When discussing Hokkaido’s investment opportunities in ski real estate, Niseko naturally dominates the conversation. However, Uchi is reporting an increase in savvy investors seeking both exceptional powder snow and authentic local charm who are increasingly turning their gaze toward emerging areas like Rusutsu These destinations not only provide unparalleled access to Hokkaido’s famous deep snow but also deliver a richer more immersive Japanese cultural experience at significantly more attractive price points are gaining momentum as premier ski destinations in their own right drawing attention with their expansive ski terrain varied runs suited for skiers of all skill levels making it a hotspot for investors keen to capitalize early on the area’s promising growth known for its picturesque landscapes and famous lavender fields in the warmer months offers year-round appeal and steadily appreciating property values particularly attractive for investors seeking diversification Venturing slightly off the main ski tracks investors can discover genuine gems like Makkari and direct access to Hokkaido’s backcountry often at a fraction of the cost compared to established resorts Makkari’s proximity to Niseko allows investors to enjoy the vibrant ski scene while returning to a peaceful home base Lake Toya combines natural beauty with hot spring luxury ideal for creating unique accommodations that appeal to upscale tourists seeking wellness-focused stays increasingly popular with adventurous skiers looking for fresh powder and minimal lift lines represents a unique opportunity for forward-thinking investors the marriage between the renowned winter experiences Hokkaido offers and the local flavor of its up-and-coming resort towns creates an irresistible investment proposition Investors who move early to secure property in these lesser-known areas stand to benefit from lower entry costs and a rewarding blend of authentic Japanese living combined with world-class skiing Check out the 12 properties below, handpicked by Uchi, or head to uchijapan.com to find your dream home in Japan’s top ski resorts The Vale Rusutsu. View more images Why: the only ski-in ski-out hotel in Rusutsu Resort this property has gone from strength to strength with incredible occupancy and revenue numbers this winter giving great returns Lake Toya Villa. View more images Why: great value entry point to Hokkaido’s market this property has been generating over 10% net rental return and offers access to the lake and the mountains Makkari Residence. View more images this property enjoys epic views of Mount Yotei and even an indoor golf practice area Iwanai Resort – House Build Site Plot. View more images Build your backcountry ski cabin and enjoy the amazing Iwanai ski hill Rankoshi Private Mountain. View more images Avoid that by owning your own (small) mountain in Rankoshi this is a 4 bedroom home giving access to the Club Med resort that offers some of the best snow in Hokkaido Fenix Furano. View more images Why: most units sold out off plan and there are just a handful remaining in this super-popular year-round hotel Karurusu Onsen Ryokan. View more images Why: what’s the point in staying in an onsen hotel when you can own one 5 minutes walk from the ski hill and a short drive from Noboribetsu Onsen Furano Land Close To Ski Fields. View more images Why: 13,000sqm+ plot of land just 5 minutes from Furano ski resort Rusutsu House Build Site: Plots 35-52. View more images Why: double-sized plot in Rusutsu resort just minutes from the lift Makkari Central Complex Building. View more images Why: with both residential and commercial spaces this is the ideal option for your latest business idea while enjoying access to Niseko and Rusutsu resorts Lake Toya Panorama Site. View more images Why: lovely views from this site – build a cabin to enjoy the year-round Hokkaido life only 20 minutes from Rusutsu resort Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Ski Asia’s bi-monthly newsletter with the latest news Spots Ski/Snowboard In the outskirts of Niseko and the southern Hokkaido area you can enjoy high-quality powder snow that skiers and snowboarders long for we will introduce ski resorts where you can fully enjoy powder snow the true joy of skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido [7 minutes walk from Sapporo Station] Enjoy hot springs A comfortable stay at the 605-room "Sapporo Hotel by Granbell" [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels "So cute it's unfair" - Feel the healing power of a sleeping miniature horse [Information on the early opening on April 25th] Sapporo Odori's newest attraction Floor details and highlights of "4PLA" opening in summer 2025 A hotel in the center of Sapporo with a superb sauna and large public bath Experience the warmth that is unique to Hokkaido at "Danyuki Sapporo" [2025 Edition] 7 recommended cherry blossom spots in the Kitami and eastern Hokkaido areas Enjoy cherry blossom viewing in the great outdoors Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category You can check the information of your “town” in one place Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service the ski lifts across Japan will start spinning once again With the countdown to ski season ticking away now is the perfect time to explore the incredible opportunities Japanese real estate has to offer or just love the idea of cosying up in a mountain chalet Japan’s ski resorts provide an unbeatable mix of culture With the yen still weak and Japan’s ski resorts anticipating a record number of visitors this year there’s no better moment to secure your dream holiday home A property in Japan means having your own slice of paradise amidst stunning landscapes ready to welcome you after a day on the slopes Imagine sipping hot cocoa by a roaring fire in your own chalet or waking up to breathtaking mountain views – all while knowing you’ve made a smart investment in one of the world’s most dynamic real estate markets We’ve handpicked 10 exceptional properties that will have you dreaming of Japanese powder snow in no time From charming mountain lodges nestled in the heart of Hokkaido’s ski country to modern apartments in bustling ski towns like Hakuba these homes are ready to provide the perfect base for your winter adventures Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in a property that will not only elevate your lifestyle but could also offer fantastic rental potential during Japan’s peak tourist seasons All 10 properties today are less than $850,000 USD no need to break the bank to enjoy the Japow 6 Bedroom Madarao Resort Home. View more images Why: Fantastic location in Madarao Resort – only 2 hours from the centre of Tokyo – lovely home with strong rental history Kuromatsunai 4 Bedroom House. View more images Why: that price is not a mistake – discounted for sale before winter this house can be your winter bolthole to enjoy the snowiest season of your life SOTO House – Myoko. View more images Why: newly renovated 4-bedroom residence that sleeps 10 people comfortably offering a unique opportunity for flexible use Shinsetsu 6. View more images Why: you simply don’t find 2 bedroom options in the heart of Niseko at this price anymore Powder Lodge: Rusutsu Central. View more images this property can offer a tidy return as staff accommodation or be done up to work as a B&B or amazing home Kyogoku Yotei View House & Land. View more images Why: the price has just been reduced on this lovely 4 bedroom home sitting on 1 hectare of land A ready-to-go home with Yotei views and potential for future development too Iwanai Resort House. View more images Why: 5 bedroom home on a large plot just moments from Iwanai resort and access to some of Hokkaido’s most-loved backcountry areas Yuki Yama 1. View more images Why: a 3 bedroom apartment spread over 100sqm of floor area – this is the best value for money property in Niseko right now Woodside Chalet – Misorano. View more images Why: charming 5 bedroom 2-storey chalet and cabin in the scenic Misorano area offering ample space and versatile usage – less than 10 minutes from the ski slopes Daisetsuzan – Country Resort. View more images Why: a lovely 3 bedroom 2 bathroom chalet located in the managed Country Resort community of homes just a 5 minute drive from Niseko-Hirafu Can’t find what you want above? Head to uchijapan.com/properties now to search for your dream home in Japan Fast forward to 2017/18 and #japow is the hashtag on every skier’s social media feed Japan has reached almost mythical status for its unrivalled snowfall and the unique cultural ski holiday opportunity it offers At the centre of it all is the little farming community of Niseko – the nucleus of one of the world’s most exciting new ski holiday destinations Whistler has long-been one of the world’s exemplar ski resorts Paul Mathews is the founder of Canadian mountain resort planner Ecosign responsible for the masterplan that took Whistler to the top of the skiing world’s to-do list The company went on to plan and consult to ski resorts the world over “Whistler was always the Mecca that everybody in the world wanted to come to,” Mathews says ”Now the kids from Whistler all want to go to Niseko Being cool has gotten Niseko off to a very good start This one mountain has become a brand recognised across the skiing world that encapsulates the Japanese powder experience The past decade has seen international companies snap up half a dozen resorts in the region (and more across the island) and each is planning or already rolling out major master-planned redevelopments There are many international examples of neighbouring resorts combining strengths to become iconic brand-name regions: Whistler Blackcomb and even New Zealand’s Queenstown in the southern hemisphere and makes the entire prospect bigger than any one resort ever could be With 10 excellent ski-mountain setups within an hour’s drive of Niseko Southwest Hokkaido has the right DNA to become a powerhouse destination Japanese hospitality… the list goes on Japan adds a lot of value to the international ski holiday experience With more and more luxury accommodation options being developed every year the stage is set for Southwest Hokkaido to become a ski holiday destination that will rub shoulders with the best in the world What the aforementioned regions have over Southwest Hokkaido at this stage is a big head start Mathews says while there is a buzz and great snow here there is still a long way to go before Southwest Hokkaido can hope to offer the same international ski resort experiences as its older well-established counterparts – pedestrian villages He says masterplans he is developing with Hanazono and Niseko Village will take these resorts to that level and bring world-class hotel brands – Park Hyatt and Ritz-Carlton Reserve – as well as shops and restaurants onto the snow front which has long been touted as “the next Niseko” Rusutsu offers a totally different skiing experience to Niseko wide pistes and plenty of fall-line valley skiing across three gondola-connected peaks Rusutsu is keeping its cards close to its chest but it has a vast base area with excellent potential to become a vibrant pedestrian village It is also in the running for Hokkaido’s first casino license adding yet another significant draw card to the region across all seasons Meanwhile Kiroro Resort is the other major resort in the Niseko catchment that has an exciting masterplan underway The resort planner responsible for one of the US’s most prestigious resorts is working with Kiroro’s new Thai owners to create a dynamic four-seasons resort offering complete with vast amounts of beginner to pro-level skiing options ”A 2017 study estimated there was US$500 million of investment in the Niseko area between 2011 and 2015 – 70 per cent of it foreign and we estimate there must be towards US$2 billion dollars currently in the Southwest Hokkaido development pipeline (at January 2018) we’ve unveiled some of the plans born out of Niseko across the region giving us a glimpse of things to come over the next decade and beyond Let’s recap in the 100th issue of Powderlife and see one thing is certain – Southwest