Traveling in Hokkaido
Hokkaido, Japan is a nature lover's paradise. Located on the northernmost island of Japan, it is the largest prefecture in the country. Their extensive number of national parks are often compared to those found in Europe due to the similar flora and fauna found throughout, along with many faux German cottages located throughout the parks. Hokkaido is only a hundred or so years old, compared to other thousands-year-old prefectures in Japan, so much of the architecture and cities are modern and westernized.
Being so far north, Hokkaido experiences quite a bit of snow in the winter and is overall much cooler than other areas of Japan. The most popular times to visit are between May and August due to the dry and cool sunny days.
Regions
As a whole, Hokkaido is divided into four circuits: Central, Eastern, Northern, and Southern. The capital city of Sapporo is located in the Central Circuit and is home to the tourist office and the majority of food and accommodation options. The Eastern Circuit is the largest and most remote, the Northern Circuit is known for Furano, a popular ski resort, and the Southern Circuit is where you'll find the Onuma Quasi National Park.