grilling meat on miniature charcoal grills
and cracking cans of beer as cars intermittently passed by
and like pretty much every North American traveler eager to exploit a depressed yen and the ballooning post-COVID tourism industry
And I’d found the sheer glut of information—and especially the recent explosion of TikTok and Instagram round-ups of things-to-do—had been a bit overwhelming
Everyone seemingly had recommendations for some “little-known” izakaya
effectively spoiling the very quality of obscurity that was the essence of their charm
But with a few idle days in the middle of an otherwise jam-packed itinerary
I decided to go somewhere that I hadn’t heard about from a listicle
Photos by John Semley“Why do you want to go to Wakkanai?” Hajime
an exceptionally friendly barman at a dive in Sapporo asked me
it was true; I didn’t really have a clear picture of why I wanted to make the trip
And Hajime-san’s mix of confusion and disbelief only encouraged me
I followed the eastern edge of Honshu as it curved north
then leapfrogged across the Tsugaru Strait and onto the island of Hokkaido
the Soya Limited Express runs a once-a-day-return trip for ¥14,000 (or $97 USD
one way) through the rural landscape of northern Hokkaido
though I found the “Express” tag a bit of a misnomer; we’re not talking about one of those high-speed Shinkansen bullet trains that can blast you from Kyoto to Tokyo in a few hours
though the 60-mile-per-hour ka-chunk-ka-chunk excursion acclimatizes you to the slower
Five hours on a (relatively) slow moving train
grinding across a (relatively) dull landscape cast in the dewey green-ish brown hues of late spring offered plenty of time to reflect on why
and was asked why I’d bothered to go there
“I don’t know” wouldn’t cut it as a response—even if it would give me a chance to wow people with my newly acquired bit of Japanese wordplay
But before I was able to come up with an answer
cut into a bay that looks like some enormous creature took a big bite out of it
one thing that had immediately piqued my interest
I read that you could see—with the naked eye—the southern coast of Sakhalin
I couldn’t really imagine myself visiting Russia proper anytime soon
Maybe being able to spy this island on its south-easterly perimeter
Riding a city bus from Wakkanai Station to Cape Sōya (another leisurely trundle)
I was pleased to learn that all the hype was true
Sitting on a rocky outcropping on the edge of the shore
enjoying a can of beer from a nearby vending machine
who famously claimed she could see Russia from her backyard
Having seen some vague, Russia-like landmass, I felt satisfied. I took a photo of the pyramidal “Monument of Peace,” commemorating the sinking of US and Japanese ships during WWII, and their doomed crewmen drowned at sea. Then I crossed the barely-trafficked two-lane highway, to enjoy a bowl of ramen at a <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nos5EaoiozfHQ26F8" rel=" noopener" target="_blank">small, empty shop</a>
bent-over grannies who didn’t speak a lick of English
(The broth was infused with seaweed culled from the local coastline
and was immensely refreshing.) I loaded up on some souvenirs from the Cape Sōya souvenir depot
Japanese-style hotel (the ones with the tatami mattresses on the floor; hell for a lifelong side-sleeper)
and wandered around looking for something else to eat
I consider myself a fairly adventurous—or at least undiscriminating—eater
Something about the image of myself seated cross-legged on my hotel room floor
scarfing potted bear meat out of a can struck me as a little depressing
only 160 people pass through Wakkanai Station every day
Tokyo’s Shinjuku manages the flow of some 3.6 million every single day.)
For the first week-or-so I spent racing through Tokyo and Sapporo, the very idea that Japan could be boring—that I wouldn’t find some buzz to jolt my senses around every corner—was a little unthinkable. But there, in a town unburdened by heavy expectation and my own personal tendency to overplan, I felt free. Truth be told, visiting Wakkanai was one of the most memorable parts of a trip positively littered with great memories.
about 20 people were lined up inside the huge glass building
Wakkanai Station on the Soya Line has only one platform and one track
it is housed inside an impressive glass hall that looks a bit too grand for the average 48 passengers it serves daily.&nbsp;
it is Japan's northernmost train station and marks the northernmost point of Japan's railway network
and many people travel here exactly for this reason
almost everyone seems eager to board the train
Only two university students who have just cycled 600 kilometers from Nemuro to Wakkanai look too tired to care.&nbsp;
Manning the ticket gate is a station master who likes to keep things orderly
He keeps the gate shut until the inbound passengers arriving from Asahikawa have cleared out
the 10:28 AM local service to Asahikawa is ready to depart
a common sight in rural areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The city of Asahikawa is only 260 kilometers away from Wakkanai
but the train journey takes five and a half hours
so coming early is imperative for passengers who prefer a seat with a good view.&nbsp;
the right side of the single-carriage is also the right side to take pictures
Most of the 39 stations that the train will call on its way from the northern tip of Japan down to Asahikawa
Some of the 39 stations will disappear soon
Shihoro and Onnenai Stations closed in March 2024
more stops are ceasing operation on the Soya Line
the whole stretch between Nayoro and Wakkanai is an endangered part of the network and could be shut down entirely
Almost all passengers this morning are busy taking videos and photos
There is a lot to focus the lens on: the train seats
Only the two cycling students are fast asleep on the less popular side seats in the back
oblivious to everything around them.&nbsp;
the train comes to its first stop at Minami-Wakkanai
There is excitement as other train fans are waiting on the platform with their cameras ready
There are only a handful of trains per day.&nbsp;
The station master bows as the local train leaves Wakkanai city limits and slowly moves towards the Sea of Japan
passengers can see Mount Rishiri rise out of the water in the distance
the mysterious volcano is partly hidden in the clouds.&nbsp;
the old wooden station building is known as Japan's northernmost unmanned station
it is very popular with train fans who have a soft spot for isolated stations
Only seven trains per day make a stop here
which often forces even railway fans to visit Bakkai by car.&nbsp;
the local comes to a longish stop as it waits for the limited express to arrive at a dignified pace
the local and the limited express trains are on equal terms
The only difference between the two is the comfort of the carriage and the price of the limited express supplement
