A stupendous encounter with the Hokkaido winter

Amongst them, Tung – a Vietnamese blogger – had a go to to the rich and charming nation of Hokkaido. 4 days in Hokkaido launched Tunga pretty pure environment and quite a few attention-grabbing knowledge in regards to the historic previous and custom of this land of ice and snow.

Hokkaido, one among many three principal Japanese islands located inside the north of Japan, is a spot I have been inquisitive about for a really very long time after learning and watching the Golden Kamui comic assortment. This place contains many terribly mysterious myths and distinctive cultural practices. This time, due to a “destined relationship” with the Japan Tourism Promotion Firm in Vietnam, I had a very distinctive journey to find the dream nation of Hokkaido. I want to introduce you to most likely essentially the most attention-grabbing and spectacular places in Hokkaido all through my present journey. You most likely have the possibility to go to this snow-white nation, do not miss these places!

Full title: Nguyen Son Tung

Beforehand a graphic designer in Vietnam, he studied illustration at Niigata College of Paintings & Design. He likes to journey and take photographs.

1. MUSEUM OF THE NORTH | HOKKAIDO JAPAN

Proper this second is the first day you may start your journey to Hokkaido Island with Actually really feel Japan. In any case, there could also be nothing further thrilling than when the first trip spot is a spot associated to an ethnicity I’ve prolonged been inquisitive about, the Ainu ethnicity – Japan's solely ethnic minority.
The Ainu people, found inside the inhabitants of the “Northern Nations” (referring proper right here to the Arctic) stretching from northern Japan by the use of Russian territory to Alaska, have an almost separate custom from the Japanese. They worship Kamui, which is all that exists previous human powers. As an illustration, when a hand picks up water, it dissolves, nevertheless a spoon does not, so we have Kamui… spoons or stones are inert no matter how they’re hit, nevertheless people have ache, they’ve stone Kamui, animals Wild animals are stronger than folks, so in any case Kamui shall be like beasts too.
In all probability essentially the most well-known inside the Ainu custom is the Bear God, along with half-true and half-fictional tales about Kamui, “true legends” about eagles, or massive fish… All linked into one custom.
When you go to the Museum of Northern Peoples, you may not solely examine in regards to the Ainu people, however as well as examine in regards to the standard customs and cultures of many various ethnic groups located inside the northernmost part of the world. A spot the place a whole bunch of mysterious points lie deep in thick layers of ice, or collectively sort the usual toys of this nation. All the points that exist proper right here encourage and enchantment to a person who’s inquisitive about historic and historic cultures, in order that he is unable to stop staring on the artifacts or the guides' reveals until the ultimate moments of the tour.
An attention-grabbing story in regards to the Ainu people: inside the ethnic Ainu language, “Ainu” means “man”. When the first Japanese immigrated proper right here, they requested what this ethnicity was often called. The natives, not understanding this, answered us “Ainu” – that is, “we’re people”, nevertheless since then, as a result of this attention-grabbing confusion, the Japanese named them… the Ainu people.

2. ABASHIRI QUASI NATIONAL PARK HOTEL

On the first day in Hokkaido, our group stopped to stay on the ABASHIRI QUASI NATIONAL PARK lodge on Lake Abashiri with its majestic magnificence, far-off are the pine hills stretching all through the lake. The ground of the lake is frozen this season and seems like an numerous white desert.
Not solely that, all the designs of the lodge are a combination of the normal vogue of Japanese custom mixed with somewhat little bit of the West, allowing someone like me to find freely. The Onsen tub has an outdoor tub with billowing smoke Every time I have in mind the second I soaked inside the -10oC chilly snow, it's ample to make me unable to neglect that individual feeling. or a small nook inside the hall with very earlier work and Nishi Rosso songs, a spot that saved me busy all night time time on a wooden chair, a small desk and a small cup of cocoa…
It has been a really very long time since a youthful man like me, who likes to journey and lives inside the bush, felt that he really wanted to return to a lodge…

3. OSKHOTK SEA ICE BREAKER

On the second day in Abashiri, you may experience a journey all through the icy Sea of ​​Okhotsk, bordering the Russian Federation. The whole group obtained up early to catch the bus to Abashiri port and board the icebreaker Aurora – Northern Lights (named after the beautiful gentle phenomenon that solely appears on the North Pole). Due to the peculiar terrain, this sea is usually frozen by massive glaciers, the most important of which can be as a lot as 1 km prolonged and will even come up, so the ocean proper right here on a regular basis maintains its private private distance. In bitter chilly, usually all the best way all the way down to -14oC, our “Cruise Journey” was lucky that we left on a sunny day, the ocean breeze appeared to blow each half away, white invaded the world proper right here. In case you’re lucky, you probably can nonetheless come all through dwelling creatures resembling seals, hawks, mallards, or further precisely the shellless snail Clione, additionally known as the “angel of the ocean”.
All of this comes collectively to become an thrilling experience journey to the north. There’s the photo voltaic, the wind and the grins of mates.