Hokkaido is a skier’s paradise that will continue to capture the world’s attention *Paul Mathews is the founder of Whistler-based mountain resort planner Ecosign who drew up the initial plans for Niseko’s Hanazono in the 1980s He has now taken on the job once again with wider scope for a world-standard design and is also overseeing the planning of Niseko Village with similar vision Once the baby brother of the Niseko United ski resorts Hanazono is about to outgrow its older siblings in spectacular style With the recent purchase of the adjacent mountain and plans for some serious new lift infrastructure including a gondola connecting the two Hanazono will effectively double the area of its already sizeable ski terrain Add to that a masterplan that includes a hotel and residences by one of the world’s most luxurious hotel brands as well as more year-round resort-based adventure activities to support its golf course and white water rafting it’s easy to see Hanazono is on its way to achieving its goal of becoming “the best equipped all-seasons mountain resort in Asia” ”Hanazono will effectively double the area of its already sizeable ski terrain The gondola connection to Weiss Mountain will open an entire new area of pristine untouched powder and wide-open groomed trails creating an intermediate skiers’ paradise just 15 minutes’ ride from the Hanazono base plans include two quad chairs servicing the mid and higher altitude slopes with a smaller-capacity lift taking skiers right to the peak From here ski touring options unlock access to a backcountry wilderness previously beyond the reach of even advanced backcountry day skiers Progress is well underway and by winter 2019 guests will enjoy an upgrade of Hanazono’s central quad lift to a luxury high-speed and the first stage of the Weiss gondola landing at a mid-station At the same time this will provide access to extensive new beginner and intermediate slopes and night skiing all within the Hanazono resort proper and feeding directly to new and upgraded facilities around the Hanazono base This will include more restaurants and what Hanazono says will be the best-equipped kids’ ski school in Asia The following summer there are plans for a mountain coaster and over 2.6km of ziplines including boasting rights to Asia’s longest single zipline at 1800m Hanazono promises to be an energetic hive of summer activity First developed in 1992 by current owner of Hirafu Hanazono was then sold to a consortium of savvy Australian businessman in 2004 ”With a crystal ball-like vision of what was possible on their new canvas they set about establishing plans to take the resort to the next level and create Asia’s premiere international all-season resort They engaged Canadian mountain resort planners Ecosign to draw up a new masterplan initiated the construction of modern new base buildings and started implementing all-season resort infrastructure and amenities word of this new “Eastern Aspen” on Japan’s northern island had spread across Asia where Hong Kong’s billionaire tycoon Richard Li’s Pacific Century Premium Developments took an interest in the region and bought the resort along with a swathe of the surrounding area With Park Hyatt joining the project in 2019 the pieces of the puzzle are now well placed for the final development of a vision now in its second decade of execution Niseko Village is the other Niseko United resort with a grand new masterplan and already well and truly established four-season resort offerings It was also the first to start rolling out its plans in 2015 and is now the most far advanced with the aim to “develop Niseko Village into one of the world’s greatest all-season resorts” Situated between Hirafu and the western-most resort Annupuri the resort was acquired in 2010 by YTL Hotels the hospitality arm of Malaysian construction and development powerhouse YTL Corporation YTL owns the entire base area of the resort which includes the centrepiece 22-storey Hilton Hotel tower low-rise boutique hotel The Green Leaf Niseko Village a pair of new luxury townhouse condominiums Kasara a new old-Japan-themed shopping and dining precinct ”YTL has already finished rolling out the masterplan’s first stage which consisted of the development of the shopping precinct a network of gondolas providing connection between different parts of the resort and an extremely beginner-friendly new ski run Stage 2 of the plan kicked off in mid-2017 with the start of construction on Hinode Hills a new low-rise ski-in/ski-out condominium hotel which is expected to be managed by a major international hotel group Already confirmed of course is what will become the jewel in Niseko Village’s crown – a 50-room Ritz-Carlton Reserve boutique hotel and residences “Reserve” properties are Ritz-Carlton’s highest tier luxe-level offering described by the company as “signature one-of-a-kind boutique resorts positioned in unique settings” Niseko skiers and snowboarders won the lottery eight years ago when a new mountain pass was completed between Niseko and the seaside port town of Otaru En route is the powder-snow kingdom of Kiroro to which Route 393 now provides direct access in under an hour Higher and closer to the snow storms that blow in off the Sea of Japan Kiroro extracts any hint of snow in the atmosphere Often when there are blue skies and no fresh snowfall in Niseko the drive out through Kutchan town will herald dark clouds hovering over the Kiroro range By the time the potato fields give way to the alpine forest you’ll be in the midst of a classic Hokkaido heavy-snowfall day so too did the sale of Kiroro to Thai resort developer Property Perfect PLC with plans now well underway to take it to the international stage Initially developed by Japanese conglomerate Yamaha in 1991 the music-themed resort was very much of the 1980-90s Japanese resort mould – two standalone hotels offering a handful of restaurants and light entertainment on a picturesque remote mountain backdrop perfect for domestic clientele coming on a one or two-night retreat ”The new masterplan is being drawn up by Mountain Works responsible for North America’s most luxurious ski resort The hotels have already been refurbished and rebranded under Sheraton and Tribute Porfolio banners and the first new condominium development goes on sale this winter Plans include a full-scale master-planned residential and commercial village with residential precincts to be developed in different areas of the valley But what is most exciting is the skiing potential Much of this will be tailored towards beginners and intermediates but powder hunters have even more reason to smile An exclusive ski pass system ensures a limited number of skiers on the mountain and in the backcountry each day meaning it will take far longer between snowfalls to track out than the more popular resorts in Niseko Plans are also well underway for cat and heli-skiing on the surrounding peaks meaning Kiroro will arguably have the best in-house backcountry skiing operation in the whole of Japan There’s a classic tale of revitalisation unfolding at a nearby fishing port an hour’s drive northwest of Niseko Where the rocky shores of Iwanai meet the turquoise blue waters of the Sea of Japan a once-thriving fishing town is clinging to life as its population ages and rapidly dwindles the townspeople’s numbers now stand at about 13,000 with a forecast to drop below 8000 by 2040 That forecast could soon be in line for revision after an American businessman bought the town’s all-but-abandoned ski resort Opened in 1980 when the domestic ski industry was booming its main lift was finally turned off in 2002 after years of consistent decline Since then the town council has kept the very bottom pair lift open for its townspeople charging a trifling ¥500 for an hour’s use Meanwhile the town has been running cat-ski tours on the old ski runs which have been popular with international visitors to Niseko Colorado-bred skier and businessman who just happened to ski and fall in love with Iwanai 30 years ago while working for a computer game company in Sapporo keeping an eye on what’s been happening around Niseko and with a rock-solid belief in the potential of nearby Iwanai Greiner has preliminary plans to reinstate the lifts build a fully-fledged mountain village complete with several hotels and residential precincts and also encourage year-round tourism for the historical He’s already conducting tours in both summer and winter and this year will officially reopen the resort with cat ski access the resort will bring much-needed income and life into the town and reverse its current fortunes Take a slice of Iwanai and cast it 60km down the coastal highway brown-bear inhabited stretch of coastline where towering mountain ranges kneel to the sea Shimamaki’s many dilapidated and abandoned buildings reveal its economic reality Once a healthy town of more than 5000 employed off the back of a booming herring fishing industry with 20-year forecasts cutting that to 800 or 900 one of Niseko’s mechanised skiing pioneers Clayton Kernaghan decided to pursue a dream of opening up these mountains to cat skiing His company Hokkaido Backcountry Club teamed up with the town of Shimamaki to offer visitors possibly the most authentic and extreme cat skiing opportunity in Japan The cat ski zone peaks at 1520m with runs averaging 450 vertical metres Terrain is a mix of open alpine bowls and perfectly spaced trees with slopes ranging from 15 to 35 degrees Guests ski as many runs as they can handle with an average 4000 vertical meters in a day the operation took 500 foreign visitors to the town bringing much-welcome income to everyone from the local mechanic who keeps the cats climbing to fishermen who supply mouth-watering catches of fresh seafood for evening meals Guests experience a true remote Japanese mountain culture and hospitality staying in traditional onsen hotels and dining out at local restaurants As an indication of the demand for this type of experience this winter’s tours were virtually booked out by August What’s really exciting about Shimamaki and everything else happening in these parts is that there are thousands more mountains across Hokkaido all receiving the same incredible powder snow And hundreds more communities that could benefit from international ski tourism the way Niseko and its neighbours have Hokkaido Backcountry Club says they’ve already been contacted by other towns interested in starting cat ski tour industries Southwest Hokkaido is all of a sudden one the most exciting new skiing destinations in the world Flip through the full magazine online now in English Powderlife is passionate about delivering exceptional service We believe it’s the little things that make a ski holiday so special Let us do the ground work for you and help you plan the perfect holiday Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up to receive Powderlife and Summerlife Digital Magazines as they are published and select other topics that interests you Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Unlock exclusive perks as a Powderlife Member A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy © 2007-2025 Powderlife Privacy Terms Cookies People walk by a poster to promote the movie Oppenheimer on Friday in Tokyo Japan — Eight months after premiering in the United States the Academy Award-winning movie Oppenheimer opened Friday in Japan The film's Japanese distributors never explained why they decided to wait to release the film in Japan It appears to be due to the sensitive nature of the film's topic in the country where the atomic bombs J Robert Oppenheimer helped build killed some 200,000 people in August 1945 and led to Japan's surrender in World War II In the city of Nagasaki the second city to be devastated by a nuclear weapon housewife Tsuyuko Iwanai shared her thoughts as she exited the theater "The film was only about the side that dropped the A-bomb," she noted "I wish they had included the side it was dropped on." "But then I thought you might think about it differently if you're in a different position," she added Indeed, one of the most controversial points about Oppenheimer is director Christopher