Passengers on the local train make the most of the wait
and even pay a visit to the front of the station building
When the express train finally meets the local
the passengers from each train take pictures of the other train
"Did you get some nice photos?" a passenger asks
She certainly does not mean the woman next to her who has propped up her camera to record the whole journey while diligently working on her travel diary
The Soya Line is one of the many lines that the Hokkaido Railway Company could do without
JR Hokkaido is in charge of a network of around 2,500 kilometers on a large
The majority of Hokkaido's five million inhabitants live in urban areas around the main cities of Sapporo
Lines and stations across the region are seeing fewer and fewer users
Rural routes with few passengers are especially burdensome financially
snowy winters that put a heavy strain on the aging infrastructure
and stations in winter is time-consuming and requires significant manpower
trains are dealing with an increasing number of unwelcome animal encounters
Collisions with deer and occasionally bears lead to service delays or temporary suspensions
JR Hokkaido suffers over 4,000 train disruptions caused by wildlife every year.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While the wild animals are a growing headache for the railway company
they are a delight to railroad fans and tourists
Passengers on the Soya Line can watch Yezo sika deer as the small carriage trundles through Hokkaido's countryside.&nbsp;
the train service still has an economic impact
Otoineppu calls itself "the smallest village in Hokkaido," and is home to just 600 inhabitants
The guest house and the café cater to train tourists traveling along the Soya Line.&nbsp;
"There is not much else here," the owner of the café says
Otoineppu&nbsp;Station has a small museum that pays tribute to the defunct Tempoku train line
The line operated until 1989 between Otoineppu and Wakkanai along the coast of the Sea of Japan
and uniforms once used on the now abandoned line.&nbsp;
a museum dedicated to the Soya Line might make a similar case
It will remember the leisurely train journeys to the northern tip of Japan
where travelers could simply enjoy the view
Author: <a href="https://japan-forward.com/author/agnes-tandler/">Agnes Tandler</a>
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"It's not as easy as it looks," the young woman says as she gives fresh food to Spikes and Dash
They are canine athletes and have just competed in the 39th Japanese dogsled championship in Wakkanai
It is the biggest national event for working dogs and their mushers
who can show off their dogs and skills near the shores of Lake Onuma.&nbsp;
Alaska's famous 1,500-kilometer long-distance dog sled race that takes more than a week to finish
favoring velocity over endurance and fun over grit.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
bird watchers come to the spot to observe wild geese and swans
This year 130 dogs and 60 teams are participating in the tournament.&nbsp;
warm weather and a lack of snow led to the cancellation in 2024
Not this year — with sub-zero temperatures and strong
it is hard not to envy all the Huskies and Malamutes for their thick fur coat
Monet certainly looks comfortable in the cold. The Samoyed dog has spent 17 hours on the ferry from Tokyo to Hokkaido and then another 6 hours inside a car driving up to <a href="https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2149/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">Wakkanai</a>
Named after the French impressionist painter Claude Monet
the three-year-old is relaxing in the snow next to the sled.&nbsp;
"The summer in Tokyo is too hot for Monet," his musher explains
Monet goes to Nikko in the mountains north of the capital
The metal hooks into the snow and slows down the dogs or even stops them.&nbsp;
Steering is done through a combination of braking
and lines that are fastened to the dogs' harnesses
dogs practice with wheeled sleds or other all-terrain vehicles
only some can run hundreds of kilometers in cold weather and keep focused on pulling the sled across packed ice and snow
Sled dogs are a breed of their own and even share similar genetics.&nbsp;
Dogsled racing in Japan only started in the 1980s
It was thanks to the legendary explorer and adventurer Naomi Uemura that sled dogs gained popularity
The Japanese mountaineer made history as the first person to reach the North Pole solo
the first person to raft the Amazon River solo
and the first person to make a solo winter summit on Mount Denali.&nbsp;
Uemura used 17 huskies to pull his sled through the frozen Arctic
He later gifted sled dogs to Hokkaido and a trend was started.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Not all races at the Wakkanai championship involve sledding
The "dog dash" is open to all furry friends
Dogs and owners have to run a distance of 50 meters to the finish line
The majority of canines get seriously distracted by the cheering crowd
others just roll in the snow or take off in the wrong direction.&nbsp;
the Akita dog from Rumoi with a rare grey brindle-colored fur
The three-year-old is handling the challenge with confidence
"She is not very dog-like," explains Hannah's owner as the dog dashes towards the goal
Author: <a href="https://japan-forward.com/author/agnes-tandler/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">Agnes Tandler</a>
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<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/201/1?ppt=Sumikko+Gurashi+and+Wakkanai+City+%22Sumikkomachi+Collaboration%22+What+is+the+convincing+reason%21&ppc=Lifestyle" target="_top">Lifestyle</a>
 Sumikkomachi" is the name of a prefecture or a specific area
or a place or an area with "Sumi" in its name
Sumikko-machi" is a town that has a big smile and is connected to other Sumikko
This is a project to commemorate the 10th anniversary of "Sumikko Gurashi," with the hope that "Sumikko" will connect with each other to create a big circle of smiles
Kurashiki City in southern Okayama Prefecture
Shimonoseki City in Yamaguchi Prefecture (the westernmost point of Honshu)
and the O-"Sumi" Peninsula in southeastern Kagoshima Prefecture were selected as five locations from across Japan to collaborate in this project
a citizen asked me to apply for the Sumikkomachi Collaboration
Rina Fukuhara of the Tourism Exchange Division of the Wakkanai City Office spoke to us
 I thought that if we could collaborate with a character that is loved by children and adults alike
we would be able to spread the charms of Wakkanai City
to Sumikko fans not only in Wakkanai City but all over the country
 The project received a large number of applications and the selection process was highly competitive
so he was very anxious until he found out the result
The reason for this was that "everyone recognizes that we are the Northern Sumiko of Hokkaido."
