Simple Japanese Listening Lesson #4 | All about Hokkaido in Japan🗾🇯🇵

Simple Japanese Listening Lesson #4 | All about Hokkaido in Japan🗾🇯🇵

Hello everyone. Japan has 47 prefectures. Each one is very unique and full of exciting attractions. From Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, the Japanese archipelago is very long. There are so many different types of nature, food, and fun events that you will never get tired of.

Today, I will share with you the charms of Hokkaido in particular. Please try to imagine and listen to what I have to say. Hokkaido is located in the northernmost part of Japan. Therefore, winters in Hokkaido are very cold and it snows a lot.

When it snows, the ground turns white and it looks like a snow country. So, in winter, there are many people who enjoy skiing and snowboarding. People from other countries also come here. And it is very cool in summer. That is why Hokkaido is popular as a 「Hishochi」.

A 「Hishochi」 is a land where you can stay cool even in summer. Visitors can forget about the midsummer heat and enjoy outdoor leisure activities in comfort. That is why many people come to visit with their families during their summer vacation. Let me also briefly talk about the history of Hokkaido.

Hokkaido has not always been inhabited. People started to live in Hokkaido several thousand years ago. Since that time, the Ainu people have lived on this land. The Ainu people have lived in harmony with the mountains, rivers, plants, and animals. They built houses out of trees and made clothes out of animal pelts.

The Ainu culture also includes beautiful embroidery and carvings, and these are still cherished by many people today. In fact, in the past, the name Hokkaido was not called Hokkaido, but 「Ezo」. Did you know that?

In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the Japanese government began to take an interest in Hokkaido and decided to develop the area. And the name was changed to 「Hokkaido」. Since then, many people from other parts of Japan moved to Hokkaido, and many new towns were established. Next, I will introduce many sightseeing spots in Hokkaido.

First is a place called 「Aoi Ike」. This pond has really blue water. It is said that there is a special ingredient dissolved in the pond that reflects the sunlight and makes it look blue. It is a very mysterious and beautiful place. Furano is famous for its colorful flowers.

Lavender fields are especially popular, and in summer they spread out like a purple carpet. It is a great place to take lots of pictures and create wonderful memories. And do you know a place called Hakodate? The night view from Mount Hakodate in Hakodate is famous as one of the world’s top three nightscapes.

At night, the lights of the city shine like stars, making it very romantic. The streets of Hakodate still retain the atmosphere of the old days. Especially in the Motomachi district, there are many retro Western-style buildings and churches that are fun to walk around.

Niseko is also a recommended tourist destination. Niseko is famous for skiing and snowboarding, but summer is also recommended. In summer, you can go rafting on the river or ride a bicycle through the mountains. For those who love the outdoors, this is the perfect place to visit. Asahiyama Zoo is also famous.

The zoo is designed so that the animals can live in an environment close to nature, so you can see them in good health right up close. Next, let’s talk about Hokkaido’s delicious food and sweets. First, there is a meat dish called 「Genghis Khan」. It is made from sheep meat and grilled with vegetables.

You can enjoy it with your family and friends when you barbecue outside. 「Umi no Sachi」 is also very famous. This is because Hokkaido is surrounded by the sea. 「Umi no Sachi」 refers to fish, shellfish, and other seafood. For example, crab, squid, and scallops are very delicious.

Sushi, sashimi, and kaisen-don (seafood bowl) are the best. And 「soup curry」 is another delicious meal in Hokkaido. It is a spicy curry soup filled with vegetables and meat. Eating it on a cold day will warm your heart and body. It is a food unique to cold Hokkaido.

Speaking of Hokkaido, we must not forget 「Ramen」. Sapporo is especially famous for its miso ramen, which is characterized by its rich soup. Sweets are also a must. Dairy farming is very popular in Hokkaido. Dairy farming refers to the farming of cows, sheep, goats, and other animals to produce dairy products.

