insights from frontier Japan

Snow removal work on the Shiretoko Odan Road (National Highway Route 334) in eastern Hokkaido, which links Iwaobetsu in the town of Shari and Yunosawa in the town of Rausu, was opened to the press on April 8.

Like the spotted seal – which is known by the nickname of “Goma-chan” and is a protective white color that blends in with the ice – newly born ribbon seal cubs are also cute. They are not so cautious of their surroundings and, if you’re lucky, you may even be able to encounter a scene of a suckling cub.

A fight for fish involving two birds of prey began over the drift ice that covers the coast in the town of Rausu in eastern Hokkaido.

Wintertime in Eastern Hokkaido is packed with amazing scenery and experiences not available elsewhere in Japan, like drift ice, art made from snow and ice, and the ice horizon expanse. The "East Hokkaido Express Bus" is a seasonal bus that travels to all sorts of tourist spots in wintertime Eastern Hokkaido. It gives you easy access to famous spots difficult to reach by car. Visit Eastern Hokkaido aboard buses in search of amazing experiences only available there!

Starting in February, the online "Drift Ice on the Rocks Tour" even pre-delivers to participants drift ice gathered by nature guides.

The Steller sea lions that migrate eastern Hokkaido's Nemuro Strait in winter migrate from their breeding area in the central Kuril Islands. Groups of a dozen or so sea lions are mainly made up of females.

As winter approaches on the Shiretoko peninsula, near the estuary of a river several meters wide, a brown bear catches a chum salmon as it swims up the river, and begins to eat.