Nolan's choice not to directly depict the carnage and agony that the atomic bombs unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Moviegoer and Nagasaki resident Koichi Takeshita explained how he understood the story by reading Oppenheimer's face "The last look of Oppenheimer in the film was that of pain," he observed because he was the person who made the A-bomb Nagasaki residents saw little about their city in the film According to American Prometheus, the book on which the movie was based, Oppenheimer said that he generally supported the U.S. government's decision to use nuclear weapons. But he never understood the need to bomb Nagasaki after destroying Hiroshima Oppenheimer visited Japan in 1960 Some survivors of the U.S. attacks on Japan have seen the film. Among them is 80-year-old doctor Masao Tomonaga. Masao Tomonaga takes the pulse of an atomic bomb survivor at a care home in Nagasaki He says that at an advance screening of it He doesn't remember the blast because he was only 2 years old at the time His family later explained to him that he survived because his home was about a mile and a half from ground zero He was asleep in bed when the bomb was dropped "I was able for the first time to imagine my situation sleeping on a bed under the 600 meter-high explosion," he says "So that was my first impression about the movie." Reuters reported that some cinemas in Japan displayed signs warning moviegoers that the film contains images like nuclear tests that might trigger memories of the bombs Tomonaga cares for atomic bomb survivors at this a home run by the Roman Catholic Church on the outskirts of Nagasaki The average age of the home's 450 residents is in the mid-80s Tomonaga says he'll eventually move in and spend the rest of his life here Tomonaga says that as a student at University of California he learned the difficulty of trying to change Americans' minds about the use of nuclear weapons in World War II it was difficult to argue with those who believed that America was right in dropping the atomic bomb," he says it would destroy the peaceful atmosphere in the lab citizens would have a hard time convincing Japanese people that bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki was necessary and justified as many in Japan believe that their country was already defeated and on the verge of surrender when the U.S the last of the audience trickles out at the end of the film's morning showing on the first day Housewife Tsuyuko Iwanai says she doesn't usually go to the movies but she felt that Oppenheimer was worth seeing "I came because things are going on in many places such as Ukraine," she says "and I feel nuclear weapons are more likely to be used these days." Chie Kobayashi contributed to this report in Tokyo and Nagasaki Become an NPR sponsor Event many events such as fireworks displays and summer festivals are held throughout Hokkaido Here are 15 recommended events in August that are perfect for outings with family and friends the largest summer festival in the Tokachi region (Obihiro City) Image credit: Obihiro Tourism & Convention Association One of the largest summer festivals in the Tokachi-ken region will be held in Obihiro local youth will lead a parade of male and female portable shrines called "Yume Furuyoru 2024" through the festival site (Image credit: Obihiro Tourism & Convention Association) the "Obihiro Bon Odori," a dance performance with elaborate costumes and live music by the participating teams to the accompaniment of Hokkai Bon Uta Other events will include performances by street performers from around the world and the "Kitchen Hirabaru," a gourmet plaza lined with various gourmet stores Date and time: Wednesday, August 14 - Thursday, August 15, 11:00 - 22:00 Venue: Obihiro City, Nishi 2-jo Minami 7-11 chome, Hirokoji, Yume no Kita HirobaFor details and map information on the 77th Obihiro Plains Festival, click here 2 The 51st Iwanai Rage Festival" (Iwanai Town) a spectacular fireworks display over Iwanai Port This is a summer festival that has been held in Iwanai Town for half a century the "raging fireworks display," beautifully colors the night sky of Iwanai with approximately 5,000 fireworks and the fireworks shot up in a rage at Iwanai Port are a powerful spectacle and performances by Iwanai High School's calligraphy club and other spaces for children and adults to enjoy Date and time: Saturday, August 3, 12:00 - 21:00 (fireworks display from 20:00) / Sunday, August 4, 10:00 - 20:00 Venue: Iwanai Regional Cultural Center, 51-7 Bansai, Iwanai-cho, Iwanai-gun, TokyoFor details and map information of the 51st Iwanai Rage Festival, click here. 3 Enjoy Nemuro's Hanasaki Crab "2024 Nemuro Crab Festival" (Nemuro City) Image credit: Nemuro City Tourism Association crab gourmet foods and gourmet foods only available at the venue will be offered as well as a participatory "Crab-catcher battle and a "Quick Eating Contest" will also be held allowing visitors to enjoy the local specialty Date and Time: Saturday, August 31, 10:00-16:00 / Sunday, September 1, 9:00-15:00 Venue: Nemuro Port Special Site, Kaigan-cho 1-chome, Nemuro CityFor details and map information of the "2024 Nemuro Crab Festival," click here the only fighting dandong in Hokkaido (Numata Town) Image credit: Numata-cho Yataka Andon Festival One of the three major dandon festivals in Hokkaido the "Yotaka Dandon Festival" is the only "fighting dandon" in Hokkaido where large dandons collide with each other colliding with each other is a powerful sight (Image credit: Hokkaido Tourism Promotion Organization) and Yotaka-bushi music that enlivens the festival the spectacular parade of the dances through the streets is a must-see Date and time: Friday, August 23 to Saturday, August 24 Fee: Paid admission: SS seats 1,500 yen / S seats 1,300 yen / A seats 1,000 yen on Friday, August 23. Saturday, 24th: 500 yen for each seat plus 500 yen for each seat Venue: In front of JR Ishikari Numata Station, Numata Town, Amaryu CountyFor details and map information on the Numata Town Night High Andon Festival, click here. where gourmet foods and handmade works gather in a theater selling everything from vegetables and sweets to handmade works making the theater the venue for this "anything goes theater marché Date and time: August 31 (Sat) - September 1 (Sun), 11:00 - 16:00 Venue: Concarinho, a lifestyle support cultural facility on the 1st floor of The Tower Place, 1-2-10, Hachiken 1-jo Nishi 1-chome, Nishi-ku, SapporoFor more information about "Kotoni Marche" and map information, click here 6 "Mikasa Hokkai Bon Odori" dance around a giant yagura (Mikasa City) This is a major summer event representing Mikasa Various events are held for three days in Mikasa there will be the "Coal Cutlass Race" in which contestants compete by carrying 30 kg of coal Fireworks to be launched on the final day will conclude the three hot days of the festival Dates: Tuesday, August 13 through Thursday, August 15 Venue: Mikasa Central Park, Saiwai-cho 1, Mikasa City / (Fireworks display venue) downstream of Mikasayama Bridge, Ikuharubetsu River, Taga-cho, Mikasa CityClick here for details and map information of the "23rd Mikasa Hokkai Bon Odori". 7 The 43rd Shikabe Sea and Hot Spring Festival & Fireworks Display one of the largest fireworks displays in southern Hokkaido in the town of hot springs (Shikabe Town) The largest festival in Shikabe Town takes place right next to the fishing port There are many sea-related events such as "Cutter Rowing" using cutter boards in which heated battles take place in the harbor and "Fureai Aquarium," where visitors can see and touch sea creatures The climax of the festival is one of the largest fireworks displays in southern Hokkaido Approximately 3,400 various fireworks and a super extra-large starmine beautifully illuminate the Eruption Bay The fireworks are launched right in front of the fishing port where the festival is held Date and time: Saturday, August 17, from 8:30 a.m. *Fireworks display: from 7:30 p.m. Venue：Shikabe Fishing Port, Shikabe-cho, Kayabe-gunClick here for details and map information of "The 43rd Shikabe Sea and Hot Spring Festival & Fireworks Display 8 The 27th Kenbuchi Sakuraoka Lake Festival" (Kenbuchi Town) a must-see with fireworks projected on the lake Image credit: Kenbuchi Town Tourist Association This festival is held on the shores of Lake Sakuraoka which is also known as a camping and wakasagi fishing spot Kenbuchi Tondadaiko drums and belly dancing (Image credit: Kenbuchi Tourist Association) There will also be picture book readings and gourmet food stalls from the local neighborhood Don't miss the beautiful fireworks display that will close the festival and reflect on the surface of the lake Date and time: Sunday, August 4, 10:00 - 20:00 Venue: Lake Sakuraoka Festival site, Lake Sakuraoka, Higashi-machi, Kenbuchi TownFor details and map information on the 27th Kenbuchi Sakuraoka Lakes Festival, please visit 9 Workshop "GIGA Festival in Sapporo International University" where you can see Image credit: GIGA Festival in Sapporo International University Workshops for both young children and adults will be held at Sapporo International University There will also be a mystery-solving session in the library Families can enjoy workshops where they can feel the future Date and time: Friday, August 9, 9:00-12:00 ■Fare: Free of charge Venue: Sapporo International University, 1-4-1, Kiyota 4-jo, Kiyota-ku, SapporoFor details and map information of "GIGA Festival in Sapporo International University", click here. 10 Enjoy a luxurious taste of sea urchin at the "Uni Uni Festival" (Rishirifuji Town) Image credit: Rishipura (Rishiri Island Tourism Portal Site) This event is held in honor of sea urchin various gourmet dishes such as grilled sea urchin and mini sea urchin bowls are prepared for visitors to enjoy the luxurious and delicious taste of sea urchin A sea urchin eating contest will also be held on stage Date and time: August 11 (Sun.) (tentative) Venue: Parking lot of Ripura, Rishirifuji Town General Exchange Promotion Facility, 119-1 Sakaemachi, Oshidomari, Rishirifuji-cho, Rishiri-gunFor more information about the Uni Uni Festival and map information, click here. 11 Proximity is the biggest attraction of the 6,000 fireworks "The 28th Honbetsu Kirameki Town Festival 2024" (Honbetsu Town) The "Higashi-Tokachi Fireworks Festival," where 6,000 fireworks are launched Various types of fireworks are rhythmically launched to music The biggest attraction of the Higashi Tokachi Fireworks Festival is the close proximity of the launch site and the lack of obstructed views there will also be a good food market and a singing show and leisure seats and compact sunshades can be set up Chairs and tables are also available for visitors to relax and enjoy the event Date and time: Saturday, August 31, 11:00 - 21:00 / Sunday, September 1, 9:30 - 16:30 Venue: Cibetsu River bank, Yayoi-cho, Honbetsu-cho, Nakagawa-gunFor details and map information of the 28th Honbetsu Kirameki Town Festival 2024, click here. 12 Heated Tractor Pulling Competition "The 25th Naganuma Maoi Dream Festival" (Naganuma Town) features the "Strong Cup," in which teams of three compete to win the fastest time pulling a tractor the "Zu Keen Cup," a shaved ice eating contest there will be a new BQQ corner where visitors can enjoy the local specialty this is a festival that can be enjoyed by the whole family Date/Time：August 25 (Sun.) 10:00-16:00 Venue：Naganuma Town General Park, 2-3 Minami-cho, Naganuma-cho, Yubari-gunFor more information about the 25th Naganuma Maoi Dream Festival and map information, click here. 13 Free and creative ikebana close at hand "Ikebana Sogetsu Hana LIVE IN SAPPORO" (Sapporo) Image credit: Ikebana Sogetsu Sapporo Hana LIVE Group An event where people can casually experience ikebana for anyone," the Ikebana Sogetsu Sapporo Hana LIVE Group will give ikebana demonstrations Visitors can experience the charm of free and creative ikebana Date and time: Sunday, August 4, 15:00-17:00 Fee: 2,000 yen Venue: Sapporo Soft Stone Storehouse, 3-4-4 Kita 1-jo Higashi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido University of Education Arts & Sports Cultural Complex HUG 1F Main Gallery and Sub GalleryFor more details and map information of "Ikebana Sogetsu Hana LIVE IN SAPPORO", click here. 14 Participatory photography event to enjoy in the town of photography "The 40th Higashikawa Town International Photography Festival" (Higashikawa Town) Image credit: Higashikawa Town Photography Town Executive Committee Under the concept of "Enjoy Photography," many photography-related activities will be held including the "Higashikawa Town of Photography Award-winning Artists' Exhibition," "Street Gallery," "Photography Independence Exhibition," and "Open Portfolio Review Dates：August 3 (Saturday) ～ *Dates differ for each event. Venues: 14 locations in Higashikawa Town, Kamikawa CountyClick here for details and map information of the 40th Higashikawa International Photography Festival. 