 The decision to collaborate with Sumikko Gurashi quickly became a hot topic among citizens
and not only those who originally loved Sumikko Gurashi but also those who had never heard of it expressed their joy
 The hashtag "Sumikatsu" (not "Sumikatsu" as in "guessing activity") has become a popular topic on social networking sites
and fans from all over Japan are visiting the northernmost city in Japan
PR posters were displayed at four "Sumikko Stations" located in the east
JR Wakkanai Station was chosen as the Sumikko Station in the north
and the tweet introducing it received approximately 5,000 responses
the "Sumikkomachi Certificate Awarding Ceremony" was held at Wakkanai Sub Port Market
where "Neko," who became the Sumikkomachi PR Ambassador
presented the "Sumikkomachi Certificate" to Mr
Chairman of Wakkanai Tourism Revitalization Promotion Council
 In addition, children from Wakkanai Hikari Kindergarten and Kirakira Nursery School presented the "cat" with a "tear-off picture" of the cat and "fish," the cat's favorite food. A video of the event can be viewed on the official Instagram ( <a href="https://www.instagram.com/japan.go.wakkanai/?hl=ja">@japan.go.wakkanai</a> ) of the Wakkanai City Tourism Exchange Division
 The posters have been posted around the city and have also been used as photo spots
Collaborative events are still being planned
すみっコぐらしが紹介するガイドマップ！&lt;h3 class=&quot;ptn_4&quot;&gt; Cute and soothing
Collaboration guide map&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt; Fukuhara recommends this guide map
&quot;You can cover all of Wakkanai&#039;s attractions with just this one map.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://domingo.ne.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/866d567288f89c2ee7d7917b0b66497a.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;ガイドマップ&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The white road in the background of the cover is covered with scallop shells
and the contrast between the blue sky and the white road is a beautiful sight for SNS.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://domingo.ne.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/82a88e02011260ca97dc5026960eaf6a.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;白い道&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The Sumikko Gurashi characters also cutely introduce familiar sightseeing spots such as the Kita Breakwater Dome
a roadside station that plays a central role in the area around the station
which has long been known to citizens as &quot;Machi,&quot; or &quot;town.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://domingo.ne.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/795da5031fdd1654ae3d1ed9dd84d040.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;北防波堤ドーム&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The guide map is distributed at Wakkanai Tourist Information Centers and Wakkanai City Hall
It is also available on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.sumikkogurashi-10th-project.jp/machicollabo/wakkanai/&quot;&gt;official Wakkanai City website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h3 class=&quot;ptn_4&quot;&gt; Wakkanai is a city that thrives on the outdoors
Food is also an important part of the fun!&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt; Wakkanai City has seen a decrease in group tourists over the past few years due to the new coronavirus
while the number of individual travelers has increased
Many people are also touring the city while staying overnight in their camping cars
This guide map will be a strong travel companion not only for Sumikko Gurashi fans but also for travelers.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;https://domingo.ne.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/37d8105927b0593434cc8b002000dd41.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;こうほねの家&quot;&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; I hope that Sumikko Gurashi will help boost Wakkanai
the city I love and was born and raised in,&quot; says Fukuhara
&lt;p&gt; In addition to the tourist attractions that make Sumikko Gurashi look great on SNS
such as the largest catch of sea cucumbers in Japan
sea urchins grown on Rishiri kelp of the highest quality
rich milk made possible by the cold climate
you can enjoy Sumikko as if you were a member of Sumikko.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;div class=&quot;box_stroke&quot;&gt;
&quot;It&#39;s too good...&quot; Record of a trip to the northernmost remote island of Japan
Video filmed by university students becomes a hot topic: &quot;It&#39;s youth&quot;
5 easy-to-participate social good events in Hokkaido [May 2025]
&quot;Amazing view...&quot; It&#39;s like another world
A photo taken in the &quot;city of steel&quot; Muroran is a hot topic: &quot;It&#39;s overwhelming&quot;
&quot;As long as the fish is tasty...?!&quot; The welcome party for a new recruit from Hokkaido is too difficult
&quot;They&#39;re the kind of people who sprinkle salmon roe on top.&quot;
&quot;They&#39;re so cute!&quot; I feel comforted by the baby goats growing up healthy on a farm in Hokkaido
&quot;What a cute creature&quot; - A baby seal growing up quickly is soothing
Seeing it moving around so hard makes people say &quot;It&#39;s like an angel&quot; and &quot;Grow up big&quot;
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
were spotted near Wakkanai Minami Elementary School in a residential area in Wakkanai
on Monday night and the predawn hours of Tuesday
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The Wakkanai city board of education closed the schools
Wakkanai Minato Elementary School and Wakkanai Minami Junior High School
a bicycle newspaper delivery person spotted brown bears on the ground of Wakkanai Minami Elementary School at around 2:35 a.m
a resident saw brown bears on a street near a park
The Wakkanai police station and the city searched the nearby areas but found no sign of the brown bears
Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting
&#169; 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun
ShareSave<a class="isDg-4PG" href="https://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/" data-ga-track="breadcrumb-L2">Lifestyle</a><a class="isDg-4PG _2XNbdi6I" href="https://www.forbes.com/travel/" data-ga-track="breadcrumb-L3">Travel</a>Touring Wakkanai And The Northernmost Point Of JapanBy<a class="_4tin10wS YbfXuVMn" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/geoffreymorrison/" rel="noreferrer" target="_self">Geoffrey Morrison</a>
Photo credit: Geoffrey Morrison from his Instagram
The famous towns of Kyoto and Osaka lay to the southwest
while Nagasaki and more are even farther are south
The city of Sapporo is the largest city north of Tokyo
It’s a small coastal city of about 37,000 that faces harsh winters and a lot of snow (21 feet on average per winter!)
It’s also near the northernmost point in Japan
There weren’t a lot of tourists during my visit
My guided tour of the sights of Wakkanai only had a handful
It was a different side of Japan than the more common spots
as a recent typhoon had knocked out the rail connections to the eastern half of the island (they’re repaired now)
and then took the long train ride up to Wakkanai
For comparison, it takes 8.5 to get to Sapporo from Tokyo, a nearly 4x greater distance (and 2/3 of that, Tokyo to Hakodate, is covered in just over 4 hours thanks to the 200mph <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa_(train)" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa_(train)" aria-label="Hayabusa">Hayabusa</a>)
There are a few cars, a few people walking, but compared to the hubbub of the big cities, this is a forgotten village. It’s a town that looks like it gets hit with vicious winters, and it does. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Low" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleutian_Low" aria-label="wind comes down from Siberia">wind comes down from Siberia</a> and chills to the bone
There are a few interesting sights on Wakkanai
On the hill above the city is the Centennial Tower that was built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the city
You can see Russia on the horizon (barely)
but if you click the image it will take you to..
[+] Flickr where you can see the photosphere correctly
and you can kinda see the island in the pictures here (on the horizon)
In town is the bizarre-looking <a href="http://www.hokkaidolikers.com/en/articles/1031" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:http://www.hokkaidolikers.com/en/articles/1031" aria-label="Breakwater Dome">Breakwater Dome</a>
A concrete half-dome with gorgeous pillars
It was once part of an old railroad station
but the architectural wonder of the dome is kept and maintained as a local treasure
Then there’s the northernmost point itself
It’s a short drive outside of town at Cape Sōya
I love the superlatives of things, like the southernmost this and the <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/148-floors-in-the-sky-the-view-from-the-burj-khalifa/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://www.cnet.com/news/148-floors-in-the-sky-the-view-from-the-burj-khalifa/" aria-label="tallest that">tallest that</a>
It was cool to visit Wakkanai for that reason If you’ve just got a short time in Japan though
there are other highlights that are probably a better use of your time
it’s certainly worth checking out for a day
<a href="https://epaper.japantimes.co.jp/" title="Today's Print Edition" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Today's print edition</a>
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Russia-Japan ties hit their lowest point in years following Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine
and nowhere is that tension clearer than in Hokkaido
The government of Hokkaido has a formal relationship with the state government of nearby Sakhalin
which is close enough to be visible from the prefecture&#39;s Rebun island on a clear day
Fifteen Hokkaido cities and towns also have sister-city relationships with Russian cities on Sakhalin and in the Russian Far East
a Hokkaido official in charge of the prefecture’s relations with Russia
fewer people have gone back and forth between Hokkaido and Sakhalin in particular.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
a lot of Hokkaido localities and their Russian sister cities went online to do events
In a time of both misinformation and too much information
quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing
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Six crew members of a Cambodian-flagged crab fishing vessel were killed Thursday after a fire broke out on their ship while anchored in a Japanese port
The AFP, citing an Japanese coast guard official, <a href="https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jocb2WRP7hhXOOfrKMc1TgbR2u5w?docId=CNG.ec0cfad389b20263dd6018b6967f3128.491" target="_blank">reports</a> that the fire broke out on the 497-tonne Tiagan while in the port of Wakkanai in Japan&#8217;s northern island of Hokkaido
made up of mostly Russians and some Ukrainians
The six killed are reported to be all Russian citizens
The fire is believed to have burned for about 11 hours before it was put out
The six bodies were found after the fire was extinguished and water was pumped out
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May 3 (Reuters) &#8211; India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the wake of a deadly attack on..
