Although it is 4km west of Yagishiri-to, Teuri-to (天売島) plays host to a million seabirds around the scenic coastal cliffs.…
Yagishiri-to Island
About 25km northwest of Haboro in Rumoi Region, Yagishiri-to (焼尻島) is something like a remote Scottish island that has a…
Okushiri-to Island
Okushiri-to (奥尻島) is Southern Hokkaido’s only inhabited island (84km in circumference) covered with serene beech forest. This island has a…
Shiretoko Rausu
On the east coast of the Shiretoko Peninsula, the busy fishing town Rausu (羅臼町) is well-worth visiting for marine life,…
Chippubetsu
Northern Sorachi’s small rural town of Chippubetsu (秩父別町), 10km west of Fukagawa, is a good stopover point on the the…
Kiritappu Wetland and Foggy Capes
Kiritappu (霧多布: official town name is Hamanaka) is a foggy town and spreads out the vague wetlands at the eastern…
Nature-rich Fishing Town Akkeshi
Halfway between Kushiro and Nemuro, the serenely coastal town of Akkeshi (厚岸町) is designated as a prefectural natural park. This…
Kamikawa: Gateway to Sounkyo Onsen
About 45km northeast of Asahikawa along Ishikari-gawa, the town of Kamikawa (上川町) is a stopover en route to Sounkyo Onsen,…
Mint and Valley Town Takinoue
Halfway between Kamikawa (north side of Daisetsuzan National Park) and Monbetsu along the clear stream of Shokotsu-gawa (渚滑川), the picturesque…
Sounkyo Onsen and Kuro-dake
Set on the upper stream of Ishikari-gawa in the northeastern part of Daisetsuzan National Park, Sounkyo Onsen (層雲峡温泉) is Northern…
Hiking and Skiing Asahi-dake
About 45km east of Asahikawa, the tiny highland village (at 1050m) of Asahidake Onsen (旭岳温泉) is the base for Hokkaido’s…
Okhotsk’s Forested Town Engaru
The forested town of Engaru (遠軽町) on the JR Sekihoku Line functions as a useful transport hub for access to…
Explore Otaru Hillside Area
If you are interested in Otaru’s hidden historic shrines, temples and churches, South side of Minami-Otaru (南小樽) and Yamanote (山の手)…
Northern Otaru Nature and History
Northern Otaru is a historical fishing town with scenic coastlines. Frequent Chuo Bus 10 (via Takashima: 高島経由) and 11 (via…
Tomakomai’s Pleasant Landscapes
The coastal industrial city of Tomakomai (苫小牧市) has one of Japan’s vital commercial ports facing the Pacific Ocean. A number…
Lake Toya Ring Road
Toya-ko Gurutto Chokoku Koen (洞爺湖ぐるっと彫刻公園), a 43km lakeside circumference road, offers scenic views, pleasant campsites, tiny shrines and 58 sculptures.…