December 2017 Getting around Hokkaido in the winter is not the easiest of tasks, so this trip is limited to Sapporo. There are lots of fun things to keep one busy if you dress warm and have patience. After enjoying the Sapporo TV Tower and the lights in Odori Park, or the Snow Festival if … Read more
December 2017 Sapporo is a very walkable city, and what you will notice is the lack of automobiles, most likely due to its incredible train system, subway system, and underground walkways. Sapporo is logically organized thanks to its grid system. The main thoroughfare, Ō-Dōri, meaning “Big Street”, runs east to west across the city and … Read more
December 2017 Otaru is a lovely little town situated on Ishikari Bay of the Sea of Japan. It was an Ainu (native peoples of Hokkaido) settlement, and the name “Otaru” is recognized as being of Ainu origin, possibly meaning “River running through the sandy beach”. Otaru was recognized as a village by the bakufu (The … Read more