Big in Japan: Gadling goes to Hokkaido

by Matthew Firestone on

All this month, we’re on the road in Hokkaid?, Japan’s northernmost island. Join us as we take a look at the rugged wilderness, world-class skiing and remote hot springs that make this winter wonderland so justifiably famous…

Let’s start off with a quick geography lesson, shall we?

Hokkaid? (??????, literally North Sea Circuit) is Japan’s second largest and northernmost island. If you’re not Japanese, you might have trouble identifying this landmass, though you’ve most certainly heard of its most famous export.

Indeed, Hokkaid?’s capital is the production center for the delicious amber nectar that is Sapporo beer, though the island offers much, much more than mere alcoholic delights.

First settled by the Ainu, Japan’s northerly indigenous population, Hokkaid? has been strongly influenced by Russia, Europe, America and – of course – Japanese mainlanders. Today, the island is thoroughly integrated into the modern nation, though it’s largely unlike anything you might expect to find in places like Tokyo and Kyoto.

So, without further adieu, let’s kick off our special series by taking a closer look at Japan’s winter wonderland.

In the minds of the Japanese, the island of Hokkaidō is a rough and rugged frontier that is somewhat equivalent to Alaska or the Yukon.

Surrounded by the frigid waters of the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the northern stretches of the Pacific Ocean, Hokkaidō experiences mild summers and Siberian winters.

The centre of the island is also characterized by soaring mountains and volcanic peaks, which happen to harbor some of the world’s best skiing.

While few Americans would mention Japan and skiing in the same sentence, Hokkaidō is one of the most popular overseas destinations for winter-sports lovers from Australia and New Zealand.

The action is firmly centered on the resort of Niseko, which is regarded by skiiers and snowboarders as something of a powder heaven.

For fans of apres-ski culture, you can quite literally fling yourself down the slopes, strip down to your birthday suit, and soak the night away in a natural hot spring while cradling a bottle of sake. Bliss!

Not surprisingly, the city of Sapporo hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics, and continues to host the annual Snow Festival every February. Ice bars might be the latest rage in North American cities, but where else in the world can you see a huge and hulking ice sculpture of Hello Kitty?

Sure, it’s cold, but the island specializes in winter-warming cuisine, such as the famous Sapporo ramen, a hearty dish of miso-based soup noodles that is served up with fresh butter and sweet corn.

And, if you start to lose sensation in your fingers, you can always down a pint or two of Sapporo beer, which should help get your blood circulating.

Want to learn more about Hokkaidō? Sure you do!

Tune in all this month as Big in Japan heads north and blogs from the road.

** All images courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons Project **

Vomit bag becomes iPhone movie watching case

by Scott Carmichael on

In a design I can only describe as “why didn’t I think of that”, one enterprising airline passenger decided to turn the in-seat vomit bag into a simple iPhone movie case.

Forget $40 plastic cases with stands, this paper bag simply fits behind the seat table and provides an instant and easy way to watch your movies. The case is even “compatible” when the person in front of you reclines their seat.

Brilliant.

(Hodenmumps.to, via Engadget)

Travel Read: Trail of Feathers, Searching for Philip True

by Jamie Rhein on

“‘If I’m not back in 10 days, come looking for me,” he said, then waved goodbye through the open window as the taxi disappeared from view up the steep, winding street.

No one who knew True ever saw him alive again.”

–from Trail of Feathers, searching for Philip True.

The description of what happened to Philip True in Mexico intrigued me. It was written on the inside flap of the jacket cover of Trail of Feathers. True, a journalist, was brutally murdered in Mexico in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains ten years ago. My uncle, also a writer, was shot to death in Mexico more than thirty years ago. Both of them were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

True’s account is told by Robert Rivard, his former editor at the San Antonio Express. After finding out about True’s death, Rivard set out for Mexico to find out what happened and locate True’s body. Rivard’s journey continued long after True was found buried in a shallow grave in a 150-mile canyon, deep in Huichol Indian territory.

