STAFF BLOGStaff Blog

Hello, we are now at the end of March and the weather is getting warmer!
We would like to share our memories of our winter trip to Shiretoko with you before spring. ❄️

First, we went on a snowshoe walk to Frepée Falls! As someone who was born and raised in an area with no history of snow, I was very excited to see the white scenery from start to finish.

There were also the remains of a brown bear climbing a mountain grape tree and a well used by people in the past. The weather was beautiful and the Shiretoko mountain range looked so beautiful!

And the main event, the drift ice walk!
I was expecting to walk on the top of the tight pack ice, but................................it's surprisingly melting! Due to global warming, the drift ice is coming in two weeks later than usual, and the amount of drift ice is decreasing rapidly 🥲.

There is a large amount of plankton in the drift ice, and in spring, when the drift ice melts, the plankton released makes Hokkaido's seafood tastier🐟🐻! But the guide also told us that if the drift ice were to decrease and disappear someday, we might not be able to eat the delicious seafood anymore.... The drift ice walk was not only fun, but also made us think about environmental issues!

During the wildlife tour that followed, we saw a fox and a rare male deer, and thoroughly enjoyed the natural beauty of Hokkaido!

I've become a total outdoorsman lately, so it's a lot of fun to think about where to go next 🌈.

Do you have any recommendations for places to go? We would love to hear your stories 💟.

We look forward to seeing you at the clinic!
Staff G