Journal

Field notes from Hokkaido, by a local guide
Kattedon at Washo Market, Kushiro: How to Build Your Own Seafood BowlAt Washo Market in Kushiro you buy a bowl of rice, then choose your seafood toppings one stall at a time. A local's guide to kattedon, step by step.Shiretoko Five Lakes: Walking the Boardwalk Above Bear CountryThe elevated boardwalk at Shiretoko Five Lakes is about 800 metres long, fenced, free and open without a guide. What to expect, and how the ground trails differ.Oshinkoshin Falls: The Waterfall Beside the Road into ShiretokoOshinkoshin Falls stands right beside Route 334, a few minutes before Utoro. A short stop on the way into Shiretoko, and how to make the most of it.A 7-Day Hokkaido Winter Itinerary, by a Local (2027)How a Hokkaido local would spend seven winter days: Sapporo, Otaru at dusk, deep-snow Biei, Furano powder and the crane marshes of the east.Hokkaido Off the Beaten Path: 10 Places Locals Actually LoveBeyond Sapporo and the ski resorts: a local's list of quiet coastlines, blue capes, silent marshes and small-town food in Hokkaido.