Hokkaido Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
island of Japan
About Hokkaido
Home to Japan's nativeAinupeople, Hokkaido continues to represent the untamed wilderness with many greatnational parks. Hokkaido is by far Japan's largest prefecture, consisting of Japan's entire northern island and its surrounding islets. For many visitors the scenery resembles a mix of northern Europe and the American West, with rolling fields, grazing cows, and pioneer cottages replacing the rice paddies and concrete warrens of 'mainland' Japan. However, the ubiquitous hotspring resorts in much of the island serve as a reminder that you are still in Japan. Hokkaido was for millennia the home of the Emishi people, whose descendants are today's Ainu. While loosely ruled by Japanese feudal lords since the 1500s, direct Japanese control was limited to the Oshima Peninsula aroundHakodate.
Hokkaido Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 14 sections including: