Rugged, beautiful, untamed and steeped in a unique culture, the island of Hokkaido ... view from Mount Hakodate at time of writing is listed under three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan ...

In northern Hokkaido ... a glimpse into Japan's harsh winters, and his "Cherry Blossoms at Yoshino" cemented the area around the Ki peninsular as the most famous place to view cherry blossoms ...