Hokkaido is the second largest island of Japan and is the northern most among the major islands. Hokkaido is criss-crossed with mountainous regions and is renowned for its natural scenery, active volcanoes, virgin forests and large lakes.
Sapporo is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido .
The region of Hokkaido is one of the 8 prefectures that are divided into sub prefectures, mainly because of its large size. The sub prefectures of Hokkaido are:
- Abashiri
- Hidaka
- Hiyama
- Rumoi
- Soya
- Iburi
- Ishikari
- Kamikawa
- Kushiro
- Nemuro
- Oshima
- Shiribeshi
- Sorachi
- Tokachi
The area of Hokkaido was initially settled in the 16 th century by Japanese people who started trading with Ainu people. However, it was during the 19 th century, that the full-scale development of the region was done by the Meiji administration.
The region of Hokkaido is well-known for its cool summers and chilly winters. The average temperature during August is around 22ºC, while in the months of January temperatures drop down to -12ºC to -4ºC. The area is not affected by the monsoon seasons of June-July. The relative lack of humidity and warm summers draw many tourists to this area. Snowfall in the region starts during November at the earliest.
The major cities of Hokkaido include Hakodate, Asahikawa, Kushiro, Obihiro, Abashiri and Nemuro. Sapporo is the largest city in the region.
Hokkaido is mainly an agricultural region and leads in the production of rice and fish. Tourism is also an important industry of the region.
The only land link from Hokkaido to the rest of Japan is the Seikan Tunnel. The main airport in the region is New Chitose Airport in Chitose. The railway network is also fairly developed in the city.
The Hokkaido Prefectural Board of Education overlooks the administration of the public schools in the region.
Hokkaido is a seismically active area. Apart from the numerous earthquakes in the region, the active volcanoes in the region include:
- Mount Koma
- Mount Tarumae
- Mount Tokachi
- Mount Meakan
- Mount Usu and Showashinzan
Sapporo, the capital city of Hokkaido, is famous for its Snow Festival which is held every year in February. Kushiro Swamp, in the east of Hokkaido, is considered to be a paradise for migrating birds.