May 3 (Reuters) &#8211; The mayor of the Russian port city of Novorossiisk declared a state of emergency on Saturday after local authorities said a Ukrainian drone attack had damaged a grain terminal..
PD Ports has announced ambitious plans to develop one of the UK&#8217;s largest offshore wind manufacturing and installation hubs
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A newborn spotted seal at Wakkanai Noshappu Aquarium in Hokkaido
with video clips of its growth shared by the aquarium on its Facebook account
The pup measured 64 centimeters and weighed about 10 kilograms at birth in late March
Thanks to its mother&rsquo;s milk and plenty of sleep
it quickly grew to 17 kilograms in just a week
The baby spotted seal&rsquo;s fluffy white fur usually sheds in about two to three weeks and is replaced with a greyish coat with dark spots
The aquarium has been temporarily closed since April 1
&ldquo;The pup spotted seal won&rsquo;t be fluffy white anymore by the time we reopen
but we look forward to everyone visiting to come see how much it has grown,&rdquo; a staff member at the aquarium said
<a title="The Hokkaido Shimbun Press" href="https://h2w.hokkaido-np.co.jp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hokkaido Shimbun Press</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2022/03/00370af71f99-success-of-japans-curling-team-at-beijing-olympics-boosts-hometown-tax-revenue.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Success of Japan&rsquo;s curling team at Beijing Olympics boosts hometown revenue</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/02/c3ffe19b039b-cat-robot-serving-dishes-at-hokkaido-noodle-restaurant.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cat robot serving dishes at Hokkaido noodle restaurant</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/01/76111d6d651e-mobile-app-developers-hoping-to-give-japans-snowboarders-a-tech-edge.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mobile app developers hoping to give Japan's snowboarders a tech edge</a>
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釧路のひと・ことが集う“ネオ公民館”を運営 | 木村琴絵がオススメする、北海道釧路市３つの「とっておき」
「良すぎる…」日本最北端の離島で過ごした旅の記録！大学生らが撮影した映像が話題に「青春だ」
【札幌駅徒歩7分】温泉＆夜景＆朝食ビュッフェが充実！全605室「札幌ホテルbyグランベル」で快適ステイ
札幌南区で広がる交流の輪！学生が地域と共につくりあげるコミュニティマルシェ「八百カフェ」とは
【2025年最新】大和ハウス プレミストドーム（札幌ドーム）へのアクセスと周辺ホテル完全ガイド！遠征・ライブ宿泊にも便利
【4月25日先行オープン情報も】札幌大通の新名所！2025年夏オープン「4PLA」のフロア詳細や見どころについて
ナイトレースに名物グルメも！ホッカイドウ競馬2025開幕＆“馬のまち”日高町おすすめスポットガイド
【2025年版】函館近郊・道南エリアおすすめ桜スポット20選！北海道内で一足先に花見を満喫
【2025年版】北海道の花イベント16選 桜や菜の花、つつじ、チューリップが咲き誇る
【2025年版】旭川近郊・道北エリアおすすめ桜スポット10選！花見をしながらアウトドア
【2025年版】帯広・釧路近郊おすすめ桜スポット8選！家族や仲間とゆっくり楽しむ花見
【2025年版】登別・洞爺湖近郊・道央エリアおすすめ桜スポット10選！絶景とともに楽しむ花見
【2025年版】帯広・十勝近郊おすすめドライブスポット20選！絶景や食の魅力がいっぱい
【2025年版】札幌近郊おすすめドライブスポット20選！日帰りで楽しめる定番から穴場スポットまで
【2024年版】北海道の絶景に囲まれた秘湯・名湯15選！旅行で訪れたい絶対おすすめ温泉スポット
【2024年最新】ホッキョクグマやアルパカたちがお出迎え！北海道で動物たちと出会える＆触れ合えるスポット10選
【2024年版】一面の紫色に魅了される！北海道のラベンダーが楽しめるおすすめ観光スポット10選
「こんな素敵な所があったとは」まるで魔法学校！？釧路で撮影された幻想的な1枚がかっこいい！「アロホモラしたい」
札幌の味噌ラーメンを代表する超人気店『すみれ』  時代と共に進化する「味噌ラーメン」の味の秘密とは
宮の森の“完全予約制隠れ家サロン”で本格アフタヌーンティーを楽しむ 札幌「afternoonTEA afternoonALCOHOL」
札幌シメパフェ巡り（２）住所非公開＆会員制！札幌の“秘密のパフェバー”「Remake easy」に潜入
「素晴らしい景色…」まるで異世界！“鉄のまち”室蘭で撮影された一枚が話題に「圧倒される」
「もう廃棄するしかない」ももクロのイベントが中止になり販売できなくなった大量のホットドッグ→その後のファンの優しさに出店者が感動！「本当にモノノフっていいな」
島の“温泉ソムリエ”小島有貴がオススメする、奥尻島３つの「とっておき」＜あの人のとっておき帖＞
地域からの恩恵に自覚的でいたい。５周年を迎えたドット道東が辿り着いた「ローカル事務局」という役割
オホーツクの海を愛する村井克詞がお薦めする、紋別３つのとっておき / あの人のとっておき帖
「新しい消費」と「関係人口」が創り出す、十勝と全国をつなぐ新たなライフスタイルの形とは  十勝シティデザイン創業者、柏尾哲哉さんインタビュー
北海道最小の村から全国へ！全国から注目される「おといねっぷ美術工芸高校」とそれを後押しする「おと高応援団」とは
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/201/1?ppt=Is+this+real%3F+A+figurine%3F+A+wild+Ezo+sika+deer+welcomes+you+on+the+Wakkanai+Station+platform.&ppc=Lifestyle" target="_top">Lifestyle</a>
A surprising sight at Wakkanai Station in Hokkaido
 A shocking sight at Wakkanai Station on the Soya Main Line
 Ezo-shika deer appeared majestically on the station platform
It looks as if it is welcoming us or passing through the ticket gate
"Isn't he the station chief making his rounds
 The date and time of the photo was around 6:30 a.m
I was trying to photograph the terminus and monuments before boarding the train when I spotted an Ezo sika deer standing on the tracks
 Yezo sika deer standing on the train tracks
 As the departure time approached and the flow of people calmed down
it approached the platform side and seemed to be looking ahead to the platform
he jumped over the fence with great speed and vigor
the train continued to ply the area until it was time for the train to depart
 The deer looked as if they were on a walking trail
The deer seemed to be accustomed to the distance from humans
and they were crossing the platform when no one was around
But how did they manage to get so far into the area
 It is a common story in Hokkaido that wild deer often enter the railway tracks
but it must be quite rare to see them fleeing into the station premises
It was a slightly surprising sight at the northernmost station in Japan
実際の投稿はこちら A &lt;blockquote class=&quot;twitter-tweet&quot;&gt;&lt;p lang=&quot;ja&quot; dir=&quot;ltr&quot;&gt;shocking sight at Wakkanai Station on the Soya Main Line
