You can vote between four road forks, and which of these are the most bizarre Japanese Sweets/Candy package designs, bottle designs, the most beautiful manhole cover designs, funniest shop fascades in Osaka … (polls about the previously mentioned designs will still be integrated)
Who has any ideas for further votes can let me and others know about them in any of the comments sections. For example you might like me to interview people about certain topics. Tell me which topics!
As already described under ‘aid projects’ the credits are being donated to the victims of the Tohoku earth quake. A small part will be used for administration of this web page and the bicycle tour.
So that there is more than just the incentive of having influence about the tour route and to support the victims of 3/11 I came up with another idea: Amongst every voter I raffle off prizes of my sponsors or prizes which I’ll finance by myself. At the Japanese sweets / candy vote I will raffle off three candy packages which will be sent to the three winners. There will also be three winners for the vote about the bottle design (the vote is not yet published) who each will get sent a bottle of their choice. As prices for further votes winners can also make a wish what they would like to get sent to their country. (Perhaps a certain Music CD, a Manga comic, a certain Video Game or poster – rare things which one can only get in Japan) I will find out about the item, the purchase and the shipping to your home country. The purchase, shipping and customs will be defrayed by me. The limit is 20 €. More expensive goods may be sent as well but are to be financed by the winner. Any recourse to courts of law is excluded.
Ayone who would like to influence the route I take should have a look at the next four votes. This way you have power over me and can influence my route, torture me with mountain passes or send me through mosquito contaminated rice fields. You vote what you want to see! Let’s see how many sadists we have amongst the voters ;)
Via the romantic highway and mountain passes or via the flat country side to Nikko?
Route 1 Mountains
The route follows the so called romantic highway from Nakanojo (altitude of 400 meters) via Minakami and katashina and passes the 2500 meter elevated Shirane volcano until to the Chūzenji lake located on 1,296 meters.
Route 2 Flat country side
Route two across the countryside leads via Gunmas capital Maebashi and Tateyabashi to Nikko. Admittedly no special cities and both have little relevance regarding historical happenings as well. But still the viewer would definitely see more civilisation with this route. And sometimes the most various interviews or stories have to happen this way.
Through Fukushima or Yamagata?
Route 1 Fukushima
The first Route through Fukushima leads through Fukushima (city), continues to Shiroishi and goes form the city of Shibata alongside the Abukuma river via Iwanuma to Sendai capital of the Miyagi prefecture.
Route 2 Yamagata
Route two passes the Inawahshiro lake alongside the Hibara lake over the 1400 meter high Nishi Azuma pass until to the city of Yonezawa. From there the route takes me to the prefectural capital Yamagata (200 m altitude). From there on I will cycle towards the east coast again across the 900 meter high Sasaya mountain pass to Sendai the prefectural capital of Miyagi.
Oirasecanyon Towada lake and Hirosaki or Owagara lake Shimokita peninsula
Route 1 Towada lake
From Hachinoe I’d make my way to the interior of nothern Honshu to the Towada hinterlands. The route leads alongside the Oirase canyon up until to lake Towada. From there on down again to Hirosaki where there is a castle from the 17th century together with some Zen temples. The route continues to Aomori located at the coast north east of Hirosaki. This city is the prefectural capital From there I’d take the ferry to Hakodate on Hokkaido from where the tasty pumpkins originate from.
Route 2 Shimokita peninsula
The somewhat more maritime route from Hachinoe to the north passes the Owagara lake and Yokohama alongsinde the coast. This lake is the biggest in Aomori prefecture. The next town would be Mutsu which is surrounded by some Onsens (hot springs). After Mutsu the route continues on the north coast to the city Ohata and finally to Oma from where the ferry heads out to Hakodate. On this route five days are planned for Hakodate which is the biggest city south of Hokkaido and thrived due to trade and lots of tourist attractions. As it once was capital of the republic Ezo, which was formed out of a rebellion in the north, this city is also of interest from a historic point of view. It also features a 90 meter high panorama platform and mount Hakodate which both provide a good view over the city.
Alongside the coast via Tomakomai or Toya lake, the Yotei Volcano to Sapporo.
Route 1 Alongside the coast
Größere Kartenansicht
The route alongside the coast guides me to the industrial town Muroran which was – because of it’s steel factories – hit by U. S. American destroyers and cruisers on July 14th and 15th 1945 at the end of World War II. The route then passes the Kuttara lake and continues to the city of Tomakomai. This town is also mainly an industrial city. However for paper and chemical products.
Route 2 Toya lake and Yotei Volcano
The Toyalake – a caldera lake – is Japan’s northernmost lake which never ices. The transparency level of the water is amongst the best of all lakes in Japan. Next stop after lake Toya would be the 1898 meter high Yotei volcano and the nearby city Kutchan before setting forth for Sapporo across the Nakayama mountain pass (800 m elevation).
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