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Things to Do in Hokkaido
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Hokkaido Things To Do


Reviews and photos of Hokkaido attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Hokkaido sightseeing.
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Yukata
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  • kielorla
  • By kielorla on July 28, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Me wearing Yukata - Hokkaido
    Me wearing Yukata
    by kielorla
    Wearing Yukata is very common and you will find that every hotels will put a Yukata in your room. But wearing Yukata on the street will only to common in the hot spring resort area but not in the city.

    Another thing to note that is wearing Yukata has to fold your left inside and then your right. Dun do it wrong like put your right inside and then to your left, this method of wearing is only for death people.

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    Otaru
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  • kielorla
  • By kielorla on July 28, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Otaru Canal - Hokkaido
    Otaru Canal
    by kielorla
    Otaru is a romantic town. Stroll along the Otaru canal and discovered the old warehouse along the side of the canal. Previously, this canal is an very important river for Otaru, this river is used to transport goods to Otaru, therefore you can found alot of warehouse along the canal. But now, this canal is a tourist attraction.

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    Pachinko
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  • kielorla
  • Updated By kielorla on July 28, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Me playing Pacinko - Hokkaido
    Me playing Pacinko
    by kielorla
    Playing Pachinko is very popular in Japan and also very additive. My tour guide said that you have to use your right hand to find tune to an angle for the ball bearing to fall to the center of the board so that it will fall into the hole and activate the jackpot. If you hit the jackpot, ball bearings will fall out. These ball bearings can be exchange into gifts but not money as it is illegal in Japan to exchange into money. But i heard there is a back door out to actually change those bearings into money. But only the locals know how.

    My tour guide told me that there is one incident that a young mother actually hooked on playing Pachinko, so one day, during summer, she brought her few months baby to play Pachinko, she put her baby inside the car and leave a tiny air gap in the window. But as it is summer, the car got very hot and the baby got sufficated inside the car. And this news got onto the national TV and was a topic for a week. So after this incident, now most Pachinko center hired babysitter to take care of those babies while the mothers playing the game.

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    Hell Valley - Noboribetsu Onsen
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  • kielorla
  • Updated By kielorla on July 28, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Hell Valley board sign - Hokkaido
    Hell Valley board sign
    by kielorla
    This is one of the few sign board that actually have english explaination of the hell valley.

    Below is what it say:

    HISTORY OF JUGOKUDUNI VALLEY

    Mt Kuttara, the central crater of which is where kuttarako Lake is located, began volcanic activities again in its western foot in the Holocene epoach ( 10,000 years ago in the present). Thousands of years of repeated phreatic explosions produces the geographical deatures around Jigokudani Valley High volcanic energy in the form of magma is believed to be stored underground. Gas is emitted and hot water spouts out actively even now.

    PLANTS AROUND JIGOKUDANI VALLEY

    Altough the elevation of Jigokudano Valley is only 210 yo 260 meters, such alpine plants as Marsh tea and Crowberry, grow there. This is because the surrounding environment is very severe for plants due to such emitted gas as hydrogen suifide or the presence of the highly acidic and moisture absorbing trass. Such severe conditions, like severe weather on high mountains, impede growth of plants other than Alphine plants.

    THE NOBORIBETSU PRIMEVAL FOREST

    In 1924, the forest around Noboribetsu-Onsen hot springs was nationally protected and designated as the " Noboribetsu Primeval Forest". In those days, the forest comprised mainly typical gigantic trees found in south Hokkaido such as Mongolian oak and Castor aralia. Later, however, the forest changed much as a result of logging activities in the last years of WW II and the ddestructive forces of Typhoon Toyamaru in 1954. You can still find towering Querus crispula trees here and there. From these, you will be able to imagine the former glory of the primeval forest.

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    Asahi Beer Factory - sapporo
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  • kielorla
  • By kielorla on July 28, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Asahi beer factory - Hokkaido
    Asahi beer factory
    by kielorla
    We went to tour around Japan best brew beer Asahi Beer factory, you cant take picture inside the factory but it is worth to tour around. Japanese's technology is really very advance. While we were touring the factory, the large production line, we only saw 2 workers maintaining that large line. The whole production line is totally automated, from producing the beer till the packaging all automated.

    I got to know that the whole factory only consist of slightly over 100 workers, wow that is impressive.

