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Showing posts with label Hokkaido. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hokkaido. Show all posts

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Sapporo Snow Festival 2021

 

The Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido is one of the biggest and best winter events in Japan. Teams from around the world compete to create the most impressive ice and snow sculptures.

The snow festival, also known as Yuki Matsuri is one of Japan’s top festivals and is held annually in early February. The event has a humble origin and can trace its history back to 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori-koen in Sapporo. The JSDF (Japan Self Defense Force) built the first gigantic snow sculptures in 1955, and the event took off from there.

The festival attracts millions of visitors every year from not only Japan but across the world. Many people were looking forward to attending this year’s event but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival has moved online for 2021.

You can now enjoy this amazing event in the comfort of your own home by visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival Official Website.

A new multilingual website for the festival invites people to participate and help create this year’s event. You can watch short videos about the festival’s famous history, contribute your own photos from previous festivals in the Sapporo Snow Photo Festival, and even get tips on how to build the coolest snow and ice creations in the world in online workshops with local craftsmen and women.

Visit the Sapporo Snow Festival Official Website to check it out.

If you are interested in finding out more about Japanese festivals, check out the Matsuri Japanese Festival Search 2021 on Japanoscope. 

Sapporo Snow Festival by SteFou! is licensed with CC BY 2.0.

 

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Best Free & Cheap Things to do in Hokkaido

Furano
Hokkaido, once an island not even considered by more than a few tourists, is on it’s way to becoming one of Japan’s most interesting, and authentic, travel experiences. Not over commercialised like cities on Honshu can feel, Hokkaido is the place to get away from it all and enjoy the real Japan.

Usually this kind of place would come with higher prices, but while traveling around and researching for my latest book, Super Cheap Hokkaido, I was surprised to find that the island is actually a cheaper place to travel than most other prefectures in Japan. While things are more spread out, hostels and hotels are cheaper, and tourist traps are few and far between.

There are many free and cheap things to do in Hokkaido, but the following are the must visits. Any budget traveler to the island should include them on their trip!

Explore the Volcanic Kawayu Onsen 


Kawayu Onsen, located in the north-east of Hokkaido, is a popular hot spring town. Getting there is half the fun, as you can walk here from the station via the Iozan, a non-dormant volcano with wide sulfurous vents. When you arrive at the town, you can dip your feet in the free footbath or spend a few hundred yen at the municipal hot spring for the full onsen experience. Kawayu Onsen therefore ends up being a really cheap day trip, and is one of the easiest places in Hokkaido for first-timers to try out hot springs.

Kawayu Onsen


Try Fresh Sashimi in Kushiro 


Kushiro is often just used as a transportation hub when in the east of Hokkaido, but it’s worth exiting the station to check out the Kushiro Washo Ichiba Market. Full of recently caught fish from the nearby harbour, it contains over 50 shops, restaurants and takeaways. Best is to head to one of the seafood stalls, point at the sashimi items that look appetising and ask it to be served on rice. A few seconds later, you’ll be eating one of the freshest, and cheapest, seafood bowls of your life!

Washo Fish Market


Sashimi

See the Flowers in Furano 


The famous lavender and flower fields of Furano and nearby Biei really pull in the crowds, but as this is Hokkaido, it never feels too packed. Almost all of the colourful fields are free and special trains are put on in the lavender season so that it’s super easy to reach them on a Japan Rail Pass or a Hokkaido Rail Pass. You can spend at least a day or two exploring the area, trying out lavender-flavoured ice creams and the delicious locally-produced melons, then stay in one of the many budget hotels or hostels along the train tracks.

Farm Tomita


Go for a Walk in the Onuma Quasi National Park 


Onuma is a nice little stop off point along the way from Hakodate, the main city in the south of Hokkaido, to Sapporo, the prefecture’s capital. The beautiful lakes here do have cruises on offer, but they tend not to be that busy due to the excellent, numerous walking trails around the various islands. Some people also rent a bike and cycle around the whole lake area.

