Lake Shikotsu to Otaru

On the final leg of his Japanese adventure, Michael explores the history of Hokkaido’s indigenous Ainu people. Travelling east to the Iburi region, an area closely associated with Ainu culture, he visits Lake Shikotsu. Over a traditional meal of salmon soup on the lake shore, he learns about the beliefs and values of the Ainu and how they were forced to assimilate to Japanese society following Hokkaido’s colonisation. After lunch, he is treated to a performance of the ancient Dance of the Cranes.

Continuing north to Hokkaido’s capital, Sapporo, Michael enjoys the last evening of his journey in the Susukino district, a Japanese nightlife hotspot. Just along the coast from the port of Otaru on the Sea of Japan, Michael ends his tour with a trip to a famous distillery in the small town of Yoichi.