&lt;a href=&quot;https://t.co/97dbTP5cpz&quot;&gt;pic.twitter.com/97dbTP5cpz-&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; hime4145 (@hime4145) &lt;a href=&quot;https://twitter.com/hime4145/status/1710469470580580407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&quot;&gt;October 7
2023&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src=&quot;https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js&quot; charset=&quot;utf-8&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&lt;h3 class=&quot;ptn_5&quot;&gt; Check it out as well!&lt;/h3&gt;
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/206/1?ppt=Let%27s+express+the+charm+of+Hokkaido%27s+heritage+sites+through+photos+and+tanka+poems%21+Hokkaido+Heritage+Photo+%26+Tanka+Challenge+2024&ppc=Event" target="_top">Event</a>
 Hokkaido Heritage" was selected by the participation of Hokkaido citizens from various fields
including Hokkaido's rich natural environment
the history and culture of the people who have lived in Hokkaido
25 were selected for the first round in 2001
the 4th selection (6) and the name change (1) will be decided and announced
 The "Hokkaido Heritage Photo &amp; Tanka Challenge 2024" will be held from July 17 to September 30
inviting entries of photos and tanka poems on 74 Hokkaido heritage sites
a new tanka (short poem) category has been established this year
 The application period is from July 17 to September 30
use the hashtag #Hokkaido Heritage Tanka 2024
 Hokkaido Heritage "Wakkanai Port North Breakwater Dome
and Honorable Mention winners will be selected in each category
and each will receive a certificate and a WAON card
the Grand Prix winner will also receive a WAON card worth 30,000 yen
Why not express the charm of Hokkaido's heritage with your own work
 Application period: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - Monday, September 30, 2024 For <a href="https://domingo.ne.jp/event/49117" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">details of the "Hokkaido Heritage Photo &amp; Tanka Challenge 2024," click here.</a>
Expanding the circle of exchange in Minami-ku
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
Enjoy seasonal spring gourmet food and Golden Week
10 recommended events in Hokkaido [May 2025]
5 recommended events in Sapporo [May 2nd - 6th
[2025 Edition] 16 Flower Events in Hokkaido: Cherry blossoms
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/206/1?ppt=Let%27s+embark+on+a+journey+through+the+stories+of+Hokkaido%21+Hokkaido+Heritage+Digital+Stamp+Rally+2024-2025%22+and+%22Hokkaido+Heritage+Photo+%26+Tanka+Challenge+2024%22+have+started%21&ppc=Event" target="_top">Event</a>
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/207/1?ppt=Let%27s+embark+on+a+journey+through+the+stories+of+Hokkaido%21+Hokkaido+Heritage+Digital+Stamp+Rally+2024-2025%22+and+%22Hokkaido+Heritage+Photo+%26+Tanka+Challenge+2024%22+have+started%21&ppc=Town" target="_top">Town</a>
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/220/1?ppt=Let%27s+embark+on+a+journey+through+the+stories+of+Hokkaido%21+Hokkaido+Heritage+Digital+Stamp+Rally+2024-2025%22+and+%22Hokkaido+Heritage+Photo+%26+Tanka+Challenge+2024%22+have+started%21&ppc=Spots" target="_top">Spots</a>
Hokkaido Heritage" connects the rich nature
Why don't you visit some of the selected spots in Hokkaido and feel their charms
 Wakkanai Port North Breakwater Dome (Wakkanai City)
 There are many treasures in our surroundings that we do not usually notice
The "Hokkaido Heritage" is a selection of tangible and intangible assets that should be carefully passed on to the next generation
and industry of the people who have lived and continue to live in Hokkaido
 The "Hokkaido Heritage Digital Stamp Rally 2024-2025" will be held from July 1 (Mon.)
Visitors will be able to win gorgeous prizes by visiting a total of 84 locations in Hokkaido and collecting stamps with their smartphones
 Would you like to express the beauty and charm of Hokkaido's heritage sites through photographs and tanka poems
Post your photos and tanka poems about Hokkaido heritage sites that you would like to pass on to the next generation on SNS and participate in the contest
Please feel free to join us along with the stamp rally
 While participating in the stamp rally and contest
we hope you will experience the charm of Hokkaido's heritage sites
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From 14 to 26 June, two-time Olympic champion Kaitlyn Lawes spent 12 days in Japan, sharing her passion for curling through the Federation&#8217;s <a href="https://worldcurling.org/development/olympiccelebration/">Olympic Celebration Tour</a>
organised by the Japan Curling Association
“This Olympic Celebration Tour was originally scheduled to happen in 2020
When the opportunity came up to finally make it happen
it was an easy yes for me,” explains Lawes
<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ct8d5KhsvZf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kaitlyn Lawes (@lklawes)</a>
“I love teaching and sharing my experiences
It makes me so happy seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces when they try something new or when they get to hold the Olympic medals
Japan is a very special place to me and I am so grateful for all the participants that attended one of our ten clinics over the last two weekends.”
