Charms of Hokkaido: Autumn Leaves & Salmon Run

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The Salmon Hometown Chitose Aquarium is a river life preservation facility located on the banks of the Chitose River in Hokkaido. Despite the name, Salmon Hometown is a preserve for all sorts of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Their collection includes creatures not only from the Chitose River, but from nearby Lake Shikotsu as well, and there is even a small assortment of life that is not native to Japan, such as red piranhas, electric eels, and veiled chameleons. The chief attraction of the aquarium is the large underwater observation area that allows visitors to see the fish of the Chitose River in their native habitat. By far the best time to come to the aquarium is during the autumn Salmon Run, when thousands of salmon swim in from the ocean, upstream to their spawning ground in fresher waters. It is a time of celebration for the native Ainu people to see the salmon return, and given how far these salmon have come and the hazards they have endured, you can understand why. At times the river is so packed with salmon you will see them pressed against the window!

Initially opened in 1990, the Porotokan Ainu Museum was dedicated to cataloging, preserving, and teaching the history and culture of the original native peoples of Hokkaido: the Ainu people. In 2018, however, the Porotokan closed down in order to clear the way for the new and expanded National Ainu Museum. This newer museum’s philosophy is based on the ideals of multicultural coexistence and presents various exhibits divided into six separate Ainu-centered themes: history, language, lifestyle, livelihood, worldview, and trade with other peoples. The museum is one building in a larger facility called Upopoy (“singing in a large group” in Ainu language). This facility includes, in addition to the museum, a National Park near Lake Poroto, and a Memorial Site for deceased Ainu.

The Historic Village of Hokkaido is a restored area based of what remained from the Meiji era and Taisho era. It is now an open-air museum with shops, households, and horse-drawn trams that run through the village. It displays various buildings and shops that were once constructed during Hokkaido’s growing development, including 60 different buildings from all over this northern island. It is also a place where many who lost their positions in the Edo Shogunate went to start their lives anew, especially samurai. It is located in the suburbs of Sapporo. It consists residential, mountainous, fishing, and agricultural zones.

Hokkaido Shrine, once known as Sapporo Shrine, is located in the city of Sapporo and is one of the most important Shinto shrines in the city. By order of Emperor Meiji, three Shinto kami (deities) were enshrined there– three spirits of protection to guard the island of Hokkaido. After the emperor’s passing, his soul was also enshrined there, adding a fourth protector to the shrine, and it was renamed Hokkaido Shrine. The shrine achieves especial importance and popularity during three important times of the year – spring, for its lovely cherry blossoms; summer, as the heart of the Sapporo Festival; and the New Year, when Japanese attend their yearly hatsumoude – the annual first shrine visit.

Located in Sapporo, Shiroi Koibito Park is a factory for confectionaries and a theme park. It is known for its white chocolate and its famous souvenir cookies in Hokkaido. There are various indoor and outdoor activities and places to visit. Guests can enter the factory and see how cookies and candy are made by the Shiroi Koibito employees. The factory tours also include a hands-on experience for guests to create and design their own cookies. The park is opened year-round, including its seasonal rose garden, which is said to be at its best during summer seasons.

The Sapporo Clock Tower is a museum and a symbol of Sapporo’s city. Once used as a drill house for physical education and military training for the students in the Agricultural College, it now holds small displays of the origins of Sapporo’s development and local history. The clock itself was bought in 1881 from Boston, Massachusetts. Its appearance now consists of red roofs and white walls that stand out to people passing by this historical monument. It was once the tallest building when it was constructed, but is now overshadowed by the taller business buildings around it.

Located in the center of Sapporo, running from east to west is Odori Park. It was supposed to be the main street separating Sapporo north from south as a fire break, but now represents the area holding the annual Snow Festival events. It has 92 types of trees and many flowerbeds, enough to attract tourists and locals for a relaxing time in its vicinity. For guests wishing for good views and photographs, there is the Sapporo TV Tower’s observation deck available to the public for a fee. The deck is especially popular during the Snow Festival’s events held every February.