15 "The 6th Children's Art Brut Hokkaido Mirai Works Exhibition" (Sapporo) (Image credit: Hokkaido Council of Cultural Organizations) The theme of the exhibition is "The future of art shines freely in the same place for children with and without disabilities This is an exhibition of art works created by elementary and junior high school students of compulsory education schools and special-needs schools under the theme of "The Future of Art Shines Freely in the Same Place for Children with and without Disabilities The works by the children will be displayed in the exhibition hall there will be a "Web Exhibition" that can be viewed on the Internet Date and time: August 15 (Thu.) - 17 (Sat.), 10:00 - 18:00 (until 17:00 on the last day) *For details of the "Web Exhibition," please check the official website. Venue: Sapporo Arts and Culture Center SCARTS 1F Mall A & B, Kita 1-jo Nishi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, SapporoFor more information about "The 6th Children's Art Brut Hokkaido Mirai Works Exhibition" and map information, click here. All information is current at the time of publication in July 2024 Please check the official website for details If you're a Hokkaido resident and want to spread the word about your great activities in Hokkaido Domingo is a free and easy way for anyone to submit an event in just 5 minutes You can post your activities and ideas to Domingo and you will also have a chance to be selected by Domingo to be featured in articles and on the street visions of Sapporo If you are new to Domingo, click here to get started. Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku, Sapporo! What is "Yaoyo Cafe", a community market created by students together with the local community? [Updated for 2025] A complete guide to accessing Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome) and nearby hotels! Convenient for trips and concerts Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week! 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] Check out these Golden Week outings! 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th, 2025] Let's do something good! 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms, rape blossoms, azaleas, and tulips in full bloom Seasonal “news” of Hokkaido can be checked by category! You can check the information of your “town” in one place! Events” held throughout the province are easy to find and can be saved! This page has been automatically translated by Google Translate service. 14th February 2025 | James Cove, Hokkaido, Japan. We’ve arrived at one of the snowiest ski areas on earth. This year has been bumper, with 6m of snow and counting. UPDATED Through to the lesser-known ones of Kiroro Kokusai and the wonderfully-named Mount Racey We’ve been skiing as many of them as we can in our three week visit that is continuing It’s a drive of under an hour from Niseko or 2 hours from Sapporo Rusutsu is perhaps my favourite resort in this part of Hokkaido but I will make that judgement after a bit of reflection Today was a Japan road trip on Hokkaido at its absolute finest The roadside avalanche breakers are witness to the huge amounts of snow that has fallen so far this winter than its more internationally famous neighbour of Niseko It is snowing here 80-100 days per winter and it is the largest single resort on Hokkaido – Niseko is larger but made up of four separate It is a slightly curious layout with the main accommodation at West Mountain to the right The main skiing is at Mt Isola and East Mountain and connected by a linking gondola Think Lech to Warth-Schroeken in Austria if you have been fortunate enough to take the connecting lift in the Arlberg ski area There are 18 lifts with 37 marked trails and acres of accessible tree skiing terrain and facilities that make Rusutsu  the ultimate winter destination,” said a statement from the tourist office as I did a bit of research into the resort ahead of the PlanetSKI visit It is hard to exaggerate the amount of tree skiing here once the powder is skied out on the marked runs The ares is re-known for it food with over 30 restaurants It prides itself on sourcing local food much of it from its own direct managed farms This mountain at the restaurant at the bottom of the Isola gondola on Mt Isola is worth the queue with its local meats and seafood And it has a huge funfair at the bottom of the slopes – though it is not open in the winter months Now you might have thought a funfare on the slopes would by today’s random Japanese experience The random Japaneses experience here resides by the lobby in the main Rusutsu Hotel The hotel has a standard appearance from the outside set in a bizarre room to the side of the check information desk And talking of accommodation there are numerous large international hotels in Rusutsu But if you want something more unique try a traditional log cabin in the woods And with that our two weeks based in the city of Sapporo and skiing its ski areas comes to an end You can read all about it lower down this rolling article that we have been updating as we go along but there are a few gems in there that may be worth reading We will shortly be posting a roundup of our time in the ski area in the world that receives the most snow Thank you Sapporo it’s been an utter blast We are now moving on to Furano and its neighbouring resorts of Kamui Tomamu and the wonderfully named Mount Racey as our wonderful Japan road trip continues But not before we have gone to watch some traditional Hokkaido horse racing in Obihiro in its natural habitat in the local marshland Japan just keeps on delivering on every level Niseko has a reputation being one the world’s top resorts and I’ve been wanting to ski it for years It is the largest linked ski area in Japan with 31 lifts and 77 marked runs Then there’s the tree skiing and the legendary back country But most of all the huge amounts of dry powder snow that falls each winter without fail Plans were taking shape for a PlanetSKI visit in 2020 On this trip I have tried to visit several times so far in the past couple of weeks I have been on the northern island of Hokkaido Once a hospital visit for an X-ray (long story with a happy ending) scuppered it and then heavy snow on the roads prevented it A few days before we were due to leave the city of Sapporo and head to the resorts further inland in Hokkaido the weather lifted It was a 2-hour drive from our base in the city Sapporo and the weather/roads couldn’t have been better The expressway was closed 24-hours earlier but the snowploughs had been doing their stuff Before you could say “JaPow” I was on the slopes of Niseko and gazing across to Mt Yotei in near-perfect conditions The resort of Niseko is made up of four linked areas: All the areas have extensive and accessible skiing in the trees Then there is cat skiing and back country tours Sometimes when I have been looking forward to ski in resort it doesn’t quite live up to expectations It lived up to my hopes and more – with plenty of superb tree skiing and some wide cruising pistes The hard-core were booting up to Mt Niseko Annupuri at 1,308m to hit some of the legendary powder fields off the back but I was keen to see the whole resort on my visit Another expectation of Niseko lived up to what I had heard, It’s famous lift queues were around for much of the day on my mid-week visit At weekends it can be pretty horrific I am told “Niseko is one of my favourite resorts with the most reliable snow record of any resort I know,” said Andy “Not forgetting to mention it is a foodie’s heaven and soaking in the onsen after a day’s skiing can’t be topped.” “With around 14 metres of snow falling each season “Look forward to ungroomed bowls and world-class tree runs (Strawberry Fields is amazing) while the Niseko Gates lead to unpatrolled terrain that’s best explored with a guide.” See here for more information about Niseko from Andy and Ski Safari. Each resort I have visited on this 5-week trip in Japan seems to throw up a random Japanese experience and Niseko was no exception This time it was the resort’s one-person chairlifts like a kid with some new toys to play with There are limited mountain restaurants and the best bet is to head to base of the resort for lunch but there are great spots on the mountain for a quick break Now it should be said that some believe Niseko is over-developed and has lost its soul “I have been coming here for 15 years and boy it has changed,” said an Australian snowboarder I was chatting to on a (2-person) chairlift “We used to get as much noodles and saki as you could drink for $10 back in the day but now in one fancy hotel it is $65 for a pretty grotty cheeseburger “I will keep coming back though as the snow remains the same despite the arrival of the international  hotel chains and the venture capitalists & internet entrepreneurs with their bulging wallets.” Here’s some further advice on Niseko from PlanetSKI reader, Mark Coomber, who has read our posts and added his thoughts to the PlanetSKI Facebook page. We skied Niseko in 2019 (before it became too busy) As was Tokyo for a few days on our return leg try the relatively nearby (45 mins) Rusutsu and Kiroro resorts But take a guide to access the best / hidden bits in the woods and while it’s snowing lightly With a can of Saporro lager and your ‘modesty towel’ folded on your head That’s not its real name but its front door is an oldsyle US fridge front door Oh #2: your lift pass will also cover the night skiing Especially skiing the trees at night under floodlights Heavy snow was falling at 8am as we set off from Sapporo to head to Niseko However the snow had closed some roads and a journey time of 2 hours was predicted to be at least 3 and half Time to bin the plan and come up with an alternative We decided to head to the city’s local ski mountain But not before a visit to the Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine that we have been wanting to visit for days now we had a spare hour or so and in the snow it was truly stunning In the Spring it has some of the finest cherry blossoms on the whole of Hokkaido and tens of thousands of people flock here for the spectacle we think it looks rather good in the snow too The shrine was established in 1869 and is home to four deities The shinto shrine is situated in the Matyuama Park and the four deities include the soul of the Emperor Meiji A number of early explorers of Hokkaidō are also enshrined As our visit to Niseko had been put on hold another Japanese opportunity arose – every cloud has a silver lining While on the mountain it was chucking it down with snow – again And at the end of the day many of the vehicles in the car park needed to be cleaned of the day’s snow On Thursday we are going to make another attempt to reach Niseko and report back If the snow conditions allow us to get there Now talking of roads and driving, we have had a question from PlanetSKI reader, Erica Ansell, over on the PlanetSKI Facebook page. “Loving seeing your posts as we are hoping to ski in Japan next year “We have been before in summer but used the bullet trains which were fantastic.” “We hired a car for two weeks as we visited the resorts in the Hakuba Valley and then for three weeks in Hokkaido as it gives you the freedom to move around at will “For longer journeys across