Hokkaido, from flower-covered hills to Sapporo counters
Shiretoko lakes, Abashiri’s shore, Sapporo landmarks and food stops in Japan’s north.
My Hokkaido album ranges from an open beach in Abashiri to snow-streaked mountains at Shiretoko, with flower-covered hills and Sapporo’s gardens in between.
Food needed two collections of its own. Alongside the broad landscapes were ramen signs, lantern-lit passages and restaurant counters crowded with plates.
Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park
At Higashimokoto, bands of magenta, pink and white flowers cover the slopes. Paths cut through the planting and trees line the upper edges. Shibazakura is moss phlox, a low-growing plant that turns the hillside into a flower bed. The park is in Ozora, in eastern Hokkaido.
Abashiri
Abashiri sits on Hokkaido’s northeastern coast, facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Small waves break in parallel white lines along the shore, leaving a broad stretch of wet sand beneath the open sky.
Shiretoko Goko Lakes
At Shiretoko Goko Lakes, wooden railings border a lake below mountains still streaked with snow. Woodland covers the lower slopes, while the raised walkway runs above the wet ground.
Shiretoko’s peninsula projects from northeastern Hokkaido into the Sea of Okhotsk. Its World Heritage site includes both land and surrounding sea, recognising the close relationship between the two ecosystems.
Odori Park, Sapporo
Sapporo TV Tower rises above the trees at the eastern end of Odori Park. The park runs roughly 1.5 kilometres through central Sapporo, giving gardens and open space a place among the surrounding streets.
Former Hokkaido Government Office, Sapporo
The former Hokkaido Government Office stands behind clipped shrubs and a straight garden path. Built in 1888, the red-brick building has arched windows and a central dome, with taller modern buildings rising behind it.
Shiroi Koibito Park, Sapporo
Shiroi Koibito Park is devoted to sweets, with ISHIYA’s Shiroi Koibito at its centre. Its clock tower rises above ivy-covered brickwork, flower beds and small colourful houses.
Haruka ramen, Sapporo
The illuminated Sapporo Ramen Haruka sign marks one stop in my first Hokkaido food collection. It hangs over a narrow passage lined with lanterns and restaurant curtains.
Nijo Market, Sapporo
My second Hokkaido food collection was tagged at Nijo Market in Sapporo. It includes these two pieces of salmon sushi with a chopped green topping, served on a pink plate. This was Hokkaido at much closer quarters than the coast and mountains.
