The Land of the Rising Sun Tour

[Jess-b 420]

I love Christmas. sure the Presents, the food and the drink are great, but what I love is the ability to spend some time doing what I like. So this festive season, I thought a little tour would be nice before I have to go back to work some time in January. I toyed with continuing with the Danube tour, but the weather has meant that Mike Zulu, my little Katana, is stuck until spring. So Where else to go. Well as luck would have it, I found myself in Japan for the ATWC, so I thought 'Why not tour Japan?' From there, the idea grew before the 'Land of the Rising sun Tour' was born. Japan is a very special place for me and is very close to my heart. That's mostly down to the people. Its a place I feel at home in.

Unlike the Danube tour, this will be a full IFR/VFR tour. No weather delays. With that in mind, I needed an aircraft to get me around Japan. The Katana would be to small, to slow and it lacks a full IFR panel. So instead I went for a full fat, High Caffeine Cessna 310R from Milviz. Its a fantastic twin Tourer with room for up to 6 people. Its also got a set of long legs with aux fuel tanks fitted to the wingtips. I won't be worrying about fuel here. And best of all, its pressurised and can cruise at FL200 easily and for up to 1000 miles.

With the aircraft chosen I next had to come up with a plan. Studying a map of Japan I decided that a trip from north to south would be my best bet. So Starting at Wakkanai in Hokkaido and ending up, well that's a surprise. to add a bit of spice to the tour, and to be able to take in as many places as i can, I'll be doing 'Touch and Go's' at as many airports as i can, which should see me 'zigzagging' across Japan as I go. All in all I drew up 20 legs and I hope to cover at least one a day (except Christmas day of course)

So without much further delay, I give you the first Leg.

Leg 1 - Wakkanai to Kushiro

So Today's Route begins bright and early at Wakkanai Airport at the northern most tip of Hokkaido. To the North lies Russia, But from Wakkanai, I'll be heading West to take in two small islands and their airfields. Rebun and Rishiri are two islands dependant on air transport and a ferry service to get supplies from the Mainland. From Rishiri, its a long run across Northern Hokkaido to Monbetsu and the Pacific coast. Then down the coast to Memanbetsu and on to Nakashibetsu before finishing the day at the seaside city of Kushiro.

Arriving at the airport, I find two things. My Cessna is looking very nice and the weather isn't. Heavy snow is falling and the forecast says i can expect to see it on and off throughout the flight. Undoubted, I get aboard N1001W Or One Whskey as she'll now be known. Its very fitting as the Japanese have a great love of Whiskey.

Oh the Weather outside....

I run through the checklist, get the engines running and turn on the Anti icing equipment. The engines rumble rather pleasantly as I contact ATC fro clearance. I discover this is an uncontrolled airfield so instead I announce my intentions before taxiing out to 26 for departure to the west.

Backtracking to 26

At just past 0710 local, I push the throttles, correct for the wicked left kick the engines provide and take off into the snow filled air. I get the gear up and contact ATC to request 'Flight following' and I'm on my way.

And we're off to a snowy start.

The City of Wakkanai

Turning West I head out over the sea to Rebun. As i climb to 3000ft though it becomes clear that cloud is going to be an issue.

This is fun

The weather soon clears and I get a glimpse of Rishiri in the distance.

With the weather clearing, the Island of Rebun appears in nice clear air. I make a flypast of the runway to my left and turn to make my first touch and go of the trip. its a fun approach, with a lovely cliff to aim at right at the threshold.

First touch and Go coming up.

Complete, I head off to the next port of call.

Rishiri is only a few minutes flight time away from Rebun and it doesn't take to long to line up on their runway. By the side of me is a vast dormant volcano that basically is the island. It make the climb out an interesting experience as I rejoin the flight plan.

its all just one big Volcano.

And it makes flying out look dramatic.

The next sector is a big one and I climb to 5000ft to make sure i clear the inland mountains back on Hokkaido. however the weather takes a turn for the worse and I find myself above a layer of thick cloud and having to rely on my instruments fro a while.

I'm sure i left the ground here somewhere.

It isn't long clearing and the East coast pops into view.

There it is and the coast is just off in the distance.

All to soon the third airport I'm due to visit appears. The weather is really clearing up and I make the approach to Monbetsu passing the town to the Left.

Monbetsu in the distance

From here its a nice trip along the coast to Memanbetsu and then onto Nakashibetsu.

En route to Memanbetsu

Runway in sight

Not Stopping...

On my way to Nakashibetsu, I spot something I have to investigate. Japan is well known as being right on the Pacific ring of fire. This means there are many Extinct and dormant Volcanoes around and I've spotted on with a vast lake in the crater. I break my route to take a look.

A vast Volcanic lake makes for a interesting diversion.

And on to Nakashibetsu.

And off again.

Finally I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and Kushiro is in my sights. at least it was I contact the Airport to request a full stop landing, and find the weather less than perfect. Descending to 2000ft I see how bad it really is. The snow returns with a vengeance and it takes my visibility with it.

