Special Sub-Topic: Hokkaido Click Here To Play: Hokkaido

Which one of the following accurately describes a way to get to Sapporo, the main city on Hokkaido, from Honshu, the main island?

Take a train though a long tunnel under Tsugaru Strait. There is no bridge to Hokkaido. There is the Seikan Submarine Tunnel was opened in March 1988 and runs 33 miles beneath the seabed of the Tsugaru Strait, but it is only for electric trains (having no fumes). The main airport, Chitose, is quite a ways from Sapporo, close to an hour by rail.

Many residents of Hokkaido are familiar with a certain American firm, from which they order many things through the mails. What firm is this?

L. L. Bean. The climate of Hokkaido is comparable to Maine, and the open spaces encourage outdoor recreation. L.L. Bean, Maine's largest retail company, with its reputation for high quality outdoor goods, is a logical favorite for Hokkaido residents.

Wakkanai Port on the north tip of the Island hosted more than 50,000 temporary visitors in the year 2000 -- crew members from the ships of what country?

Russia. Hokkaido is closer to Russia than any other country. Russian ships bring marine products to Japan, including a large type of crab that is a local favorite on Hokkaido.

The largest city on Hokkaido, Sapporo, was founded in about what year?

1900. There were only two families resident in Sapporo in 1857. Starting in the 1870's it was developed as a model city to be the capital of the then frontier provence of Hokkaido. The streets are laid out in a regular grid, unlike the ancient cities of Japan.

When Hokkido is shown on a colorful tourist map illustrating regional the regional attractions of Japan, it will most likely have a picture of what shown on the island?

A black and white spotted cow. Hokkaido is famous for its dairy products, which are sold everywhere in Japan. In 1992, there were 13,900 dairy farms in Hokkaido (25.2% of the total number of dairy farms in Japan) and 908,000 head of dairy cattle (43.6% of Japan's total number). The cartoon spotted cow seems to be an unofficial symbol of the Island. There is a well-known clock tower in Sapporo, but it isn't used as a symbol for the whole island.

Sapporo is famous for its February Snow Festival, which features huge sculptures carved from blocks of ice. How are the largest ice blocks obtained?

The military makes them from snow and water. The Japanese Self Defense Force makes the big blocks by filling wooden box molds with snow, adding water, and letting it freeze. The wood is removed to leave a white ice block for carving. These blocks are carved into intricate 10 m high replicas of ornate buildings, along with other subjects. Some have integrated ice slides for children. There are also lighted carvings made from blocks of clear ice.

At the Sapporo snow festival you are most likely to encounter a vendor selling which of the following food items?

Baked sweet potatoes. It's way too cold for ice cream, and hot dogs are only a Western favorite. Steamed tofu in seaweed is something I invented to sound exotic. Sweet potatoes are the traditional winter favorite, and appropriate for the cold air.

For which of these wild animals is Hokkaido most famous?

Brown bears. Brown bears are still found on the island, and carvings of bears are a favorite souvenir. There are no baboons or mountain lions, although there are monkeys elsewhere in Japan. The Harp Sheep is extremely rare -- because I invented it just now. Aside from bears, Hokkaido takes pride in having sika deer, Japanese cranes, and hazel grouse.

Hokkaido is the traditional home of the Ainu, an indigenous people that once inhabited all of Hokkaido. Which of the following is not true of the Ainu?

The Ainu language is related to Japanese. The Ainu language is considered an isolate, unrelated to others. Some claim it is related to Basque, another mystery language, which spoken in parts of Spain and France. Official Japanese policy is one of assimilation, so the Ainu cultural identity is vanishing. The traditional Ainu religion features bear-worship, and powerful Hokkaido dogs are the traditional Ainu hunting companions.

A high point of a trip to Hokkaido is a visit to the tiny islands of Rebun and Rishiri, reached by ferry from the northern tip. Why would one go to see these islands?

All of these reasons (To hike a mini version of Mt. Fuji, To sample a local specialty, sea urchin, To visit the northern-most point of Japan). It was not too many years ago that Westerners were quite a novelty on Rebun and Rishiri. The islands are cold and forbidding in the winter, but a delight in the summer. Rishiri Fuji is the central mountain having the classic cone shape. Those traveling the length of Japan may start or end their trips on the little islands. The book "Hokkaido Highway Blues: Hitchhiking Japan" by Will Ferguson offers fascinating insights on Japan.