Living in Montana, waking up to fresh sushi is either a fantasy or a very expensive (and often mediocre) possibility, but in Hokkaido many hotels make this a reality, with sashimi bowls a common breakfast option. It’s the kind of decadence that makes you want to take your time and linger over the meal, but with only three full days, we had …

Our second day started with another quick visit to a local museum, but soon we were on bumpy backcountry roads, heading into the forest. As we got deeper and deeper into the woods, we could not help but notice the gigantic horse flies that also started to take an interest in our van - some of which were as big as your thumb! Once we started our …

Our last full day was full of highlights, as the Japan Tourism Board and local Hokkaido government gave us special permission to explore areas that were otherwise restricted. We started out by hiking the back areas of Mount Usu Eruption Park, seeing parts of the volcano that few travelers get to see. This park serves as a memorial to an intense …

Hokkaido is a place best known for its beautiful nature, but that does not mean that urban exploration also is not on the table. While a far cry from the megacity of Tokyo, Sapporo is still a bustling city of roughly 2 million with plenty to offer for a day or two.

Most of the attractions are centered around Odori Park, so it’s best to …