Therefore, dairy products such as milk and butter are abundant and delicious. There are many sweets made from dairy products, such as 「Shiroi Koibito (white lover)」, cheesecake, and soft serve ice cream. They make great souvenirs. Talking about delicious gourmet foods in Hokkaido makes me kind of hungry.

Finally, let us talk about transportation in Hokkaido. Airplane is the most convenient way to get to Hokkaido. 「Shin chitose Airport」, located in the center of Hokkaido, is a large airport with many planes coming and going. There are also trains running in Hokkaido.

In particular, trains operated by 「JR Hokkaido」 can take you to various towns and sightseeing spots around Sapporo City. The beautiful scenery outside the window can be enjoyed on the train. Buses are also very important vehicles. Buses can take you to places that trains cannot go.

Bus tours are especially convenient for taking you to places that are not accessible by train. The tour guide will give you various explanations, so you can enjoy sightseeing while having fun. Touring, or traveling to various places by motorcycle, is also popular. People come from all over Japan to do touring.

The attraction of touring in Hokkaido is great nature and wide roads. Hokkaido has high mountains, wide plains, and beautiful coastlines. So no matter where you drive, you will encounter wonderful scenery. And since there are many wide roads with little traffic, you can enjoy biking comfortably.

Stopping at nice scenery and delicious restaurants found along the way is also a fun part of touring. As you can see, Hokkaido has a lot more to offer than this video alone can convey. I hope you will all visit there someday. Hello everyone. Japan has 47 prefectures.

Each one is very unique and full of exciting attractions. From Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, the Japanese archipelago is very long. There are so many different types of nature, food, and fun events that you will never get tired of.

Today, I will share with you the charms of Hokkaido in particular. Please try to imagine and listen to what I have to say. Hokkaido is located in the northernmost part of Japan. Therefore, winters in Hokkaido are very cold and it snows a lot.

When it snows, the ground turns white and it looks like a snow country. So, in winter, there are many people who enjoy skiing and snowboarding. People from other countries also come here. And it is very cool in summer. That is why Hokkaido is popular as a 「Hishochi」.

A 「Hishochi」 is a land where you can stay cool even in summer. Visitors can forget about the midsummer heat and enjoy outdoor leisure activities in comfort. That is why many people come to visit with their families during their summer vacation.

Let me also briefly talk about the history of Hokkaido. Hokkaido has not always been inhabited. People started to live in Hokkaido several thousand years ago. Since that time, the Ainu people have lived on this land.

The Ainu people have lived in harmony with the mountains, rivers, plants, and animals. They built houses out of trees and made clothes out of animal pelts. The Ainu culture also includes beautiful embroidery and carvings, and these are still cherished by many people today.

In fact, in the past, the name Hokkaido was not called Hokkaido, but 「Ezo」. Did you know that? In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the Japanese government began to take an interest in Hokkaido and decided to develop the area. And the name was changed to 「Hokkaido」.

Since then, many people from other parts of Japan moved to Hokkaido, and many new towns were established. Next, I will introduce many sightseeing spots in Hokkaido. First is a place called 「Aoi Ike」. This pond has really blue water.

It is said that there is a special ingredient dissolved in the pond that reflects the sunlight and makes it look blue. It is a very mysterious and beautiful place. Furano is famous for its colorful flowers.

Lavender fields are especially popular, and in summer they spread out like a purple carpet. It is a great place to take lots of pictures and create wonderful memories. And do you know a place called Hakodate?

The night view from Mount Hakodate in Hakodate is famous as one of the world’s top three nightscapes. At night, the lights of the city shine like stars, making it very romantic. The streets of Hakodate still retain the atmosphere of the old days.

Especially in the Motomachi district, there are many retro Western-style buildings and churches that are fun to walk around. Niseko is also a recommended tourist destination. Niseko is famous for skiing and snowboarding, but summer is also recommended.

In summer, you can go rafting on the river or ride a bicycle through the mountains. For those who love the outdoors, this is the perfect place to visit. Asahiyama Zoo is also famous.

