There is a distinct, ethereal beauty to Hokkaido in December. Last winter, as the sun dipped early and the biting northern winds swept through Sapporo, our evenings blurred into a wonderful, unscripted routine: escaping the freezing air by ducking into the nearest glowing doorway. In Japan, after-work drinking is a ritual of letting loose, but…
Category: Hokkaido
Winter Walk: Hokkaido University
Japanese Universities were not usually on the radar for most of my contemporaries when we were at the tertiary education level. I am not sure if history has anything to do with it, or language, or culture, but I must say a walk through Hokkaido University in early Dec 2025, made me wonder why I…
Sapporo Christmas Sparkle
Odori Park in the heart of Sapporo city glows like a German town at Christmastime – snow, lights, mulled wine, Bavarian treats, but with a Japanese twist – the warmth of two cultures blending into one festive celebration. Since 2002, Odori Park, a community space, has welcomed the Christmas Market, born from Sapporo’s sister-city bond…