It strikes me that I've spent a lot of time describing lakes but haven't mentioned the many rivers you cross, with clear, cold water and foliage straight out of some jungle movie. Too bad Hokkaido isn't as hot as the rest of Japan in the summertime - a dip in this water might even be TOO cold. (On second thought, it's not too bad that Hokkaido is a really pleasant place when the rest of Japan is sweltering.) Note that you should avoid drinking river and stream water in Hokkaido and Tohoku or anywhere else the northern fox can be found, due to a parasite that can get into the water.
A look back at yesterday: this is what the Daisetsuzan area looks like from afar. You can see how much snow there is left, even in August (albeit a rather chilly August).