The zoo is designed so that the animals can live in an environment close to nature, so you can see them in good health right up close. Next, let’s talk about Hokkaido’s delicious food and sweets. First, there is a meat dish called 「Genghis Khan」.

It is made from sheep meat and grilled with vegetables. You can enjoy it with your family and friends when you barbecue outside. 「Umi no Sachi」 is also very famous. This is because Hokkaido is surrounded by the sea. 「Umi no Sachi」 refers to fish, shellfish, and other seafood.

For example, crab, squid, and scallops are very delicious. Sushi, sashimi, and kaisen-don (seafood bowl) are the best. And 「soup curry」 is another delicious meal in Hokkaido. It is a spicy curry soup filled with vegetables and meat.

Eating it on a cold day will warm your heart and body. It is a food unique to cold Hokkaido. Speaking of Hokkaido, we must not forget 「Ramen」. Sapporo is especially famous for its miso ramen, which is characterized by its rich soup.

Sweets are also a must. Dairy farming is very popular in Hokkaido. Dairy farming refers to the farming of cows, sheep, goats, and other animals to produce dairy products. Therefore, dairy products such as milk and butter are abundant and delicious.

There are many sweets made from dairy products, such as 「Shiroi Koibito (white lover)」, cheesecake, and soft serve ice cream. They make great souvenirs. Talking about delicious gourmet foods in Hokkaido makes me kind of hungry.

Finally, let us talk about transportation in Hokkaido. Airplane is the most convenient way to get to Hokkaido. 「Shin chitose Airport」, located in the center of Hokkaido, is a large airport with many planes coming and going. There are also trains running in Hokkaido.

In particular, trains operated by 「JR Hokkaido」 can take you to various towns and sightseeing spots around Sapporo City. The beautiful scenery outside the window can be enjoyed on the train. Buses are also very important vehicles. Buses can take you to places that trains cannot go.

Bus tours are especially convenient for taking you to places that are not accessible by train. The tour guide will give you various explanations, so you can enjoy sightseeing while having fun. Touring, or traveling to various places by motorcycle, is also popular.

People come from all over Japan to do touring. The attraction of touring in Hokkaido is great nature and wide roads. Hokkaido has high mountains, wide plains, and beautiful coastlines. So no matter where you drive, you will encounter wonderful scenery.

And since there are many wide roads with little traffic, you can enjoy biking comfortably. Stopping at nice scenery and delicious restaurants found along the way is also a fun part of touring. As you can see, Hokkaido has a lot more to offer than this video alone can convey.

I hope you will all visit there someday.

This video is designed to enhance your listening and speaking skills through shadowing practice, where you follow along with a native speaker.
☑️ A native Japanese speaker guides you, helping you pick up natural pronunciation and rhythm.
☑️ Activate subtitles for better comprehension and to deepen your learning experience.

🚀Lesson 4 Highlights:
🌼 Discover the fascinating beauty of Hokkaido, exploring its culture, history, famous places to visit, and delicious food.
🌼 Explore the beauty of Hokkaido’s nature and the charm of its changing seasons.
🌼 Learn more about Japan’s hidden gems and compare Hokkaido’s unique features with other cities in Japan.

Begin your study with the first segment of the video, which includes furigana for easier understanding, then challenge yourself in the second half where furigana is removed, and the speed increases to 1.2x.
If the speed is too fast to study, you can always slow down the video to 0.75x speed to match your comfort level.

00:43 1. Geography of Hokkaido
01:58 2. History
03:41 3. Sightseeing Spots
06:03 4. Local food and sweets
08:30 5. Transportation conditions
09:46 6. Touring
11:36 1. Geography of Hokkaido（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）
12:38 2. History（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）
14:04 3. Sightseeing Spots（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）
16:03 4. Local food and sweets（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）
18:06 5. Transportation conditions（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）
19:09 6. Touring（Without Furigana & Natural Speed）

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