This is an extract from a forthcoming book about travel by train the length of Japan. (For Part One click here.) In 1863, after Japan agreed to open up to the West, Emperor Komei in a formal procession to … Read the rest
Category: Hokkaido (Page 1 of 3)
This is an extract from a forthcoming book about travel by train the length of Japan. (For Part One click here.)The passage considers the historical treatment of animals in Japan. Despite being a so-called nature religion, Shinto has shown … Read the rest
This is Part Five of my journey the length of Japan, from the extreme north of Hokkaido to the southernmost train station in Honshu (Ibusuki). The material is extracted from a longer account to be published in due course. (For … Read the rest
The seaside town of Otaru is just half an hour from Sapporo. It’s said to be exotic – exotic for Japan that is, which … Read the rest
Arrival
Amidst the throng of humanity at Sapporo station stands a striking sculpture. Busy commuters hurry past, but the lone figure stands defiantly still. Carved out of yellowish wood, it depicts an Ainu hunter in headdress with a long arrow … Read the rest
From Wakkanai heading south, Asahikawa is the next significant outpost of civilisation. The train takes almost four hours, which gives an idea of the scale of Hokkaido. Asahikawa is not well-known, but is Hokkaido’s second biggest city with a population … Read the rest
In 2020 I travelled by train from Japan’s most northerly station (Wakkanai) to the most southerly (Ibusuki). The three-month journey was inspired by a love of travel, and a desire … Read the rest