Japan take the bullet train or fly unless you have plenty of time “In the Hakuba Valley we hired at Tokyo airport (both NTS & HND as there have been two  groups to our team) and you need to ensure you get winter tyres We used Sixt as they offered winter tyres in drop down menu “In Hokkaido winter tyres come as standard whoever you rent from “In Hakuba there were a couple of days when it belted down with snow so we took the hotel shuttle bus “On Hokkaido we have driven the whole time and though it may be daunting at first with all the snow (and there has been a lot of it) “There are public transport options from Sapporo (our current base) and taxis “It really depends on how many resorts you visit – we are doing different ones every day “If you just go to Niseko for a week then don’t bother “In Hokkaido we have been using Times Rental who are all over Japan but be warned that at Chitois airport they close at 7pm “Our flight from Tokyo was delayed by several hours and we arrived at 7.30pm “All was shut so we had to get a hotel room and picked up the next day though they refunded us for one un-used day.” Inside the day lodge it was old-school and fabulous for it With some wonderful old poster on the walls This place has been offering skiing for decades A day pass set us back the princely sum of £20 I thought that was about right given the size of the ski area Besides skiing in Japan is about far more than going up a lift and down a few runs on snow – it is about the experience and character of skiing somewhere entirely different At the top there were wind breakers for when the storms roll in and the winds blow There was some steep and challenging off piste from the top Once again there were a large numbers of snowboarders on the slopes as there have been in many of the Japanese resorts we’ve visited so far The ski school in Kokusai was on another level with hundreds of people out taking lessons It may have been a bit crazy on the slopes but look how they stack their skis at lunchtime Along with some more interesting Japanese ski wear and while we are on the subject of ski schools here are the assembled classes in the resort of Sapporo Teine that we were in a few days ago – gathering for their afternoon lessons with much bowing and greetings going on Next stop is the slightly better-known resort of Niseko The biggest and most well-known resort in Japan that attracts skiers and snowboarders from around the world We saw huge amounts of snow on the drive to the resort – evidence of the winter so far in this part of Japan Sadly there was no fresh powder for our day 23 runs and has a vertical descent of 660m It also has five areas set aside for tree skiing – should conditions allow The resort is on the Indy Pass and as I hold an Indy Pass I was able to pick passes up – two days are provided so I am hoping to be back for a powder day There are several resorts in Hokkaido on the Indy Pass and I am hoping to visit a few more Interestingly Club Med has a huge presence in the resort with the Club Med Kiroro Grand that opened in 2023 It has 266 rooms and is a sign of growing international interest in the area Kiroro is less high profile than other Hokkaido resorts but it receives more consistent snowfall than nearby Niseko and Rusutsu It is spread over two peaks with the pistes are varied and well-groomed but the real appeal of Kiroro ski holidays is its Powder Zone and off-piste there are two resort-style hotels with shops restaurants and facilities that include swimming pools You’ve also got the Mountain Centre at the base of the slopes “It’s relatively under-the-radar with deep powder quiet slopes and fantastic tree runs off pistet,” said the Japan producer manager for Ski Safari Kiroro offers wide groomers and excellent off-piste potential.” And today’s random Japanese experience Bingo played as an apres ski activity in the centre of the main lodge It’s just a 40-minute drive from our apartment in Sapporo Teine has 10 lifts and 15 runs with a vertical drop of 683m a terrain park and fabulous views of Ishikari Bay It also has the famous ‘North Wall’ run which is one of the steepest in Japan with a maximum incline of 36 degrees But best of all it is simply in Japan – a place I am utterly falling in love with Here is my first ever video snow report from Hokkaido: Lift passes come in at good value in Japan A 5-hour pass for Sapporo Teine cost the princely sum of £27 And today’s random Japanese ski experience I have seen a few strange sights in my visits round the ski resorts of the world but I have never come across a derelict fun fair up on the slopes I have absolutely no idea what it is doing here but I will endeavor to find out and will update But one thing that is a constant is the ramen For the first part of our stay on Hokkaido we’re basing ourselves in the main city of Sapporo The omens for the snow in the nearby mountains looked good as we drove into town very cold and dry air comes from Siberia in Russia to the west It passes over the Sea of Japan where is sucks up moisture Another major weather system comes from the east with a different  pressure system and the two collide over the mountains of Hokkaido On average the resorts near Sapporo receive over 8m a season The Hokkaido ski area roughly divides into three: including Iwanai that sits on the coast and is on our list Regular readers who have been following our posts from Japan will know we are interested in far more than just the skiing while we are in Japan: On Hokkaido we will be posting about other matters too We’ve already been up the city’s most famous landmark Plus visited the nearby town of Otaru with its Western Art Museum Rather bizarrely it exhibits stained glass porcelain and glasswork from Europe from the late 19th Century to the early 20th Century The snow falling in Otaru at the base of the mountains certainly whet our appetite for the skiing nearby to come And then there is the Japanese food – once again it is off the scale We have taken advice on the use of chopsticks from Eri Kikuo who works for one of the main hotels in the ski area of Furano Eri has also offered invaluable help to plan PlanetSKI’s 3-week visit to Hokkaido He has advised us to see the horse racing in Obihiro and head to Kushiro for a spot of bird watching But enough of the other attractions on Hokkaido Something tells me the next few weeks are going to be rather fun and interesting It’s shaping up to be PlanetSKI’s best ever overseas adventure ski trip and it’s fair to say that we’ve had a few over the years Check out our earlier reports from the Hakuba Valley: A handful of specialist UK operators offer ski holidays to Japan Ski Safari has perhaps the most experience of the country with tailored packages built on the company’s extensive knowledge and experience Niseko – Japan’s largest and best-known ski resort the quality and quantity of snow here is unparalleled – for powder it doesn’t get much better than a Niseko ski holiday Hakuba – Hakuba ski holidays are blessed with alpine-like terrain and huge variety Hakuba is a great place to use as a base for exploring multiple resorts on one lift pass Rusutsu ski holidays are great on their own or as part of a longer trip in Hokkaido Nozawa Onsen ski holidays are as famous for onsens as they are for skiing – perfect for a ski trip with added culture quiet slopes and fantastic tree runs off-piste Furano -Choose a Furano ski holiday for a traditional resort in an idyllic setting and top notch piste skiing Furano is a thriving town in its own right money saving deals and everything connected with snowsports – web site For the Spirit of the Mountains – PlanetSKI: Number One for ski news Content copyright © 2025, PlanetSKI Ltd. | Privacy policy | Terms & Conditions Japan’s adventure island​With snow-capped mountains Hokkaido’s diverse landscapes make this northern island one of Japan’s most exhilarating destinations nine-hour flights (slated to resume in July 2022) from Helsinki to international New Chitose Airport Here are 10 Hokkaido highlights you shouldn’t miss.1 Onsen soaks in JozankeiA must-visit for skiers it receives some of Hokkaido’s highest levels of snowfall After taking on its seven rip-roaring courses make for nearby Jozankei Onsen for a hot springs experience that’s a great introduction to Japan’s bathing culture Taking an al fresco dip in the bubbling natural mineral-enriched warm waters will leave your muscles relaxed and primed for more skiing 74 contemporary sculptures are sprinkled throughout a lush forest a 44ft-high stone Buddha statue encircled by a lavender-covered hill — all masterminded by architect Tadao Ando — is an all-seasons visual wonder as compelling when covered in spring blooms as when snow-topped in winter There's plenty of snow-covered peaks to traverse in Hokkaido famed for its deep powder and challenging backcountry.Photograph by Hokkaido District Transport Bureau4 Sapporo’s legendary slopesUrban sprawl rubs up against some of Hokkaido’s best ski spots in its capital city which blow in across the Sea of Japan from Siberia between December and March carpet the likes of Sapporo Teine with the soft powder Hokkaido’s famed for The resort was the star location of the 1972 Winter Olympic Games and offers city panoramas from Mount Teineyama Spend a morning on the slopes — the Olympia zone is for beginners; the Highland’s steep off-piste runs for advanced riders — and when you’re done In just 40 minutes you can be sipping a pint of Sapporo’s eponymous beer Night skiing and nightlife in NisekoWith a generous 50ft of average snowfall every year Niseko Annupuri’s famed deep powder has enabled it to become an International Ski Area or take to Niseko’s floodlit slopes — Japan’s largest night-skiing area — after dark and ski straight into Hirafu village for hot saké and a fuel-up supper at an izakaya The soup curry at Tsubara Tsubara is legendary Dense forests create idyllic scenery for a hike on Mount Maruyama in Sapporo's Maruyama.Photograph by Hokkaido District Transport Bureau6 Hiking in Maruyama ParkAs well as having a vibrant downtown area woodland expanses and mountain trails make it a hiker’s dream stroll through Maruyama Park to wonder at the emerald-hued primeval forest at the foot of Mount Maruyama where some 150 cherry trees bloom every spring A CAT ski trip in IwanaiWhile snow is plentiful across Hokkaido a western coastal resort that’s a 45-minute drive from popular Niseko is a particularly strong choice for virgin powder Join expert guides at Iwanai Resort for a day of breathtaking backcountry skiing or snowboarding with glass-walled cabins that maximise mountain views closer to the summit of 3,560ft Mount Iwanai riders can tackle between eight and 10 runs eaiwach serving up about 1,000-2,000ft vertical through terrain that includes birch trees and steep glades skiers can expect jaw-dropping sunsets over the Sea of Japan as they glide reflects in the Sea of Japan.Photograph by Hokkaido District Transport Bureau8 Sea kayaking around Hokkaido’s secret islands About 12 miles off the shore of Hokkaido’s northern tip and the coastal seaside marshes of the Sarobetsu wilderness collectively the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park by taking to the turquoise waters of the Sea of Japan by sea kayak Circle conical-shaped Rishiri — a dormant stratovolcano that appears to float on the ocean’s surface — and fish with a lure for yellowtail and take in views of Rebun’s dramatic eroded cliffs.9 Drift-ice walks in Shiretoko National ParkShiretoko National Park which juts into the Sea of Okhotsk on a rugged volcanic peninsula in eastern Hokkaido — called the ‘End of the Earth’ by the island’s Indigenous Ainu people — comes into its own during winter the ancient forests in this mountainous UNESCO World Heritage Site sparkle with snow and seasonal drift-ice travels here from the Amur River in Russia Wandering across this creaking icescape on a guided drift-ice walk known as ‘angels of the drift ice’ (a type of translucent sea slug with ‘wings’) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Spots Cherry Blossom・Autumn Leaves Eastern Hokkaido boasts magnificent natural scenery such as Shiretoko and the Kushiro