Category: Hokkaido
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Osaka Castle and Dotonbori: A Day in Osaka’s Bustling Streets
September 18, 2025. Osaka, Japan. We returned to Honshu Island, Japan’s largest island. We flew from the small airport in Memanbetsu, Hokkaido, to Sapporo, and then on to Osaka. Upon arrival, we immediately sensed a major shift from the slow pace of Hokkaido to the hustle and bustle of a big city. We arrived at…
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Surviving a Tire Blowout in Rural Japan
September 15, 2025. Akan, Japan. When you’re driving in the middle of nowhere, the last thing you want is for disaster to strike. Yet, that’s exactly what happened when a rear tire on our rental car exploded, leaving a gaping hole in its side. The country road was eerily quiet, with no cars in sight.…
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Akan National Park: Exploring Hokkaido’s Hidden Gems
September 14, 2025. Akan, Japan. Today, we drove from Shiretoko to Akan. We’re now in the center of Akan National Park, staying at the wonderful and accommodating Forest Akan Hotel on the shores of Lake Akan and at the foot of Mount Meakan. Along the way, we made several stops. Near Shiretoko, we stopped at…
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Exploring Shiretoko: A Day at Two Unique Museums
September 14, 2025. Shiretoko, Japan. The winds were hauling all night, the power went off twice, and the emergency lights in our room woke us up. The rain outside pelted our windows and it continued all through the night and into the morning. Since there was nothing to do outside, we decided to visit the…
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A Day in Shiretoko National Park and a Visit to Rausu.
September 12, 2025. Shiretoko, Japan. Today, we embarked on an exploration of Shiretoko National Park. The journey began by traversing the sole mountain pass in the heart of the Shiretoko Peninsula, which leads to the Pacific Ocean and the town of Rausu. Our first stop was the Shiretoko Nature Center, a large and well-staffed facility…
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Day One at Shiretoko: Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Site
September 11, 2025. Shiretoko, Japan. Today we drove from Sounkyo to Shiretoko. Our 3.5-hour drive took us through the mountains before descending to the Sea of Okhotsk. The journey took us through thousands upon thousands of acres of farmland, with the fields bustling with activity as farmers harvested their crops. Shiretoko, meaning “the end of…
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A Day for Waterfalls in Sounkyo, Daisetsuzan National Park, Japan
September 11, 2025. Sounkyo, Japan. Any exploration of the Sounkyo area should begin at the Daisetsuzan National Park Visitor Center, located in the center of town. The center has a wealth of resources for park visitors and a well-curated exhibition with many interpretive displays. If you only have one day and the weather is good,…
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Exploring Sounkyo: A Memorable Stay at Hotel Taisetsu
September 10, 2025. Sounkyo, Japan. After coffee and a light sandwich, we embarked on our drive to Sounkyo. Our journey took us through Asahikawa, the second largest city in Hokkaido, known for its famous Asahiyama Zoo. From there, we drove north, parallel to the mountains, through a vast expanse of farmland, mostly rice, which was…
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Exploring Biei, Hokkaido, the Shirogane District and Mount Tokachi
September 9, 2025. Biei, Japan. Today we spent the day exploring Biei, Japan, a quaint village at the center of Hokkaido. Listed as one of “Japan’s most beautiful Villages,” it’s easy to see why. Biei itself offers peace and quiet, but just beyond it lies a network of roads that lead to some of the…
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Exploring Mount Asahi-dake: Hokkaido’s Majestic Volcano
September 8, 2025. Higashiwaka, Japan. Today we drove from Furano to Mount Asahi-dake. Asahi-dake, also known as Mount Asahi, is a majestic stratovolcano and the highest mountain on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. Standing at 2,291 meters (7,516 ft), it is a central and prominent feature of Daisetsuzan National Park. The mountain’s native Ainu name,…