Hokkaido北海道

(北海道, Hokkaidō, literally "Northern Sea Circuit"), formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectures. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaido is its capital, Sapporo, which is also its only ordinance-designated city.

from Hokkaido (Wikipedia) CC BY SA 3.0

Advice about Hokkaido

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Trappist Cookies images

Trappist Cookies

The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance is better known throughout the world as Trappist. The order is Roman Catholic, cloistered contemplative monastic monks and nuns who live in monasteries. Originally part of the Cistercian Order, the Trappists broke off to form an independent order…(458 words)

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mikekato

Today I am in Tomakomai, Hokkaido Japan images

Today I am in Tomakomai, Hokkaido Japan

I flew into Chitose Airport in Hokkaido and was awed by the expanse of Fall color I witnessed below. Tomakomai city (population about 170,000) is a coastal town featuring beautiful golf courses, ice hockey rinks, no-nonsense buildings and lots of great food!Being here reminds me a bit of w…(297 words)

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UNKAI Sea of Clouds in Hokkaido images

UNKAI Sea of Clouds in Hokkaido

Unkai Terrace is located in the resort town of Tomamu in Hokkaido Japan, about a 2.5 hour drive from Sapporo. The word "Unkai" in Japanese means "sea of clouds" and the natural phenomena only occurs occasionally, typically on summer mornings. Resort Tomamu located in Shimukappu village has the unka…(313 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido images

Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido

Lake Shikotsu is located near Chitose in Hokkaido. This lake is the second deepest lake in Japan. The average depth is 265 meters and the deepest point is 363 meters. One interesting thing about this lake is the water temperature stays the same virtually all year long. It is also the northernmo…(125 words)

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Kevin

Lavender fields of Farm Tomita/Hokkaido images

Lavender fields of Farm Tomita/Hokkaido

In Hokkaido, Furano's lavender fields attract large numbers of visitors to the region every summer when the plants are in full bloom. Lavenders usually start blooming in late June and reaches its peak from around mid July to early August. I had always wanted to visit Furano since I watched the …(328 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Senmo Trip "White Winter Fantasy" images

Senmo Trip "White Winter Fantasy"

“Winter is a season of recovery and rest,” wrote Paul Theroux, travel writer and novelist. But for Hokkaido, it is only just waking up. Once the snow has covered its vastness, the drift ice arrives, bringing along with it wildlife guests and natural marvels you will rarely glimpse elsewhere. As for…(747 words)

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DeepJapan Editor

Explore Northern Japan – travel recommendations for Hokkaido and Miyagi images

Explore Northern Japan – travel recommendations for Hokkaido and Miyagi

Lavender fields, a sea of flowers“In Hokkaido, Furano's lavender fields attract large numbers of visitors to the region every summer when the plants are in full bloom. Lavenders usually start blooming in late June and reaches its peak from around mid July to early August ... We visited there of…(397 words)

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DeepJapan

We can bet on horse at WINS images

We can bet on horse at WINS

"KEIBA(horse racing)" is public races that people in Japan can gamble on legally.and We can bet at gambling station(wins) or at some Racetracks.in Japan, Major KEIBA is races of JRA(Japan Racing Association). accutually we can see horses running at JRA racetracks all over japan.the racetracks…(69 words)

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fujimorison

Fans of Green Tea, Listen to This Helpful Tip images

Fans of Green Tea, Listen to This Helpful Tip

Ryokucha is my favourite type of green tea. I still drink it regularly and when I used to go to school, I would drink 500 ml a day. At any convenient store or supermarket, you will have a range of green tea brands to choose from. Any of them are good. If given the choice, I would probably choose Ay…(173 words)

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GenS

Unique farmers markets in heart of Tokyo images

Unique farmers markets in heart of Tokyo

The image of farmers market is outside and once a week on the weekend.Tokyo Kotsuu Kaikan is look like regular office building in Hibiya(near Ginza) but it is now the place to get local fresh food from all of Japan.They have farmers markets everyday include on Sat and Sun.There are so …(175 words)

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yukorose

Oak Door Roppongi Hills (Grand Hyatt Hotel) also has lovely scallops images

Oak Door Roppongi Hills (Grand Hyatt Hotel) also has lovely scallops

When you go to the Oak Door cafe in Roppongi Hills don't forget to order the amazing scallops. On top is crushed garlic, parsley, cilantro and herb-butter on rare, hard-to-get ~seared~ Hokkaido scallops. Perhaps, I'm crazy... I shaved off tiny bites and savored every tiny morsel. However to my dism…(78 words)

Kong image

Kong

Beer me up! images

Beer me up!

Have you skied in the Rocky Mountains and looking for some powder snow?A weekend trip up to Hokkaido is recommended. If your from Australia and looking for a place to hit the slopes I've heard there are places in Hokkaido that Aussies hang out.Don't have the time? Well people in the Shizu…(141 words)

Yuuki I image

Yuuki I

5 Offbeat Tips for Travelers images

5 Offbeat Tips for Travelers

Looking to get beneath the surface of Japan, instead of just seeing the main tourist spots? Well, here are a few tips:1- Read UpBesides Deep Japan, check out English language publications (like Time Out) and see what is going on. Join in food festivals (for instance Tokyo Harvest in Novembe…(312 words)

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Chiara

Travel Slowly images

Travel Slowly

Shindai Ressha are sleeper trains, which used to be common all over Japan. Now, because most people want to travel quickly and there are so many airports throughout Japan, there are only 6 such trains left. One of the most popular is the JR East train Cassiopeia.Cassiopeia runs from Ueno Stat…(108 words)

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mikekato

Hokutosei Sleeper Train from Ueno, Tokyo to Sapporo images

Hokutosei Sleeper Train from Ueno, Tokyo to Sapporo

I never get on the sleeper train but one of my dream is get a hokutosei sleeper train from Ueno to Sapporo.It seems lots of fun to get on and sleep over in the train. It is a kind of laxuary train.They have Royal private rooms , Deluxe twin rooms with restaurant car in the train.You can ex…(120 words)

yukorose image

yukorose

Travel north in winter, travel south in summer for sushi images

Travel north in winter, travel south in summer for sushi

My experience of sushi and if you get to travel around, as I used to a lot, was Hokkaido, Aomori, the fish is amazing in winter. Similarly, Fukuoka, and Shikoku some pretty fine sushi can be had during the summer.(40 words)

Steve image

Steve

Myoko Kogen images

Myoko Kogen

I recommend Myoko Kogen in Niigata. It is not on a shinkansen (bullet train) line so it is a lot less busy to other more famous ski resorts on the shinkansen lines. You can read more about Myoko Kogen here (http://myokokogen.net/resorts/suginohara/)If you prefer nice powder snow, I recommend …(76 words)

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Jase