Hokkaido is the second largest and least developed of Japan's four main islands. Japan’s northernmost island homes harsh winters and bountiful snowfalls, with the temperature staying below freezing for half the year.
Most of Hokkaido was settled by the Japanese within the last 100 years, compared to the thousands of years of Japanese history and pre-history. Before that it was only inhabited by the hunter-gatherer Ainu culture. As a result, its architecture and cities are much more modern, and mostly based on western-like grid layouts.
Ainu means Human. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, they have their ownculture and language. Ainu museum recreate an Ainu village on the shore of lak Poroto. There is some Ainu's houses, a botanical garden and a museum.Traditional Ainu's dances are performed.
Hokkaido continues to represent the untamed wilderness with many great national parks. However, the ubquitous hotspring resorts in much of the island serve as a reminder that you are still in Japan. There are numerous hot springs, like the Noboribetsu and Sounkyo, where you can enjoy a leisurely bath to help you get over the fatigue of your journey.
In Hokkaido you can enjoy the magnificence of nature to your heart's content: Daisetsuzan National Park; the secluded Shiretoko Peninsula; Kushiro wetland; Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which is full of volcanoes and lakes; and the ever-changing Shakotan Coast.
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.
Low humidity makes the summers pleasant, while in winter you can enjoy winter sports. The island is gaining popularity as a tourist destination throughout the four seasons.
The northern part of Japan is a haven for winter sports, known for skiing and snowboarding. A little further south in the Yamagata Prefecture, if the snow piles up on the slopes, it molds and clings to trees creating what the locals’ call, “juhyo” or “ice monsters.”
Sursa foto: wikipedia.org
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