Hi Hokkaido travelers,

Question. Which place do you want to go?

A. 85% of international visitors to Hokkaido go there. So it’s foreigner-friendly and easy to get around.

B. Only 1.5% go there. It might be difficult to navigate, but you will have authentic, local experiences.

If you want to visit A, sorry, today’s newsletter is not for you.

(but I’ll talk about it next week.)

If you chose B, stick around. I’ll tell you where exactly it is in Hokkaido.

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• New blog post 🗺️ Hokkaido Travel Maps: Where to Visit at a Glance​
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• New blog post ❄️ 11 Crazy Fun Things to Do in Winter Hokkaido​
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• Planning Resource ⛄ Winter Hokkaido Travel Planner​

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The area that only 1.5% of international visitors go to…

That’s the coastal region here in Eastern Hokkaido.

I might know some places like Shiretoko and Abashiri, because I talk about them a lot.

If so, you are already one of the most adventurous travelers!

But this region has more than that.

Today, I’d like to share with you 3 off-the-beaten-path destinations that most international visitors don’t know about.
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Kitami

This is my hometown! Kitami is a large residential city in this region. Therefore there are not many tourist attractions in the city center, but I have two selling points from a local’s perspective.

First, Kitami can serve as a base for traveling around Eastern Hokkaido. Since it’s located central in the region, you can go to many places in the region within 1.5 hours. If you don’t like changing hotels every day or two, just stay in Kitami for several days and make day trips to these destinations.

Second, Kitami has a lot of good restaurants. Since Kitami is a residential city, restaurants are catered to the local people, not to tourists. We have a variety of options: yakiniku (Japanese-style BBQ), sushi, seafood izakaya, tonkatsu, ramen, sweets… you name it.

If you want to travel and stay like a local, Kitami will be a great base for you.

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Lake Saroma

Lake Saroma is the largest lake in Hokkaido. Its lakeside is a nature reserve that’s home to over 300 species of flowers and plants. You can rent a bicycle at Wakka Nature Center and enjoy the scenic views.

A part of Lake Saroma is connected to the Okhotsk Sea, which makes a unique ecosystem of the lake. It provides us fresh seafood, like oysters, scallops, shrimps and salmons.

Especially, Saroma oyster is often said to be one of the best ones in Japan. While the size is relatively small, it is well known for its sweet, rich, and creamy flavor.

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Monbetsu

Monbetsu is a small port town on the coast of the Okhotsk Sea. It’s a winter hidden gem.

There you have drift ice peaking from mid-February to early March, a drift icebreaker ship, an undersea observatory, and a seal protection center where you can meet cute, sheltered seals who are getting ready to go back to the ocean after healing their injuries.

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💡 More about Eastern Hokkaido

• ​Winter Hokkaido Itinerary: 7 Days for Nature Lovers​
• ​5-Day Summer Itineraries in Eastern Hokkaido​
• ​The 8 Best Onsen Ryokan & Hotels in Eastern Hokkaido​

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Hope this gave you some travel inspiration!

Next week, I will talk about the popular destinations that most people visit, and how to explore them differently.

Stay tuned.

*The numbers I mentioned above come from statistics recently published on November 8, 2024 from the local government of Hokkaido.

Happy trip planning!

Best,
Yuuka

P.S. my top recommended​ resources.

✅ List of Hokkaido itineraries
​✅ My Hokkaido travel planners
​✅ The best hotels in Hokkaido​​​

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