The ice signals the onset of winter in the coastal areas of the Sea of Okhotsk in Hokkaido. Sightseeing buses lined up in the parking lot of a roadside station serving as the boarding area for the ...

Spot rare wildlife, soak in a hot spring and sail in a frozen wonderland on Japan’s northernmost island.

But for one resort, Furano, that also means more people getting lost in the backcountry beyond its boundaries. Rescue callouts rise for backcountry skiers in Furano | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News Video ...

And yet, when invited, I was the first to jump at a chance to travel halfway around the world to stalk winter birds, drift ice and visit onsens in Hokkaido. Temperatures would be below freezing ...