Living Together, Building Together
Over the past few years, news outlets around the world have been covering a concerning trend: an increase in the number of bear encounters in the villages of Hokkaido. Yet, for residents and officials, this is an opportunity to rethink the relationship between humans and wildlife, and to find new, balanced ways to coexist.
In Shimukappu, wildlife specialist Mr Urata works with locals to prevent conflicts between people and bears.
“Bears are not our enemies,” he says. They’re our neighbours.”
The village has launched surveys, training programs, and school workshops. Children learn from an early age how to recognise animal tracks and understand ecological balance.
Mr Urata explains. “Even if only a few of these children stay in the village as adults, what they learn here will remain with them. I hope it benefits them, and that, in turn, it will impact society.”
Mr Kawauchino, who hails from Nagano and now serves as a local guide, collaborates with Urata to create educational and safety initiatives. For him, this contemplation of coexistence transcends mere prevention, as it raises questions about the relationship between humans and nature.
With support from Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, these initiatives now increasingly involve visitors, encouraging them to see themselves as active participants rather than passive observers.
Rethinking Travel
From Tomamu to Shimukappu, Hokkaido attracts those who seek more than a picture-perfect Instagram landscape. Those who come for a few days often leave transformed—and some, like Ms Lee, never leave at all.
As Japan refines its tourism model, Hokkaido proves that lesser-known places can redefine the very meaning of the word travel.
By Isabelle VanSteenkiste, journalist.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
AloJapan.com