​ It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Best of all, ATC assigns me a visual approach to Runway 35, not the nice ILS of 17. So i'm left to perform a VORDME approach into Kushiro, a technique I've never used. Oh the fun I have. Checking the chart I make my approach as required, settling into a nice 500 ft/min descent from 1600 feet about 10nm from the threshold. Its a very tricky approach and I find a bead o sweat or two on my brow. Outside the snow continues to fall. Finally I catch sight of the runway, breathe a sigh of relief and line up on a short Final.

relieved doesn't even cover it...

By the time I taxi to the parking area, the colour has returned to my cheeks, and both 1 Whiskey and myself relax. I head for terminal and consider 'one whiskey' after that approach. Hopefully the next leg will be less stressful.

Safe and sound.

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Brilliant shots Jess - I was wondering about the Danube adventure though. At least you've got something to fly until the spring!

[mutley 4,487]

Great fun Jess, you have just flown my multiplayer route!

As ever, a good read with super panoramic shots.

Good luck with the rest of the adventure.

[Jess-b 420]

Day 2 - Kushiro to Hakodate

Day two starts at a much more sensible time, and I'm not at Kushiro Airport until 10am. A breakfast of some small fish and rice, a bit of breakfast curry and a cup of coffee and myself and '1 Whiskey' are ready to go. I do a quick weather check and a review of the route. The news is generally good. Unlike yesterday, the skies at Kushiro are clear. Hakodake also reports clears skies, but I may run to some trouble at Sapporo where the weather reads heavy snow showers. Hopefully they'll clear by the time I arrive for a touch and go at RJCO. Today's route will see me depart along the coast heading west to the Tokachi - Obihiro airport. From there I turn northwest and enjoy a very short hop to Tokachi Airport. Continuing northwest, I reach Asahikawa where there are two stops, the second of which is a grass field in the centre of Asahikawa City itself. Then I head for the West coast and Sapporo. Sapporo leads to Chitose and then out over the Uchiura Bay to Shikabe and onto my final destination of Hakodate, where I reach the end of Hokkaido. Leg three takes me onto Honshu, Japan's biggest Island.

So with the weather is looking nice, I get my takeoff clearance and head for a very long taxi to runway 35.

It's a long way to the threshold

Leaving Kushiro behind.

I settle in for a quick climb to 2000 feet for the first sector. its just over 45 miles to Tokachi - obihiro airport. The snow looks pretty in the clear air around me, and I sit and enjoy to scenery along the coast.

It isn't long until the first stop appears on the and I'm lined up for the touch and go.

Not stopping.

And arriving at tokachi.

With Tokachi behind me, I begin a climb up to 7000 as I head into central Hokkaido and mountainous terrain. The Mountains certainly look stunning.

Up in the Mountains.

Cresting the ridge I begin the descent down to Asahikawa. The main airport is a little bit out of town and the touch and go here is nothing but routine, but in the centre of the city comes the challenge.

Asahikawa city.

And Asahikawa Airfield

the climbout is slow and steady, and it isn't long until I'm one my way to Sapporo. The Weather is a concern, and as I close in on the coast, the weather closes in on me. the visibility falls to zero and I'm flying above thick cotton wool.

The Weather closes in below, with just a single mountain peeking above the cloud.

I radio ahead to Sapporo for Landing instructions, only to be told the airport is closed to non IFR traffic. I'm not surprised and as i descend down to 2000ft but I can't see a thing. I manage to see the airport outside but there's no way I can land.

It's only when I'm right over the top of the airport that i can see it.

I only hope that Chitose airport is in better weather. I plan to make a touch and go at Chitose Airport and not the new Chitose airport. My unfamiliarity with the area is a problem though, and I spot the New Chitose airport easily. I call Chitose to request the airport direction. The reply comes back that its on my 10 o' clock, and to my surprise it is. IT seems Chitose and New Chitose airport are actually one and the same. Rather than close the old airport, the Japanese just built the new airport on the other side. The result is two airports with a common terminal and tower. I miss Chitose/New Chitose out and head out across the bay for my penultimate touch and go. I notice that Air traffic is picking up as I pass over the city of Muroran. My GPS is helpfully displaying the surrounding traffic with ease.

Chitose and New Chitose.

Muroran and the Bay.

It's a nice trip out over the water, and by the time Shikabe comes into view I'm starting to feel like a coffee. No chance of it here though. Shikabe, is nothing more than a runway. but that's not to bad as the final stop is just 20 nm away.

Not much to see here. Move along.

Hakodate isn't that far away, and I call ahead to get my vectors for an ILS approach on 12. I cut through a valley between Shikabe and Hakodate and head out towards lands end. I turn over the city and head into Hakodate. Once down I park up, secure 1 Whiskey and head for a coffee and Mochi. Tomorrow I head into Central Japan.

Leaving Shikabe and on to Hakodate.

Turning onto final.

And its time for a Coffee

[remingtonbox 18]

Mochi... oh mochi is awesome! Your wide angle screen shots are incredible, any plans of continuing?

[Jess-b 420]

Hi Remington Box, Yup, I'll be continuing, but I have to redo all my flight plans thanks to a HDD failure (I am not happy.) More to come soon

 

Oh and yes, Mochi mmmmmm