Rousing Roadtrip in Japan

When GoNOMAD writer Sam Baldwin decided to pick up from his current homeland of Fukui in central west Japan, he was in for quite an adventure. Fleeing from the sweltering heat of the equator, Baldwin grabbed some beer, tents, and friends and headed north where he encountered a music festival, seated showers, and even a volcano. Read about his adventure in his article Hokkaido, Japan: Crystal Clear Lakes and Smouldering Volcanoes.

“That night we camped at the foot of Tokachidake, an active volcano. Though I’d heard that active volcanoes existed in Japan, it was an impressive sight to actually see the smoke bellowing out of the crater and hear the rumbles and hissing emanating from the depths of the earth.

To get a closer look at this beast, we decided upon a hike up to the peak of Tokachidake, which overlooks the fuming creator. Rising early, we quickly stocked up on snacks, my fodder of choice being horse katsu (breaded horse meat) and we were soon making good progress on the barren trail.

As we climbed, it occurred to me that hiking up an active volcano, perhaps might not be the greatest idea ever born. What if it the mighty mountain were to decide that today was the day to vent Mother Earth’s anger? The last explosive eruption was in 1988, and its legacy is very obvious today; most of mountain is a bare, Martian landscape, devoid of flora, but displaying a unique and colourful terrain all the same.”