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Hokkaido was once considered as a remote wilderness by other natives of Japan and was known as "Ezo" during the feudal times. The land was originally inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people. Today, Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan and attracts all nature lovers as an immaculate paradise of mountain ranges, lush forests, and breathtakingly beautiful crater lakes. Hokkaido is the prefecture with the mildest climate in summer, making it a great time to visit. Day time in Hokkaid... View More
Hokkaido was once considered as a remote
wilderness by other natives of Japan and was known
as "Ezo" during the feudal times. The land was
originally inhabited by the indigenous Ainu people.
Today, Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan
and attracts all nature lovers as an immaculate
paradise of mountain ranges, lush forests, and
breathtakingly beautiful crater lakes. Hokkaido is the
prefecture with the mildest climate in summer, making
it a great time to visit. Day time in Hokkaido during the
summer months are warm instead of hot and humid,
and evenings cool down nicely making each night all
the more enjoyable. Summer also offers beautiful
flower fields which are best explored during the
summertime. Let All Japan Tours guide you on a
magnificent journey from Kushiro on Hokkaido’s
Eastern Pacific Coast, all the way through to the
Shiretoko Peninsula, which stretches out into the Sea
of Okhotsk.
Our tour begins in Kushiro, a fishing port famous for
some of the best seafood in Japan. You will enjoy a
welcome dinner at a Robatayaki restaurant, where
fresh fish is grilled on an open grill. We will then visit
Hokkaido’s largest marshland area to see the red-
crowned crane and continue on towards Lake Akan,
where the uniquely spherical Marimo Algae can be
seen. Visit the home to the largest remaining Ainu
community in Hokkaido, Ainu Kotan Village, where we
will be treated to a traditional dance performance. Our
journey on this tour will also bring us to Lake Mashu,
known as one of the clearest lakes in the world and
considered Japan's most beautiful lake. From there,
we will move onwards to the Onsen town of Utoro on
the Sea of Okhotsk, where we will have the chance to
relax in our inn's hot spring baths. If the weather
allows, we will also enjoy a boat ride from the
Shiretoko Peninsula with an opportunity to catch a
glimpse of waterfalls visible only from the sea and the
native Hokkaido brown bears. As Shiretoko is the very
end of Japan, it remains as a completely remote area
of beautiful scenery and amazing wildlife.
Experience marvelous landscapes formed by
volcanoes, see untouched nature, and visit UNESCO
wetland nature reserves. You will have the opportunity
to see bountiful wildlife as we walk through the trails.
Try to spot foxes, deer, and numerous species of birds
unique to Hokkaido. After each day’s walk, we will
relax in onsen hot springs where some baths are
located outdoors in order to fully experience the
serene natural surroundings. While Hokkaido is a
large area to cover and nearly impossible to explore it
entirely in one short trip, All Japan Tours includes the
highlights and best locations on the island for one epic
Hokkaido journey.
Note: this is an intense rated hiking trip with
some steady steep ascents and hikes over 4
hours.
Activity Level: Intense
Our Intense tours generally have dedicated days of
trail walking, with some days of over four hours and
with some ascent and/or descent.
Who is an Intense tour designed for?
- We recommend our Intense tours for anyone who
does regular walking or hiking, and is comfortable
walking a full day with some climbing and descending.
- If you do not exercise regularly, please practice
walking for three to four hours, about three to six
months prior to the tour in order to get the most out of
your trip.
Accommodations
This itinerary contains overnight stays at Western Hotels
and Ryokans. Ryokans are more traditional
accommodations, with a more casual hospitality than
you will find at a hotel. At a Ryokan, you will stay in a
simply furnished room and sleep on a futon, which is
laid on a tatami mat.
Some Ryokans may have
private bathrooms attached to your room, but others
only have public bathrooms used by all the guests –
meaning either a smaller bathroom used one guest at a
time, or larger bathrooms separated by gender (male &
female), and designed to be used by multiple guests at
once.
