Hokkaido

To most northern island of Japan, Hokkaido sometimes closely resembles Siberia, as winter imposes his impressive reign of snow and ice especially during February.

Among the places I visited was Sapporo, the capital of the north, Otaru the snowy "Venice of Japan" and Toya-ko National Park.

View of Sapporo from the JR-Tower.


View of Sapporo at night from Moiwa Yama, a hill on the outskirts of Sapporo on which you get by ropeway and snowbus.


A deserted cargo ship in the icy haven of Otaru.


The picturesque and romantic canal of Otaru.


The wonderful Toya-ko National Park, in which you can find scenic winter beauty like nowhere else.



Around Lake Toya there are two still active vulcanoes: This one is Showa-shin-san, which still belches out sulphurous volcanic steam. The other volcano, Usu-san, is still bigger and you can get on its top by a ropeway. Of course I did just that!


In the mid of Lake Toya lie the quiet islands of Oshima. View from top of Usu-san.