Nightlife plans for guests in Sapporo might include activities like hitting the pachinko machines, nightclubs, bars, karaoke, and restaurants. If that is the case, it will probably lead them to Sapporo’s biggest entertainment neighborhood, Susukino, which is similar to Shinjuku’s Kabukicho red light district. As such, it should not come as a surprise that expenses might run a little higher here than in other parts of the city. Susukino is one of the sites that hosts the annual Snow Festival held every February in Sapporo. Genghis Khan nabe, or Susukino’s Ramen Yokocho are local foods recommended to all.

Home of the Sapporo 1972 Winter Olympics, the Okurayama Ski Jump is a 90 meter high skiing structure that is still used today. Since it is an all- weather structure, it’s still used not only during winter seasons, but summer as well. However, it is not open to the public when there are special events in progress. The public can enter the museum at the bottom of the Okurayama Ski Jump structure. There are also exhibits, documents, and general Olympic Winter Sports information displayed in the museum for guests to enjoy.

Sapporo is considered the birthplace of beer in Japan since it started manufacturing beer in the Meiji Period. The building for the Sapporo Beer Museum was originally used as the Sapporo Sugar Company around 1890. Then, it was employed as a location for the cleaning process of barley leaves that were used to make beer in 1965. Finally, it was made into a brewery and, then, the museum that now has two neighboring beer gardens. There are tasting lounges and tours offered at the Sapporo Beer Museum for a fee, though there are few signs containing English for foreign guests.

The glass made in Otaru is refined and is made in many workshops that also offer hands-on experience for guests who take interest in making their own glassware for a fee. Otaru is located in the prefecture of Hokkaido, neighboring the city of Sapporo. Aside from glass workshops, there are also many cafés, restaurants, and other shops that also allow guests to admire and purchase their artistic glass.

Among the many shops found on Sakaimichi Street is the Otaru Music Box Museum. It not only displays various objects, but also sells a wide range of music boxes, some of which are more elaborate than others; some move and others light up along with their melody. Midst the various types of music boxes are some made from glass, wood, or even traditional Japanese fabric, some are fashioned after sushi or Western-themed concepts. These music boxes also carry different songs according to a collection that the establishment has at their disposable.

The Otaru Canal was employed by businesses to transport their merchandise to warehouses with smaller ships since the bigger ships could not directly unload their goods to their destinations. However, eventually there was no use for the smaller vessels when the facilities were modernized, making the use of canals less necessary. Now the area is a tourist attraction, during the day people take leisurely walks about the scenic route where there are museums, restaurants, and shops. Furthermore, Otaru Canal is the main site of the Snow Light Path Festival which is celebrated annually during February as a winter festival.

Otaru has been a thriving fishing town since the Edo period, when its network of canals allowed for easy unloading of fishing boats. Years later, though the canals are now a local promenade and tourist hotspot, the fishing industry survives, finding fresh appeal by supporting the city’s top sushi restaurants now lining the Otaru Sushi District. A couple of these restaurants have earned Michelin Stars, and some require a reservation in advance. Some of these restaurants are native to Otaru, but many are more widely established, with branch restaurants all over the world. Otaru has over a hundred sushi restaurants scattered throughout the city, offering a broad variety of sushi dishes to choose from. Select sushi, including the shrimp and sea urchin, are praised as Otaru’s finest offerings.

The Otokoyama Sake Brewery and Museum provides a variety of information and displays for its guests. Mount Taisetsu produces the water used by Otokoyama to produce sake; it is said that the water from Mount Taisetsu will bring longevity to whomever drinks from its spring waters. Sake tastings are also offered as part of the experiences that this sake brewery can offer to guests. Otokoyama’s sake is not only known throughout all of Japan, but also internationally known; it won its first gold medal in 1977 at the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and has won several awards throughout the years.

