Geography
Hokkaido Prefecture occupies the territory of the island of the same name, the northernmost of the four largest islands of the Japanese archipelago. The capital of Hokkaido is Sapporo, the fifth largest city in Japan. Hokkaido, both geographically and, partly, culturally, differs from the main territory of Japan, as, for example, the Okinawa archipelago lying in the extreme south. The local climate is almost identical to that of the Russian Far East, with its snowy and frosty winters. For example, only 17 sunny days a year are recorded in Hokkaido, which makes this island a very cloudy place: cyclones from the Pacific Ocean take their toll. Animals familiar to Siberia live here, such as sables, ermines and brown bears, which, by the way, are distinguished by their ferocious disposition. Hokkaido is separated from the island of Honshu, the largest of the Japanese islands, to the south by the Sangar Strait, under which the Seikan railway tunnel, the deepest and longest in the world, is built.
History
The name “Hokkaido” itself means “government of the North Sea”; in ancient times the island was called Ezo. Being geographically remote from the main centers of Japanese civilization, Hokkaido developed quite separately until recently. The indigenous inhabitants of Japan, the Ainu, almost until the seventeenth century lived largely according to the way of the Jomon period, the most ancient in Japanese history, that is, they were mainly engaged in hunting, fishing and gathering. Therefore, the development of Hokkaido became its colonization by the Japanese from the island of Honshu, which included bloody wars with the Ainu. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the island of Hokkaido was completely assimilated, although islands of Ainu culture still remain in some places. Until 1945, Hokkaido also included the “northern territories,” as the Japanese call the four South Kurile islands seized by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II.
Culture, attractions
and entertainment
Probably the most famous event in the world that regularly takes place in Sapporo is the famous Snow Festival. It has been held since 1950 and attracts up to two million people! Every year in February, hundreds of snow sculptures of various genres, from architectural structures to images of various celebrities, are exhibited on the central street of the capital of Hokkaido, Odori Boulevard, as well as a number of parks. The festival lasts seven days.
A separate attraction is Odori Boulevard, where many boutiques of the world's leading fashion brands, department stores and restaurants serving Japanese and international cuisine are located. Local crabs, caught mainly by Russian fishermen in the Sea of Okhotsk, are especially tasty. Above Odori rises the local town hall in a modern design - the JR Tower. Another famous architectural structure of the city is the television tower. By the way, Sapporo has a unique layout: the city was built in the second half of the nineteenth century by American architects according to a single urban plan, so its streets intersecting at right angles are somewhat reminiscent of Manhattan. The clear lines of Sapporo are clearly visible from the JR Tower observation deck.
In Sapporo, as in any other place in Japan, various thematic and religious festivals are often held, not only the famous Snow Festival. Separately, it is worth highlighting the Lily Festival, the Summer Festival and, of course, the famous Beer Festival! It was here that the famous Sapporo variety was brewed back in 1876, which makes the city of Sapporo the birthplace of Japanese beer, which is now famous throughout the world. For those interested in this part of history, the Sapporo Beer Museum was created, where you can taste the legendary Sapporo and Yebisu varieties in a local restaurant.
In addition, Hokkaido is famous for its water meadows, where local cows graze, so local dairy products and chocolate are popular throughout the country.
And lovers of active winter recreation can visit the most popular ski resorts of Furano and Niseko: do not forget that Sapporo was the capital of the 1972 Winter Olympics.
Finally, those interested in the history of Hokkaido will be interested in visiting the Ainu Museum, where you can get acquainted with the way of life and traditions of the indigenous population of the island.
From Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Sapporo the flight time is 1 hour 45 minutes, the connection is very convenient: several flights per day.
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