I had a 10-day summer break. After pondering where to go for all of 1.5 seconds, I decided to visit Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture, for the first time in seven years on my Fat Boy 114.

Having experienced cold (even in August!), rainy weather in northern and eastern Hokkaido on my previous two trips, I packed a warm jacket and rain gear, along with my favorite T-shirts, a bandana and relatively new pairs of chinos and jeans. I placed everything in my bag, wrapped it in a large plastic bag, and departed from my home in Tokyo, completely unaware of the misfortune that awaited me.

I knew that taking the ferry from Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture, only about 100 kilometers from Tokyo, to Tomakomai in southern Hokkaido would be easier than riding more than 700 km north to the city of Aomori, near the northern tip of Japan's main island of Honshu. But I chose the latter because I am a masochistic motorcyclist. Including the round trip between Tokyo and Aomori, I eventually traveled roughly 4,300 km.

The 700-km ride was arduous, but fortunately, I arrived in Aomori in the early evening and was able to catch a ferry to Hakodate, Hokkaido. The ferry ride cost me 8,240 yen (around $53) for a large motorcycle and its rider, and takes about three and a half hours.

That meant my long-cherished dream of seeing Hakodate's famous night view could finally come true, as the ropeway to the top of Mount Hakodate operates until 9:30 p.m. Although there is a road to the summit, it is closed to private vehicles, so visitors need to take the ropeway.

The view was splendid. While city lights in many other parts of Japan are mostly white, Hakodate's orange streetlights gave the nightscape a warm glow.

The real journey begins in Hakodate

The following morning marked the real start of my journey through Hokkaido.

Looking at a map of the whole country, Tokyoites like me might think that Sapporo, the prefectural capital, is close to Hakodate. In fact, the two cities are about 150 km apart in a straight line and roughly 300 km apart by road. This reminded me once again just how enormous Hokkaido is.

After arriving in Sapporo in the early evening, I met up with an old friend who lives there. He had arranged for us to have dinner at an Asahi beer brewery, where we enjoyed a local specialty called "jingisukan": mutton and lamb grilled on a convex metal skillet. The food was delicious, of course, but even better was the chance to catch up with an old buddy.

He then took me to 531-meter-high Mount Moiwa in the city. I enjoyed another spectacular night view, but sorry, my friend: I would rather have visited such a romantic place with my future sweetheart than with another middle-aged guy.

Rain, rain, rain ...

Following my jingisukan friend's suggestion, I headed north on Day 2 to Cape Soya in Wakkanai, Japan's northernmost point.

Starting from Rumoi in western Hokkaido, I rode along the famous Ororon Line beside the Sea of Japan. With the sea on my left and green hills dotted with wind turbines on my right, the scenery was fabulous, even though the weather was not.

This was my second visit to the cape, but going as far north as you can get and stay in the country still felt amazing.

On the morning of Day 3, I had one of my favorite dishes, sea urchin over rice. It never gets old and, whether at the northernmost restaurant in Japan or back down in Hakodate, it's hard to go wrong with seafood anywhere in Hokkaido.

I then rode southeast through the cold rain, along the Sea of Okhotsk from Wakkanai to Abashiri. My friend from Kitami in northeastern Hokkaido denies it, but I began to wonder whether it rains there all the time. This was my third visit to the region, and the weather was bad every single time.

The weather was no better the following day as I rode toward Nemuro, Japan's easternmost city. However, as I approached Cape Nosappu, the sky finally began to clear.

"Yes! Now this is biker-friendly weather!" I thought.

Having reached Hokkaido's northernmost and easternmost capes, I came up with an idea: Why not visit the prefecture's westernmost and southernmost points as well?

I did not give the idea much thought at the time, but it would make the rest of my journey far more arduous.

Escaping the bad weather on Day 4

If you research tourism in Hokkaido, you are almost certain to come across photos of purple lavender fields in the Furano area.

I wanted to see one, but unfortunately, the lavender was out of season. So what else could I see?

