Lake Toya (East) 洞爺湖（壮瞥町）
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If you want to bicycle around Lake Toya, do it in the counterclockwise direction from Toyako Onsen where you can rent a bicycle. It's easier slope-wise and you can see the lake better on the left side of the road.
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These pictures show what you will see when you cycle east from Toyako Onsen. I did it during cherry blossom time in early May. You can cycle around in 3 hours, but it took me all day due to sightseeing and shooting photos.
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Sculpture: 奥山喜生「回峰」
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Cherry blossoms
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Sculpture: 中井延也「シグナル」
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Cherry blossoms and sculpture
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It was pretty sunny, but I still used flash for this shot.
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Sculpture: 秋山沙走武「薫風」
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Sculpture: 秋山沙走武「薫風」
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Rocky shore
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Windsor Hotel in the distance.
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The water is very transparent.
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Cherry trees almost in full bloom.
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Cherry blossoms and the Nakajima islands.
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Swan boat too.
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Love this transparent water. Makes you feel like canoeing or kayaking to the Nakajima islands.
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Carp fish
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Carp, they must love this clean lake.
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Close-up of cherry blossoms. Doesn't look like the Somei-Yoshino type.
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Sculpture: 峯田敏郎「記念撮影五月のかたち」
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Sculpture: Posing for a Photo in May, by 峯田敏郎「記念撮影五月のかたち」
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One thing I like about photographing human-figure sculptures is that they are very good at keeping still for my camera.
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More cherry blossoms...
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Cherry blossoms and Lake Toya with the Nakajima islands.
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Toyako Enchi Park, a lakeside picnic area.
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Sculpture: Ripple Dance, by 関 正司「漣舞・リップル・ダンス」
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Sculpture in Toyako Enchi Park: Ripple Dance, by 関 正司「漣舞・リップル・ダンス」
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Nice cycling path goes quite far.
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Sculpture: Scene of a Portrait, by 湯川 隆「肖像のある風景」
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Sculpture: Scene of a Portrait, by 湯川 隆「肖像のある風景」
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Road to Mt. Showa-Shinzan.
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Aqua-blue water was almost like a tropical ocean...
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Finally, cherry blossoms near the lake water...
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Lake Toya and cherry blossoms. Shikotsu-Toya National Park
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Little island in the lake. Name unknown.
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Eastern Lake Toya, with Mt. Usu in the distance.
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Eastern Lake Toya, with Mt. Usu in the distance.
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Eastern Lake Toya, with pretty lake colors.
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View of Nakajima islands from eastern Lake Toya.
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I left the lakeside road and took a side trip to the center of Sobetsu town.
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This river leads to Sobetsu Falls.
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Sobetsu Falls, Lake Toya, Hokkaido.
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Sobetsu Town Hall with a G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit welcome sign.
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Beef
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The main reason for the side trip was this museum, the Yokozuna Kitanoumi Memorial Hall, dedicated to one of sumo's greatest grand champions. He was from Sobetsu.
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After pushing my bicycle up the long slope from central Sobetsu, I went back on the lakeside road and again went uphill to Sobetsu Park, famous for ume plum trees.
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Lakeside road on eastern Lake Toya.
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Passed by two small Shinto shrines...
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Another red torii.
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Arrows point downward to show where the road edge is, when there is deep snow.
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Kimundo-no-Ie Hot Spring and campsite.
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Kimundo-no-Ie Hot Spring and campsite office. You can bath in a hot spring for 390 yen here. Open 10 am - 9 pm. Closed Thu. Phone: 0142-66-7022 来夢人の家、仲洞爺湖温泉
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Sculpture at Kimundo-no-Ie: Spring Winds Blowing, by 熊谷紀子「春～風走る」
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Sculpture at Kimundo-no-Ie: Spring Winds Blowing, by 熊谷紀子「春～風走る」
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Sculpture at Kimundo-no-Ie: To the Shore in Summer, by 神田比呂子「夏～渚へ」
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Sculpture at Kimundo-no-Ie: All-Day Autumn, by 秋山知子「秋～終日」
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Sculpture at Kimundo-no-Ie: Winter: When Stars Fall, by 小野寺紀子「冬～星降る夜に」. A persistent problem is the bird droppings forming ugly white streaks on the pieces. Someone should clean it.
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More arrows point downward to show where the road edge is, when there is deep snow.
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View of the Nakajima islands from eastern Lake Toya.
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Swans along Lake Toya, Sobetsu, Hokkaido
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