Journey's end: though this photo may appear to be a pretty nondescript location, most every Japanese person who sees it knows exactly where it was taken: Otaru, a port town and favorite tourist destination on the coast near Sapporo. Formerly the major port supplying that city, it's famous for this canalside warehouse district. The always on-target Glucks describe its appeal as that of a "pleasantly decrepit north European port town" - these days combined with an increasing fashionableness.

I'd wanted to continue eastward over the pass to Rausu and climb the mountain there, but time didn't permit it... so I turned back and cycled back along the coast to the nearest train station (Shiretoko Shari) for the long train and ferry trip home. For the second time on this route, twin boats made a nice photographic subject.