Kotan Hachiman Shrine

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Kotan Hachiman Shrine was founded in 1856 and was officially named a township shrine in 1875. It was listed as a local shrine on the 28th of April 1911. The purpose of the shrine is to follow the great principles of the deity, Hondawake no Mikoto. Hondawake no Mikoto is also more commonly known as the Emporer Ōjin. Read More ....

Otaru Canal Museum & Information Center

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Otaru City General Museum Canal Museum has an extensive collection that introduces the history of Otaru City including information on the natural environment. The exhibition includes 20,000 objects and materials in its collection. The museum is located by Otaru Canal and can be found in the 'former Otaru warehouse'. Read More ....

Tokai Lavender Fields

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On the Tokai Sapporo School campus the grounds really comes alive with lavender. It is said that the south district of Sapporo, where the campus is located, is known as the birthplace of lavender cultivation in Japan. Read More ....

Urahoro Shrine

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During the Meiji Era, as the town of Urahoro (on the south east coast of Hokkaido) was being developed, the pioneers called for the construction of a shrine to serve as a spiritual centre. On August 15, 1896, a small shrine was erected, enshrining Amaterasu (goddess of the sun and the universe). Read More ....

Onnenai Visitor Center

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The Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, also known as the Kushiro Marshland is a sprawling national park to the north of Kushiro. There are half a dozen observation decks, museums, and walking paths that surround the park. The Onnenai Visitor Center is one of these museums and can be found on the western side of the marshland. Read More ....

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

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The Kushiro Shitsugen National park (better known as the Kushiro Marshland) is a national park, located to the north of Kushiro on the eastern side of Hokkaido. The park is known for its wetlands ecosystems. 'Shitsugen' translates to wetlands in English. It was designated as a national park on 31 July 1987. The massive park covers an area of 268.61 square kilometres on the Kushiro plain and is well known for its wildlife and vegetation. Read More ....

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

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Perched at the top of a large hill, overlooking Kushiro Marsh, you can find the Kushiro Marsh Observatory. This is one of the most interesting buildings in Hokkaido. The exterior, and especially the interior, has a strange and unique design and is reminiscent of a cool sci-fi movie. The central hall of the museum is definitely a place to get some photos. Read More ....

Obihiro Shrine

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In 1881, a man named Benzo Yoda and others from Shizuoka Prefecture organized a pioneer group called the "Bansei-sha". This group and settled inShimo-Obihiro Village and started pioneering. During this time, they started holding festivals and later built a small shrine, though the connection with the current Obihiro Shrine is still not well known. Read More ....

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Voices in Japan

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Podcast time	Every Thursday from 10:00
Contact	voicesinjapan@gmail.com
Website access	http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com
Notes	Podcast is in English

Tune in

Discover what Japan is REALLY like. If you want to listen to an entertaining podcast that is equally informative, then tune in every Thursday to ‘Voices in Japan’. It is run by Burke & Ben, two expats who have lived in Hokkaido for many years. Every week, they cover countless topics such as working, traveling, studying Japanese, customs, holidays, and traditions to name a few. The podcast is published weekly on Thursday mornings. All the episodes are on their site, so if you have missed any, you can scroll down and have a listen.

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The masters, Ben & Burke

The podcast is great for those living in Japan (or thinking about it), traveling to Japan, or even for anyone who wants to practice their English listening skills! The podcast can be accessed on their site http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com. For more information on Voices in Japan, you can access them at https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan, https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/, and on their instagram account https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/. So, to learn more about Japan and to get some perspective on its deep culture, take a listen to Voices in Japan!

Hokkaido Guide

– All Hokkaido, Japan Tourist Information

Kotan Hachiman Shrine

Otaru Canal Museum & Information Center

Tokai Lavender Fields

Urahoro Shrine

Onnenai Visitor Center

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

Kushiro Marsh Observatory

Obihiro Shrine

Voices in Japan