I visited the famous Farm Tomita in Nakafurano, central Hokkaido. The weather had finally turned warm and, dare I say it, pleasant. The incredibly long, straight, nearly traffic light-free roads in the middle of potato and corn fields as well as dairy farms made me sing "Born to be Wild" in my head. Yeah, this is what riding in Hokkaido is all about!

Although the lavender was out of season, the farm was still beautiful. Many varieties of flowers, including scarlet sage, marigolds, zinnias, begonias, snapdragons and cockscombs, were in full bloom.

The farm is well-maintained, so I would recommend visiting at any time of year except winter, when it is buried in snow. The distant view of the Daisetsuzan mountain range, often described as the roof of Hokkaido, was fabulous.

I then stopped by the nearby city of Takikawa, which is definitely not a conventional tourist destination. I went there because a close friend from my college days in the United States lives there. We both majored in magazine journalism and later lived together in Tokyo for a while. We reunited for the first time in six years and caught up while bar-hopping in the city.

According to Takafumi Ura, the owner of Red Door, a bar in Takikawa, the city once had more watering holes per capita than any other municipality in Japan, thanks to the many thirsty miners and other laborers who lived in the area.

The city has since changed and is now a popular destination for glider enthusiasts. The Takikawa Municipal Government says that sky sports thrive there because updrafts form easily and air traffic restrictions are minimal. Takikawa Skypark offers glider flights for 9,000 yen (around $58) for adults and 5,000 yen (approx. $32) for young people between the ages of 10 and 18. I gotta try it next time!

Although jingisukan is widely regarded as a Hokkaido specialty, Ura told me that Takikawa is in fact the dish's birthplace. So what is the original Takikawa-style jingisukan like?

He explained that in Takikawa, the lamb and mutton are marinated before being grilled, whereas in much of the rest of Hokkaido, the meat is dipped in sauce after grilling. That is another must-try.

Lost luggage ...

A tipsy night in Takikawa in the rearview mirror, I began Day 5 with a roughly 200 km drive southeast to Cape Erimo.

After shivering in cold weather for several days, southern Hokkaido, which I came to think of as the sunny side of the prefecture, felt wonderful. The view from the cape was also magnificent.

At that moment of natural bliss, I had no idea that something terrible was about to happen.

I had booked a cheap hotel in Tomakomai. At a gas station near my lodging for the night, I noticed that the bag containing all my clothes was no longer strapped to the passenger seat. Where had it gone?

Apparently, my luggage net had not been tight enough, and my bag had fallen off somewhere along the 170-km stretch between Cape Erimo and Tomakomai.

I was devastated because it contained my favorite shirts, bandana and raincoat, plus those pretty new pants as well as some medication.

Heading west on Day 6

Because I had lost my luggage, I had to buy a new bag, the bare minimum of clothing, and a cheap poncho. I could only hope that the weather would remain fine for the rest of the trip.

Once I had finished shopping, I headed north again to the popular port city of Otaru. It is a picturesque city known for its old canal and historic buildings.

Otaru is also famous for its seafood, so I had a bowl of rice topped with salmon and salmon roe for only 2,950 yen (some $19).

Now it was time to head west. I traveled along the coast of the Sea of Japan toward the town of Setana. Although there is no road leading to the tip of Cape Obana, Hokkaido's westernmost point, the cape is clearly visible from Ota Shrine, a short distance to the south.

I then spent the night at an inexpensive hot-spring inn in Assabu, and it turned out to be a great choice. Its various large onsen baths soothed my exhausted body and mind after the long journey.

The outdoor bath was also the perfect place to gaze up at the night sky and reflect on my journey as it entered its final stage.

The final day: Back to Hakodate

My next stop was Cape Shirakami, Hokkaido's southernmost point, in the town of Matsumae.

It was not a particularly impressive place, but like-minded bikers arrived one after another. That was when I realized that motorcyclists really do love capes.

