From The Editors
Come along with us as we discover the seasons, culture, and everything worth doing in Hokkaido.
Who We Are
One family, one island we're still getting to know
Joshua "Gensetsu" Smith
Founder · Photography
Josh holds a PhD in Cultural Sociology from Osaka University, where his research focused on traditional and modern Japanese culture and arts. He's also a shakuhachi teacher in the Kinko and Myoan traditions — the name Gensetsu (玄雪, "Mysterious Snow") was given to him by his teacher, the head of the Myōan school, based at Myōan-ji temple in Kyoto. Two decades of living and studying in Japan taught him to notice the things a short trip never surfaces, which is the instinct Hokkaido Today is built on.
Satomi Smith
Editorial Review
Satomi keeps Hokkaido Today on point — checking Japanese sources, translating, and handling sales. Her background in Japanese culinary tradition also means our food and drink coverage gets a level of scrutiny most newsletters skip. She was the executive chef and co-owner, with Josh, of their Japanese restaurants in Buffalo, NY.
Also on the team: our kids, Miana and Kazutaka, pitch in as photographers and budding journalists — bringing a younger, sharper eye to the stuff we'd otherwise miss — and help run things on social.
"We write about Hokkaido the way you'd explain it to a friend who's about to move here."— Josh & Satomi
Why We Started This
Most Hokkaido coverage is written for people passing through once
We wanted something written for people staying longer — the residents figuring out where to get their car inspected, the visitor who's already been to Sapporo three times and wants the fourth trip to feel different, the person overseas who just likes reading about a place that gets under your skin. Hokkaido Today is that: locals-first, warm rather than promotional, and built by two people who are moving to Sapporo themselves, not writing about it from a distance.
We're currently building the publication from Sapporo and Buffalo, New York, as we navigate the process of the full move to Sapporo. Consider this the ground-floor version, which will only grow and become an even richer resource with your help.
Where We're Headed
A growing local media company and newsletter
We think of Hokkaido Today as a local media company, not just an email. The newsletter is our flagship and where you'll get to know us first, but our goal is for Hokkaido Today to become the place people check before making a plan — residents deciding what to do this weekend, visitors deciding whether Otaru is worth the train ride, anyone trying to figure out where the good soup curry actually is.
Part of that is working directly with the businesses that make Hokkaido worth writing about — the breweries, restaurants, shops, tour operators, and event organizers who are doing something genuinely worth knowing about. If that's you, we'd like to help you reach readers who are actively looking for exactly what you offer, whether that's a featured listing, a sponsored spot, or just us writing about you because we think you're great. We're building this to be useful to the region, not just about it.
What We Cover
One island, a handful of beats — and growing
Outdoor life & seasons
What it actually feels like to live through Hokkaido's seasons — skiing, hiking, onsen culture, and the rhythms of a place built around weather.
Food, farms & producers
Craft beer, sake, whisky, dairy, seafood, and the markets and makers behind Hokkaido's food culture.
Beyond Sapporo
Otaru, Niseko, Noboribetsu, Furano, and further afield — for residents and visitors alike.
One human story, every Tuesday
Residents, expats who stayed, makers, farmers, and chefs — the people who make the island what it is.
Life here, made simpler
Healthcare, bureaucracy, housing, schools — the resident utility content worth forwarding to a friend.
Events, sorted by region
Sapporo and Beyond Sapporo, every Thursday — what's actually worth doing this weekend.
Two Editions, Every Week
The deep dive and the weekend plan
Tuesday · 9am JST
Hokkaido Today
Our editorial edition — longer reads, people stories, food and drink features, and day trips. Written for residents and Hokkaido enthusiasts anywhere in the world.
Thursday · 5pm JST
This Weekend in Hokkaido
Our events edition — organized by region, with a weekend pick, conditions, and more. Built for planning your Saturday and Sunday, and the week ahead.