Wetlands and is a treasure trove of beautiful scenery that can only be seen in autumn Here are 10 recommended spots to see autumn leaves in Eastern Hokkaido Iwanai Senkyo is a place where beautiful mountain stream scenery spreads out amongst the majestic nature The autumn leaves are especially beautiful and the mountain stream overlooked from the suspension bridge is very impressive The Iwanai Senkyo Momiji Festival is also held every year in mid-October The festival also sells local gourmet food and agricultural products and is attracting attention as a spot where you can fully enjoy Tokachi's autumn and autumn leaves Mikuni Pass is the highest pass in Hokkaido It is a scenic spot overlooking the mountains in the distance and the vast ocean of trees below which appears to be floating in the sky amid the ocean of trees There is also an observation deck with a cafe next door A caldera lake located in Akan Mashu National Park The view of Mount Oakan towering on the eastern shore is magnificent and the lake shows beautiful faces in every season including the autumn leaves that surround it The lake is also famous for the "Lake Akan Marimo" a rare special natural monument that is rare worldwide and one of Hokkaido's leading hot spring towns spreads out on the southern shore Located near the source of the Akan River near Akan Onsen town the abundant water from Lake Akan and Lake Taro flows as a waterfall The bridge is named Takimi Bridge because you can see the waterfall flowing The clear stream flowing among the vivid red and yellow autumn leaves is as beautiful as a garden This pass is located on the border between Rausu and Shari on the Shiretoko Cross-Island Highway which crosses the World Heritage Site of Shiretoko you can enjoy beautiful autumn foliage on the mountains and primeval forests of trees such as Mizunara and Todomatsu you can see all the way to Kunashiri Island Kinsenkyo is a valley on the Shokotsu River that flows through the city From the promenades along both banks of the river and wild birds throughout the four seasons: fresh greenery reflecting in the clear waters in spring It is also known as a great place for birdwatching Lake Nukabira is a place where you can enjoy nature observation in all four seasons and is garnering attention as an outdoor spot where you can enjoy cherry salmon and rainbow trout in the summer and smelt fishing from the frozen lake surface in the winter It is also popular in the autumn when the leaves change color and the yellow foliage reflects off the lake surface Oshinkoshin Falls is also known as the "Twin Beauties Falls" because the water flow splits into two midway and is a popular spot that has been selected as one of the "100 Best Waterfalls in Japan." You can climb up to the middle of the falls via stairs and see the powerful flow right in front of you the surrounding area of the falls is colored with autumn leaves This is the only natural lake in Daisetsuzan National Park It is surrounded by a primeval forest of Sakhalin fir and the lake's beauty is enhanced by its changing appearance with the seasons is called Kuchibiruyama (Lip Mountain) because of its shape and the shadow it reflects on the lake's surface This garden is open to the public only once a year for a limited period of about one month The planted trees and the surrounding natural forest are in perfect harmony creating a beautiful garden colored with autumn leaves It is a spot where you can look forward to seeing the different expressions of the autumn leaves every year This is a popular spot in eastern Hokkaido during the autumn foliage season parts of Lake Notoro are covered in red coral grass creating a different atmosphere from the autumn leaves allowing you to walk into the coral grass that spreads out as far as the eye can see While the southern hemisphere winter may be just around the corner the interest in winter 2024/25 in Japan is off the charts Reports from friends and colleagues in the land of Japow show that the weak yen continues to stoke demands for the ultimate snow stoke So we reached out to Chris Pickering, owner and founder of Uchi to see what is going on in the real estate market “While 2023/24 was probably a record-breaking year in terms of the number of transactions in Japanese ski resort real estate the fascinating thing right now is that the real estate agents are almost as busy in June as they were in January,” states Chris “With the Japanese yen at historically weak levels but Japanese snow guaranteeing epic ski adventures that Europe and America are increasingly struggling to provide the level of investment in ski homes and properties in Japan continues to grow “Perhaps most interesting is the increase in transactions outside of the traditional heartland of Hirafu in Niseko More and more people are happy to look a few minutes outside the main development zones given that Japan is a safe and easy place to drive except for the daily grind of clearing snow off the car – a good problem to have for skiers “Today I’ve picked out 10 properties for sale across Japan’s top resorts – all of them are under $500,000 USD listing price and offer some very cool options for international investors. If you are looking for something a bit different – head to uchijapan.com/properties where we have almost 1,000 listings online and more added daily.” Stargazer Ridge – Misorano. View more images Royal Town Ski Lodge. View more images just under 100sqm and only 1,500m from the lifts Snowball Studios. View more images Details: Traditional Japanese edo-era design on these newly renovated 38sqm apartments Nature. View more images Details: 3 bedroom home in Asia’s most popular ski resort village – what more can you ask for? Iwanai: 6 Bedroom House. View more images Details: just a couple of minutes from the awesome CAT-skiing resort of Iwanai this 6 bedroom home is in fantastic condiition Kondo Country Home. View more images Details: price reduction on this 2 bedroom home on a double-sized plot in the popular Kondo area of Niseko Appi Kogen House. View more images Details: cute 2 bedroom cabin in the heart of Appi Kogen home of the brand new Harrow International School The Vale Niseko 119. View more images Details: ski-in ski-out studio apartment in the iconic Vale Niseko onsen-hotel in Niseko-Hirafu Midori Cottage – Misorano. View more images just under 100sqm and sitting on a well-sized plot of land only 5-10 minutes from some of Hakuba’s top ski hills Izumikyo 2 Log House. View more images Details: 90sqm 2 bedroom home within walking distance of Hirafu and convenient access to restaurants and the village shuttle As always, head to uchijapan.com for the latest ski resort listings and news from all across Japan’s top snow destinations the Shu Ogawara Museum of Art in Kutchan Town will be introducing art pieces by Shu Ogawara depicting the richly changing nature in the area The Kida Kinjiro Museum of Art in Iwanai Town will be exhibiting art pieces by Kida Kinjiro with curved lines under the theme of “Rhythme With A Round Touch” Keiyu Nishimura Museum of Art in Kyowa Town and Arai Memorial Museum of Art in Iwanai Town will also be joining the exhibition the museums will be offering a discount in admissions when a visitor presents an admissions ticket for any of the other five museums There will also be a stamp rally with a potential prize for guests who visited all five museums Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" The steam suppression involves the installation of a metal deflector to redirect the jet of steam so water and cement can be injected and stop the eruption which has been ongoing since 29 June a 3.8km section of Route 66 Iwanai Toya Line adjacent to the Geothermal Research Area closed on 7 August and will remain so through 21 August Although Route 66 will be open to traffic at night the local government is strongly encouraging travellers to use alternative routes such as Road 268 Iwanai Rankoshi Line for the duration of the steam suppression period disclosed the number of affected households the cost or how long the evacuation will last Event Cherry Blossom・Autumn Leaves and the autumn foliage season creates dynamic scenery as the mountains and trees are dyed red and yellow Here are 10 events where you can enjoy the autumn leaves in various ways as well as outings with your family or as a couple Would you like to share the wonderful activities of those of you who are active in Hokkaido with more people Posting an event on Domingo takes just 5 minutes and is free and easy for anyone to do Not only can you widely disseminate your activities and ideas but you also have the chance to be selected by Domingo to be featured in articles and on street visions in Sapporo If you're a beginner, you can easily get started here Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku a community market created by students together with the local community Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week 10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025] 5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th 5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025] [2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent The restart of nuclear power plants in Japan has been slow in the decade since new regulatory requirements came into effect Electric power companies have so far applied to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) for safety screenings of 27 reactors at 16 power plants but only 10 reactors at six plants have been allowed to restart the three reactors at the Tomari nuclear power plant in Hokkaido have yet to pass their screenings even 10 years after applying The new regulatory requirements came into force on July 8 They were based on the lessons learned from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant following the Great East Japan Earthquake One major feature of the new requirements is for significantly stricter measures against natural disasters such as earthquakes They also include measures to prevent the diffusion of radioactive materials and damage to the reactor core in the event of a severe accident which had previously been left to the autonomy of each power company The day when the new regulatory requirements went into effect and Tomari operator Hokkaido Electric Power Co the Tomari plant is the only one that has yet to have any of its reactors cleared to restart operations Just last month during a screening meeting on June 9 Hokkaido Electric finally cleared a major hurdle with the setting of “design basis earthquake ground motions” used as standards for earthquake resistance calculations One reason for the significant delay in its screenings is the lack of human resources at the utility company staff often got bogged down answering questions from the nuclear watchdog’s experts the utility had about 60 staff handling the screening procedures Although the utility has gradually increased the number since then “Lack of staff who can respond to specialized discussions on earthquakes and tsunami has critically affected the screening process,” then NRA chief Toyoshi Fuketa said in April 2022 it had secured 220 staff for the screening procedures in addition to support staff from nuclear power plant manufacturers and other electric power companies that are further along in their screenings “We are now able to produce data with sufficient quality needed for screenings,” said company President Susumu Saito the Tomari plant has yet to be screened on measures against other natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and tsunami The utility’s goal is for the plant to restart in December 2026 but it is unclear whether it will achieve is target The delay in restarting the reactors has continued to result in higher electricity prices for Hokkaido Electric’s customers have failed to pass the screening for the nuclear power plants they want to restart the NRA finally agreed with Hokuriku Electric’s assessment that none of the 10 faults at the site of the No 2 reactor at the Shika plant in Ishikawa Prefecture including those directly under the reactor building Chubu Electric is dragging its feet on issues of tsunami countermeasures for the Nos 