When he was murdered, True was chasing a story and was traveling alone, something he did frequently. Rivard was drawn to find out more about what elements in True’s life pushed him towards such dangerous, solo travel. As he uncovered True’s mysteries, Rivard discovered more about himself–another mark of a traveler’s tale. Aren’t we all linked somehow?

As I read Rivard’s account of True’s life and death, as well as, what pulled Rivard in the direction of this book, I found a traveler’s story that sounds similar to the stories of many people I have met. For True, travel was a way to be his best self. An abusive, tumultuous upbringing gave him the umph to hit the road later in life. Becoming a journalist provided him the focus that enabled him to find peace and eventually marry. His wife was pregnant when he was killed.

Like any traveler who has distant horizons in his or her blood, settled or not, one is never quite settled. That’s the reason True journeyed into those mountains in December of 1998.

What happened to True is not exactly a warning, but it is a reminder that there are cultural elements that can trip up the most seasoned travelers. It doesn’t matter the size of a person’s heart or the pureness of intentions.

Along with delving into those elements of True’s life that helped make him a traveler, Rivard’s book is an intriguing look at what happens when a person is killed in another country and what needs to happen in order for justice to be served. In True’s case, and in the case of my uncle, the people from both countries, including the U.S. government and the Mexican government became involved.

If it wasn’t for Carl Perkins, who was a senator from Kentucky at the time of my uncle’s death, my uncle would have been buried in Mexico and we may not have found what happened in that ambush where he was shot five times.

Rivard’s book is an alluring read that drew me into its nuances. It’s a chance to find out an insider’s tale and see how a crime is solved, as well as, journey into a traveler’s soul.

Philip True was killed December 6, 1998, 10 years ago tomorrow.

* the photo is of Copper Canyon, not the same place where True was killed, but in the Sierra Madre mountains.

Bike sharing comes to Honolulu

by Brenda Yun on

If there isn’t enough to cheer about already, there will be plenty to cheer about in Hawaii come early summer 2009. Bike sharing, a venture that is quite popular in European cities like Barcelona, Paris, and Dusseldorf, will take shape along the south shore of Oahu! Even though I already own a bike, this makes me (a Honolulu resident) giddy as a schoolgirl because I can’t wait to people watch (in other words, check out the hot surfer dudes biking to and fro) and I am hoping this will make the horrendous traffic in town a little more bearable.
Designated bike racks will be placed in Waikiki, Ala Moana, Aloha Tower, and Downtown, and bikers pay on a sliding scale (there is a daily to yearly pass, as well as a usage fee up to $8 for two hours). The proposed bike sharing plan comes from Momentum Multisport Hawaii owner in Kaimuki who wanted to capitalize on the successes of similar programs on the mainland and abroad.

Transportation options are changing here in Honolulu with the Super Ferry to Maui, the Boat to Kapolei, the Rail in the works, and now Momentum B-Cycle ready to coast in the year. It’s no wonder that, according to the United Health Foundation, Hawaii consistently ranks among the top five healthiest states in the U.S. This year it jumped to number two behind Vermont.

Find out more about the Momentum B-Cycle sharing project and check out a map of proposed rack locations by clicking here.

Australian cruise ship mistakes tuna fishermen for pirates

by Josh Lew on

Everyone was on edge aboard the MV Athena as it passed through the Gulf of Aden on Tuesday night, local time. The gulf has become a hot spot for pirate activity. Earlier in the week a large cruise ship on its way from Rome to Singapore, outran pirates after they opened fire from their skiffs. So when a group of boats surrounded the Athena, the captain ordered passengers off the deck as crew members prepared for the worst. The captain reported to the relevant authorities that 30 boats had surrounded his vessel.

However, no shots were fired and no attempts to board were made. That’s probably because the “pirates” were actually not pirates at all. They were fishermen in search of tuna. A spokesperson from Classic International Cruises Australia, the company that owns the Athena, explained the situation.

“The captain followed all security measures as far as readiness on board for any eventuality by placing fire hoses around the decks and continually liaised with all authorities. It has been confirmed that the approaching small ships were a tuna fishing fleet.”