Category: Hokkaido
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Hiking in Hokkaido Guide
Hokkaido is the northernmost island in Japan representing 22% of Japan’s total land mass and only 5% of its population. It consists of one large island and 5 smaller islands. There are six national parks, five quasi-national parks, and twelve prefectural parks. Hokkaido is blessed with arguably the most magnificent natural beauty in Japan. Furthermore,…
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About Brown Bears in Hokkaido’s National Parks
With regards to encountering a brown bear while climbing, usually, Brown bears will notice humans in advance and will hide out of sight in the thickets waiting for the people to leave the area, without showing their presence. However when visibility is bad due to heavy rain and the sounds of approaching climbers cannot easily…
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Akan National Park Area Guide
Akan National Park is a volcanic area with craters spread throughout the forest. It also contains three crystal clear lakes. The area surrounding these lakes is covered with forests and dotted with hot springs. Akan is one of Hokkaido’s most unique tourist attractions with its mysterious, foggy Lake Mashu, the marimo algae balls in Lake…
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Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park
The tulip is the official flower of Yubetsu Town. By the time the late spring wind blows in this northern land, 1.2 million of them are in full bloom in the Tulip Park along National Route 242. The flower garden, covering a total area of 70,000 m2, features 1.2 million tulips of 120 varieties, including…
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Noboribetsu Bear Park, Noboribetsu Onsen
About 200 brown bears are raised at the Bear Farm at the summit of Mt. Shihorei to the east of Noboribetsu Hot Spring. The bears are separated by age. There is a “cage for humans” in the first farm, where observation from the viewpoint of bears is possible. There is also a brown bear…
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Seabird Breeding At Teuri And Yagishiri Islands In Haboro
Teuri and Yagishiri Islands’ geographical features of the two islands in the Sea of Japan differ greatly. While the circumference of Teuri is composed entirely of steep cliffs, Yagishiri is flat and green. In the center of the island is the municipal sheep farm, a popular scenic spot, where Suffolk sheep pasture. Teuri Island is…
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Moss Pink in Takinoue Park
Takinoue Park in Takinoue Town (Takinoue-cho) is famous for moss pink, tiny flowers that spread for 100,000 m2. The flowers grew from a carton of seedlings to become the biggest moss pink community in Japan. The best season is from mid-May to early in June. Pink Moss Festival is held in mid-May. The Shibazakura (Pink…
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Monbetsu Drift Ice In Okhotsk Sea, Monbetsu City (Monbetsu-shi)
The Sea of Okhotsk is covered with drift ice in winter. Water flowing from the Amur River in Siberia freezes when it meets the frigid ocean. The ice starts out thin and gradually grows into floes by the time it reaches the Okhotsk coast to cover the sea with pristine ice. In Mombetsu, the phenomenon…
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The City of Kushiro (Kushiro-shi) – Sightseeing and Tourist Information
Kushiro, the largest city in eastern Hokkaido, is a marine food production center that boasts one of the top catches in Japan. The Kushiro River, which originates in Lake Kussharo, runs through the vast Kushiro Marsh and flows into the ocean, and the city flourishes at the river mouth. Washo Market, which deals primarily in…
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Nemuro City
Sunrise on New Year’s Day (January) On the first of January, many tourists rush to Cape Nosappu. Seeing the earliest sunrise in Japan at the cape makes them feel refreshed and purified. Another year of struggle for the return of Northern Territories begins. Cycling of the coastline (July) Since 1985, cycling the coastline between…
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Things To Do On The Nemuro Peninsula
In the end of February, the Sea of Okhotsk facing the Nemuro peninsula suddenly turns into an extensive bright white icefield, covered by the vast ice floes that has finally arrived after a long journey from the Amurriver of Siberia. At the eastern-most Cape Nosappu, the Dynamic move of ice floes in a silver winter…
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Events and Festivals around Nemuro Peninsula – Tourist Attractions, Nemuro City (Nemuro-shi)
On the first of January, many tourists rush to Cape Nosappu. Seeing the earliest sunrise in Japan at the cape makes them feel refreshed and purified. Another year of struggle for the return of Northern Territories begins. Cycling of the coastline (July) Since 1985, cycling the coastline between Nemuro and Shibetsu is established as a…
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Lake Toya, Mount Usu & Showa Shinzan (Toya Usu Geopark) in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Toyako Onsen, Toyako Town (Toyako-cho)
Lake Toya (Toya-ko), from the Ainu words for lake (to) and hill (ya), is one of the two northernmost ice-free lakes in Japan, along with Lake Shikotsu. The circumference of this circular lake is about 40 km, and the deepest point is about 179 m. Nakajima, four islands at the center of the lake, has…
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Mt. Iou/Io/Iwo (Io-zan), Teshikaga Town (Teshikaga-cho)
JapanGuides.net Mt. Iou/Io/Iwo (Io-zan), which is referred to as Atosanupuri (naked mountain) in Ainu, rises 512 m above sea level. This active volcano emits a great deal of smoke. The lava dome where solidified lava was upheaved is believed to have been created approximately 1,700 years ago, a relatively short history for a volcano. In…
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Chitose Study Tours – Chitose City (Chitose-shi) has a wealth of study tours!
Step into an unknown world and make new and exciting discoveries! Visit Chitose Salmon Aquarium to see the many fish native to the northern rivers and seas, or explore the various food manufacturers and breweries. Chitose has been an essential link between Honshu and Hokkaido for many years and is a treasure house of opportunities…
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Garo Falls (Garo-no-taki), Shimamaki Village (Shimamaki-mura)
JapanGuides.net The Garo Highlands spread at the foot of Mt. Kariba, which is said to be the highest mountain in southern Hokkaido. Measuring 70 m in height and 35 m in width, Garo Falls is Hokkaido’s largest waterfall. It cascades into the Chihase River, which flows through the highlands. In 1990, it was selected as…
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Niseko Mountains Alpine Ski Resorts, Niseko Town (Niseko-cho)
Niseko is a major alpine resort extending over the four towns of Kutchan, Niseko, Rankoshi and Kyowa. Grand mountains conjure up images of Europe and change with the turn of the seasons. Niseko’s hot springs, ski slopes, and various other outdoor activities, make it a recreation Mecca in both summer and winter. Niseko is located…
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Best Onsens At Shikotsuko Lake
If you’re wanting to reset and heal both body and soul at the same time, then an onsen (hot springs spa) is the very thing! Chitose has onsen districts around Lake Shikotsu and along Rt. 337. Some onsen such as ‘Bihada-no-yu’ (for beautiful skin) and ‘Kodakara-no-yu are very popular with women, and others are fed…
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Daisetsuzan National Park
Daisetsuzan (Taisetsuzan) National Park is at the center of Hokkaido and is the largest national park in Japan. At the center of the Daisetsu mountain range lies the highest mountain “Asahidake”, which is also the highest mountain in Hokkaido. The area of the park is 230,000ha and it is a national park that is rich…
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Hokkaido Seabird Center, Haboro Town (Haboro-cho) – Environment & Nature Conservation, Haboro
The Japan Environment Agency, in an effort to protect wildlife in danger of extinction, has founded a number of wildlife protection centers in important regions with rare wild plant and animal life to protect these species, promote their spread and growth through breeding and propagation projects, and to carry out research and investigation. The Hokkaido…
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Things To Do In Asahikawa
This city, the second largest in Hokkaido, is roughly at the center of the Kamikawa Basin. Under the system of tondenhei (soldier farmers), it prospered as the center of Hokkaido’s development. In 1901, the seventh division of the Army moved into Asahikawa, making the city a military base. Kaikosha, the officers’ club, was erected in…