insights from frontier Japan

Comet NEOWISE, discovered in late March this year, was visible to the naked eye above eastern Hokkaido’s Tsubetsu Pass in the early hours of July 10. It was shining dimply with the brightness of a first-class star. The comet was discovered by the Near-Earth Object Wide-field Explorer (NEOWISE) of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It approached the sun on July 4 and showed signs of activity.

Kuroda Farm in the town of Otofuke in eastern Hokkaido, where buckwheat flowers are in full bloom, is now open to the public from July 13.

At the Junsainuma Swamp in Onuma Park located in southern Hokkaido's Nanae Town, a summer vegetable called ‘water shield’ with a pleasantly viscous texture is in its peak harvest season.

Roses are beginning to bloom one after another at “Tokachi Hills”, a tourist garden in eastern Hokkaido's Makubetsu Town. Some of the rose types have a honey or pear fragrance, so the garden is filled with a sweet aroma.

This is the prime season to view cotton grass in the high moor around the Kagaminuma Marsh on the hillside of Mt. Niseko Annupuri in Central Hokkaido's Kutchan Town.

Water lilies are in full bloom at the pond of Hachironuma Park in southern Hokkaido's Hokuto City. Vibrant pink blossoms and green leaves adorn the pond surface. Blooming began in early June, as usual. Visitors can enjoy them until August.

Ezo red foxes are frequently spotted in urban areas or parks in some large cities such as Sapporo. The main reasons the foxes have started coming into to developed areas are that the number of stray cats has decreased and the number of rats as a food source to foxes has increased.