Hokkaido

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Published: 12:00am, 7 Oct 2007

Far from Tokyo's neon glare, Japan's northernmost territory offers tourists beautiful, remote scenery and evocative Russian-influenced towns.

1. Abashiri There are several good reasons for coming to this remote fishing town. One is the icebreaker Aurora (bottom left), a vessel that takes passengers on one-hour trips through the cracking pack-ice of the Sea of Okhotsk from January to April each year. Another is Abashiri Prison, which closed for business in 1984 but now displays wax figures and various grim tools of the Japanese incarceration trade. Abashiri's main advantage is as a starting point for one of Japan's most scenic and remote rail journeys, south past the Shiretoko Peninsula and through the remarkably attractive Akan National Park.

2. Shiretoko Peninsula Shiretoko means 'the end of the Earth' in the language of the indigenous and diminishing Ainu population. The Shiretoko Peninsula - and the Shiretoko National Park that covers

it - has some of the most remote and unspoiled countryside in Japan (below right). Shiretoko-Shari train station, 37km south of Abashiri, is the closest rail connection. Buses run from here to Utoro, from where sightseeing cruises depart for trips around the peninsula (look out for whales and dolphins, and brown bears along the coast). Hiking is a popular activity in the summer. The Five Lakes, Kamuiwakka Falls and Mount Rausu, the highest of a ridge of forested volcanic peaks, are all worth exploring.

3. Biei This is one of central Hokkaido's most appealing locations, and those familiar with popular Japanese television dramas might well recognise parts of this lovely town and its environs. A popular area with cyclists, the most notable attractions are colourful rolling hills - which glow with seasonal blooms - and the much-visited Ken and Mary's Tree. This couple featured in a Nissan TV commercial in the 1970s and, for reasons best known to the Japanese, their favourite parking spot has become something of a pilgrimage site.

4. Furano About 30km south of Biei lies Furano, a tourist resort known for its powdery winter snow, iconic (see any Japanese scenic calendar) purple fields of summer lavender (bottom centre), vineyards and hiking trails, which require snowshoes in winter. A good base for exploring this part of Hokkaido is the Petit Hotel Suzuran (www.comcos.gr.jp/suzuran), a reasonably priced family-run hotel with English-speaking staff (a rarity in these parts).

5. Ikutora Station In 2000, Poppoya, a film about the stationmaster at a small train station in Hokkaido, swept the board at the Japanese Academy Awards. Ever since then its location, Ikutora Station, has been a much-visited domestic tourist destination. About 40km south of Furano, the still-intact set will mainly be of interest to people who have seen the film. If you're heading to Hokkaido you should watch the movie for an inspiring taste of the stunning scenery you can expect on your travels.