Hello.
It’s the second day of our trip to Hokkaido.
The ferry that departed from Tsuruga Port in Fukui Prefecture at 11:55 PM on Friday arrived at Tomakomai East Port at 8:30 PM the following Saturday. It was a long sea journey.
After disembarking from the ferry, we immediately got on the highway and passed through Chitose and Sapporo, making my way to the roadside station “Rumoi,” about 210 kilometers away. Initially, we planned to go a bit further to the roadside station in Obira Town, but I was overcome by drowsiness, so we changed our plans and decided to spend the night in our camper van at Rumoi. Traveling in a camper van is great because there’s no need to book hotels, allowing for a free and easy-going journey without worrying about where to stay.
The expressways have rest areas known as Service Areas (SA) and Parking Areas (PA) that are open 24 hours, but there are very few rest areas on regular roads. This led to the establishment of the first roadside station in Tottori Prefecture in 1993. Since then, they have continued to proliferate, and as of October 2024, there are 1,221 nationwide, with Hokkaido having the most at 128. You can stay overnight for free in your vehicle, use the restrooms 24 hours a day, and usually find other vehicles parked for the night, making it a safe option for car camping.
Tomorrow, we’ll be driving along the stunning coastal route, the Orolon Line, heading towards the northernmost point of Japan, Cape Soya.
See you!