“It&#8217;s hard to pick just one thing as my favourite part of my time in Japan
the biggest smiles and showed me immense kindness
I hope I can pass along those values to my daughter
“Everyone was open to trying my suggestions on the ice
We also had lots of great conversations and laughs along the way
and the future of curling in Japan is very bright,” she concludes
The World Curling Federation’s Olympic Celebration Tour is supported by the <a href="https://globalsportsdevelopment.org/">Foundation for Global Sports Development</a> and is a series of instructional tours with Olympic curlers intended to promote curling. Click <a href="https://worldcurling.org/development/olympiccelebration/">here</a> to find out more about the Olympic Celebration Tour and how to organise one
Engage with the World Curling Federation on <a href="https://twitter.com/worldcurling">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldcurling/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@wcfcurling">TikTok</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WorldCurlingFederation/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://weibo.com/worldcurling">Weibo</a> and by searching the hashtag #curling
<a href="https://worldcurling.org/">Home</a> / <a href="https://worldcurling.org/news/">News</a> / Kaitlyn Lawes spreads love for curling in Japan
A pair of high-school students staged two big upsets en route to securing fourth place at the recent national curing mixed doubles championship
in an unforgettable start to a journey toward their ultimate goal of Olympic gold
in the third year at his school in Aomori Prefecture
beat last year's runners-up in the preliminary round in early December in Wakkanai
the teenage pair toppled reigning champions Miyu Ueno and 2018 Winter Olympics representative Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi
who thrives on accuracy and his reading of situations while delivering the team's second to fourth shots from the five they get in each end
who captured the trophy with Chiaki Matsumura
described the teenagers as "high school students at an extremely high level."
Both took up the sport in elementary school
Sato and Tanaka teamed up after recognizing each other's ability in early 2024 at the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea
where Sato competed in the mixed team event and Tanaka in mixed doubles
Being based in different cities allowed them very little time to train together
and they entered the nationals with virtually no joint rehearsal
By also competing in the four-member mixed team
curlers at the Olympics were sparkling and cool," said Tanaka
whose clinical fifth shots have been vital
"I'll bear in mind playing with a smile and hope to continue enjoying curling."
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2025/01/6c612f089ac3-curling-japan-nationals-sweeping-into-big-city-for-1st-time.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Curling: Japan nationals sweeping into big city for 1st time</a>
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<a href="//mainichi.jp/articles/20210905/ddv/010/040/003000c">Japanese version</a>
A week after a <a href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210803_22/" data-track-click="{&quot;click_type&quot;:&quot;other&quot;,&quot;element_name&quot;:&quot;body_link&quot;,&quot;event&quot;:&quot;outbound_click&quot;}" rel=" nofollow" target="_blank">blistering heatwave</a> scorched the Japanese island of Hokkaido
temperatures in the island's northern city of Wakkanai plunged 51 degrees Fahrenheit to record the city's lowest August readings in 128 years
Residents who were working early on the summer morning told the news station they could see cold breath coming from their mouths
About 80 miles to the south in the lakeside town of Horokanai
only five days after the midsummer heat there rose to 92.7°F
warning people to take immediate action to protect their lives
the town of this site has very harsh natural climates with strong ocean winds and winters with blizzard
the architecture is aimed to have a universal and lasting allure
&lsquo;it is critical to not only be able to stand up to the natural environment
but also to be able to coexist and have a good relationship with nature,&rsquo;&nbsp;notes the architects.&nbsp;
<a href=http://www.tatsurosasaki.com/ target=_blank rel="noopener noreferrer">tatsuro sasaki architects</a> has divided the structure into the office and garage wing with a space established in between.&nbsp;the office wing secures pleasant natural light
while the large grass area&nbsp;creates a new landscape
renewable energy is adopted actively as well
reducing the heating load during winter seasons is a big challenge; hence
floor heating in the buildings and underground heat pumps to melt the site&rsquo;s snow are applied
allowing for lower costs and comfortable open spaces
 the walls of the paneling made of natural tropical wood
the solar panels installed on the exterior walls allow the generation of electricity even during snow accumulating winters
creating a distinguishing facade.&nbsp;deep eaves that help regulate the sunlight
thermally insulating and airtight wooden sash windows
are just a few of the details.&nbsp;&lsquo;in the end
the hope is for this structure to become a charm of the location&rsquo;.&nbsp;
and sometimes used as an event venue&nbsp;
 glass and blinds gently partition the workspace and entrance gallery
 office room adjacent to the courtyard&nbsp;
 layout provides a functionally large space for meeting and working
structural design&#65306;masahito sasaki completion&#65306;2016.07 principal use&#65306;Office structure&#65306;RC structure site area&#65306;1868.73 sqm&nbsp; total floor area&#65306;757.59 sqm&nbsp; location&#65306;hokkaido
designboom has received this project from our &lsquo;<a href=https://www.designboom.com/readers-submit>DIY submissions</a>&lsquo; feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers <a href=https://www.designboom.com/readers/ >here.</a>
AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function
but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style
Russian professional kiteboarder Evgenii Novozheev earlier this month successfully completed a roughly 53-kilometer crossing of the Soya Strait from the southern Russian island of Sakhalin to Koetoi on the coast of Wakkanai in Hokkaido
Harnessing wind power with a large controllable power kite to propel his board across the water
the 41-year-old Novozheev is thought to be the first person to cross the strait on a kiteboard
Novozheev began his journey from Sakhalin's Cape Krillion on Oct
and took around three hours to kiteboard to within around 1 kilometer of Koetoi
He arrived at Wakkanai Port on an accompanying boat
"The tide was fast and the winds were brutal so I am exhausted," said Novozheev
"I am really happy that I was able to arrive here safe and sound."