Onuma


Stroll Around in Otaru 


About an hour or so from Sapporo, Otaru is a seaside port town, and was once a major commercial hub. It’s now a more chilled-out location, with a quiet canal, frequent festivals and lots of tax-free souvenir shops. It’s especially pleasant on winter evenings, when the canal is lined with snow and old-fashioned Japanese lanterns.

Otaru


Today's guest post is by Matthew Baxter, author of Super Cheap Hokkaido. Like what you see? Super Cheap Hokkaido is the ultimate travel guide to this wonderful island, full of loads of tips, listings and maps to make sure you have an enjoyable, and affordable, time there. It’s available now on Amazon and at the official Super Cheap Guides website.

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Shiretoko Peninsula, A Nature Enthusiast’s Dream

Mt Rausu
I’ve raved about Shiretoko before and I’ll rave about it again. For those of you not familiar with my writing, I run a blog on outdoor-focused travel (camping, hiking, etc) mostly in Japan. I’m also a conservation worker and wildlife is what draws me to places when I’m traveling.

People rant about nature lover’s paradises such as Alaska, Canada, New Zealand…now these places are great, I won’t deny, but there’s a lesser known place in your favourite country, Japan, which does just as great.

Shiretoko, a peninsula on northeast Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, is largely a protected nature sanctuary, and a large stretch of it is completely inaccessible to the public. You want to go there, you’re gonna need a good reason for it. Researchers and a restricted number of local fishermen are the only ones who get past the boundary.

Luckily for us nature enthusiasts, there is plenty of Shiretoko Peninsula to explore without even reaching the boundary. This place is ideal not just for wildlife-watching, but for hiking, camping, and fishing.

Fishing


With so few people, you can imagine how healthy populations of wild animals are here--bears, salmon, deer, orcas, owls, sea eagles, and much much more. On top of that, Shiretoko is geographical eye-candy with its combination of stretching mountain ranges, endless lush forests, transparent lakes, rocky coasts and blue seas.

The peninsula consists of two small towns and a whole lot of World Heritage National Parks in between! Utoro, the slightly more established, wind-sheltered town, and Rausu, the rougher, more isolated town with significantly less public transport outside summer season. While Utoro is a tad cosier, Rausu is where you’ll spot more kinds of whales, so you don’t want to miss either of the settlements (if you’re particular about seeing certain species, you’d do well to look up the best season for viewing them and decide when you most want to visit).

From each of these towns, you can join a tourist boat expedition to get a glimpse of the restricted-access part of the peninsula, which spans a total of roughly 190km2. While expensive, a boat trip it’s a must-do for nature enthusiasts. Not only can you see a number of rare species, but you get fantastic views of the stunning coastline and pure rugged forest.

Shiretoko Coastline
Shiretoko Coastline

If you want a closer view, there are trips from Rausu which use smaller boats and go closer to the coast. This is good for wildlife photographers but beware that the smaller the boat, the less stable and less still of a picture you’ll be able to take. There’s also salty waves to consider—be careful. I took a good lot of photos on my trip, which was on one of the larger and more stable boats, but we also stayed further away from the coast due to our size. In the end, though I got some decent photos, it was enough to just sit back and enjoy watching the nature with my own eyes.

Shiretoko is also host to a number of excellent hikes. Most of these are day hikes up to 3 hours, with shorter loops included for those who prefer them. On the other hand, if you want a long intense hike, there is Mt Rausu which takes a few days.

Shiretoko Five Lakes Hike
Shiretoko Five Lakes Hike

Fishing is also a popular activity here. Salmon are plentiful in the summer. You can fish from one of the river mouths, or join the Japanese fishermen hurling their lines out from the marinas in Utoro and Rausu (fishing salmon upriver is illegal in Japan).

As you can guess, I went here during summer. This is when most visitors go, and more public transport is available. Yet Shiretoko transforms depending on the season, so if you have the chance to visit during another time (I recommend hiring a vehicle if you do) then I say go for it. Winter is the second most popular time, as sea ice forms around the peninsula, becoming host to different kinds of whale and the endangered Steller’s sea eagle. While some hikes may not be open in winter and you can’t fish salmon at this time, you can try ice fishing with a local. I’m definitely coming back in winter when I get the chance.

