Hakodate (like other parts of around Hokkaido) was originally populated by the Ainu and is the third largest city in Hakodate behind Sapporo and Asahikawa. The name "Hakodate" may have originated from an Ainu word, "hak-casi" ("shallow fort"). Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono ...

Jozankei is located an hour south from Sapporo. It is an onsen (hot spring) town. The first hot spring bath opened here in 1866, and since then has become a picturesque town amid a ravine and is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. This national ...

Kushiro is a small city in the eastern part of Hokkaido and is located on the coast and is the most populated city in eastern Hokkaido. Its history dates back to 1869. Being a port city, it has strong ties to the fishing industry. It ...

Not only can you find Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples throughout the cities and towns of Hokkaido, but there are also churches where people can practice their faith. Many smaller towns don't have churches but Kutchan is a larger town and the Kutchan Catholic Church ...

For all foreigners living in Japan, you will inevitably come to the immigration bureau at some point. It can either be an easy or difficult experience. Upon entering the building, you will need to sign in, get a badge and go through the security gate ...

For those newly arrived in Sapporo, or Hokkaido for that matter, this centre is an extremely useful resource to have access to. The information centre is convenient to find and easily accessible. The centre is located across from the east exit at Sapporo Station and ...

The New Chitose Airport opened in 1988 to replace the old airport. Since then the airport has been upgraded and has expanded its international terminal as well as its domestic terminal. The airport is the gateway to Hokkaido and sees over twenty million visitors each ...

Sapporo Station is the hub of the city of Sapporo. All travelers will pass through its gates before branching out to different parts of the city, or for most, different cities in Hokkaido. It originally opened in 1880 and was revamped in 2003 ...

The Sapporo Ekimae-dori Underground Pedestrian Space also known as Chikaho, opened on March 12, 2011. The underground walkway runs for 520 meters and is a huge space ...

In the centre of Lake Toya , there is a large island called Nakanoshima. This beautiful area can be accessed via the local ferry that leaves from the southern shore of the Toyako Onsen district. The ferry leaves the port every thirty minutes. The last ...