four Japanese and Russians attempted the same crossing but gave up midway
<a title="The Hokkaido Shimbun Press" href="https://www.facebook.com/hokkaidoshimbunInternational/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hokkaido Shimbun Press</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2019/09/3431b5ff28a0-breaking-norms-hokkaido-farmers-turn-to-unique-colorful-entrance-signage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breaking norms, Hokkaido farmers turn to unique, colorful entrance signage</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2019/09/7f22a32a0c83-9-yr-old-hokkaido-drummers-viral-fame-opens-up-new-opportunities-overseas.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9-yr-old Hokkaido drummer's viral fame opens up new opportunities overseas</a>
<a title="Kyodo News Plus" href="/news/2019/08/56acb0a329ca-crystal-express-train-in-hokkaido-to-end-30-yr-service-on-sept-28-29.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Crystal Express" train in Hokkaido to end 30-yr. service on Sept. 28-29</a>
the town of Wakkanai at the very northernmost tip of the island would not seem an obvious jumping-off point
noodle counters and the vibrant Nijo seafood market before heading out to the hinterlands
Chef Stuart Brioza arrived in July with a very different agenda. Alongside his life and work partner, pastry chef Nicole Krasinski, he currently runs three popular restaurants in the California Bay Area, including the well-loved (and Michelin-starred) <a href="https://statebirdsf.com/home/">State Bird Provisions</a>. Together they have visited Hokkaido on many occasions. But this time, they arranged their trip with <a href="https://kammui.com/">Kammui</a>
a travel concierge service that curates personalized exploration of Japan’s natural bounty.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); });
For Brioza and Krasinski, their aim was to dive deeper, to get up close to as much of the prefecture’s great produce and seafood as they could find. The plan was to drive their rental camper car south and east from Wakkanai, down toward the wild, beautiful Shiretoko Peninsula. But first, they had an important side trip lined up. Their destination: <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2022/03/28/travel/hokkaido-rishiri-skiing/">Rishiri Island</a>
a volcanic peak that juts up out of the frigid Sea of Japan some 50 kilometers off Wakkanai
By Toshihiro Nakao / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
Hokkaido — Students at Ikueikan University in Wakkanai
created a documentary film based on the true story of invading Soviets and Japanese living together in South Sakhalin immediately after World War II
The students showed the film to about 50 residents and others at a screening at the university on Aug
The film has been praised for its depiction of people who lived together beyond national borders 77 years ago
The Russian invasion of Ukraine started shortly before the film’s completion
The film is called “The Soviets came to my house,” and was created by four seniors at the university between spring last year and March as a project for a “Visual media theory” class taught by city hall employee Ryuji Makino
many Japanese residents remained in South Sakhalin
and the occupying Soviet Union sent its own citizens into Japanese peoples homes
Both the reality and existence of these widely unknown “mixed residences” are introduced in the film
which focuses on the childhood experience of Junzo Yoshioka
he lived for several years with a Soviet couple who came to his home
The 30-minute film includes footage of a play based on Yoshioka’s memoirs
Yoshioka apparently told the students that his family and the Soviet people who lived with them would help each other
They taught him math and protected him from bullies
“I had no idea about the ‘mixed residence,’ and I was surprised that he looked back on it with such joy.”
a fierce ground war was fought in South Sakhalin
“I have painful memories that I cannot erase even though I want to.”
Hokkaido — At the Japan Cup 2023 Wakkanai Dogsled Race mushers and their dogs became as one
as they unleashed breakneck speed on Saturday
 The event was held for the first time in four years
after a lack of snow and the pandemic caused it to be canceled
including Siberian huskies and pointers entered the race
on a course stretching out as long as 5 kilometers
Sled speeds reached over 30 kph in the race for sleds pulled by six dogs
and temperatures of around minus 1 C made it an ideal day for sledding
The dogs took off right as the signal went off
Hokkaido — Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has brought back painful memories for Japanese people who fled from Sakhalin to escape the Soviets shortly after World War II
Horrible experiences at a young age leave a lasting scar on the heart
an 82-year-old woman who currently lives in Wakkanai
Seeing Ukrainian citizens flee as their cities are ravaged by bombs brought back Hamaya’s memories of leaving Toyohara
a Sakhalin city now called Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
“I can’t bear to watch the news about Ukraine
fervently hoping that the war will end soon
The oldest daughter of a woman from Wakkanai and a man from Rebun Island
She was just a child but her memories of Toyohara are still clear — women’s clothes displayed in a shop window and a tofu store in the neighborhood
Hamaya also remembers making a necklace of dandelions that bloomed all over a nearby area
She said her nostalgic memories had been buried by the agonizing scenes she saw and the fear she felt when escaping from the Soviet offensive
“That&#8217;s something I don’t want to go back to,” Hamaya said
“We’re going to the place of your grandfather and grandmother,” Hamaya’s mother told her
Together with her mother and her three siblings
where evacuation ships departed for Wakkanai
Only children and women were eligible to evacuate
and her father was detained by the Soviets
Trains and ships were overflowing with escapees
Hamaya said the image of people is burned into her mind of people waving and chasing a train that they couldn&#8217;t get on
The ship they boarded was so crowded they could hardly move
The crying of a baby echoed through the darkness
It took three days to reach her grandparents
but returned safely to Japan in March 1948
Hamaya said her father did not want to talk about his internment
only saying that someone he knew was shot dead in front of him while trying to escape
Hamaya remained silent about her harrowing experiences
Hamaya compiled a memoir about her life in Sakhalin and repatriation to Japan
titled “Memories of a 5-year-old” as she saw the number of attendees at peace memorial events in Wakkanai decrease year by year
making her aware of the graying of the people who experienced the war
was also dissolved in March last year due to the aging of its members
Hamaya has donated copies of her memoir to local libraries and museums
she delivered her first speech about her experiences at a local university
As she renewed her determination that “we must not forget the folly of war,” the tragic war in Ukraine began
the wounds of the conflict will remain,” Hamaya said
is a former executive of the federation and now lives in Kushiro
the situation in Ukraine is horribly personal
Iwasaki was born in Dorokawa in southern Sakhalin
He was 8 years old when World War II ended
and a soldier on patrol entered his house with a gun
Iwasaki said: “This reminds me of those days
I know exactly how [the Ukrainian people] feel now.”
returning to Japan aboard a smuggling ship
After working at the Kushiro city government and then serving as a Hokkaido prefectural assembly member
he became an executive of the federation and worked to pass on the history of Sakhalin
through such means as taking charge of exhibitions about Sakhalin
“Wars should not happen without a reason,” Iwasaki said
A year has passed since the federation was disbanded
but his antiwar stance has remained steadfast
Based on his own hardships while fleeing Sakhalin
Iwasaki hopes support will be extended to the people escaping from Ukraine
“I hope people will provide generous assistance
education and other relief supplies,” he said
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Nagasaki Prefecture--The newly opened Shin-Omura Station here has been thrust into the spotlight among rail buffs as the new final stop on the “longest one-way train trip” in Japan
The opening of the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Line on Sept
arrived at Shin-Omura Station to complete the new route from Hokkaido that covered 10,700.7 kilometers over 24 days
“I was stranded for two days midway through the route due to a typhoon
but it was a luxurious trip as I made it in time for the opening day,” she said
“I’m happy that I also had a chance to ride the Kamome
the new bullet train on the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Line.”