3 and 4 reactors at the Hamaoka plant in Shizuoka Prefecture in the possible event of a massive Nankai Trough earthquake Although the utility has obtained the NRA’s general understanding by raising its tsunami assumptions to 22.7 meters there are still some issues to be considered such as the effects of undersea volcanic activity The central government intends to make active use of nuclear power in a bid to ensure stable electricity supplies while realizing a carbon-free society The basic plan for green transformation adopted in February mentions “maximum use” of nuclear power The government plan also stipulates that nuclear power plants that have been decided to be decommissioned will be rebuilt and next-generation reactors will be constructed on the same site with enhanced safety features a related law was enacted this year to effectively allow nuclear power plants to operate for more than 60 years by excluding from their total operation terms the offline periods for safety inspections by the NRA and other circumstances Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun outdoor camping Camping is a classic outdoor activity to enjoy the magnificent nature of Hokkaido you can enjoy an extraordinary experience in the scenery of each of the four seasons we will introduce 21 campgrounds with excellent facilities for families in the Goshi area near Lake Toya A campground where visitors can learn about the benefits of forests and the joy of growing trees It is popular as a place to enjoy even when it rains as it has a barbecue corner in the cooking house you can enjoy the view of magnificent volcanoes and mountains such as Lake Toya This campground is located at the back of Lake Poroto making the most of Shiraoi's rich natural environment The exhilarating feeling of greeting the morning with the sound of birdsong is unique to this campground is a great place to experience and fully enjoy the great outdoors The campground is equipped with a barrier-free administration building cooking facilities using spring water from Mt Mori no Furusato Forest Park is a vast park consisting of four areas: Ikoi no Mori Unique facilities such as wooden playground equipment are provided according to each theme centering on "Ikoi no Mori," which includes campgrounds This is the most recommended park in Rusutsu Village located behind the 230 Rusutsu Roadside Station The facilities include a "day campsite" where you can set up tents and place tables and benches a park road where you can take a walk in the virgin forest Furusato-no-Oka Campsite is a nature-rich campground equipped with a barbecue corner and bungalows There is a cooking area and a barbecue house and enjoying jingisukan (Japanese mutton barbecue) surrounded by the great outdoors is exceptional Visitors can relax on the grassy lawn or stroll along the walking trail and enjoy forest bathing while interacting with wild birds and animals and free sites are spaciously arranged on a large The spacious sites are designed so that there is no interference with neighboring sites making for a comfortable camping experience All car sites and bungalow sites are equipped with running water Iwanai Auto Campground Marine View features large grassy sites with plenty of room to pitch your tent Marine View boasts log cabin-style cottages with an appearance reminiscent of a vacation home Shiraoi Camping Field ASOBUBA is an outdoor camping facility based on the concept of "Let's play for real The concept of Shiraoi Camping Field "ASOBUBA" is "Let's play seriously" The aim is to liberate adults through "play" and you can use it in luxurious ways such as bushcraft The camp can be used for everything from solo camping where you can face yourself to gulp camping where you can enjoy with your family and friends Eruption Bay and the coastline with beautiful sunsets stretch out before your eyes making it a fun place for the whole family Green Stay Toyako is a full-fledged auto campground with 100 sites lodges and one-box type accommodation cabins There is a center green in the center of the campground where small children and adults alike can play in a spacious area Located in the Tsukiura district of Toyako Town the campground is named "Moonlight Campsite" because of the natural phenomenon of the moon reflecting off the lake and appearing as a path of light The campground is located on a hillside with a great view of the lake and the gentle murmur of trees and the scent of nature fills the air It is equipped with superb dinners where you can fully enjoy the bounty of nature and comfortable tents with full facilities Visitors can enjoy the quiet and gentle flow of time while feeling close to nature Toyoura Seaside Park is a park where visitors can bathe in the sea and a lawn area can be used as a campground Fishing can also be enjoyed at the jetties surrounding the beach Relaxing in the adjacent natural hot spring is also recommended On a vast site overlooking the Sea of Japan Visitors can enjoy outdoor life to the fullest with walking trails recommended for forest bathing an impressive sunset over the Sea of Japan and stars so bright they can almost be caught in your hands A sports center and barbecue house are also available this beautiful campground offers a panoramic view of Lake Toya In addition to sites where you can pitch your tent right on the shore of Lake Toya there is also a second campsite where you can bring your car and pets A campground surrounded by greenery and mountains It is conveniently located for nearby tourist attractions such as Lake Toya Three town-managed hot springs are located in the nearby area and can be used at reasonable rates Zaita Campground is a base base for getting close to the water and enjoying the greenery With a center house equipped with shower rooms and coin-operated laundry facilities as well as a multipurpose sports plaza with a running track and soccer field the campground can be used not only for leisure activities but also for sports camps This campground is popular as a hole-in-the-wall for outdoorsy types You can enjoy camping surrounded by the sounds of nature this campground offers an outstanding location The campground is popular among camping beginners and families This is a handmade campground built by professional lumberjacks who work in the forestry industry The ground is made of volcanic gravel and has excellent drainage The surrounding facilities are also excellent making it a convenient base for sightseeing Why not enjoy a bonfire in the quiet forest All information is current as of April 2024 and Kamikawa Area: 22 Campgrounds Recommended for the Year 2024 Camping in contact with nature and animals Recommended 13 campsites near Hidaka and Erimo Kushiro Campgrounds: 23 recommended campgrounds in the Kushiro and Nemuro areas for 2024 The 21 recommended campsites in the suburbs of Rumoi and Soya area for 2024 Camping to enjoy the ocean and spectacular views all around The 20 best campgrounds in the Tokachi area near Obihiro Camping to see the star-filled sky from the vast land Event The season of fireworks festivals that brighten up Hokkaido's summer is coming Here we will introduce you to all the information about the fireworks festivals that will create summer memories This sea festival is held on Kamome Island a beautiful small island beloved by many people as a symbol of Esashi In addition to the usual stage events such as singing shows and traditional performing arts there are also booths where you can enjoy the flavors of Esashi Source: T×TGARAGE 12th Makomanai Fireworks Festival Official Website This year marks the 12th anniversary of the event and 22,000 fireworks will be launched into the sky along with a mix of fireworks The fireworks launched by the nationally famous "Nihonbashi Marutamaya" and "Beniya Aoki Fireworks" are a wonderful light art that will brighten up the summer To commemorate the Fighters' 50th anniversary over 6,000 fireworks will be set off to accompany the entrance music and footage of legendary players The fireworks can be viewed from inside the ESCON Field after the game ends and the atmosphere will be livened up by the special 50th anniversary production This is a major event held in Hamatonbetsu Town with the aim of connecting people with nature at Lake Kutcharo the northernmost wetland registered under the Ramsar Convention in Japan where many migratory birds come to rest their wings It is a water log crossing race and various other events The beautiful fireworks that light up the lake are also popular You can enjoy fireworks and food in the natural surroundings of the National Takino Suzuran Hillside Park on the outskirts of Sapporo there are also many stage events and raffles so you can camp while enjoying the fireworks The third annual Memurocho Fireworks Festival "Kanon" was launched by volunteers who wanted to revive the local fireworks festival that had disappeared and to create memories for children Food and drink booths will be set up at the venue The eve of the festival will also feature a beer garden and karaoke competition which began in commemoration of the establishment of Marine Day is now one of the three major fireworks festivals in Hakodate and is a popular fireworks festival that heralds the arrival of summer in Hakodate This year's theme is "Cinema under the Stars." Hakodate Port will be transformed into a giant movie theater and various performances will liven up the venue there will be a junior concert and the traditional "Sennin Odori" dance that parades through the city there will be a "boat rowing race" that you can enjoy The nighttime fireworks display will color the finale of Nemuro's short summer and the festival The Ebetsu Fireworks are characterized by a competition between Japanese fireworks makers You can watch the fireworks from up close from the venue seats There are also plans for stage events and food trucks to open at the venue This is one of the fireworks festivals representing the Furano area with around 7,000 fireworks launched into the sky The fireworks seen in the setting of the lavender fields in full bloom have a beauty unlike any other fireworks festival and the impact is even more intense when viewed from the slopes of the surrounding hills "Kuki" refers to the large schools of herring that come to spawn and this festival is held to commemorate the past when the area prospered from herring fishing There is also a taste corner where you can enjoy local seafood and events you can participate in such as "All-you-can-eat sea urchins and scallops," and the fireworks you can watch while looking out over Benten Island on the coast are very impressive and the fireworks reflecting off the black mirror-like surface of the sea brightly light up the summer night sky This fireworks festival held in a seaside town is also recommended as a combination with swimming and camping In addition to the usual all-you-can-eat shijimi clams the Teshio River will be lit up with fireworks This event is held as the finale of the historic "Hidaka Tree Spirit Festival," which gives thanks to the trees of the forest and the legendary dragon as its guardian Approximately 2,500 fireworks will be launched into the sky beautifully lighting up the summer night as the festival continues This fireworks festival is popular among Sapporo residents as a seasonal event that heralds the arrival of summer in Sapporo The fireworks launched from Toyohira River are divided into three parts including star mines and elaborate creative fireworks You can also watch the fireworks up close from the fishing port and experience the powerful sound and light of over 700 fireworks a seasonal event that colors the summer in Chitose will be renovated this year and the venue will be changed to the Ground Self-Defense Force Kita-Chitose Garrison which are larger and more expansive than usual are scheduled to be launched in four parts was started as an opportunity to pass on Otaru's history and culture to the next generation and to pray for the development of Otaru The city center is lively with the "Ushio Furekomi" (dance parade) and stalls and the main fireworks display attracts many local residents and tourists This is the biggest event