Hokkaido (First of two parts)

My husband and I have always loved traveling to Japan because it is the safest, most efficient, environmentallyfriendly, cost-effective and delicious foodie country to visit.

- MARIANNE GO

Most of the time, we visit the popular golden triangle destinations of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka on the main island of Honshu, as well as the increasingly vibey city of Fukuoka on Kyushu island. The attraction, of course, has always been about finding the latest technology, innovation, fashion, products and food.

Thus, this time around, it was time to try something new and venture out to the northernmost and second-largest island of Japan - Hokkaido-to experience its pristine environment. The island is more popular as a winter destination for skiing, and in summer for its more temperate climate and the beautiful blooming fields of lavender, colorful flowers, vegetable crops, rice, wheat and corn.

Hokkaido's agriculture, forestry and fisheries supply approximately 20 percent of domestically supplied calories, significantly contributing to a stable food supply in Japan.

As I am not exactly partial to very cold weather and snow, nor do I fancy Japan's hot summer, we chose to visit Hokkaido just as the weather transitioned from the hot summer to the much cooler autumn. This also happens to be a low season for tourists at the normally popular destinations of Sapporo, Otaru, Nakafurano or Furano and Biei.

Mid-September, it turns out, is a low season for tourists since the peak summer bloom of flowers and lavender fields is best seen in July. Thus, when we arrived, most of the flower and vegetable fields that produce a variety of crops including sugar beets, potatoes, adzuki beans, squash, corn, rice and wheat had already been harvested.

The positive side was that the attractions were less crowded.