hard-core train buffs have plotted the longest one-way trips around the nation using some of the 4,000 or so Japan Railway (JR) stations
The travelers must use a single “one-way ticket” for a continuous fare calculation
which does not allow them to stop at the same station or go through the same route twice
The passengers must keep transferring to other trains on the extensive railway network
The one-way trip ends when they arrive at a station they have already passed through
Only a limited number of enthusiasts have lived out the dream of completing the longest route
which requires frequent stopovers and nearly a month of travel
The ticket alone costs about 90,000 yen ($620)
The previous record was said to be an approximately 10,682-km journey starting at Wakkanai Station on the Soya Line of Hokkaido Railway Co
(JR Hokkaido) in the northernmost main island
It ended at Hizen-Yamaguchi Station on the Nagasaki Line of Kyushu Railway Co
It would swing west at Shin-Tosu Station in Saga Prefecture and pass through Isahaya and Haiki stations in Nagasaki Prefecture
had its name changed to Kohoku Station on Sept
After the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Line opened
A transfer to a bullet train at Takeo-Onsen Station and riding it to Shin-Omura Station added about 18 km to the previously longest route
The city of Omura is happy about the development
Shin-Omura Station has created such a buzz among rail buffs,” Omura Mayor Hiroshi Sonoda said at a news conference in August
The city government is presenting a special certificate to those who complete the new longest one-way train trip
is not the longest one-way trip in Japan’s history of train travel
Travel writer Shunzo Miyawaki once wrote in a book that he took a one-way train trip in 1978 that took about two months to complete
Starting at the now-defunct Hiroo Station in Hokkaido and ending at Makurazaki Station in Kagoshima Prefecture
almost equivalent to the diameter of the Earth
Railway network realignments have changed the dynamics of the “competition.”
The island of Shikoku is no longer part of the longest route because it is connected with the main island of Honshu by a single line
train fans mark start of Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Line
New bullet train service for Nishi-Kyushu gets thumbs up
Bullet train route in Kyushu beset by problems before opening
JR East to offer ‘random trips’ on Shinkansen at deep discounts
Trains still ran in Japan even after emperor’s 1945 surrender speech
JR Tokai runs its first hybrid train for tourists to Takayama
Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions
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A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors
chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
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Approximately two hours away by ferry from Wakkanai City in Hokkaido
Rebun Island is especially cool and delightful during the summer as hundreds of types of flowers bloom among its mountains and on its shores
and the surrounding sea offers up delectable fare
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The wind cancels the ferry to Rishiri on our first day
I see waves crashing heavy against the snowy shoreline of northern Hokkaido
a stormy green accented with whitecaps that feels cold just to look at
a remote island 20 kilometers off the northwestern tip of Hokkaido that we are hoping to ski
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Fellow journalist and skier Francesco Bassetti and I are stuck in Wakkanai
a once-prosperous fishing town rendered almost obsolete by the Russian seizure of Sakhalin and its fishing grounds at the end of World War II
The town is Japan’s last major settlement to the north and just an hour’s drive from Cape Soya
where a sign quietly protests the country’s diplomatic tensions with Russia: This is the farthest north “freely accessible” point in Japan
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/202/1?ppt=Not+just+for+cheering%21+Actually%2C+curling+that+everyone+can+play.+4+curling+facilities+you+can+experience+in+Hokkaido%21&ppc=Experiences" target="_top">Experiences</a>
1. <a href="#spot1">Advics Tsunero Curling Hall (Tsunero Town</a> )2 . <a href="#spot2">dougin Curling Stadium (Sapporo)</a><a href="#spot3">Seosegushi-cho Curling Hall (Seosegushi-cho</a> ) Wakkanai <a href="#spot4">Midori Sports Park (Wakkanai City)</a> 
 Address: 2-2 Aza-Tosa, Tokoro-cho, Kitami-shi, Hokkaido Opening hours: Weekdays and Saturdays 10:00-22:00 / Holidays and Sundays 10:00-17:00 Closed: Mondays, Year-end and New Year holidays ■Fees: Competition seats: General ¥1,400 / University and high school students ¥720 / Junior high school students and under ¥280<a href="https://domingo.ne.jp/spot/104">View details about Advics Tokoro-Curling Hall (Tokoro-cho) on Domingo</a>
 Address: 9-1-1, Tsukisamu Higashi 1-jo, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido Business hours: 10:00 - 21:00 Closed: 3rd Monday of the month (4th Monday if the Monday is a national holiday), year-end and New Year holidays ■Fare: 1 hour per curling seat, ¥1,500 for adults / ¥750 for students Curling equipment set (shoes, slider, brush): 100 yen per person per time<a href="https://domingo.ne.jp/spot/1021">View details about Dougin Curling Stadium (Sapporo) on Domingo</a>
 Address: 3-14-1 Midori, Wakkanai City ＜Curling Hall Opening hours: 10:00-21:00 Closed: Mondays, January 1 - 5, and December 31 ■Fees (group use): 1,400 yen per seat per hour for adults / 1,050 yen for college and high school students / 700 yen for elementary and junior high school students<a href="https://domingo.ne.jp/spot/2381">View details about Wakkanai Midori Sports Park (Wakkanai City) on Domingo</a>
A big transformation for your usual illuminations
We tried out a mysterious camera lens that makes stars and hearts appear
[2025 Latest Edition] A winter tradition in Hokkaido
[Updated for 2025] Enjoy Tomamu&#39;s winter
How to enjoy the fantastic &quot;Ice Village&quot; and the spectacular &quot;Frost Terrace&quot;
[Updated for 2025] Experiences that can only be had in the Sea of Okhotsk
Restaurant &amp; Farm Inn &quot;Takahashi Farm &amp; Shorthorn Kingdom Maburitto&quot; (Erimo Town) - Full of the charm of shorthorn beef&#39;s &quot;red meat&quot;
<a id="button_article" href="/en/article/area/list/206/1?ppt=%5B2024-2025+Latest%5D+Here+are+the+best+places+to+see+the+first+sunrise+in+Hokkaido%21+10+recommended+sunrise+spots+surrounded+by+nature+%26amp%3B+New+Year%26%2339%3Bs+Eve+and+first+sunrise+events&ppc=Event" target="_top">Event</a>
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as it also means praying to the Toshigami-sama for happiness and a good harvest for the year
Here are some recommended spots to see the first sunrise
these are spots where you can see beautiful sunrises on a regular basis
so please use them as a reference for your winter vacation outings
If you're trying to get to Sarufutsu in a hurry
a blustery little fishing town on the extreme northern tip of Japan's northern island of Hokkaido
From Tokyo the whole trip takes just over three hours
you probably shouldn't be headed to Sarufutsu in the first place — and if you're not watching the clock
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and taking a 90-minute train ride to Asahikawa (of zoo fame)
where you hop the one-car local train north to Wakkanai
Soon you will be rolling slowly through low hills and empty fields with only the occasional farmhouse or cluster of rundown cabins to draw the eye
you're traveling between November and April
the pines weighed down with white globs and the rooftops decorated with icicles
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