Japan’s Great White North
Hokkaido, the
northernmost of Japan’s main islands, is where massive snow sculptures, natural
hot springs and warming delicacies await
The second volume of Haruki Murakami’s A Wild Sheep
Chase illustrates the protagonist and his girlfriend scouting for a location
they saw in a photograph. Their surreal and elaborate quest takes them from the
urban haunts of Tokyo to the remote snowy mountains of Hokkaido in northern
Japan and one literally begins to picture the island destination. However, no
novels, guidebooks or photographs can do justice to the beauty of Hokkaido.
Popular among Japanese honeymooners and winter sport enthusiasts, Hokkaido, a
slice of rustic Japan, accounts for 20% of the nation’s landmass yet only 5% of
its population. At the same time, it showcases striking contrasts. Though most
small towns in the region are raw, quiet and peaceful, bigger cities like
Sapporo, with a growing population of nearly 2 million, come with first-rate
restaurants and cafés and urban lifestyles.
While mainland Japan exhibits the hot, humid
conditions associated with its temperate-zone location, Hokkaido (excluding its
southernmost part) experiences low temperatures, with winter lasting a good six
months. Visit the island between December to February and it dazzles you with
snow sculptures, ski adventures, stark scenery and exceptional food.
For Powder Lovers
There are some who complain about the cold weather
and flee to warmer destinations, and then there are those who readily put on
their winter gear and head out to appreciate fresh layers of powder under their
feet. Held every year in February, the Sapporo Snow Festival features about 250
snow and ice sculptures depicting everything from temples to cartoon
characters, spread across three major sites — Odori Park, Tsudome and Susukino.
These works of art, some measuring more than 25 meters in width and 15 meters
in height, bring a lot of fun to the idea of “winter wonderland”. With decent
public transportation and connectivity, Sapporo also makes for a good base for
any trip to ski resorts in the wilder regions. While Furano and Niseko have
been favourites among skiers for overall terrain, Rusutsu ski resort is a
stone’s throw away from Sapporo. The resort, popular for gorgeous tree runs, is
set in a silver birch woodland. Non-skiers can try dog sledding, horseback
riding, snow rafting and snow mobiling. Top off a day with a long soak in one
of the resorts’ openair hot tubs followed by a meal of delectable regional
cuisine such as soup curry and jingisukan (grilled mutton and vegetables).
Certain towns and cities have an undeniable,
picturesque appeal even when enveloped in snow. One such marvel is Otaru, a
historical fishing port. Take a scenic 60-minute bus ride from Sapporo to Otaru
in February for the The Otaru Snow Light Path Festival. For ten days, the city
is decked up in candles, glittering lanterns and snow statues that add a
certain charm to the city. Walk around Unga Kaijo, Temiyasen Kaijo and the
beautifully-preserved canal area between 5 pm to 9 pm to soak in the festive
spirit. Old red-brick warehouses, former office buildings and magnificent stone
mansions that once housed herring merchants dot the town, giving it a
distinctive character, reminiscent of past decades. Visit Sakaimachi street to
explore some of its quirky museums — Music Box Museum, Museum of Venetian Art,
Bank of Japan Museum, or drop into dairy dessert shop Rokkatei for your choice
of local cookies (Marusei butter cream and shiroi koibito) and fruit
chocolates. Otaru’s connection with Venice extends beyond its canal, to it’s
thriving glassware industry. One can swing into action by enrolling for a
glass-making workshop. From glass-blowing and sandblasting to fusing and
stained glass, you can master it all.
Soul Food & Highland Culture
Hokkaido can be easily called the ramen capital of
Japan. There are four different kinds of ramen soup bases that are found on
most menus in the island — the classic shio (salt) from Hakodate, miso (paste
made from fermented soya beans and barley) from Sapporo, shoyu (Japanese soy
sauce) from Asahikawa, and curry from Muroran. What’s unique to Hokkaido ramen
is the variation in the depth of flavours because of the use of local
ingredients like kombu (dried kelp) which is used in preparing the broth.
When in Hokkaido, you may notice both locals and
tourists gorging on soft serves in spite of the freezing temperatures. And why
not? Home to Japan’s finest cattle, dairy, fruit and vegetable farms, Hokkaido
offers high quality milk. Rich soft creams are available in all possible
flavours like matcha green tea and black bean to lavender and sesame.
Clean, plankton-rich waters of Japan offer everything
from high-quality crabs to sea urchin, squid, salmon and scallops. A must-try
is Salmon roe (ikura) served on a bed of rice, topped with dry seaweed. An
ideal way to sample the prefecture’s famous seafood is visiting a fish market
and having a donburi (rice bowl) breakfast. Typical toppings are fresh uni (sea
urchin), ikura (salmon roe), ika (squid) or a combination of all. Sapporo’s
Nijo Market and Hakodate’s Morning Market are fantastic options.
Drinking plays an important role in Japanese society
and most drinking parties are typically held at izakaya (informal Japanese
pub). While American Pale Lager style Sapporo beer and sake (rice wine) are
must tries, umeshu (plum wine), yuzushu (citrus yuzu liqueur) and Japanese
whiskies are drinks you might want to bring home as souvenirs.
Hokkaido has been the homeland of the Ainu, the
island’s persecuted indigenous inhabitants. Visiting the Shiraoi Ainu Museum is
a good way to understand more about Ainu culture. Commonly known as Porotokotan
(large lakeside village), the open air museum consists of five thatched houses
along the shore of Lake Poroto, each showcasing a different aspect of their
lifestyle.
With many volcanic peaks, Japan boasts of many onsens
— mineral-rich natural hot springs. In fact, hot springs are a part of social,
geologic and historic fabric of the country. Hakodate in Hokkaido, also known
as the “Hot Spring Kingdom”, features a vast array of retreats where you can
soothe your nerves and let the minerals from these natural waters work their
magic.
Shikha Shah
ETM 25FEB18
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