Finally, I had another bowl of sea urchin over rice in Hakodate and headed to the port.

Two ferry companies operate between Hakodate and Aomori: Seikan Ferry and Tsugarukaikyo Ferry.

Seikan Ferry had a ship leaving at 2:35 p.m., which was perfect for me. However, it was not accepting motorcycles because conditions in the Tsugaru Strait were slightly rough. Apparently, its vessels do not have the equipment needed to secure motorcycles firmly in rough weather.

I then checked with Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry. It was accepting motorcycles, but I had to wait three hours for the next departure.

After roughly 4,300 km, four capes, endless rain and one lost bag, I made it home safely. For a motorcycle journey, that counts as a happy ending.

Here are some of the motorcyclists I chatted with during my trip:

Some of the bikers I talked with

Shuma Jin, from Aomori Prefecture, imported this long-fork chopper with a jockey shifter and a Harley-Davidson Shovelhead engine from the United States. This was his fourth motorcycle trip to Hokkaido. He previously owned another long-fork chopper fitted with an even older Knucklehead engine. About motorcycle travel in Hokkaido, he said, "It's great riding along those long, straight roads. You can stretch out your legs and enjoy the ride without thinking about anything. I love the rows of wind turbines along the Ororon Line, too."

Shuma Kudo, from Aomori Prefecture, rides a Harley-Davidson FLH 1340 powered by a Shovelhead engine. He and Shuma Jin have been friends since junior high school. Not only do they share the same first name, but they also ride Shovelhead-powered motorcycles and travel together. What a wonderful friendship! Kudo, a professional welder, said, "My bike was originally completely stock, but I did all the custom work myself." His favorite place in Hokkaido is Wakkanai, Japan's northernmost city.

Hajime Kimoto, from Yamanashi Prefecture, left home on May 7 on his Honda CBR1000 and was traveling around Japan. "I traveled clockwise around Shikoku and then toured Kyushu. I think it was sometime in June when I heard about a rocket launch on Tanegashima, so I went to see it. I also traveled all the way around the island and spent about 10 days in Okinawa," he said.

Makoto Harada, from Hyogo Prefecture, took a ferry from Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, to Otaru, Hokkaido, with his Honda Hunter Cub CT125. He had visited Cape Soya the previous year on a rental Hunter Cub, but this time, he was riding his own bike. "I'm happy to be here (Cape Nosappu) with my own motorcycle," he said. He added, "I used to think that the greatest pleasure of motorcycling was riding through vast, beautiful landscapes. On this trip, though, I realized something: The long, straight roads are fun at first, but after a while, they begin to feel exhausting. I find winding roads more enjoyable, especially when there's a destination not too far away. I suppose the same can be said of life."

Rikuto Nonomura, from Kobe, took a ferry from Maizuru to Otaru and was visiting Cape Erimo when I met him. It was his first motorcycle trip to Hokkaido, and he was riding a Kawasaki ZZR250. He shared his impressions of the trip: "The scenery is beautiful, and the food has been another highlight. I ate at a chain restaurant in Kushiro, and the fish was surprisingly fresh and delicious. I was amazed that even a chain restaurant could serve seafood that good."

This rider, from Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, was traveling on a Kawasaki 1400GTR. He had toured Hokkaido by motorcycle every year for the past 14 years. "Both the scenery and the food are wonderful. If I had to choose a favorite place, it would probably be Cape Soya. I'm traveling for a week this time and plan to take a ferry from Wakkanai to Rebun Island," he said.

(By Tatsuma Kasama, The Mainichi Staff Writer)

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Tatsuma Kasama is a Japan-born motorbikaholic. A high school encounter with the 1969 American road movie "Easy Rider" changed his life, as he fell madly in love with the motorcycles ridden by the hippie protagonists played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. His own past rides were a Yamaha Jog-Z, Yamaha DragStar Classic 400, Kawasaki Zephyr 400, and Harley-Davidson Street Bob. He is now the proud single dad to a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy 114.

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