085 - Hokkaidō, Japan (北海道)
085 - Hokkaidō (北海道) in Far North Japan by Stephanie Boegeman.
Come with us as we explore rare glimpses of Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido. We travel up the west coast of the island, explore cultivated and wild flower fields, a hiker’s boot camp and a museum dedicated to Japan’s indigenous people, the Ainu!
This week, PodAsia correspondent Stephanie Boegeman is exploring off the beaten path on Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido. We’ll travel up the west coast of the island, as we explore cultivated and wild flower fields, a hiker’s boot camp, active volcanoes, scenic lakes, and a museum dedicated to Japan’s indigenous people, the Ainu.
Where is Hokkaido?
Bike the countryside:
The best way to get a feel for the Japanese countryside and the folks who live there is to bike it. Over 30 hostels in Hokkaido rent bikes.
Details can be found here: http://www.jyh.or.jp/english/
Furano Lavender Fields (富良野)
Tourists flock to Hokkaido during the summer to visit its famous flower fields. Take a stop by Farm Tomita in Furano to visit the lavender fields. Plan your visit during July/August for the peak flower season.
Farm Tomita
Address: Hokusei, Nakafurano-cho, Sorachi-gun, Hokaido 〒071-0704
Phone: 0167-39-3939
Hours and Admission:
Late April - September, 8:30-6. Free.
Access: Farm Tomita is about 2km from JR Naka Furano station. It takes about 25 minutes by foot or about 5 minutes by car.
Web: http://www.farm-tomita.co.jp/en/index.html
North Okhotsk Prefectural Natual Park, with the Beniya Natural Flower Garden
(北オホ・踉札張�道立���然公園, ベニヤ原生花園)
This primeval flower park sits right on the ocean in a remote section of Northern Hokkaido. Several hiking paths wind through this beautiful, unkept wilderness.
Address: Hamatonbetsu cho - ku, 098-5792 Hokkaido Esasi Hamatonbetsu town, Central South 1
Hours and Admission: Mid May - Mid Sept, 9am - 4pm. Closed Mon periodically. No admission.
Access: 1hour and 20min. by car from JR Otoineppu Sta., Or approx. 5min. by bus from Hamatonbetsu bus terminal, and get off at “Beniya-Gensei-Kaen (Natural Flower Garden)”.
About 1hour and 20 min. southeast by car from Wakkanai Airport
Rebun “Flower” Island (礼文島)
Rebun Island lies 50 kilometers off the northern most tip of Hokkaido. Starting from the town of Wakanai, the ferry ride takes two hours. Rebun is famed for it’s lush alpine environment, and visitors can explore the mostly undeveloped island on foot through numerous hiking paths. Nearby is Rishiri Island, which rises like a mini Mt. Fuji from the ocean. Peak season for flower viewing is June through early August.
Momoiwaso Youth Hostel (桃岩荘)
Address:
〒097-1201 Aza Motochi, Kafuka, Rebun-cho, Rebun-gun
Telephone: 01638-6-1421
Hours and Pricing:
Closed 10/1-5/3. 3045 ￥/nt, 630￥ Breakfast, 1050￥ Dinner
Access: 5 minute walk from JR Wakkanai Station to Wakkanai Port.
2 hours to Kafuka Port by ferry.
15 minutes to “Momoiwa-so Iriguchi” by the bus bound for Motochi from which it is a 8 minute walk.
Web: http://www.youthhostel.or.jp/English/n_momoiwaso.htm
Shikotsu-Toya National Park (支笏洞爺国立公園)
Shikotsu-Toya National Park is located just to the southwest of Hokkaido’s capitol, Sapporo. This national park is composed of two gorgeous crater lakes and exhibits abundant volcanic activity. Visitors can check out the numerous hot spring baths in the area (onsen), or explore a recent volcanic blast site from 2000, which has been turned into a sort of educational park. Steam still spews from nearby Mt. Usu and it’s most recent and growing mountain, Showa Shinzan.
Mt. Usu’s Nishiyama-Kogen Volcanic Devesation Park (畝苳算害亳�散策路)
Address & Map: Toyako-cho, Abuta-gun Hokkaido Japan 049-5721
Hours and Admission: Open April 20-Nov. 11, 7:00 to 18:00, no admission fee
Access: 7 minutes by car from Toya-ko Onsen Town.
Web: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/hokkaido/touyako.html
Porotokotan: The Ainu Museum in Shiraoi (アイヌ民族博物館, 白老ポロトコタン)
The Ainu are the indigenous people of Japan. After being displaced by immigrants from the Asian mainland, the Ainu exist today only in very small pockets in Northern Japan. The Porotokotan, or the Ainu Museum in Shiraoi, gives a basic idea of the huge differences between traditional Ainu and Japanese mainstream culture. The museum consists of multiple reconstructed Ainu dwellings with craft, music, and dance demonstrations given every day.
Address: 2-3-4 WAKAKUSA-CHO, SHIRAOI, HOKKAIDO 059-0902, JAPAN
Phone: 0144-82-3914
Hours and Admission: 8:45-5pm
Access: From JR Shiraoi Station: 10 minutes on foot
Web: http://www.ainu-museum.or.jp/english/english.html
HOW TO GET TO HOKKAIDO
Plane: Hokkaido has several airports, but as it’s the largest prefecture in Japan, it’s important to be selective about where you enter this island to begin your travels. The main airport is New Chitose, just south of Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo.
Other major airports include (from south to north): Hakodate, Okadama, Obihiro, Nakashibetsu, Asahikawa, Memanbetsu, and Wakkanai.
Ferry
If you’re already in Japan and are looking to domestically travel to Hokkaido, the ferry is incredibly convenient and inexpensive. If you can book an overnight ferry for your trip, this is a particularly good use of time. Bunk beds and tatami floor options are available. Convenient departure points include: Sendai, Oarai, Nagoya, Akita, Niigata, Naoetsu, Tsuruga, Maizuru, and Fukuoka.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2355_01.html
HOW TO GET AROUND IN HOKKAIDO
Train
The train network in Japan is incredibly comprehensive and convenient (if not cheap). However, many National Parks are not accessible by rail.
Car
Renting a car is incredibly easy in Japan, as long as you bring an International Driver’s License with you. If you happen to already be in Northern Honshu, Hokkaido is accessible by car via an underground tunnel, the Seikan Tunnel, the longest automotive tunnel in the world.