Before I went to Shiretoko, I’d researched plenty about it, so it’s safe to say my expectations were high...yet Shiretoko outdid them all. The five days I spent there were too short to satisfy my nature cravings; yet every one of them was a glorious osmosis with Mother Nature that brought something new. For sure, Shiretoko Peninsula is a place you don’t want to miss if you’re as crazy about the outdoors as I am.

Today's guest post is from Kiwi Blogger Eli Sooker. 

Eli Sooker is a travel writer and conservationist with a focus on outdoor travel. Originally from New Zealand, he now works in black bear conservation in Japan and writes funny, touching stories and travel advice articles in his spare time.

Please check out his blog and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.



Mt Rausu
Mt Rausu

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Super Cheap Hokkaido Book Review

Super Cheap Hokkaido
Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island and is home to an abundance of unspoiled nature, hot springs and ski resorts, along with arguably some of the country’s best-kept culinary secrets. This northern wilderness attracts many fans of the outdoors with fantastic skiing and snowboarding in the colder months and hiking and camping in the summer months.

This often overlooked part of Japan might seem a little scary due to its sheer size but with the right travel guide, you’ll have no trouble in planning your long overdue trip to Hokkaido.


The Book’s Content 


Super Cheap Hokkaido is the ultimate budget travel guide for exploring Japan’s nature paradise on a shoestring budget. The travel guide covers Sapporo and Hokkaido Prefecture and the must see destinations such as Sapporo, Hakodate, Niseko, Furano, Otaru and Noboribetsu.

The book covers a wide range of money saving tips such as how to spend next to nothing drinking local beer in Sapporo, relax in free hot springs, spend a cheap day’s hiking in the mountains or where to find the best, inexpensive super fresh sushi and sashimi. It’s all here in this amazing travel guide.

Inside the book you will find:

Budget Food – comprehensive listings of low-cost restaurants, take-outs, cheap roadside stations and supermarkets.

Budget Shopping – all the best attraction discounts, free sample hot spots, 100 yen shops and tax-free shopping.

Colour Maps – ideal for budget travelers, making it easy and stress-free to get around.

Highlights and Itineraries – for those with rental cars or using discount train passes.

Cheap Accommodation – the best and cheapest hostels, family-friendly hotels, campsites, mountain lodges, capsule hotels and net cafes.

Travel Guides – all the major destinations are covered with Sapporo, Niseko, Furano, Otaru, Biei, Hakodate, Matsumae Castle, Daisetsuzan National Park, Lake Mashu, Shiretoko National Park, Abashiri and much more.

Super Cheap Hokkaido

My View 


Why I really like the book? Like the other books in the Super Cheap series, Super Cheap Japan and Super Cheap Tokyo, it is compact and easy to use with all the information at your fingertips. I like how the book provides a quick guide on how to use it and how to save on your holiday before moving into the travel guide and covering the must see places.

The travel guides provide information on how to get around, discount passes and tickets, transportation maps, things to do, budget food, best places for shopping, recommended cheap accommodation and how to get there.


It is easy to use with colour maps making it easy and stress-free to get around. The maps use landmarks and walking routes to help get you around and include convenience stores, cheap supermarkets, 100-yen stores, budget accommodation and tourist information.


This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and those of us who just want an amazing time, without blowing all their cash in a day.

About the Writer 


The author, Matthew Baxter is a British travel writer living in Tokyo. Having traveled across the country for more than a decade, without much money, he has built up an extensive knowledge of budget travel in the Land of the Rising Sun. He now writes professionally for several websites and publications, such as the Japan National Tourist Association, Japan Visitor and All About Japan. He is the author of Super Cheap Japan and Super Cheap Tokyo.

Super Cheap Hokkaido is all you’ll need for a fantastic budget friendly trip to Sapporo and Hokkaido. This book gives you some great money-saving tips all in an easy-to-use travel guide. Take the plunge and explore Japan’s northern frontier on your next trip.

