JAPAN (HOKKAIDO)>>LAND of the RISING RUN

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south. The characters that make up Japan's name mean "sun-origin", which is why Japan is sometimes referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun". Hokkaido is the second largest, northernmost and least developed of Japan's four main islands. Its weather is harsh in winter with lots of snowfall, below zero temperatures and frozen seas, while in summer it does not get as hot and humid as in the other parts of the country. With its unspoiled nature, Hokkaido attracts many outdoor lovers, including skiers and snowboarders in the colder seasons and hikers, cyclists and campers from June to September.

Mt. E-san is one of the popular hot spring in Hokkaido. Mt. E-san is located in the southeast of the Kameda-hanto Peninsula extending into the Pacific Ocean from the south of Hokkaido, is an active volcano 618 meters above sea level. At the foot of Mt. E-san is the Esan-onsen Hot Spring, a popular attraction since the latter half of the 19th century, it is renowned for its distinctive wine-red colored water. At the Todohokke Village Lighthouse Family Museum on the northern side, visitors can marvel at the constellations glittering on the ceiling, and compare the blasts of different foghorns, including those used by lighthouses to warn passing ships of hazards.

Another tourists destination is Kushiro Marsh. Kushiro Marsh stretches out to the north of Kushiro in eastern Hokkaido. This is a huge marsh with an overall area of 183 square kilometers, and was the first Japanese marshland registered under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Two thousand varieties of animals and plants live there, including Hokkaido deer and the white-tailed sea eagle. In summer, all sorts of wild flowers bloom, while in winter it is home to Japanese cranes, a designated special natural monument.Observation points for viewing the wide marshland have been set up in the surrounding hills. A sightseeing walkway has been built at the marsh observatory in Kushiro so that you can walk around the marsh. In summer, the sightseeing train Norokko shows visitors the marsh as it slowly makes its way from Kushiro Station to Shibecha Station. There are also plenty of other ways to enjoy the marsh, such as canoeing for 9 kilometers down the river from Lake Toro-ko to Hoso'oka, looking down at the marsh from 50 meters above ground in a hot air balloon, or while riding a 'dosanko,' a Hokkaido-bred horse.






Odori Avenue Park also is one of the popular tourist attraction. Odori Avenue Park stretches from east to west in the center of the city, and is a symbol of the city - full of art objects, fountains, lilac and acacia plants and lots of flowerbeds. Odori Avenue Park is more than 1,400 meters long. In summer it is full of beer gardens, while in winter it becomes the location for a snow festival. During the festival, this big park is lined with magnificent snow statues and beautiful ice statues.






Seafood is most popular at Hokkaido. Tourists are attracted from all over the country to Hokkaido's rich variety of fresh fish and processed seafood. This delicious bounty includes crab, scallops, sea urchins, salmon roe, salmon, herring, flounder, cod, arabesque green lings  squid, octopus, shrimp, abalone, surf clams and kelp. Harvested from the northern seas, these seafood products have exquisite taste and flavor, and are rated among the best of their type. The crab in particular is exceptional. Depending on the season and location, we can enjoy Queen crab, Horsehair crab, Red king crab or Blue king crab. When in season, they are heavy for their size and rich in flavor whether boiled in brine or prepared as sashimi. The sea urchins feed on kelp and the sashimi is so delicious  must try it at least once.We will not find such rich and mellow sweetness anywhere but in Hokkaido. 

Ishikari-nabe and the Genghis Khan nabe (pot) are another typical dish of Hokkaido. It is making use of fresh salmon from head to tail.

The name comes from the Ishikari-gawa River, famed for its salmon catch, and the same dish is known as tokachi-nabe in the Obihiro area. Chunks of salmon are stewed with vegetables, tofu and konnyaku (devil's tongue) in kelp stock flavored with miso.

 Locally produced potatoes and cabbage add to the delicious flavor of this hearty dish, so we can indulge in the tastes of Hokkaido from both the sea and the land. 
The Genghis Khan nabe (pot) is a special helmet-shaped pan made from cast iron. It is also a dish in which thinly sliced mutton and vegetables (bean sprouts, cabbage and pumpkin) are basted and roasted.  Many restaurants around Hokkaido specialize in Genghis Khan nabe and it is very popular at large beer parlors such as the Sapporo Bier Garten and Kirin Beer Garden, which are always crowded with tourists.