Modern people love to escape the hustle and bustle and get close to nature. With Tokyo still sweltering in September, many choose to head to Hokkaido to experience rare outdoor fun and coolness in nature. Just the area around Chitose Airport offers enough activities to keep you busy for days—such as visiting Hokkaido’s dairy farms, going rafting on the Chitose River, watching salmon migrating upstream at the Chitose Salmon Museum, hiking Mount Tarumae, soaking in an open-air hot spring at Lake Shikotsu, and canoeing, all of which are deeply enjoyable.
The blue waters and crystal-clear depths of Lake Shikotsu are truly breathtaking. By the lake lies the “hidden hot spring” Marukoma Onsen, established in the Taisho era. The fourth-generation owner, Yoshirou Sasaki, notes that overseas tourists now also stay here for two or three days, mostly for hiking, walking, canoeing, fishing, photography, and some even love to soak in the open-air hot spring all day. The period from mid-to-late October is also the peak season for autumn foliage viewing at Lake Shikotsu.
To enjoy a view of Lake Shikotsu, you can also hike up Mount Tarumae. Though the trail is mostly made up of volcanic rock gravel, it is fairly well maintained, and many beginner hikers enjoy climbing it. Here, you’ll also find many “yama-onna” (a trendy slang term) who make sure to dress fashionably even while hiking.
Hokkaido is famous for its dairy and livestock products, making tourist farms very popular. Yoshihiro Katsu, president of Hakone Farm in Chitose City, notes that entry to Hakone Farm is free. The farm grows organic vegetables and fruits such as sweet corn, tomatoes, and potatoes that are safe to eat raw, and he also warmly welcomes young people from Taiwan to come for work-and-travel programs.