Tag: Hokkaido Japan
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Park Golf in The Heart of Hokkaido. Exploring Furano and Beyond.
August 7, 2025. Furano, Japan. We departed our hotel in Sapporo early in the morning and picked up our rental car to begin our road trip in Hokkaido. Our first stop was Furano, “The Navel Town of Hokkaido.” It has this nickname because of its perfectly central position on the island. Furano is a year-round…
-
Exploring Otaru: A Day Trip from Sapporo
August 6, 2025. Otaru, Japan. We started our day with a rapid train ride from Sapporo to the port city of Otaru, located on the northern shores of Hokkaido on Ishikari Bay. A gateway to the Sea of Japan, Otaru was built on a foundation of trade and fishing. Our first stop was the Otaru…