Top Reasons to Go to Hokkaido

The food: Hokkaido has some of Japan's heartiest and most addictive regional dishes, from miso ramen and soup curry to lamb barbecue and fine seafood.

The slopes: Deep powder and uncrowded lift lines are hallmarks of Hokkaido's ski resorts at Niseko, Rusutsu, and Furano.

The volcanoes: At sulfur-spewing springs at Noboribetsu, Toya, Akan, and Shiretoko volcanoes burst forth into vents and craters. Check out the ash flow from the eruption of Toya's Mt. Usu.

The last frontier: Salmon-fishing bears and crested cranes, alpine flowers, and vast forests hold modern Japan at bay. Although the most convenient way to see outback Hokkaido is by car, the vistas of mountains and plains are best viewed on foot or bike.

Winter wonderland: Frigid winter nights are brightened by festivals. Out east, icebreakers cut through Arctic ice floes, and passengers spy seals and eagles.