Hokkaido

Hokkaido is a city which feels more like an English town rather than Japanese as it has many English cottages instead of Japanese houses. The weather in June is just nice, and the lavender bloom is just starting. Lavender flavoured ice-cream was everywhere and almost every day I eat ice-cream! Hokkaido is always my dream that I am mad about its white snow and warm springs. Hokkaido is the northern one of the 4 most biggest islands in Japan, the four seasons of which are all refreshing and comfort, especially for winter that is covered by a silvery white snow. Due to its marine climate, it will make you feel warm instead of cold in winter here. Hokkaido is a real paradise for those warm spring-lovers. Because of its unique topography, the warm spring quantity of which is the highest in Japan, such as the Snowy Mountain, the beads Hill, Asahidake, and so on. have amazing hot springs . These are some unique style hot spring hotels, combined with gourmet cuisine, that make you feel happy and carefree.

Central Hokkaido
Central Hokkaido is the political and economic hub of this prefecture. The capital of Hokkaido, Sapporo, is located here as well as the port cities of Otaru and Muroran. The major airport of this prefecture is located in Chitose approximately 50 minutes by train from Sapporo. The area has beautiful parks, wildlife areas, ski & snow board mountains and large hot spring (“Onsen” ) areas.

Northern Hokkaido
Bordered by both the Sea of Japan and the Okhotsk Sea, this area is home to the northern most point in Japan as well as large open pastoral leases. It is a favorite area for trekking and bird watching and home to the two islands of Rishiri and Rebun, which are known for their spectacular natural beauty and large variety of wildlife. Also well known is the road running along the coast from Sapporo to Wakkanai which delivers some of the best sunsets in Japan. Hot spring areas in this region include the Toyotomi Hot Spring and Wakkanai Hot Spring.

Southern Hokkaido
Historically speaking, Southern Hokkaido was the commercial and also for a limited time, political center of Hokkaido and offers a look into the past of this region. During the cold winter months this area also offers slightly more mild weather than the rest of the prefecture. Besides history, there is also still plenty of natural beauty and one of the oldest hot spring areas in Hokkaido.

Eastern Hokkaido
Eastern Hokkaido is home to one of Japan’s largest fishing fleets, the huge Kushiro Marshland, the WorldHeritage Listed Shiretoko National Park and the beautiful Akan National Park area. This area is not only known for it’s incredible scenery and well preserved forests, but is also home to two of Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring areas called Akan and Kawayu. The area is also characterized by huge 2000 plus meter mountains and wide open plains for farming. This area produces huge amounts of farmed goods including vegetables, dairy products, flowers and flower related products. It is home to Hokkaido’s second largest city of Asahikawa as well as the famous Sounkyo Hot Spring area.

History
Hokkaido's recorded history starts around 658, but Hokkaido's history is much older with occupation by Japan's aboriginal Ainu race. The Nihonshoki is often said to be the first mention of Hokkaido in recorded history. According to the text, Abe no Hirafu led a large navy and army to northern areas from 658 to 660 and came into contact with the Mishihase and Emishi. One of the places Hirafu went to was called Watarishima, which is often believed to be present-day Hokkaido. However, many theories exist in relation to the details of this event, including the location of Watarishima and the common belief that the Emishi in Watarishima were the ancestors of the present-day Ainu.

During the Nara and Heian periods, people in Hokkaido conducted trade with the Dewa Province, the outpost of the Japanese central government. From the medieval ages, the people in Hokkaido began to be called Ezo. Around the same time Hokkaido came to be called Ezochi or Ezogashima. The Ezo mainly relied upon hunting and fishing and obtained rice and iron through trade with the Japanese.

During the Muromachi period, the Japanese created a settlement at the south of the Oshima peninsula. As more people moved to the settlement to avoid battles, disputes arose between the Japanese and the Ainu. The disputes eventually developed into a battle. Takeda Nobuhiro killed the Ainu leader and established a Japanese victory. Nobuhiro's descendants became the rulers of the Matsumae Han, which ruled the south of Ezochi until the end of the Edo period.

The Matsumae Han's economy relied upon trade with the Ainu. The Matsumae family was granted exclusive trading rights with the Ainu in the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods. The Han gradually changed trade conditions so they came to favor Japanese merchants. As a result, some Ainu rebelled against the Matsumae han, but the rebellions were defeated. During the Meiji Restoration, the Shogunate realized there was a need to prepare northern defenses against Russian aggressions and took over most control of Ezochi. The Shogunate made the Ainu burden slightly easier, but did not change the overall form of rule.

Hokkaido was known as Ezochi until the Meiji Restoration. Shortly after the Boshin War in 1868, a group of Tokugawa loyalists led by Enomoto Takeaki proclaimed the island's independence as the Republic of Ezo, but the rebellion was crushed in May 1869. Ezochi was subsequently put under control of the Colonization Office. When establishing the Colonization Office, the Meiji Government decided to change the name of Ezochi. Matsuura Takeshirō submitted 6 ideas, including names such as Kaihokudo (海北道) and Hokkaido (北加伊道) to the government. The government eventually decided to use the name Hokkaido, but decided to write it as 北海道, as a compromise between 海北道 and because of the similarity with names such as Tokaido (東海道). According to Matsuura, the name was thought up because the Ainu called the region "Kai." In 1882, the Colonization Office was abolished, and Hokkaido was separated into three prefectures, Hakodate, Sapporo, and Nemuro. In 1886, the three prefectures were abolished, and Hokkaido was put under the Hokkaido Agency. Hokkaido became equal with other prefectures in 1947, when the revised Local Autonomy Law became effective.