Blakiston’s Line, the borderline for the distribution of fauna and flora proposed by a British zoologist is famous. This is the theory that the Tsugaru Strait forms the borderline for the distribution of animals and plants, but in the case of plants it is not so accurate. The distribution of temperate vegetation, as typified by the beech tree, spreads to the lowlands of Kuromatsunai and in actual fact this area can be said to be the borderline. To the north and east of the Kuromatsunai lowlands, temperate vegetation gradually disappears and deciduous broad-leafed trees such as beech and Japanese oak become mixed with Sakhalin firs and Sakhalin spruce trees, creating mixed conifer and broadleaf forests.
The wide distribution of these mixed conifer and broadleaf forests is a distinctive feature of Hokkaido’s plant landscapes. Even further north, the ratio of coniferous forests becomes higher, with landscapes similar to those of Sakhalin. What’s more, in Daisetsuzan and Akan, dense primeval forests that remain in their primitive form can be found, which is also a feature typical of Hokkaido.

As Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island, there are many flowers that cannot be found on Honshu.
Of the alpine plants, the pretty Yubari-kozakura (Primura yuparensis) of Mt. Yubari, Apoi-azumagiku(Erigeron thunbergii subsp. glabratus var. angustifolius) of Mt. Apoi, and Chishima-gikyo (Campanula chamissonis) and the like found on the Taisetsu Mountains, are famous. The Rebun lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium macranthum var. rebunense) and Rebun-usuyuki-so (Leontopodium discolor) are wild orchards that are only found on the island of Rebun. Common glasswort (Salicornia europaea) is a flower that is almost exclusive to the coast of eastern Hokkaido, where it colors the water’s surface red, almost like coral. In the wild flower meadows in the town of Koshimizu, the arrival of the short summer brings with it colorful flowers such as Siberian lilies (Lilium pensylvanicum), Ezokizuge (Hemerocallis flava var. yezoensis), Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa) and the like, which can be seen blooming in unison. The marshes, too, boast an array of distinctive vegetation and in the Kushiro Wetlands, varieties such as Yukiwari-kozakura (Primula modesta var. fauriei), Ezo-ichige (Anemone soyensis) and Ezo osakura-so (Primula jesoana var. jesoana) flower amid the harsh environment.

The distribution of animals in Hokkaido and Honshu is clearly separated by Blakiston’s Line. Brown bears, Asiatic chipmunks and pikas can only be found in Hokkaido, whereas Asian black bears, wild boars, Japanese monkeys and the like are only found in Honshu. Generally, as seen with the Hokkaido sika deer and Ezo red fox, the animals are conspicuously larger than the varieties found in Honshu.

Weighing between 200 and 300kg, with long, sharp claws and teeth, the agile brown bears are Hokkaido’s strongest animal. The Ezo red fox, with its cute features, is extremely popular but is avoided due to its connection with echinococcosis. In recent years, Hokkaido sika deer have rapidly increased in numbers, and as damage to farm crops is becoming greater, their population management is becoming an issue. The pika is a rare animal that came to Hokkaido from Siberia during the ice age and continues to inhabit alpine areas.

Hokkaido is also the habitat of large birds such as red-crowned cranes, Blakiston’s fish owls, white-tailed sea eagles, woodpeckers and the like. As winter approaches, the cranes leave the wetlands where they rear their young, and head for the feeding grounds in the village of Tsurui to spend winter. With regard to migratory birds, too, every year countless greater white-fronted geese fly in to Miyajima Marsh, and Whooper and Tundra swans arrive at Lake Utonai and Lake Kutcharo. The remote islands provide a number of breeding grounds for seafowl, with Teuri Island boasting a breeding ground of the common murre, which is in danger of extinction.

Dolly varden, Japanese huchen, kokanee and the like are all species of freshwater fish endemic to Hokkaido, and marine creatures such as Steller’s sea lions and earless seals that migrate to the area between the Sea of Okhotsk and eastern Hokkaido’s Pacific coast form part of the Hokkaido’s typical scenery.

In 2005, Shiretoko was registered as a world natural heritage site in recognition of the fact that the ecosystem that connects the sea and land can be easily understood; that it is a habitat of many rare animals and plants, including the endangered Blakiston’s fish owl and Shiretoko violet (Viola kitamiana); and that the management system to preserve all these things is seen to be in place.

In Shiretoko the fauna and flora form a variety of ecosystems from the sea to the coastline to the mountains. All of these are preserved in a primeval condition. The plankton nurtured by the ice floes provides nourishment for the fish that become the food of the marine mammals such as seals and birds such as the Steller’s sea eagle. Then, the salmon, nourished by the blessings of the abundant sea, return up the rivers where they help to nurture the animals, such as the brown bears that live there. In this way, all life in Shiretoko is connected.

“Geo” means the Earth or land, and therefore the term Geopark is a park containing places of natural significance viewed from the point of view of earth science. The Global Geoparks Network was established in 2004 with the support of UNESCO, and is made up of natural parks containing important geological, geographical and volcanic heritages recognized in countries throughout the world. Japan has six such recognized regions, and the Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark is one of them.

In addition, a separate Japanese Geoparks Network also exists, and in Hokkaido the four regions of Shirataki, Mikasa, Mt. Apoi and Tokachi Shikaoi are officially recognized. Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark comprises the beautiful natural environment and precious geological features on a grand scale, formed by volcanic activity, as well as numerous remains from the Jomon culture that thrived in the abundant natural surroundings

The Birth of Hokkaido