 train and the remaining six boarding the 9:15 ferry for Hachinohe we indulged ourselves at a delicious Italian restaurant. Then, before I knew it at around one in the morning on Tuesday I was home in Shimokawa, one of Japan’s six original Eco-Model Cities.

For me, a mere ten days; for the others, ten grueling weeks. BEEの皆さん頑張って！I had a great time and hope each day of the 2009 Ride only gets better!