Hokkaido, Japan

This year, for the first time ever, Japan's bullet trains have extended to Hokkaido, making Japan's northernmost island easier to get to than ever before.

Hokkaido, which is home to many well-known ski resorts, is famed among skiers for its insane powder in the winter (especially in Niseko). In the summer, it beckons with canoeing, hiking, fishing, and whale watching.

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