Highlights of Hokkaido

Hokkaido is about 1/4 the size of Japan (about 40 times the size of Tokyo), an island surrounded by the sea on three sides and home to about 5.09 million people, rich in nature, and with a thriving agriculture, forestry, and fishery industry. Popular tourist areas are divided into four major categories.
*Administratively, the island is managed by 14 branches (blocks).
In recent years, with the global popularity of AT (Adventure tourism), Hokkaido’s natural experiences, cultural and historical experiences, and life experiences in snow country have become popular. Information on cultural and historical experiences and living in snow country is required in each of the four areas, so here is a brief overview. For details, please refer to each section and the municipalities that are providing the information.

• <Hokkaido> 83,450 km²
  
• Characteristics = Unique ecological area north of the Braxton Line
  
• The island was settled by immigrants from all over Japan after 1862.
  
• 500 km in a straight line from east to west (about 11 hours by car/725 km by highway)
  
• 400 km in a straight line from north to south (about 9 hours by car / 526 km by highway)
  
• Length of roads in Hokkaido = 89,377 km
  
• Number of airports = 13
  
• Population = about 5.09 million
  
• Number of municipalities = 179
  
• Industries in Hokkaido = Except for Sapporo City, field crops, rice cultivation, dairy farming, fishing, and forestry are thriving.
  
• Central City = Sapporo
  
• Central Airport = New
  
• Chitose International Airport
  
• Number of ski resorts = 7
  
• Number of National Parks = 13, UNESCO registered Geoparks = 2
  
• World Heritage Sites = 2
  
• Famous sightseeing cities = Hakodate, Otaru, Noboribetsu, Furano, Akan, Shiretoko
  
• Nature = Powder snow, drift ice, tancho, marimo, lavender
  
• Culture = Ainu culture, Jomon culture

Oshima Branch Office, Hiyama Branch Office
＞View the Marumaru Hokkaido

• The Dōnan Region: Hakodate City and Surrounding Cities
  
• World Cultural Heritage: Jōmon Archaeological Sites in Hokkaidō and Northern Tōhoku
  
• The Twelve Castles of Dōnan
  
• The History of the Japanese People: Esashi ~ Kaminokuni ~ Matsumae
  
• The End of Sakoku: Hakodate Port Opened for International Trade with the 1854 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and the United States
  
• The Battle of Hakodate (Kyoto Boshin War ~ Ended in Hakodate in February 1869, Goryokaku Park)
  
• Gateway to Hokkaido (Seikan Ferry → Hokkaido Shinkansen)
  
• Night View from Mt. Hakodate (One of the World’s Three Great Night Views)
  
• Mori Machi, Nanae Town, Shikabe Town, Hokuto City, Kikonai Town, Esashi Town, etc.
  

Sapporo City, Ishikari Branch Office, Shiribeshi Branch Office, Iburi Branch Office, Hidaka Branch Office, Southern Sorachi Branch Office
＞View the Marumaru Hokkaido

• Central Hokkaido region centered on Sapporo City, Otaru City, and New Chitose Airport
• Sapporo: Hokkaido’s political, economic, and cultural center
• Hokkaido Government Office, Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, Hokkaido University
• Niseko (ski resort), Ezo Fuji (Mt. Yotei)
• Hidaka (Thoroughbred breeding farms)
• Ainu culture (Upopoy, Nibutani, Shakushain)
• Shikotsu-Toya National Park (Lake Toya, Mount Usu, Lake Shikotsu)
• Sapporo Dome, F Village
• Sapporo City, Otaru City, Kitahiroshima City, Chitose City, Tomakomai City, Muroran City, etc.

Kamikawa Branch Office, Soya Branch Office, Rumoi Branch Office, Northern Sorachi Branch Office,Tokachi Branch Office
＞View the Marumaru Hokkaido

• Central Mountain Tourism Area around Daisetsuzan National Park (Hokkaido Ridges)
• Mt. Kurodake, Mt. Asahidake, Mt. Tokachidake, Mt. Furano
• Furano, Kamui, Sahoro, Tomamu (Ski Resorts)
• Hokkaido’s Premier Teshio River Long Canoe Trip
• Furano Lavender Fields, Biei’s Blue Pond and Patchwork Hills
• Tokachi Plain and Japan’s Top Farmland
• Sounkyo Hot Springs, Asahidake Hot Springs, Tokachidake Hot Springs, Tokachigawa Hot Springs
• Alpine Plants of Rishiri Island and Rebun Island
• Asahikawa City, Furano City, Kamikawa Town, Higashikawa Town, Obihiro City, Otofuke Town, etc.

Kamikawa Branch Office, Soya Branch Office, Rumoi Branch Office, Northern Sorachi Branch Office,Tokachi Branch Office,
＞View the Marumaru Hokkaido

• World Natural Heritage Site Shiretoko Area
  
• Kushiro Marsh National Park, Akan-Mashū National Park, Shiretoko National Park
  
• Lake Akan, Lake Mashū, Lake Kussharo, Shiretoko Five Lakes, Lake Furen, Lake Saroma
  
• Cape Nosappu, Nemuro: Japan’s Easternmost Point
  
• Chishima Ainu (Kunashiri Ainu) Culture, Chashi
  
• Birdwatching Areas (Red-crowned Crane, Steller’s Sea Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Blakiston’s Fish Owl, etc.)
  
• Drifting ice in the Sea of Okhotsk (Wakkanai City ~ Monbetsu City ~ Abashiri City ~ Shiretoko Peninsula)
  
• Nemuro Strait (Nature of the Notsuke Peninsula: Todowara & Narawara, Square Sun, Ice Horizon)
  
• Kushiro City, Abashiri City, Kitami City, Shari Town, Nemuro City, Teshikaga Town, Tsubetsu Town, etc.