Hues of Hokkaido

June 05, 2021

Vast carpets of lavender and a variety of other brightly coloured flowers covering farmlands in Furano and nearby areas are perhaps the most famous representatives of Hokkaido's summertime, which lasts from June to August.

Some of the farms also offer a variety of activities for visitors, ranging from decorating postcards with pressed flowers to leisurely rides on farm tractors. At one place, they also keep the alpaca, the cute farm animal from South America which to me looks like a cross between a camel and a sheep. But, of course, the colourful blooms are always the main attraction.

Commercially grown for essential oil, these flower fields also draw throngs of tourists, both Japanese and foreign, who come to enjoy the visual feast as well as spend money on the variety of products made from the flowers. Souvenirs from lavender alone range from perfumes and soaps to handicrafts like pillows filled with dried flowers, to yummy stuff such as cookies and ice cream

Of course, lavender ice cream and cookies are not the only goodies you'll find in Hokkaido. Japanese people love good food and are very creative in this matter. And in Hokkaido, which boasts some of Japan's best yields both on land and in the seas surrounding the island (Sea of Japan to the west, Sea of Okhotsk to the north and the Pacific Ocean on the other sides; each offering different kinds of fish and other seafood), the choices and quality are just overwhelming.

Actually, it wouldn't take you long to realise that, if you look around as you arrive at the New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido's main gateway for those coming by plane, you'll find that there are so many food and snacks on offer, so much so that the airport has to provide a purpose-made map to help people decide on the ice cream choices provided by 24 of its numerous shops.

If that doesn't impress you, wait till you get yourself to cities like Sapporo and Otaru where chocolate, cakes and numerous other good-looking delicacies await. There's no reason to resist the temptation and go on a diet while you're there.

For one thing, on the return flight the airline won't charge you extra for the newly gained body weight.

Unlike in wintertime when it's not so easy to get around on your own because of the extreme weather, in summer it's possible to rent a car and explore the island by yourself. Some locals also do that despite the fact that the mass transit system is both convenient and efficient. At the parking lot of one of the flower fields I saw two motorcycles, each equipped with a top-box for storage and a map attached to the windshield.

Maybe next time I visit Hokkaido, I should try that too. And I heard spring and autumn are also awesome. Hope I can convince the potential pillion passenger to agree on the plan.

Despite its four-month-long winter, Hokkaido had long been inhabited by humans. The Ainu have been calling the island home long before the arrival of the Japanese from the southern islands. These days, conflicts between the indigenous Ainu and the Japanese have been buried in the past. Efforts have been made to preserve the Ainu cultures. Museums and cultural villages with Ainu themes allow you to learn about the way of life of these indigenes who were known for their hunting skills, especially for bear and salmon.

Unlike in Kyoto,Tokyoor cities in other of Japan’smainislands,youwon’t find muchtraditionalJapanese-stylearchitecture in Hokkaido. Large-scaleimmigrationofJapaneseinto this island in the northern frontierbegan around150years agowhenthe country started toopenupto tradersfromthe Westandneededsomesafeareastointeract withthosepotentiallydangerousforeigners whichwasnot too close to the capital. Thegovernmentof that time hired dozens ofAmerican experts to help in urbandevelopment.Asaresult, inSapporo, Otaruandothermajor cities of the island, Western-style buildingsandcultures are very evident. In Sapporo, streets are laid out in grid pattern like inManhattan.

Like other big cities in Japan, Sapporo offers many shopping venues for you to stroll around, from the 1km-long Tanuki Koji arcade to huge department stores and underground malls where shoppers are insulated from the harsh cold weather during wintertime