A beautiful encounter with the Hokkaido winter

Amongst them, Tung – a Vietnamese blogger – had a visit to the wealthy and charming nation of Hokkaido. 4 days in Hokkaido introduced Tunga lovely pure surroundings and numerous attention-grabbing data concerning the historical past and tradition of this land of ice and snow.

Hokkaido, one of many three principal Japanese islands situated within the north of Japan, is a spot I’ve been interested by for a very long time after studying and watching the Golden Kamui comedian collection. This place comprises many extraordinarily mysterious myths and distinctive cultural practices. This time, because of a “destined relationship” with the Japan Tourism Promotion Company in Vietnam, I had a really distinctive journey to discover the dream nation of Hokkaido. I wish to introduce you to probably the most attention-grabbing and spectacular locations in Hokkaido throughout my current journey. You probably have the chance to go to this snow-white nation, don’t miss these locations!

Full title: Nguyen Son Tung

Previously a graphic designer in Vietnam, he studied illustration at Niigata Faculty of Artwork & Design. He likes to journey and take photos.

1. MUSEUM OF THE NORTH | HOKKAIDO JAPAN

Right this moment is the primary day you can begin your journey to Hokkaido Island with Really feel Japan. After all, there may be nothing extra thrilling than when the primary vacation spot is a spot related to an ethnicity I’ve lengthy been interested by, the Ainu ethnicity – Japan's solely ethnic minority.
The Ainu folks, discovered within the inhabitants of the “Northern Nations” (referring right here to the Arctic) stretching from northern Japan by means of Russian territory to Alaska, have an nearly separate tradition from the Japanese. They worship Kamui, which is all that exists past human powers. For instance, when a hand picks up water, it dissolves, however a spoon doesn’t, so we’ve Kamui… spoons or stones are inert regardless of how they’re hit, however folks have ache, they’ve stone Kamui, animals Wild animals are stronger than people, so after all Kamui shall be like beasts too.
Probably the most well-known within the Ainu tradition is the Bear God, together with half-true and half-fictional tales about Kamui, “true legends” about eagles, or large fish… All linked into one tradition.
Once you go to the Museum of Northern Peoples, you’ll not solely study concerning the Ainu folks, but in addition study concerning the conventional customs and cultures of many different ethnic teams situated within the northernmost a part of the world. A spot the place hundreds of mysterious issues lie deep in thick layers of ice, or collectively kind the standard toys of this nation. All of the issues that exist right here encourage and appeal to an individual who’s interested by historic and historic cultures, so that he’s unable to cease staring on the artifacts or the guides' shows till the final moments of the tour.
An attention-grabbing story concerning the Ainu folks: within the ethnic Ainu language, “Ainu” means “man”. When the primary Japanese immigrated right here, they requested what this ethnicity was known as. The natives, not understanding this, answered us “Ainu” – that’s, “we’re folks”, however since then, due to this attention-grabbing confusion, the Japanese named them… the Ainu folks.

2. ABASHIRI QUASI NATIONAL PARK HOTEL

On the primary day in Hokkaido, our group stopped to remain on the ABASHIRI QUASI NATIONAL PARK lodge on Lake Abashiri with its majestic magnificence, far-off are the pine hills stretching throughout the lake. The floor of the lake is frozen this season and appears like an countless white desert.
Not solely that, all of the designs of the lodge are a mixture of the traditional fashion of Japanese tradition combined with a little bit of the West, permitting somebody like me to discover freely. The Onsen tub has an out of doors tub with billowing smoke Each time I keep in mind the second I soaked within the -10oC chilly snow, it's sufficient to make me unable to neglect that particular feeling. or a small nook within the corridor with very previous work and Nishi Rosso songs, a spot that stored me busy all night time on a wood chair, a small desk and a small cup of cocoa…
It has been a very long time since a younger man like me, who likes to journey and lives within the bush, felt that he actually needed to return to a lodge…

3. OSKHOTK SEA ICE BREAKER

On the second day in Abashiri, you’ll expertise a journey throughout the icy Sea of ​​Okhotsk, bordering the Russian Federation. The entire group obtained up early to catch the bus to Abashiri port and board the icebreaker Aurora – Northern Lights (named after the gorgeous mild phenomenon that solely seems on the North Pole). Because of the peculiar terrain, this sea is commonly frozen by large glaciers, the biggest of which may be as much as 1 km lengthy and may even arise, so the ocean right here all the time maintains its personal non-public distance. In bitter chilly, generally all the way down to -14oC, our “Cruise Journey” was fortunate that we left on a sunny day, the ocean breeze appeared to blow every part away, white invaded the area right here. In case you are fortunate, you possibly can nonetheless come throughout dwelling creatures resembling seals, hawks, mallards, or extra exactly the shellless snail Clione, also referred to as the “angel of the ocean”.
All of this comes collectively to turn out to be an thrilling expertise journey to the north. There’s the solar, the wind and the grins of mates.