RtG Japan Daily Dispatch - day00 - Flipbook - Page 5
Day 1: Sapporo to Asahikawa, 19 September 2025
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Michael Lutolf and Patt Henderson, 1947 Citroen 11B
earned break. It’s situated in an old school barn now filled
with some ancient examples of the Japanese automotive
industry.
A steep climb to the first Regularity at Kuraakusan’s
Farm took us through the town that gives its name to
the world-famous (and very expensive) Yubari melon.
Described as a gravel section, in reality it was more of
a narrow earthen track cut through a steep hillside of
steaming bamboo and deep forest. Bears are common here
but, luckily for Fred Gallagher and Sarah Ormerod, they’re
shy and easily frightened and, with the passage of 22 cars,
this marshalling crew left their timing point unmolested.
The Maplelodge Hotel played host to the Time Control,
giving the rally a fine Japanese lunch before the afternoon
session of two, long gravel Regularities through more of
Hokkaido’s wild Inaka toward the foothills of Mt Ashibetsu.
The first of these, Bear Aware, took us along a dry and
dusty ridge. Next the rally enjoyed a long stretch of tarmac
to the final Regularity, the so-called ChChCh-Changes,
which unfortunately had to be cut short because of some
extensive, and possibly much-needed, roadworks.
The day’s end approaching, in just under 35km the crews
were pulling up to the lobby steps of the Hotel OMO7 in
Asahikawa to enjoy more exceptional Japanese hospitality
and reflect on what can only be described as a very
impressive first day.
www.rallytheglobe.com
