Japan | What you may need to know about Hokkaido
Hokkaido is one of the four major islands of Japan. It is located in the northernmost part of Japan, facing the Pacific Ocean in the east and the Sea of Japan in the west, facing Honshu in the south across the Tsugaru Strait and facing Kuboshima in the north across the Soya Strait. The entire island of Hokkaido covers an area of 83,456 square kilometers, or 22.9% of Japan’s land area, and has a coastline of 3,000 kilometers. Between 1868 and 1912, during the Meiji Era, the Japanese began to migrate to the island and cultivate it, and it gradually developed into an important food warehouse for Japan. Because of the late development of the area, the natural environment was not damaged by man, and it is still intact and pristine and is one of Japan’s most valuable natural attractions.