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    White chocolate factory - Ishiya Factory - Sapporo
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  • kielorla
  • Updated By kielorla on August 5, 2004
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  • White chocolate factory - Hokkaido
    White chocolate factory
    by kielorla
    This Ishiya Factory produced the best white chocolate in the country, you an get it anywhere other than in Hokkaido, not even in toyko or in other cities as they dont export out of hokkaido. A very good gift to bring back for your friends and relatives.

    The factory is a very fun place to tour around as they have a mini toy museum, a tour to see how the chocolate is made, a cafe that serve very nice hot chocolate and also a very romantic place to hang out the factory as they have a mini garden and a beautiful fountain at the compound.

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    Lavander Farm - Farm Tomita -Nakafurano Town
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  • kielorla
  • Updated By kielorla on August 5, 2004
  • Hokkaido Page by kielorla
  • Rainbow land - Hokkaido
    Rainbow land
    by kielorla
    The most exciting day in the trip, the lavander farm, i have waitied for this day for very very long. And finally i have seen the lavanders. They are very beautiful and at one corner of the farm, they have this rainbow field make out of different colours of flowers. They are so beautiful

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    Getting to the Lavender Farms
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  • vyxxyn
  • By vyxxyn on July 13, 2005
  • Hokkaido Page by vyxxyn
  • Walkway bridge beside Station, to Lavender farms - Hokkaido
    Walkway bridge beside Station,
    to Lavender farms
    by vyxxyn
    As you emerge from the Nakafurano JR Station, take a right and you will see this bridge. Walk through it to get behind the station, and walk straight down that road. A map will be present as you emerge from the end of the bridge. A map is also present outside the Station before the bridge.

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  • Address: Nakafurano JR Station
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    Must-see destinations in Hokkaido
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  • vyxxyn
  • Updated By vyxxyn on July 13, 2005
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  • Otaru (Hokkaido, Japan) - a quaint little town - Hokkaido
    Otaru (Hokkaido, Japan) - a
    quaint little town
    by vyxxyn
    If you're travelling free and easy on a short trip in Hokkaido, here are the places you should get to, and are easily accessible by train:

    For sightseeing/adventure:
    Otaru - quaint old town with rich culture
    Nakafurano - Lavender (summer) and skiing (winter)
    Noboribetsu - Hot spring baths "on-sen"
    Hakodate - a self-contained islet between Hokkaido and Honshu peninsulas

    For shopping:
    Sapporo - busy city, heart of Hokkaido
    Shin-Sapporo - modern extention of Sapporo City, newer generation lifestyle.
    Teine - Pronounced "tay-neh", a shopping haven.
    Asahikawa - New industrialized city in mountainous zone of central Hokkaido.
    Otaru - Shopping and sightseeing. Preserved fish, fresh fruits cheaper than in Sapporo.

    Pictured here is the picturesque town of Otaru where very old buildings are juxtaposed with very modern ones. Indeed an experience not to be missed!

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  • Directions: Get your free copy of the JR Hokkaido Timetable from the Sapporo station. Available in English.
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    Eat Melons!
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  • vyxxyn
  • By vyxxyn on July 13, 2005
  • Hokkaido Page by vyxxyn
  • Fresh Hokkaido Melons! - Hokkaido
    Fresh Hokkaido Melons!
    by vyxxyn
    Melon season is around June-August, therefore prices of melons are competitively low. The Hokkaido variety is more tasty than melons from the rest of Japan so it will be good to try some. Melons from Hokkaido cost more in other parts of Japan.

    Melon-flavoured snacks are also available, like Melon ice-cream, Kit-Kat in Melon, Melon flavoured chews, etc.

    Pictured here are melons from a street market in Otaru, Hokkaido.

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    More Hokkaido Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 13 - Photos: 13
    Things To Do
    Tips: 69 - Photos: 76
    Nightlife
    Tips: 5 - Photos: 5
    Transportation
    Tips: 12 - Photos: 9
    Restaurants
    Tips: 10 - Photos: 11
    Shopping
    Tips: 11 - Photos: 27
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 2
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 2
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 2 - Photos: 1
    Local Customs
    Tips: 6 - Photos: 8
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 4
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 2
    General Tips
    Tips: 3 - Photos: 6

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