Asahikawa is famous for its ramen. Whereas Sapporo is known for its miso based broth and Hakodate for its salt based broth, Asahikawa is known for its shoyu (soya sauce) based broths. Shops serving shoyu based ramen can be found throughout the city. The broth of Asahikawa Ramen is also known for being quite oily, and there is often a thin layer of oil on top of the soup. Another characteristic of the local ramen is the generally thin, hard and wavy noodles. The range of toppings is quite typical and includes green onions, pork, bamboo shoots and eggs. On the outskirts of the city there is an interesting collection of ramen shops called the Asahikawa Ramen Village. Eight famous ramen restaurants from Asahikawa have opened small branch stores besides one another in the complex alongside a gift shop and a small ramen shrine.

Among the various waterfalls found in the Sounkyo region, but the most notable ones are the Ginga and Ryusei Waterfall. Apart from sightseeing, tourists and other visitors usually climb the frozen waterfalls during winter to make their way to the peak atop the then frozen columns of ice. They both flow opposite opposite each other at different angles and appear to fall differently from one another; the Ginga Waterfall produces a more elegant fall with a gentler touch than the Ryusei Waterfall, which produces a more jet-like rush of water crashing down along the side of the cliff.

The Ezo red fox, or “Kitakitsune”, is an animal that is endemic to Hokkaido, an island which was once known to the mainland as “Ezo”. Nature-loving travelers on tour in Hokkaido hope for a glimpse of these adorable foxes, popular for their cute faces and fluffy winter coats. In the city of Kitami, the Kitakitsune Farm cares for around 50 foxes, giving them a safe place for them to roam free. Visitors to the farm can watch them wander without fear of disturbing them, since these foxes are especially comfortable around human guests. The fox is an inseparable part of Shinto mythology, appearing in folklore as spirit tricksters, guides, and even romantic partners. They are especially connected to Inari – the Shinto deity of rice and agriculture – as heavenly messengers, and are represented as stone statues to guard Inari’s shrines.

The Abashiri Prison Museum opened as an open air museum in 1985. The cold, harsh conditions in Abashiri Prison only made conditions worse for the prisoners as food became scarce while still doing hard labor. There are plenty of displays all over the prison of life-size dummies in uniform to exhibit a tangible understanding of previous work and prison conditions in Abashiri Prison.

The Okhotsk Ryuhyo Museum is located at the top of Mount Tento and exhibits materials related to the drift ice that comes to Abashiri. One of the exhibits provides a drift ice experience where you can actually touch the frozen clumps that came from the Sea of Okhotsk. The room is consistently set at -15° Celsius, which is 5° Fahrenheit. There are creatures that appear when the drift ice comes and one of the most popular species is the Cliones. The Cliones are transparent sea slugs that are more known by their nickname sea angels.

The Shiretoko Peninsula is one of the most majestic regions on earth, featuring a long chain of rugged volcanoes, verdant green forests, pristine lakes, and waterfalls, with drift ice off the coast in winter. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is also inhabited by an impressive variety of animals, some of which can only be seen in this untouched wilderness. Shiretoko National Park boasts an exceptionally high population of Ussuri brown bears, and those who travel in the area stand a good chance of seeing one. However, an encounter with a bear on land can be dangerous, as bears can be overcurious and fiercely protective of their cubs. On a Shiretoko Bear-Watching Cruise, visitors can observe this Shiretoko native in safety as they prowl the woodlands and coastline looking for food. The Ussuri brown bear (or Ezo brown bear) is considered a brown bear by zoologists despite some of their fur appearing nearly black in color, leading to the nickname “black grizzly”. These bears can grow to be far larger than the small Asian black bear, nearly reaching the size of the Alaskan Kodiak bear.

Oshinkoshin Falls is located on the UNESCO World Heritage-inscribed Shiretoko Peninsula, which is protected for its breathtaking natural beauty and the depth of its biodiversity. On the northwest side sits the Oshinkoshin Waterfall, beside the coastal road that winds up to the top of the peninsula, making it easy for visitors to access. An easy wooden walkway leads up to the falls, which spread out over a rocky hillside like countless strands of thread in a long silvery-white blanket. Near the top of the falls is a small outcropping of stone and wild green growth that divides the falls neatly in half, leading to the name Oshinkoshin, which in the Ainu language means "beautifully forked". When you take in the surrounding woodland area together with the waterfall, it presents a different profile of beauty in each season. In addition to the picture-perfect spot in front of the waterfall, there are also a set of stairs leading to the top of the hill, presenting a spectacular view of the Sea of Okhotsk. Along the path you can find a sign describing the waterfall in Japanese and English.

Lake Mashu is located in the Akan National Park and is known for having the clearest water in the world. The lake’s water is ranked as one of the clearest in the world. The color of the water in the lake is referred to as Mashu blue. Lake Mashu is covered in fog for a good portion of the year earning the nickname Foggy Lake Mashu. The urban legend claims that the fog is there to conceal the kamui (god) while they swim.

The Lake Akan Ainu Kotan is a traditional Ainu village beside Lake Akan in Hokkaido. Kotan means “settlement” in the native language of the Ainu, and this Kotan is Hokkaido’s largest Ainu village. The village reflects ancient Ainu culture and spirituality, which respected much of the natural world, including various animals, as “kamuy” or “powerful spirits”. This belief led to a reverence for nature displayed in art, music, dance, and other elements of Ainu life. A special part of this heritage is a ceremonial dance that is often performed in the community. Additionally, a small museum full of Ainu implements and other native items is a popular attraction among visiting travelers. The Ainu people have lived in Hokkaido since before the Yamato (Japanese) first traveled there, and although they have been largely assimilated into Japanese society, they still some small communities where their way of life lives on.

Lake Akan is one of the most popular lakes in the Akan- Mashu National Park. The lake is the habitat of marimo algae, which grows in large, fluffy green balls. Some of them can grow to be a big as a soccer ball! Visitors come to the lake to stay at a hot spring ryokan in Akanko Onsen, climb to the top of Mount Oakan for an impressive view, and cruise around the lake in a sightseeing boat. Many of these boats stop at an island in the middle of the lake, where they have an informative museum devoted to studying marimo algae. In winter, the surface of the lake freezes over and allows for ice fishing. In March and April, the ice becomes thin enough to allow ice-breaker cruises, with ships cracking through the drifting surface ice. On still nights, when the temperature reaches -15 degrees Celsius, the fog freezes to the surface of the lake, creating delicate “frost flowers”.

Lake Akan is a clear lake located within the Akan-Mashu National Park in Hokkaido. This lake is one of Hokkaido’s natural treasures, and travelers come at all times of the year to admire the gorgeous scenery. A summer cruise around the lake offers travelers the opportunity to see the natural surroundings of Lake Akan at one of its best times. Surrounding the lake are lush forests of various green trees including fir, spruce, oak, and linden, below tall Mount Oakan. One may be lucky enough to spy Yezo deer or the Ezo red fox peeking out from under the branches. Lake Akan is famous as the protected habitat of marimo algae, which grow in fluffy green balls the size of a volleyball. Some cruises stop at the Marimo Observatory where visitors can observe this rare wonder of nature.

The red-crowned crane is so important and rare a fowl that it has its own recognized international center located in the city of Kushiro, Hokkaido. This bird is even said to be a harbinger of good luck in general Japanese beliefs, even the indigenous people of Hokkaido said that they were marsh gods of the land. Within the Akan International Crane Center’s vicinity also holds a museum displaying information about the ecosystem and the crane’s life, a crane sanctuary, a breeding center, and also a feeding ground.

The first marshland internationally sanctioned for habitat protection in Japan is the Kushiro Marshlands in 1987, when it was made into a national park. One of the main features of these wetlands is birdwatching where the rare red-crowned crane is among the most favorites to see. This endangered species is unique to Japan and was once thought to have been extinct because of the destruction of the land and due to excess hunting of their kind. Now, the cranes can be seen in every season of the year in the marshlands where they reside.

The Kushiro Washo Market (Kushiro Washo Ichiba) opened in 1949 a short distance from Kushiro Station and is one of the three big markets that can be found in Hokkaido. There are about 60 stalls selling fresh seafood, dried products, meat and vegetables. A popular meal at the market is "Kattedon", a donburi dish where diners can personalize their rice bowl with seafood bought from the vendors.