Super Cheap Hokkaido is available now from Amazon.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Skiing in Japan

Japan’s fantastic skiing and snowboarding conditions have long been a well-kept secret, but word is slowly getting out and more people are discovering this hidden gem. Japan has some of the best ski resorts and soft powder snow in the world. There are more than 600 ski resorts through-out the country with the ski season officially starting in December. The best months are considered to be January and February with the best conditions offered during this time. The three best areas for skiing in Japan are Nagano in the Japan Alps on the main island of Honshu, Hokkaido, the island furthest north in Japan with Siberian-blasted highlands, and Niigata also on the main island of Honshu on the Sea of Japan coast.

Nagano 


Nagano is only a short two hour bullet train ride from Tokyo, and offers some of the best resorts in Japan. It was home of the 1998 Winter Olympics and a fabulous place to ski or snowboard. Nagano’s winter season is December to early April. One of the highlights is Hakuba, with its snow laden peaks and valleys. Hakuba has deep winter snow falls and plenty of soft powder snow with seven different ski resorts. One of the best ski resorts in Hakuba is Happo-One with excellent mountain views and runs for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. Shiga Kogen is also highly recommended and hosted several events at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. It is in fact one of the largest ski resorts in the world. It offers 21 different areas with a variety of terrain to suit all styles and type of skiers and snowboarders.

Prices

Happo-One Ski Resort Day Lift Ticket 4600 yen ($46 USD)
Equipment Rental 2500 - 3000 yen ($25 - $30 USD)
Shiga Kogen Day Lift Ticket 4800 yen ($48 USD)

Hokkaido 


Hokkaido is about a 90 minute flight from Tokyo and was also a Winter Olympic venue in 1972. Hokkaido’s winter season is November to early April with some ski resorts still having snow until early May. Sapporo is the cosmopolitan main city on Hokkaido, but does not get a lot of snow until early December. The best places are ski resorts like Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu and Kiroro. Niseko is probably the best ski resort in Hokkaido and can be reached either by bus or a picturesque train journey through beautiful winter landscapes. Niseko is exactly what you would expect a Japanese ski village to be. It is a blend of traditional Japanese houses and environment with modern touches such as traffic lights, apartments and hotels. The skiing in Niseko is first class, featuring deep snow, long runs and soft powder snow. The Niseko ski area usually receives around 15 meters of snow every year. Day tickets are cheap, usually about half of what you would pay in Australia and with no long lift queues as there are 43 lifts. Niseko United is the name of a group of four connected resorts here that you can ski or snowboard on with a single all-mountain pass.

Prices

Niseko United One Day Pass 5900 yen ($59 USD)

Niigata 


Niigata located on the Sea of Japan coast in the Chubu region of Japan is just over 2 hours away from Tokyo. Niigata offers over 50 ski resorts and excellent skiing and snowboarding conditions. Most of the resorts are either located in the Myoko or Yuzawa area. One of the best is the Naeba Ski Resort in Yuzawa with 27 courses of varying skill level. It has been very popular now for many years due to is easy access from Tokyo (80 minutes by train) and long snow season. The ski season runs from November to May.

Prices 

Naeba Day Lift Ticket 4000 yen ($40 USD)
Equipment Rental 4300 yen ($43 USD)

General Prices 


Lift pass usually range in price from 4000 yen ($40 USD) to 5500 yen ($55 USD) a day. Ski gear and clothing can be hired at most resorts, and is very reasonably priced. Full equipment rental might cost you around 5000 yen per day ($50 USD).

If you have any recommendations of places, please leave them in the comments below.

Image Source

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Skiing in Japan

Japan has some of the best ski resorts and powder snow in the world.

The two best areas for skiing or snowboarding in Japan are Nagano on the main island of Honshu and Hokkaido, the island furthest north in Japan.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Skiing in Hokkaido Japan

Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido offers some of the country’s best snow and has been unaffected by the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.

Hokkaido’s winter season is November to early April with some ski resorts still having snow until early May. Sapporo is the cosmopolitan main city on Hokkaido, but does not get a lot of snow until early December. The best places are ski resorts like Niseko, Furano, Rusutsu and Kiroro.

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