in Shintotsukawa where the whole town enjoys the short summer The popular event is the Mud Bridge Championship where participants slide along a roller conveyor used for sorting agricultural produce and compete to see who can get closest to a pool of mud The fireworks display is held on the eve of the festival began as a memorial service for those who drowned in the lake It is bustling with events and outdoor stalls and the "Memorial Lantern Floating" event The fireworks are reflected on the lake's surface like large flowers and the beauty of the event is captivating located about two hours by ferry from Wakkanai but the fireworks display is held in conjunction with the Oniwaki area and the surface of the sea is vividly colored A large-scale festival held in Tomakomai every summer a citizen dance parade through the city center and a marching festival liven up the city of Tomakomai The "Tomamin Tomakomai Centennial Fireworks" and the fireworks launched against the backdrop of the pitch-black sea are a spectacular sight Fresh seafood that can only be found in a port town is lined up and there are also character shows and various stage events It is a summer festival that can be enjoyed by both adults and children which is like a "wave," and the fireworks display will heat up the summer in Iwanai Town Nakatonbetsu Town is popular for its "45th Degree Latitude Shibare Festival" held in the winter but this festival is what gets the whole town excited in the summer Events include the All-Japan Water Balloon Catching Championship and the excitement reaches a climax with a fireworks display This festival started with hand-held fireworks by volunteers from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and is now a summer event in Niseko Town where about 1,500 fireworks are set off There is time for children to enjoy hand-held fireworks as well making it a fireworks festival that can be enjoyed by both adults and children while retaining the flavor of a small hometown the "village where stars fall," where you can enjoy events and gourmet food and the venue is enveloped in a fantastical space This is a major event that colors the short summer in the northernmost city The first icebreaker used in the Antarctic observation in the homeland of the Sakhalin Huskies Taro and Jiro was the "Sōya" and the festival has continued since its name was associated with the Antarctic the festival is livened up by two dances that represent Wakkanai: the "Hokkai Teppen Odori" and the "Antarctic Odori" is a vast park where you can also enjoy camping It also has hot spring accommodation and an observatory The fireworks you can enjoy at this scenic spot This festival is held in Higashikagura Town and is unique to the "town of flowers." There are many flower-related events such as a giveaway of flower seedlings on a first-come and a flower parade in which townspeople march to the tune of the "Hana no Machi Ondo." There are also outdoor stalls a "townspeople musical performance," a face-in sign competition fireworks and laser shows light up the night sky with flowers This is the largest fireworks festival in the northern Hokkaido area In addition to events such as stage attractions the fireworks can be seen up close in the water and the beautiful fireworks reflected on the sea surface are dynamic After enjoying the sunset over the Sea of Japan which has been selected as one of the "100 Best Sunsets in Japan," you can enjoy the fireworks festival It is also popular as Hokkaido's largest fireworks festival the traditional Nishiki Kamuro fireworks fill the night sky bringing the festival to a fantastic close This is the largest festival in Shikabe Town and everyone from children to adults can enjoy games and stage shows The fireworks display that marks the climax of the festival is the largest in southern Hokkaido and the fireworks launched near the fishing port are spectacular Approximately 3,400 star mines and special fireworks will paint the night sky in a spectacular display This fireworks display will be held during the "Fighters Super Summer Festival" event over 6,000 fireworks will light up the night sky with the roof open The dynamic production and music synchronized with the fireworks will turn the field into a dance floor-like space The night view from Otaru's Tenguyama is popular as one of the "Three Great Night Views of Hokkaido," and the fireworks that unfold along with the night view from the mountaintop are spectacular so access is good and you can easily enjoy the luxurious scenery of the night view and fireworks previously known as the "Hokkaido Moerenuma Artistic Fireworks" will be renamed the "Hokkaido Artistic Fireworks" set off by the country's best fireworks artists elevating traditional fireworks festivals to the level of art You can enjoy world-class fireworks entertainment This will be the first fireworks display to be held at the Sapporo Dome a fireworks manufacturer that won the top prize at the 2022 National Fireworks Competition is scheduled to display star mines and other fireworks Approximately 18,000 fireworks will be launched in time with music from the outdoor seating area that can accommodate 16,000 people This is the biggest event in Kushiro city and it brings the end of summer to a spectacular start "Donpaku" was named after the "don" sound of the fireworks and the act of eating delicious food The highlight of the event is not only the delicious food stalls and events but also the largest fireworks display in Hokkaido This year marks the 43rd anniversary of the fireworks festival The fireworks are set off on boats moving around the lake so you can see the whole of Toyako Onsen town Enjoying the fireworks while soaking in the hot springs is a unique experience at Toyako Onsen This fireworks display is held in Jigokudani The highlight is the spectacular sight of the "Yukijin" hot spring gods living in Jigokudani unleashing powerful demon fireworks into the night sky like an eruption which are meant to pray for the happiness of all people and protection from disaster drawing roars of excitement from the crowd A fireworks festival is held during the summer vacation period at Rusutsu Resort a popular amusement park and a variety of activities to enjoy 1,200 fireworks are set off in time with music creating a fantastical and dynamic collaboration of sound and light that is very popular *Each event may be subject to change or cancellation so please check the official website before participating Indonesian publisher M&C! announced last Saturday that it will release Haruka Fukushima's I Can Only Say I Love You (Suki Shika Iwanai) manga It will release both volumes of the manga on Wednesday M&C! describes the manga: Fukushima launched the manga in Shogakukan's Betsucomi magazine in June 2016, and ended it in February 2017 Shogakukan published two compiled book volumes for the manga Source: M&C! Facebook page A kokanee caught in the Northwest region of the U.S has fishing writers talking for a record that has stood for 22 years landed the potential all-tackle kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka) on June 13 Campbell’s beautiful catch weighed in at 4.39 kg (9 lb 10 oz) and was landed in five minutes after the fish took Campbell’s Shasta Peewee Hoochie The current IGFA record is 4.27 kg (9 lb 6 oz) from Okanagan Lake in Bristis Columbia A dead flying fish was the bait New Zealand angler Rikki Williams of Mt Albert in Auckland used to catch a 50.6 kg (111 lb 8 oz) southern yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) This potential men’s 37 kg (80 lb) line class record took Williams 15 minutes to bring in and may beat a 48-year old IGFA record The current IGFA record is 48.98 kg (108 lb 0 oz) caught off Cape Brett Japanese angler Masamitsu Okayama of Iwanai-Gun landed a kitsune-mebaru (Sebastes vulpes) on May 22 This potential all-tackle record fish which weighed in at 2.8 kg (6 lb 2 oz) was landed in four minutes after it hit Okayama’s soft plastic bait The current IGFA record is 2.7 kg (5 lb 15 oz) caught in May 2006 in nearby Setana Hokkaido A beautiful example of a silver redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) was landed by Michael Romano of Hudson on May 30 while he was fishing Michigan’s Muskegon River Romano’s catch qualifies as a potential men’s 2 kg (4 lb) line class record on a weight of 3.74 kg (8 lb 4 oz) The current IGFA record is 3.27 kg (7 lb 3 oz) caught in Sept landed a white marlin (Kajikia albida) on June 6 to qualify for the potential women’s IGFA 6 kg (12 lb) tippet record that’s currently vacant After a 15 minute fight Parkerson’s fish was weighed in at 21.15 kg (46 lb 10 oz) The fish was caught on a custom tied fly and Stacey was guided by Scott Jones landed a striped bass (Morone saxatilis) on June 17 while fishing off Cape Cod The potential men’s 2 kg (4 lb) tippet record weighed 10.43 kg (23 lb 0 oz) and took Cole 15 minutes to land after the fish hit his Chuleta Blanca fly The current men’s IGFA tippet record is 8.84 kg (19 lb 8 oz) caught off Misquamicit Beach caught a grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) on April 28 while fishing the waters in Boone County Land landed the fish in 20 minutes which weighed 17.35 kg (38 lb 4 oz) qualifying it for the 1 kg (2 lb) line class record The current IGFA record is 9.29 kg (20 lb 8 oz) recorded in August 2005 from the Tamiami Trail in Florida Finally we have three records of interest of anglers beating their former IGFA records Lady angler Toquaiah Jackson Carter of Wormleysburg USA may eclipse a women’s fly record she’s held since June 2007 Carter landed a yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) on June 18 Her impressive catch qualifies for the potential women’s 10 kg (20 lb) tippet record after weighing in at 24.86 kg (54 lb 13 oz) Carter needed an hour to land her trophy after it took her custom “bad hair day” fly The current IGFA record is 24.38 kg (53 lb 12 oz) and has been held by Carter for the past three years Costa Rica may also have broken his own IGFA fishing record Hampl landed a monster sized almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana) on June 15 while fishing the Golfo de Papagayo Costa Rica to qualify for the potential male-junior record which may beat his old record caught last year in the same waters Hampl’s catch weighed in at 34.97 kg (77 lb 1.6 oz) and took him 20 minutes to land after the fish hit his live moonfish His current IGFA record is 27 kg (59 lb 8 oz) guided by legendary IGFA Certified Captain Bouncer Smith may have recaptured an old IGFA record by landing a 1.25 kg (2 lb 12 oz) gray snapper (Lutjanus griseus) on May 30 Bahamas to qualify for the women’s 2 kg (4 lb) line class record The fish fought for three minutes after hitting a live pilchard The current IGFA record is 1.13 kg (2 lb 8 oz) Arostegui had previously held the record with a 1.02 kg (2 lb 4 oz) gray snapper caught in the same Bimini waters in June 2008 A strong magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred in the Sea of Japan near the coast of  Japan in the morning of Monday, Mar 10, 2025 at 9.51 am local time (GMT +9). The quake had a moderate depth of 204 km (127 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so). To learn more, check out our transcription guide or visit our transcribers forum “Pale Blue” is the first single from Kenshi Yonezu’s 2021 EP of the same name. The track was influenced and created for the Japan drama Rikokatsu (The divorce activity) which aired on 16 April 2021 with a 90-second snippet of the song The track is loosely connected to the idea of marriage and divorce. Throughout the song, Kenshi subtly hints at how his partner and he are going separate ways by mentioning “the withered Edelweiss,” “out-of-length haute couture,” and others. The emotion builds up as the song progresses, hitting climax as it enters a transposition bridge The song describes Kenshi madly in love with her significant other and eventually feels reluctant to end the relationship even he acknowledges the feelings for each other no longer exists +5ShareQ&AFind answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning Genius Answer1 contributorClick here.