Hokkaido prefecture

Hokkaido prefectural symbol
Capital:	Sapporo
Region:	Hokkaido
Island:	Hokkaido
Population:	5,702,131 (Jan. 1, 2003)
Landmass:	83,452.47 km2

Hokkaidō (北海道, literal meaning: "North Sea Circuit"), formally known as Yezo, is the second largest island of Japan. The Tsugaru Strait[?] separates it from Honshu, although it is connects to Honshu through a submarine train tunnel. The largest city on Hokkaido is Sapporo, which is the capital of Hokkaido prefecture.

Hokkaido has been the homeland of the Ainu race since time immemorial. Many place names are in fact derived from Ainu language such as Sapporo.

It is divided into four parts:

• Eastern Circuit (道東): 網走, 知床, 阿寒湖, 屈斜路湖, 摩周湖, 釧路, 帶廣, 十勝川
• Southern Circuit (道南): Sapporo, 定山溪, 支笏湖, 洞爺湖, 登別, 小樽 , 函館, 湯之川
• Central Circuit (道央): 富良野, 美瑛, 旭川, 層雲峽
• Northern Circuit (道北): 稚內

There are still many undisturbed forests in Hokkaido, including:

• 6 national parks:
  • 知床
  • 阿寒
  • 釧路濕原
  • 大雪山
  • 支笏洞爺
  • Sarioprtsu (利疚禮文)
• 5 standard(?) national parks (準国立公園)
• 12 circuital natural reserves

Subprefectures (支庁)

• Abashiri[?]
• Hidaka[?]
• Hiyama[?]
• Iburi[?]
• Ishikari[?]
• Kamikawa[?]
• Kushiro[?]
• Nemuro[?]
• Oshima[?]
• Rumoi[?]
• Shiribeshi[?]
• Sorachi[?]
• Soya[?]
• Tokachi[?]