Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido plays host to the weekend’s 20-22 September round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, powered by Würth. Having long been part of the APRC, the sparsely populated region held rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2004 to 2007.

Eight teams are entered, which also qualifies as the penultimate round of the Asia Cup. While six are Japanese locals there is one driver pairing from Taiwan and the other from New Zealand – in a brand new car.

Mike Young, with ring-in co-driver Glenn Macneall, will debut the brand new Toyota C-HR alongside a slew of other competing Toyotas, Subarus and Mitsubishis.

From the open plains and sweeping roads near host city Obihiro to the lush green forestry and stages that thread their way through the mountain regions to the north, Rally Hokkaido delivers plenty of variety.

Saturday heads north to the inland village location of Rikubetsu where teams will contest a further four stages before service in the township. Then repeating two of the morning’s stages the journey returns to Obihiro and a re-run of the Super Special Stage.

Sunday’s remaining eight stages are held just to the north of Obihiro with five in the morning and the final three taking up the early afternoon. The rally concludes with a ceremonial finish at the service park location of Kita Aikoku.

The weather is typical early autumn with relatively more rainfall. Daily temperatures range between 16-23 degrees Celsius, dropping to single digits overnight. The weekend’s forecast is for cloudy periods and possible rain for Sunday.

Cusco photos: Mitsuru Kotake